Town of Simsbury, CT Purchasing

Be it resolved by the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Simsbury that in order to amplify Section 812 of the Town Charter and to provide a systematic and uniform standard of purchasing policies, the Board hereby adopts the following procedures which are incorporated into this chapter.

Purchasing objectives:

(1)

To procure materials, supplies, equipment, public improvements, and services at the lowest cost while obtaining the highest quality products and services possible.

(2)

To conduct purchasing without regard to political affiliation, race, color, creed, sex, age, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic makeup, gender identity, military service and veteran's status, disability, or any other protected class, family relationship or business associations of vendors, contractors or consultants.

§ A161-2 Purchase orders required.

All proposed purchases shall be supported by a purchase order, signed by the issuing department head and the Finance Director or his/her agent. Oral approval may be given in emergencies but shall be followed immediately by a written purchase order.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Finance Director may allow budgeted agencies to use purchasing cards for purchases not exceeding $1,000, unless such agency receives written approval from the Finance Director to exceed such amount. No budgeted agency, or any official, employee or agent of a budgeted agency, shall incur any obligation using such a card, except in accordance with procedures established by the Finance Director.

§ A161-3 Annual orders.

Annual orders of items used on a volume basis which exceed, in the aggregate, $10,000 shall follow the procedures outlined below.

§ A161-4 Verbal and written quotes.

Purchases in excess of $10,000 but less than $25,000 shall have documented verbal or written quotes, whenever possible, from at least two vendors.

§ A161-5 Bids; contracts required.

Purchases or contracts expected to exceed $25,000 shall require formal sealed bids and the execution of a written contract between the qualified bidder and the Town. Such sealed bids shall be opened in public at the time and place designated in the specifications. The Town may accept substitutes that meet the same criteria as outlined in the specifications. Requests for formal sealed bids shall be issued by the issuing department head, received by the date due and turned in to the Finance Director.

Purchases or contracts expected to exceed $25,000 shall be advertised at least 10 days prior to the bid opening on a website such as but not limited to the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services website or the Town's official website as a means of a formal "invitation to bid."

An appropriate fee may be charged for a copy of plans and specifications, said fee, or portion thereof, to be refunded upon return of the plans and specifications within the designated period.

Bid bonds will be evaluated as part of the bid process. The Department Head, in conjunction with the Finance Director, will determine if the inclusion of a bid bond is in the best interest of the Town.

§ A161-6 Awarding of contract.

The Finance Director, or his/her designee, or Town Manager, or his/her designee, is authorized to award contracts.

§ A161-7 Signing of purchase orders or contract.

The Finance Director, or his/her designee, and/or Town Manager, or his/her designee, is authorized to sign all purchase orders. The Town Manager, or his/her designee, is authorized to sign all formal contracts approved under the appropriate procedure as stipulated herein.

Under an existing contract, any change order which increases the contract amount shall be subject to prior budgetary approval by the Finance Director and approved by the Town Manager, or his/her designee, for any change in the scope of the project.

§ A161-8 Rejection of bids.

The board, person or agent having the authority to award may reject any or all bids, part of all bids or all bids for any one or more supplies or contractual services included in the proposed contract, or waive defects in same when the public interest will be served best thereby.

§ A161-9 Local vendor preference; Town-based business.

If any Simsbury-based vendor responds to a bid notice and comes within 5% of the lowest bidder, all qualifications considered equal, the local-based vendor will be allowed the opportunity to adjust their bid to match that of the lowest bidder.

§ A161-10 Exemption from bids.

Purchases made through or on the basis of regional, state, local government or cooperative agency bids shall be exempted from any bidding procedures.

A purchase may be made or contract awarded for a supply, service or construction item without a competitive bid when it is determined that there is only one source for the required supply, service or construction item.

The bid procedures outlined herein can be waived at any time if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the Town of Simsbury by the Finance Director and the Town Manager. All waivers shall be reported to the Board of Selectmen at the next regularly scheduled meeting for review.

§ A161-11 Professional services contracts.

Contracts for professional services (legal, engineering, architectural, etc.) in excess of $50,000 are required to go out for a request for qualifications (RFQ). Services under $50,000 shall not be governed by these regulations, but every effort shall be made to secure well-qualified professionals at the best terms possible for the Town.

§ A161-12 Emergencies.

In case of emergency, the Finance Director may, or in the best interest of the Town, the Town Manager may, waive the procedures outlined herein.

Emergency situations shall be those in which the operation of a department would be seriously hampered; or in which life, limb or property may be endangered; or in which the health or welfare of the general public is seriously threatened; or a natural or man-made disaster has occurred.

§ A161-13 When effective; revisions.

These bidding and purchasing regulations shall become effective as of November 14, 2018, and may be revised or amended from time to time by formal action of the Board of Selectmen.

§ A161-14 Board of Education transactions.

Separate procedures shall be established for Board of Education transactions.

§ A161-15 Conflict with Charter or state law.

In the event of any conflict between these procedures and the Charter of the Town of Simsbury or the Connecticut General Statutes, these procedures shall be construed to conform to the Charter or statutes, as the case may be.

§ A161-16 Review and adoption.

The procedures outlined herein shall be reviewed, amended, and adopted by the Board of Selectmen as needed. These procedures shall remain in effect until amended.