No article or service shall be contracted for
or purchased by any department, board, agency or office of the Township
of Commercial except in accordance with the procedures set forth herein.
The Township of Commercial will not be bound by any purchase or contract
made contrary to this policy, and any employee or representative of
the Township of Commercial who violates the policy may face disciplinary
action as well as personal liability for any costs or obligations
improperly incurred.
The initial step in the purchasing cycle is
the preparation of a request for purchase, which is a five-part form
used to request goods, materials, and services. The request for purchase
requisition should be typewritten or printed. The department head
should only requisition budgeted items. Non-budgeted items or services
shall require the prior approval of the department head, with concurrence
of the appropriate Commissioner. Such purchases, if of an emergent
nature, will be processed using the emergency procedures. Adjustments
to the department's budgeted items should be considered when purchasing
previously nonbudgeted items.
Quote comparison sheets will be prepared for items more than $1,000 but under
$7,500. More than one vendor is to be solicited for prices of the
items. Data pertinent to required items or services should be listed,
including price quotes. The lowest price should be taken.
The following information is required for all
requests for purchases. The numbers shown below correspond to those
found on the exhibited form.
A. Payment voucher (Part 1 — white copy). The following
information shall be filled out in detail and will be copied through
the other four copies.
(1) Date ordered: Date that the vendor accepts purchase
order and voucher.
(2) Date wanted: Date that the department head wants goods
or services delivered.
(3) To address: Name of vendor that payment will be made
to and address where check will be mailed to.
(4) Ship to: Name and address where goods and/or services
shall be delivered on behalf of the Township.
(5) Salesman: Person who sells the goods or services to
the Township.
(6) Purchase authorized by: Department heads's name or
employee purchasing goods or services.
(7) Quantity: Amount of items purchased.
(8) Description: A full complete description in detail
describing the item or good being purchased.
(9) Unit price: Price of one unit being purchased.
(10) Amount: Total amount of all units being purchased.
(11) Claimant's certification and declaration: Vendor's
signature and position must be filled in along with the date.
(12) For Township certification only: Township official
that was responsible for purchase must sign, with their title and
date.
(13) Authorized signature: The signatures of Township officials
are required , as designated in this chapter. The Treasurer will be
responsible for filling in the payment date, record date and check
number.
B. Purchase order, vendor's copy (Part 2 — yellow
copy).
(1) Date ordered: Date that the vendor accepts purchase
order and voucher.
(2) Date wanted: Date that the department head wants goods
or services delivered.
(3) To address: Name of vendor that payment will be made
to and address where check will be mailed to.
(4) Ship to: Name and address where goods and/or services
shall be delivered on behalf of the Township.
(5) Salesman: Person who sells the goods or services to
the Township.
(6) Purchase authorized by: Department head's name or
employee purchasing goods or services.
(7) Quantity: Amount of items purchased.
(8) Description: A full complete description in detail
describing the item or good being purchased.
(9) Unit price: Price of one unit being purchased.
(10) Amount: Total amount of all units being purchased.
(11) Authorized signature: The signatures of Township officials
are required , as designated in this chapter.
C. Purchase order, Treasurer's copy (Part 3 — green
copy).
(1) Date ordered: Date that the vendor accepts purchase
order and voucher.
(2) Date wanted: Date that the department head wants goods
or services delivered.
(3) To address: Name of vendor that payment will be made
to and address where check will be mailed to.
(4) Ship to: Name and address where goods and/or services
shall be delivered to on behalf of the Township.
(5) Salesman: Person who sells the goods or services to
the Township.
(6) Purchase authorized by: Department heads's name or
employee purchasing goods or services.
(7) Quantity: Amount of items purchased.
(8) Description: A full complete description in detail
describing the item or goods being purchased.
(9) Unit price: Price of one unit being purchased.
(10) Amount: Total amount of all units being purchased.
(11) Authorized signature: The signatures of Township officials
are required , as designated in this chapter.
(12) Account charged: It shall be the responsibility of
the Treasurer to fill in the proper information regarding.
D. Purchase order, department head copy (Part 4 —
pink copy).
(1) Date ordered: Date that the vendor accepts purchase
order and voucher.
(2) Date wanted: Date that the department head wants goods
or services delivered.
(3) To address: Name of vendor that payment will be made
to and address where check will be mailed to.
(4) Ship to: Name and address where goods and/or services
shall be delivered on behalf of the Township.
(5) Salesman: Person who sells the goods or services to
the Township.
(6) Purchase authorized by: Department head's name or
employee purchasing goods or services.
(7) Quantity: Amount of items purchased.
(8) Description: A full complete description in detail
describing the item or goods being purchased.
(9) Unit price: Price of one unit being purchased.
(10) Amount: Total amount of all units being purchased.
(11) Authorized signature: The signatures of Township officials
are required, , as designated in this chapter.
(12) Account charged: It shall be the responsibility of
the Treasurer to fill in the paper information regarding funds available,
date encumbered, date paid and check number.
E. Purchase order, purchasing copy (Part 5 — deep
yellow).
(1) Date ordered: Date that the vendor accepts purchase
order and voucher.
(2) Date wanted: Date that the department head wants goods
or services delivered.
(3) To address: Name of vendor that payment will be made
to and address where check will be mailed to.
(4) Ship to: Name and address where goods and/or services
shall be delivered to on behalf of the Township.
