[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of West Greenwich 11-6-1997 by Ord. No. 71. Amendments noted where applicable.]
CHARTER REFERENCES
Financial procedures — See Art. V.
All Town departments, offices, boards, agencies and commissions shall procure all goods and services needed in accordance with purchasing procedures, as prescribed by this chapter, and such rules and regulations as the purchasing agent shall adopt for the internal management and operation as shall be approved by the Town Council, and such other rules and regulations as shall be prescribed by the Town Council.
Except as provided in this chapter, no Town employee shall order the purchase of supplies or make any contract within the purview of this chapter, other than through prescribed procedures.
In addition to the purchasing authority conferred above and in addition to other powers and duties conferred by this chapter, each department head and purchasing agent shall:
A. 
Minimum expenditure: act to procure for the Town the highest quality in goods and contractual services at the least expense to the Town.
B. 
Encourage competition: discourage uniform bidding and endeavor to obtain as full and open competition as possible on all purchases and sales.
C. 
Bulk purchases: explore the possibilities of buying in bulk with other departments so as to take full advantage of discounts.
In addition to the purchasing authority conferred above and in addition to other powers and duties conferred by this chapter, the purchasing agent shall prescribe and maintain such forms as s/he shall find reasonable and necessary to the implementation of this chapter.
No purchases or contracts for services or goods of any kind or description, payment for which is to be made from funds of the Town, shall be made by the purchasing agent or any department head, officer, employee or agent of the Town except as follows:
A. 
Whenever any contemplated purchase or contract for goods or services is for the sum of less than $1,000 inclusive, department heads shall submit to the Town purchasing agent a written requisition. The Town purchasing agent may order the items as needed, provided the Town Treasurer certifies that there is sufficient unencumbered appropriation balance to the credit of such office, department or agency to pay for the requisition.
B. 
Whenever any contemplated purchase or contract for goods or services is for amounts between $1,000 and $5,000 and up to $10,000 for a single construction project, the department head shall submit to the Town purchasing agent a written requisition. The Town purchasing agent shall solicit at least three telephone bids, written record of which shall be filed with each purchase order. The Town purchasing agent may order the items, provided the Town Treasurer certifies that there is sufficient unencumbered appropriation balance to the credit of such office, department or agency to pay for the requisition.
C. 
All purchases for a single item or order in an amount exceeding $5,000, or for a single construction project to cost an amount exceeding $10,000, shall be made or the contact let through the sealed bid process or one of the alternative procedures provided in Title 45, Chapter 55 et seq. of the Rhode Island General Laws.
The Town purchasing agent and all parties contracting with the Town shall follow the procedure set forth in this section in relation to all bids required above.
A. 
All notices and solicitations of bids shall state the time and place of opening.
B. 
All bids shall be submitted sealed to the Town official, department head, or purchasing agent designated in the bid packet and shall be identified as bids on the envelope.
C. 
All bids shall be opened in public at a time and place stated in the public notices.
D. 
The Town Council shall have the authority to reject any and all bids and parts of all bids and readvertise or resolicit bids whenever it is deemed to be in the best interest of the Town.
E. 
The Town Council shall not award any bid unless the purchasing agent shall have first certified that all bidding procedures have been followed as prescribed herein.
It is the responsibility of the Town purchasing agent to review and investigate all bids received and to recommend an award to the lowest, qualified, responsible bidder for the entire purchase or contract or for any part thereof. In determining the lowest, qualified, responsible bidder, the department head shall consider:
A. 
The ability, capacity and skill of the bidder to perform the contract or provide the services required.
B. 
Whether the bidder can perform the contract to provide the services promptly or within required time periods without delay or interference.
C. 
The quality of performance of previous contracts or services.
D. 
The previous and existing compliance by the bidder with laws and ordinances of the Town.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
A contract may be awarded for a supply, service, or construction item without competition when, under published regulations, the purchasing agent determines, in writing, that there is only one source for the required supply, service or construction item.
An emergency appropriation may be made when it is determined that there exists a threat to the public health, welfare or safety, upon the concurrence of three members of the Town Council, who may be polled by phone or electronic communication. As soon thereafter as practicable, said emergency appropriation shall be confirmed and ratified in accordance with the pertinent provisions of the Town Charter.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Charter § 507, Emergency appropriations.