[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:
(1) 
Greater than $20,000 require public solicitation for sealed bids pursuant to General Municipal Law § 103.
(2) 
Less than $20,000 but greater than $5,000 require a request for written quotes from two vendors.
(3) 
Less than $5,000 are left to discretion of the purchaser.
B. 
All estimated public works contracts of:
(1) 
Greater than $35,000 require public solicitation for sealed bids pursuant to General Municipal Law § 103.
(2) 
Less than $35,000 but greater than $15,000 require a request for written proposals from two contractors.
(3) 
Less than $15,000 are left to the discretion of the purchaser.
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.