The Administrator shall act as purchasing agent
for the town within the scope of this Article.
[Amended 11-8-1988; ratified by Town Council 2-10-1992; 11-5-1996; 11-4-2008; 11-2-2010; 11-6-2012]
A. Any purchase of standard supplies, materials, equipment or services
for the routine operation of any department or other town agencies
shall be made centrally by the Administrator and will comply with
the following provisions.
B. All other purchases unique to any department or other town agency
shall be made in compliance with the following provisions, upon written
request to the Administrator by the head of the department or other
town agency.
C. For construction purchases:
i. For amounts which do not exceed three thousand dollars ($3,000),
the purchase shall be considered a small purchase and approved by
the purchasing agent without any quotes or bids required by the Town
department and/or division seeking the purchase.
ii. For amounts which are greater than three thousand dollars ($3,000)
but less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), the purchase shall be
considered a small purchase and approved by the purchasing agent only
after three written quotes have been obtained by the Town department
and/or division seeking the purchase.
iii. For amounts which are greater than ten thousand dollars ($10,000),
award shall only be made by competitive bidding in accordance with
the provisions of Chapter 55 of Title 45 of the General Laws.
D. For all other purchases:
i. For amounts which do not exceed three thousand dollars ($3,000),
the purchase shall be considered a small purchase and approved by
the purchasing agent without any quotes or bids required by the Town
department and/or division seeking the purchase.
ii. For amounts which are greater than three thousand ($3,000) but less
than five thousand dollars ($5,000), the purchase shall be considered
a small purchase and approved by the purchasing agent only after three
written quotes have been obtained by the Town department and/or division
seeking the purchase.
iii. For amounts greater than five thousand dollars ($5,000), award shall
only be made by competitive bidding in accordance with the provisions
of Chapter 55 of Title 45 of the General Laws
E. Where items or services to be purchased, in any amount, through a
vendor which has a current Master Price Agreement (MPA) with the State
of Rhode Island that can be verified with MPA documentation and MPA
number, then the aforementioned purchasing/quotation process is replaced
with the requirement of a quote for items or services from the MPA
vendor and approval from the department head, verification of funds
from the treasurer and final approval by the Town Administrator. This
does not preclude or prohibit competitive bidding.