In order to establish efficient procedures for the purchase of supplies, services and equipment, to secure for the city supplies, services and equipment at the lowest possible cost commensurate with quality needed, to exercise positive financial control over purchases, to clearly define authority for the purchasing function, and to assure the quality of purchases, a purchasing system is adopted, in accordance with Section 54202 of the Government Code.
(Prior code § 2700)
In accordance with the provisions of Sections 54201 through 54204 of the Government Code, the policies and procedures contained in this chapter, as well as the policies and procedures adopted by subsequent rules and resolutions, have been adopted. The authority for the purchase of supplies and equipment is vested in a purchasing officer, and the procedures and policies contained in this chapter, as well as in supplemental rules and resolutions, shall hereafter be followed in respect to the purchase of supplies and equipment, unless the provisions of Section 3.20.030 of this chapter should apply.
(Prior code § 2701)
The acquisition of vehicles, which has been deemed necessary by the public works director and city manager through methods such as cooperative agreements, piggyback contracts, or sole source procurement, shall not require the city council's approval prior to the purchase. However, if the purchase amount exceeds the city manager's approval threshold, it must be reported at the next city council meeting for ratification.
(Ord. 1183, 3/26/2024)
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply in respect to the purchase of supplies, services, and equipment in the following circumstances:
A. 
Emergency. As defined in CPCC Section 22035, in case of emergency when repair or replacements are necessary, the city may proceed at once to replace or repair any public facility without adopting plans, specifications, strain sheets, or working details, or giving notice for bids to let contracts. The work may be done by day labor under the direction of the city, by contractor, or by a combination of the two. The day labor includes the use of maintenance personnel employed on a permanent or temporary basis. The procurement must be reported to council at the next council meeting for ratification if the amount has been subject to approval of the city council.
B. 
Sole Source Purchasing. The city may dispense with the bidding requirements if it finds that the supplies, services, or equipment are unique because of their quality, durability, availability, or fitness for a particular use and are available only from one source, or, if available from more than one source, can be purchased from the manufacturer or service provider for a lower price. The sole source form has to be reviewed and signed off by the appropriate authority outlined in Section 3.20.210.
C. 
Contracts with other government agencies for supplies, services, and equipment.
D. 
Cooperative or Piggyback Purchasing.
1. 
Where the city council, by contract or resolution, or both, transfers the authority to make the purchase of supplies, services, and equipment, whether blanket authority or single purchases, to another governmental agency, or officer thereof, pursuant to lawful authority, and where such other governmental agency or officer, in the purchase of supplies and equipment, follows to the satisfaction of the purchasing officer policies and procedures in compliance with the provisions of Sections 54201 through 54204 of the Government Code. In the event of the transfer of blanket authority in respect to such purchase of supplies or equipment pursuant to this section, the purchasing officer, as defined in this chapter, shall remain the purchasing officer of the city, and the other office or agency performing the services shall be designated the purchasing agent. In such an event, the purchasing officer of the city may authorize purchases through said purchasing agent in accordance with the authority vested in him or her by the city council;
2. 
The purchase of equipment, services and supplies through the Department of General Services pursuant to Section 10324 of the Public Contracts Code;
3. 
The purchase is made by, through, or in concert with another public agency provided the other public agency makes such purchase in accordance with the state laws or local rules and regulations governing such purchase for the other public agency.
Procurement of personal and professional services under sixty thousand dollars.
(Prior code § 2702; Ord. 938 § 1, 1999; Ord. 1151 § 2, 2021; Ord. 1179, 12/12/2023; Ord. 1183, 3/26/2024)
The city manager, or designated deputy, shall serve as the purchasing officer. He or she shall have authority to:
A. 
Purchase or contract for supplies, services and equipment required by any department in accordance with purchasing procedures prescribed by this chapter, such administrative regulations as the purchasing officer shall adopt, and such other rules and regulations as shall be prescribed by the city council;
B. 
Negotiate and recommend execution of contracts for the purchase of supplies, services and equipment;
C. 
Act to procure for the city the needed quality in supplies, services and equipment at least expense to the city;
D. 
Discourage uniform bidding and endeavor to obtain as full and open competition as possible on all purchases;
E. 
Prepare and recommend to the city council rules governing the purchasing of supplies, services and equipment for the city;
F. 
Prepare and recommend to the city council revisions and amendments to the purchasing rules;
G. 
Keep informed of current developments in the field of purchasing, prices, market conditions and new products;
H. 
Prescribe and maintain such forms as are reasonably necessary to the operation of this chapter, and other rules and regulations;
I. 
Supervise the inspection of all supplies, services and equipment purchased, to insure conformance with specifications;
J. 
Recommend the transfer of surplus or unused supplies and equipment between departments, as needed, and the sale of all supplies and equipment which cannot be used by any agency, or which have become unsuitable for city use;
K. 
Maintain a bidders' list, vendors catalogue file, and records needed for the efficient operation of the purchasing department.
(Prior code § 2703; Ord. 1151 § 2, 2021)
A. 
Federal, State, and Local Grants. In addition to the provisions of this chapter, the procurement of all contracts for supplies, services, and equipment that are funded in whole or in part with federal, state, and/or local grant funds shall be subject to applicable grant requirements, such as the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards promulgated by the United States Office of Management and Budget, 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200. The city shall ensure that all granting agency requirements, including the solicitation threshold amounts, are met.
B. 
