Sec. 2-148Purchasing and procurement

(a) Purchases and procurement of supplies, fixed assets, and services, shall be classified as follows:

(1) Purchases which total less than $500.00 in the aggregate annually.

(2) Purchases which total less than $3,000.00 in the aggregate annually.

(3) Purchases which total less than $10,000.00 in the aggregate annually.

(4) Purchases which total more than $25,000.00 in the aggregate annually.

(b) Purchases totaling less than $500.00. Purchases totaling less than $500.00 may be authorized by the city manager when he/she has reasonable assurances that the price to be paid is fair and equitable and further quotes will not provide a reasonable savings. Consideration shall be given to costs of personnel time, delivery, etc. when making such decisions and when such items do not exceed the aggregate total in the approved annual budget.

(c) Purchases totaling more than $500.00 but less than $2,500.00. Purchases totaling more than $500.00 but less than $2,500.00 may be authorized by the city manager following documentation of evidence the purchase has been properly researched to find the best price for a competitive price and evidence that the purchase is being conducted reasonably and fairly. Telephone quotes may be sufficient documentation if supporting catalogs, flyers or other written materials are available. Quotes may also be faxed from local suppliers or some purchases may require written specification sheets and a formal quote to be adequate documentation. Other cases may require written specification sheets and quote for an adequate response.

(d) Purchases totaling more than $2,500.00 but less than $10,000.00. Purchases totaling more than $2,500.00 but less than $10,000.00 shall require a minimum of three written quotes in response to requests submitted to qualified suppliers. Quotes from all qualified suppliers in the region should be requested when possible. The city must be able to document fairness and equity in purchases and all items purchased by the city shall not exceed the aggregate total allotted in the approved annual budget.

(e) Purchases of more than $10,000.00. Purchases of more than $10,000.00 shall require a minimum of three formal proposals, in response to detailed specifications prepared by the City of Ashburn. No purchase shall be made without the documentation of three formal proposals or comprehensive documentation of the fact that only one or two suppliers chose to respond to the request. In such cases where fewer than three formal proposals are received, the city manager should contact other local government organizations who have engaged in similar projects to determine if the proposals received are reasonable and valid.

(f) Purchases of more than $25,000.00. Purchases of more than $25,000.00 shall require a formal bidding process determined by the city manager and approved by the City Council of Ashburn. The process shall include at a minimum: the formal advertisement of specifications being available, formal requests of known suppliers of goods or services required, stringent published deadlines for submittal, published public meeting for the opening of proposals, documentation of references for firms, and acceptance of a proposal with no substitutions.

(g) Purchases which can be made through the state contract shall be assumed to be in compliance with the above guidelines and may not require any further proposals. Discretion shall be used by the city manager in the decision to utilize state contract as the procurement source for the city, making certain a good or service may not be purchased from a lower cost responsible bidder.

(h) Splitting a purchase to avoid the procurement guidelines is strictly prohibited and a cause for action against an employee under the personnel policies. Changes to contracts or purchase orders should be subjected to the same controls and approvals as the original agreement. Claims shall be made by the city against vendors regarding documented shortages, or substitutions of lesser quality.

History: (Ord. No. 15-07, § 1(Exh. A), 8-6-2016)