[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the
Town of Ballston 12-6-1994; amended in its entirety 7-12-2022 by L.L. No. 4-2022.
Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
Every prospective purchase of goods or services shall be evaluated
to determine the applicability of General Municipal Law § 103.
Every Town officer, board, department head or other personnel with
the requisite purchasing authority (hereafter "purchaser") shall estimate
the cumulative amount of the items of supply or equipment needed in
a given fiscal year. That estimate shall include the canvass of other
Town departments and past history to determine the likely yearly value
of the commodity to be acquired. The information gathered and conclusions
reached shall be documented and kept with the file or other documentation
supporting the purchase activity. All prospective purchases of goods
or services must be reasonable, necessary, and fully authorized by
appropriations formally adopted by Town Board resolution. All elected
officials are authorized to make such purchases. All employees are
authorized to make such purchases with approval from their department
head. Any purchases exceeding $1,000 require a purchase order approved
in advance by the Comptroller's Office. Individuals responsible
for prohibited expenditures will be subject to disciplinary action
up to and including termination and reimbursement of Town funds directly
or by payroll deduction.
All purchases of supplies or equipment which will exceed $20,000
in aggregate or public works contracts over $35,000 in aggregate,
in any twelve-month period shall be formally bid pursuant to General
Municipal Law § 103.
A.
All estimated purchases of:
B.
All estimated public works contracts of:
C.
Any written quote shall describe the desired goods or equipment,
quantity, and the particulars of delivery. The purchaser shall compile
a list of all vendors from whom written/quotes have been requested.
D.
All information gathered in complying with the procedures of this
guideline shall be preserved and filed with the documentation supporting
the subsequent purchase in the Office of the Town Comptroller.
The lowest responsible proposal or quote shall be awarded the
purchase or public works contract unless the purchaser prepares a
written justification providing reasons why it is in the best interest
of the Town and its taxpayers to make an award to other than the low
bid. If a bidder is not deemed responsible, facts supporting that
judgment shall also be documented and filed with the record supporting
the procurement.
A good faith effort shall be made to obtain the required number
of proposals or quotations. If the purchaser is unable to obtain the
required number of proposals or quotations, the purchaser will document
the attempt made at obtaining the proposals. In no event shall the
inability to obtain the proposals or quotes be a bar to the procurement.
Except when directed by the Town Board, no solicitation of written
proposals or quotations shall be required under the following circumstances:
A.
Acquisition of professional services.
B.
Emergencies.
C.
Sole source situations with written documentation to justify the
sole source limitation.
D.
Goods and equipment purchased from agencies for the blind or severely
handicapped.
E.
Goods and equipment purchased from correctional facilities.
F.
Goods and equipment purchased from another governmental agency.
G.
Goods and equipment purchased at auction.
H.
Goods and equipment purchased for less than $5,000.
I.
Public works contracts for less than $15,000.
J.
Goods and equipment or public works purchases through NYS Office
of General Services contracts, county, and federal contracts accordance
with General Municipal Law § 104.
K.
Goods and equipment purchased from service-disabled veteran-owned
businesses (SDVOBs).
This policy shall be reviewed annually by the Town Board at
its organizational meeting or as soon thereafter as is reasonably
practicable.
