[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council 1-3-2012.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Finance — See Ch. 54.
Investment policy — See Ch. 65.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance superseded former Ch. 104, Procurement Policy, adopted 1-3-2011.
The following procedures are adopted for procurement of goods and services.
For purchases, the following procedures are to be followed:
A. 
For purchases of items costing over $20,000, competitive bidding in accordance with applicable laws and regulations is required.
B. 
For purchases of items costing between $5,000 and $19,999.99, three or more written price quotes from suppliers are required.
C. 
For purchases of items costing between $2,000 and $4,999.99, three or more verbal quotes from suppliers are required.
D. 
For purchases of items costing between $0 and $1,999.99, appropriate verbal quotes from suppliers, in the discretion of the department head undertaking the purchasing, are required.
For public works contracts, the following procedures are to be followed:
A. 
For contracts over $35,000, competitive bidding in accordance with applicable laws and regulations is required.
B. 
For contracts between $5,000 and $34,999.99, three or more written quotes from qualified contractors are required.
C. 
For contracts between $2,000 and $4,999.99, three or more verbal quotes from qualified contractors are required.
D. 
For contracts between $0 and $1,999.99, appropriate verbal quotes from qualified contractors, in the discretion of the department head who wishes to enter into the contracts, are required.
[Amended 2-5-2013]
A. 
In the event it can be anticipated that a particular service (e.g., painting services) may be required by the City for various projects which, in total, are expected to exceed $35,000 for the year, then the procurement of those services will be subject to competitive bidding.
B. 
There are, however, certain types of services provided to the City that may be considered routine and delivered in the ordinary course of business that are not capable of precise cumulative monetary calculation but are necessary to be incurred promptly and/or locally to protect the health, welfare or safety of the residents of the City, employees of the City or structures and equipment owned by the City. Such services include, but are not limited to, repairs to City vehicles such as sanitation trucks or trucks used in snowplowing or street repairs; repairs to City buildings and processes, such as electrical or plumbing work in or on the City’s sewage treatment plant or water treatment plant; or assistance from outside companies for snow or garbage removal. In such cases, the cumulative payment to those companies may total more than $35,000 per year, but it is impossible to know from year to year whether such costs will exceed $35,000. In such cases, and in accordance with § 104-b, Subdivision 2g, of the New York General Municipal Law, it is the determination of the Common Council of the City of Middletown that the best interests of the City will not be served by competitive bidding in such cases but that the department head charged with such purchases may obtain such routine services as needed by the City in the ordinary course of business from time to time.
C. 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the department head charged with such purchase determines that the anticipated service covered by that one purchase likely will exceed the cost of $35,000 and such service is not the subject of any exception under this procurement policy (such as an emergency purchase or the purchase from a sole source supplier), then the procurement of such service will be subject to competitive bidding as set forth elsewhere in this chapter.
Whenever this policy allows for verbal quotes, the department head must maintain a written log which lists appropriate information from each supplier or contractor supplying such verbal quotes.
[Amended 3-19-2024]
A. 
Exceptions to the above procurement processes are to be allowed in purchases or public work contracts which involve any of the following situations:
(1) 
Emergencies;
(2) 
True leases;
(3) 
Sole source purchases;
(4) 
Professional services, as defined and described in § 104-12 of this chapter;
(5) 
Best-value analysis, as defined and described in § 104-10 of this chapter;
(6) 
State contracted items; and
(7) 
Purchases through preferred sources, as described in the posting of the New York State Office of General Services.
B. 
In all of the above situations, the responsible department head or other City official engaging in the procurement process must:
(1) 
Document the circumstances allowing the exception to the above procurement processes;
(2) 
Abide by all relevant state and City ethics laws and codes;
(3) 
Attempt to achieve the best value for the City; and
(4) 
Should, whenever possible, attempt to make purchases and secure public works contracts at the lowest possible cost to the extent possible under the circumstances.
Whenever possible, professional services are to be obtained through requests for proposals (RFPs) issued by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment. All responses to RFPs are to be reviewed by the Board of Estimate, which must make a recommendation to the Common Council for final approval.
Whenever any contract is awarded to other than the lowest bidder or proposer, the reasons are to be set forth in writing and filed with the appropriate department or board.
Nothing in these procurement processes changes any administrative procedures required by the Charter of the City of Middletown, such as the approval of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment for purchases and contracts.
[Added 6-3-2014 by L.L. No. 2-2014]
Notwithstanding anything else contained in this chapter to the contrary, the Common Council, after approval of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, may award purchase contracts and service contracts that have been procured pursuant to competitive bidding or otherwise under New York General Municipal Law § 103(1) or this chapter by either the lowest responsible bidder standard or the best-value standard.
A. 
"Best value" is defined in State Finance Law § 163 to mean "the basis for awarding contracts for services to the offerer which optimizes quality, cost and efficiency, among responsive and responsible offerers. Such basis shall reflect, wherever possible, objective and quantifiable analysis. Such basis may also identify a quantitative factor for offerers that are small businesses or certified minority- or women-owned business enterprises as defined in subdivisions one, seven, fifteen and twenty of section three hundred ten of the [New York] Executive Law to be used in evaluation of offers for awarding of contracts for services." For purposes of this section, the Common Council adopts the above definition of "best value," as the same may be modified from time to time by the State Legislature.
B. 
Pursuant to New York General Municipal Law § 103(1), the best-value standard may be used for purchase contracts, including contracts for service work, but it excludes and may not be used for any purchase contracts necessary for the completion of public works contracts pursuant to New York Labor Law Article 8.
C. 
If the monetary thresholds of New York General Municipal Law § 103 are increased or decreased in the future by the State Legislature, the monetary thresholds set forth herein will be deemed simultaneously amended to match the new General Municipal Law thresholds.
D. 
Whenever any contract is awarded by the Common Council (after approval of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment) on the basis of best value instead of the lowest responsible bidder, the basis for determining best value will be thoroughly and accurately documented. Such documentation may include, but is not necessarily limited to, the cost of maintenance; durability; availability of replacement parts or maintenance contractors; longer product life; product performance criteria; quality of craftsmanship; or compatibility with existing City buildings or property.
[Added 11-15-2016; amended 3-19-2024]
All federal awards, including funds received through New York State pass-through entities and funds under federal CDBG-DR grants, must comply with the provisions of 2 CFR Part 200, subparts A through F. There shall be no contracting with, or awards made to, parties that are suspended or debarred pursuant to federal regulations. A suspension/disbarment clause must be included in all written contracts in which, (1) the vendor must certify that it is not suspended or debarred, and (2) the vendor must promise to notify the City if it/they become suspended or debarred. The City must evaluate the recipient’s risk of noncompliance in accordance with 2 CFR 200.213.
[Added 3-19-2024]
Professional services are defined in New York case law and Comptroller opinions. Generally, professional services require specialized or technical skills or expertise, training, licensing or certifications, exercise of judgment or discretion, a high degree of creativity and/or a relationship of personal trust and confidence. Examples of professional services include, but are not limited to, those provided by physicians, nurses, therapists, engineers, surveyors, attorneys, artists, designers, photographers, publicity agents, laboratories, and insurance or financial service firms. Procurement of professional services does not require competitive bidding as long as there is an inextricable integration of scientific and technical skills.