A formal purchasing system shall be adopted to regulate the flow of
Borough funds for the purchase of all the items necessary to the operation
of the Borough.
Materials and supplies shall include such items as are normally used
or consumed during the current budget year and for which an appropriation
in the annual budget has been made, and shall include the purchase of automotive
equipment, machinery, construction contracts or other purchases of materials
of a permanent or semipermanent nature.
The Borough Council shall have general supervision of the authorized
Purchasing Agent.
Purchase orders may be initiated by the following:
F. Council committee chairmen.
Where a department head seeks to purchase an item for which no appropriation
has been made in the annual budget, he or she must first seek the approval
of the Purchasing Agent. Said Agent may authorize transfers between accounts
within the operating budget of a single department to permit such a purchase.
However, budget transfers between the accounts of the operating department
and transfers between or among separate governmental funds shall require formal
authorization by the Borough Council at a public meeting.
[Amended 6-2-1997 by Res. No. R-97-6,
approved 6-2-1997]
A. All contracts or purchases estimated by the Purchasing Agent
to cost $4,000 or more, but less than the amount currently specified in the
Borough Code requiring advertisement and competitive bidding shall be awarded
on the basis of written or telephonic price quotations from at least three
qualified and responsible vendors or, in lieu of price quotations, a memorandum
shall be kept on file showing that fewer than three qualified vendors exist
in the market area within which it is practicable to obtain quotations. A
written record of telephonic price quotations shall be made and contain the
quotation date, name of the vendor or vendor's representative, the work or
items which were the subject of the quotation and the price. All contracts
and purchases less than $4,000 but more than $1,000 shall be awarded on the
basis of written or telephonic price quotations from at least three vendors.
This requirement may be waived if there are fewer than three accessible providers
for an item.
B. Purchases of less than $1,000 shall be made in the open
market by negotiation.
[Amended 6-2-1997 by Res. No. R-97-6,
approved 6-2-1997]
C. Competitive vendors shall be treated equally. Every effort
shall be made to share Borough business among responsible vendors.
D. The Purchasing Agent or department head shall exercise
discretion in making all purchases where quality, as well as price and service,
is involved.
The Purchasing Agent shall have the authority to join with other units
of government in cooperative purchasing plans so that the best interests of
the Borough shall be served thereby.
All bids for goods or materials of any kind or character purchased by
the Borough shall be kept on file in the office of the Borough Manager. After
award has been made, the bids shall be subject to inspection at any time by
any citizen of the Borough.