A. Establishment. In order to establish efficient procedures for the purchase of supplies, materials and equipment, and contracted services, to secure for all departments or agencies of the City, supplies, materials, equipment, and services at the lowest possible cost commensurate with the quality needed, to exercise positive financial control over purchases, to clearly define authority for the purchasing functions and to assure that quality of purchases, a centralized purchasing system is adopted. Except as specified herein, there shall be no exemption from centralized purchasing and no Agency or Department shall be authorized to purchase, or contract for the purchase of supplies, services or equipment independently of the Purchasing Division. The Municipal Water Department and the San Bernardino Public Library shall not be subject to this centralized purchasing system; however, the Board of Water Commissioners and the Board of the San Bernardino Public Library shall employ procedures substantially in compliance with the provisions of this Chapter as such may be applicable.
B. Purchasing Policy. All purchases of goods, supplies, equipment, and services shall be made in accordance with the formal Purchasing Policy in effect at the time of the purchase. The Purchasing Policy shall be developed by staff and adopted by the Mayor and City Council. The Purchasing Policy may be changed from time to time by City Council Resolution in order to remain in compliance with necessary law and to address the evolving procurement needs of the City.
C. Vendor Lists. The City may utilize the processes of this Chapter and Purchasing Policy to procure vendors who will be eligible or preferred to provide goods or services to the City on an as-needed basis.
D. Exemptions. This Chapter shall not apply to the following:
1. Purchases from, or sales to a government or governmental agency, or through any advantageous governmental contract approved by the Council, or to the purchase of election supplies, or to purchases and/or services or service contracts relating to litigation or prosecution or investigations thereof, or to purchases and/or services or service contracts relating to fire and police investigations, or to the purchases and/or services or service contracts relating to board up or demolition of buildings or structures.
2. Purchases from a vendor or manufacturer which, through the City's bidding procedure, or other government or governmental agency's bidding procedure, has established a price at which such a vendor or manufacturer is willing to sell to the City. During such a bid procedure more than one responsive bid must have been received.
3. Purchases approved by the Mayor and City Council.
4. Purchases of less than $10,000.
5. Public Works Projects. Procurement procedures for Public Works Projects are defined in Chapters 12.20, 12.21 and 12.24 of the San Bernardino Municipal Code.
6. Sole source procurements as more defined in the Purchasing Policy.
7. Emergency procurements as more defined in Section 3.04.070 of the Municipal Code and the Purchasing Policy.
8. Federal/Grant-Funded Procurement to the extent that this Chapter and Purchasing Policy is inconsistent any federal, grant or other funding source requirement for a particular purchase. In that event, the federal, grant or other funding source procurement requirements shall control.
9. Inadequate competition as more defined in the Purchasing Policy.
(Ord. MC-1605, 2-1-23; Ord. MC-983, 9-24-96; Ord. MC-858, 1-12-93; Ord. MC-608, 9-22-87; Ord. MC-513, 4-22-86; Ord. MC-431, 1-25-85; Ord. 2588, 6-23-64)