This article governing purchasing procedures to be used by the City of Franklin is incorporated into the Administrative Code in accordance with § C-29 of the City Charter.
[Amended 9-14-1998 by Ord. No. 98-4]
A. 
The Purchasing Agent, as prescribed by § C-29 of the City Charter, shall be, or shall be appointed by, the Manager.
B. 
The Purchasing Agent shall perform the following duties. He or she shall:
(1) 
Receive all requests for supplies, materials and equipment from the various departments.
(2) 
Receive and tabulate bids.
(3) 
Develop, distribute and expedite the use of whatever forms may be required to centralize purchasing.
(4) 
Keep all department heads advised of matters relating to purchasing and in particular coordinate the requisitioning of standard items in order to take advantage of quantity prices.
(5) 
Keep all necessary records pertaining to purchasing.
(6) 
Perform all other related functions pertaining to purchasing.
[Amended 8-6-1990 by Ord. No. 90-6; 9-14-1998 by Ord. No. 98-4]
A. 
Requisitions.
(1) 
All equipment shall be requisitioned by department heads by memo to the Purchasing Agent.
(2) 
Certain standard items used by more than one department shall be determined by the Purchasing Agent and purchased at stated times throughout the year in order to take advantage of quantity prices.
B. 
Competitive bidding.
(1) 
All purchases of new items in excess of $5,000, except as otherwise herein provided, shall be by competitive bids wherever practical unless a specific alternate method is approved by the City Manager.
(2) 
In purchases involving professional services where the ethics of the profession prohibit bidding, the requirement of bidding shall be waived.
(3) 
The City Manager must seek pre-award authorization from the City Council when the procurement is expected to exceed $5,000 and is to be awarded without competition or only one bid or offer is received in response to a solicitation, except if there is public urgency or emergency.
(4) 
The Purchasing Agent may require whatever security he or she deems necessary with any sealed bid.
(5) 
All bids, after they are received and tabulated, shall be made a matter of record and shall be open for public inspection.
C. 
Preference for small and local area firms. The Purchasing Agent will take all necessary steps to assure that small firms and local area firms are used when possible.
D. 
Field purchases. Field purchases may be made by City employees so authorized under the following conditions:
(1) 
Field purchases may be made only on field purchase order forms provided and approved by the Purchasing Agent.
(2) 
The Purchasing Agent's copy of the field purchase order shall always be turned in to the Finance Officer within 24 hours of the time the purchase is made.
E. 
Exception to competitive bidding.
(1) 
In any case where it is clearly to the City's advantage to contract without competitive bidding, the Manager may so authorize.
(2) 
All requests for bids shall specifically reserve the right to reject any and all bids, and whenever purchases may be made on the open market at lower cost than the bids submitted, the Purchasing Agent shall reject all bids and purchase on the open market.