[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Catskill 4-21-2010.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Investment policy — See Ch. 34.
[1]
Editor's Note: This resolution also superseded former
Ch. 53, Procurement Policy, adopted 1-7-1992, as amended.
The Town Board of the Town of Catskill hereby adopts the following
amended procurement policy and procedures.
Every prospective purchase of goods or services shall be evaluated
to determine the applicability of General Municipal Law § 103.
Every Town officer, board, department head or other personnel with
the requisite purchasing authority (hereinafter "purchaser") shall
estimate the cumulative amount of the items of supply or equipment
needed in a given fiscal year. That estimate shall include the canvas
of other Town departments and past history to determine the likely
yearly value of the commodity to be acquired. The information gathered
and the conclusions reached shall be documented and kept with the
file or other documentation supporting the purchase activity.
A.
Except
when directed by the Town Board, no solicitation of written proposals
or quotations shall be required under the following circumstances:
(1)
Acquisition of professional services;
(2)
Emergencies;
(3)
Sole source situations;
(4)
Goods purchased from agencies for the blind or severely handicapped;
(5)
Goods purchased from correctional facilities;
(6)
Goods purchased from another governmental agency;
(7)
Goods purchased at auction;
(8)
Goods purchased for less than $500;
(9)
Public works contracts for less than $500;
(10)
Goods purchased under NYS-awarded contracts;
(11)
Goods purchased under Town of Catskill approved or awarded contracts;
(12)
Goods purchased under County of Greene awarded contracts.
A.
All purchases of supplies and equipment which will exceed $10,000
in the fiscal year or public works contracts over $35,000 shall be
formally bid pursuant to General Municipal Law § 103(1).
(1)
All estimated purchases of:
(a)
Less than $10,000 but greater than $3,000 require a written
request for a proposal (RFP) and written/fax/email quotes from three
vendors.
(b)
Less than $3,000 but greater than $1,000 require an oral request
for the goods and oral/fax/email quotes from two vendors.
(c)
Less than $1,000 but greater than $250 are left to the discretion
of the purchaser. For any purchase over $250, a purchase order is
required and authorized by the department head and Supervisor.
(2)
All estimated public works contracts of:
(a)
Less than $35,000 but greater than $10,000 require a written
RFP and written/fax/email/proposals from three contractors.
(b)
Less than $10,000 but greater than $3,000 require a written
RFP and written/fax/email/proposals from two contractors.
(c)
Less than $3,000 but greater than $500 are left to the discretion
of the purchaser and Town Board Approval.
B.
Any written RFP shall describe the desired goods, quantity and the
particulars of delivery. The purchaser shall compile a list of all
vendors from written/fax/oral/email quotes that have been requested
and the written/fax/oral/email quotes offered.
C.
All information gathered in complying with the procedures of this
policy shall be preserved and filed with the documentation supporting
the subsequent purchase or public works contract with the Town Comptroller.
D.
The following exceptions to the above apply:
(1)
The Highway Superintendent does not require prior Board approval
to purchase tools and/or equipment not exceeding $3,000 (reviewed
annually).
(2)
The Ambulance Administrator does not require prior Board approval
to purchase medical supplies for the Town of Catskill Ambulance Service.
(3)
Postage for Town postage meter.
The lowest responsible proposal or quote shall be awarded the
purchase or public works contract unless the purchaser prepares a
written justification providing reasons why it is in the best interest
of the Town and its taxpayers to make an award to other than the low
bidder. If a bidder is not deemed responsible, facts supporting that
judgment shall also be documented and filed with the record supporting
the procurement.
A good faith effort shall be made to obtain the required number
of proposals or quotations. If the purchaser is unable to obtain the
required number of proposals or quotations, the purchaser shall document
the attempt made at obtaining the proposals. In no event shall the
inability to obtain the proposals or quotes be a bar to the procurement.
When there is a rational basis and it is in the best interest
of the taxpayers of the Town of Catskill for the procurement of an
item from a vendor within the Town of Catskill and the proposed price
or bid by such Catskill vendor shall be no greater than 10% higher
than the lowest bid or proposal from a vendor outside the Town of
Catskill, the item may be purchased from a vendor within the Town
of Catskill.
A.
The following purchase order approval process shall apply to any
individual item or group of items whose aggregate cost exceeds $500:
(1)
Prior to any purchase in excess of $500, the voucher needs to be
approved by the Supervisor and/or Town Board.
(2)
The Comptroller will forward a memo to each member of the Town Board
by the 15th and 30th of each month to advise them the vouchers are
ready for review.
(3)
Each voucher shall require the signature of the both the department
head and the Supervisor.
(4)
No voucher will remain open longer than 60 days without Town Board
approval.
(5)
In the event of an emergency, a voucher may be released prior to
Town Board approval with the signature of the Supervisor.
(6)
Road materials (bituminous material, stone, catch basins) used in
the repair and maintenance of roads.
(7)
Snow and ice controls (MAGIC, IceBan®, salt).
B.
The Town's procurement policy (quotes and bids) must be followed
for all the above exceptions.
No vendor or contractor should be selected that owns, uses,
or occupies for business purposes property in the Town of Catskill
that is in violation of any provisions of the Code of the Town of
Catskill pertaining to use and occupancy of the property, after notice
from the Town of Catskill as to a violation and a reasonable opportunity
to bring the property into compliance.
It is a policy to encourage the purchase and use of recycled
materials and products. When any of the guidelines of this procurement
policy require that more than one quote or RFP be obtained, at least
one should be for recycled materials or products. To the extent permitted
under the General Municipal Law, preference should be given to vendors
whose products utilize or contain recycled materials and to contracts
that utilize recycled materials in public works contracts.
Pursuant to § 104 of the New York State General Municipal
Law, effective January 1, 2009, the Town is including the names of
municipal officers responsible for purchasing decisions as follows:
A.
Town Supervisor.
B.
Town Councilman.
C.
Town Clerk.
D.
Town Justice.
E.
Town Highway Superintendent.
F.
Town Receiver of Tax.
G.
Town Comptroller.
H.
Town Attorney.
I.
Town Assessor.
J.
Town Code Enforcement Officer.
K.
Town of Catskill Ambulance Administrator.
L.
Town of Catskill Senior Center Director.
M.
Town of Catskill Cemetery Custodian.
This policy shall be reviewed annually by the Town Board at
its organizational meeting or as soon thereafter as is reasonably
practical.