(5) Salesman: Person who sells the goods or services to
the Township.
(6) Purchase authorized by: Department head's name of
employee purchasing goods or services.
(7) Quantity: Amount of items purchased.
(8) Description: A full complete description in detail
describing the item or goods being purchased.
(9) Unit price: Price of one unit being purchased.
(10) Amount: Total amount of all units being purchased.
(11) Authorized signature: The signatures of Township officials
are required, as designated in this chapter.
(12) Account charged: It shall be the responsibility of
the Treasurer to fill in the proper information regarding.
F. Approval. Signatures of approval will be required
pertaining to the following amounts.
$0 to $500
|
Township Clerk
|
$500 to $2,500
|
Department head — Township Clerk
|
$2,500 to $7,500
|
Department head — Township Clerk
Treasurer — Two Township Committee
|
$7,500 and Up
|
Department head — Township Clerk
Treasurer — Two Township Committee
|
(1) The Township Clerk will be solely responsible for
all purchases from $0 to $500. Any employee who will make purchases
within that range must seek approval from the Township Clerk verifying
funds available for this purchase.
[Amended 5-18-1989 by Ord. No. 89-299; amended
at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
(2) The signature of approval is required from the department
head of that line item the expenditure of funds between $500 to $2,500.
The Township Clerk must sign for verifying funds available for this
purchase.
(3) The signature of the Township Committee person and
department head of that line item is required for approval to spend
funds between $500 and $2,500. The Township Treasurer must sign for
verifying funds available for this purchase and the Township Clerk
must sign for recording the purchase order.
(4) The signature of approval is required from at least
two Township Committee persons, of which one must be directly responsible
for the line item where funds will be spent, and the department head
who is also responsible for that particular line item. The Township
Treasurer must sign for verifying funds available for this purchase
and the Township Clerk must sign for recording the purchase order.
(5) See §
50-4F(4) for expenditure of funds between $500 and $7,500. Also, all three Committee persons shall see and should approve the purchase; however, only two signatures are necessary for approval. Three written quotes are required, of which one may be the purchase recommended. Quotes shall be documented on the standardized quote form included with this chapter.
(6) The open public bidding law shall be adhered to that included purchases over $7,500
which requires advertising in local newspapers and accepting sealed
bids. The Township Committee has an option to reject or accept all
bids at a public meeting. Once purchase is approved, a purchase order
shall be filled out by the department head and for verification purposes
pertaining to purchasing responsibilities, the Township Clerk, Township
Treasurer, department head and Township Committee shall sign a purchase
order.
G. No order is to be placed or a commitment made except
by an approved written purchase order or by the emergency purchase
procedure.
H. Emergency
purchases.
(1) Emergency purchases are purchases made under or during
an extreme emergency. An emergency is the same condition or event
over which the Township has no control and to which it must respond
because of a threat to life and/or property. Examples of emergencies
would be natural disaster, fire, civil disturbances, enemy attack
or power failure.
(2) If the Township or any of its officials or employees
are required to take any action during an emergency, and purchases
from any vendor are necessary to deal with the emergency while the
emergency exists, such purchases may be made without regard to the
policies and procedures outlined in this chapter.
(3) The head of the department requesting an emergency
purchase shall contact the Committee member supervising the requesting
department to receive approval. In the absence of the Committee member
supervising the requesting department, another Committee member should
be requested to declare an emergency. If at all possible, all three
Committee persons shall be notified for approval and the Township
Treasurer notified for verification of funds.
(4) On the next working day following the emergency, the
department head shall submit a written report to the Township Committee
and the Chief Financial Officer describing the emergency and the steps
taken to resolve the matter.
(5) The department head should execute a purchase order
and the proper procedures followed pertaining to that particular purchase.
(6) The request for purchase must be approved and signed
by the department head. The request for purchase should be submitted
well in advance of the time the goods, materials, or services are
needed to allow sufficient time for review and for preparation of
specifications, advertisements for bids (when required), or for the
solicitation of informal quotations for more difficult purchases.
(7) The original of the request for purchase shall be
forwarded to the purchase authority with the duplicate copy (if you
would like to retain a copy, make a copy for your files). If the request
for purchase is not properly completed, it will be returned to the
originating department head for correction, additional information,
or clarification. The purchasing authority will also review a unit's
requisition, making necessary consolidations and standardizations
with the requests of other units. Requesting units should be advised
and consulted when standardizations are made. Based on the total and
aggregate dollar amount of the purchase requests, written specifications
and sealed bids, or informal solicited quotations may be required.
To record the request, the original of the requisition is retained
by the Treasurer and filed numerically with the approved purchase
order. State-approved contract vendors or cooperative pricing systems
vendors pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:11-11(5) may also be used to fulfill
the contracting unit's needs. Before any formal commitment is made
to a vendor, and prior to the issuance of a purchase order, the availability
of funds must be determined pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:30-14.5.
(8) If the purchase order cannot be approved, the Treasurer
will provide the purchasing agent with a written explanation. The
purchasing agent will accordingly notify the using department head.
In the case of an emergency, the preparation and release of a purchase
order is the sole and exclusive duty of the Committee member supervising
the appropriate department or Township Committee entirely if all three
members approved purchase.
(9) The Township Clerk shall prepare, as a minimum, a
five-part purchase order to be used as part of the purchasing system.