Public Projects. As defined in CPCC Section 22002, a public project includes, but may not be limited to, construction, reconstruction, erection, alteration, renovation, improvement, demolition, and repair work involving any publicly owned, leased, or operating facility. A public project does not include maintenance work. The city shall procure for a public project by following the requirements and bidding thresholds set forth by the California Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act (UPCCAA), which adjusts the requirements and limits periodically for efficiency and inflation. The city's Municipal Code Chapter 3.48 provides more specific guidelines for public project procurement.
(Ord. 1151 § 2, 2021; Ord. 1206, 4/28/2026)
All departments shall file detailed estimates of their requirements in supplies, services and equipment in such manner, at such time, and for such future periods as the purchasing officer shall prescribe.
(Prior code § 2704; Ord. 1151 § 2, 2021)
Departments shall submit requests for supplies, services and equipment to the purchasing officer by standard requisition forms.
(Prior code § 2704.1; Ord. 1151 § 2, 2021)
Purchase of supplies, services and equipment shall be made only by purchase order, except as provided by resolution of the city council or as exempted by Section 3.20.210.
(Prior code § 2706; Ord. 937 § 1, 1999; Ord. 1151 § 2, 2021)
Change orders shall be considered under two scenarios:
A. 
For purchase orders up to sixty thousand dollars, the city manager is authorized to approve cumulative change orders, including the original contract amount, contingency, and any subsequent change orders up to sixty thousand dollars.
B. 
For purchase orders exceeding sixty thousand dollars, the city manager has the authority to approve cumulative change orders, up to ten percent of the original contract value, including any approved contingency. However, requests greater than ten percent of the original contract value and any approved contingency shall require city council approval.
(Ord. 1183, 3/26/2024; Ord. 1193, 4/8/2025)
A. 
Purchases of supplies, equipment and the sale of personal property shall be by bid procedures pursuant to Sections 3.20.120 through 3.20.180 of this chapter.
B. 
Bidding shall be dispensed only when an emergency requires that an order be placed with the nearest available source of supply when the amount involved is less than ten thousand dollars, or when the commodity can be obtained from only one vendor. Purchases shall not be divided or split in order to circumvent formal bidding requirements.
(Prior code § 2705; Ord. 784 § 1, 1990; Ord. 1151 § 2, 2021; Ord. 1183, 3/26/2024)
Except in cases of emergency, the purchasing officer shall not issue any purchase order for supplies, services and equipment unless there exists an unencumbered appropriation in the fund account against which such purchase is to be charged.
(Prior code § 2707)
A. 
Authorized when purchases of supplies and equipment of an estimated value of fifty thousand dollars or less may be made by the purchasing officer in the open market without observing the procedure prescribed by Sections 3.20.110 through 3.20.190. Purchases of supplies and equipment of an estimated value between ten thousand dollars and fifty thousand dollars shall also require the approval of the director of finance.
B. 
Minimum Number of Bids. Open-market purchase shall, wherever possible, be based on at least three bids, and shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder.
C. 
Notice Inviting Bids. The purchasing officer shall solicit bids by written requests to prospective vendors, by telephone, by public notice posted on a public bulletin board in the City Hall or on an electronic procurement platform (such as Planet Bids), approved by the city, or by other suitable means.
D. 
Written Bids. Sealed written bids shall be submitted to the purchasing officer, who shall keep a record of all open-market orders and bids for a period of one year after the submission of bids or the placing of orders. This record, while so kept, shall be open to public inspection or made available on the city's approved electronic procurement platform.
(Prior code § 2708; Ord. 784 § 2, 1990; Ord. 1035 § 2, 2007; Ord. 1076 § 7, 2013; Ord. 1151 § 2, 2021; Ord. 1159 § 2, 2022; Ord. 1183, 3/26/2024; Ord. 1206, 4/28/2026)
A. 
Except for the provisions of Section 3.20.210, the city may award purchase orders and contracts not exceeding seventy-five thousand dollars for personal or professional services without complying with the provisions of this chapter; provided that the award shall be on the basis of demonstrated competence and on the professional qualifications necessary for the satisfactory performance of the service required and shall be subject to the provisions of Government Code Section 4526, when applicable.
B. 
For the purposes of this section, personal services shall include:
1. 
Any communication, gas, water, electric light, and power service or similar utility service;
2. 
Insurance, postage, freight, and courier service;
3. 
Travel/hotel accommodations, education, and training expenses;
4. 
Memberships.
5. 
Rental of real property or equipment and other personal property; and
6. 
Such other services as the city council may, by resolution, specifically direct.
C. 
For purposes of this section, professional services shall include:
1. 
Services of engineers, architects, accountants, attorneys, doctors, appraisers, and similar professionals when the city is contracting for the skill, integrity, judgment, and/or special technical ability of the professional.
2. 
Such other services as the city council may, by resolution, specifically direct.
D. 
For purposes of this section, subscriptions shall mean a model in which the customer agrees to pay a set amount on a recurring basis (i.e., weekly, monthly, annually) for a service and be automatically billed. This includes subscriptions to online and print versions of business journals, technical/training/professional periodicals, and bulletins, newspapers, and other web-based subscriptions. All purchased subscriptions must allow customers to cancel or deactivate at the end of the subscription term (i.e., weekly, monthly, annually). Departments shall consult with the purchasing division to determine the most appropriate procurement option.
1. 
The information technology division must approve requests for subscriptions to digital entertainment/streaming services, digital media creation websites, software as a service (SaaS) agreements, applications (apps), and downloadable software.
2. 
Subscriptions at or below the City Capitalization Policy threshold amount may be awarded without formal or informal competitive bids. Departments may submit the invoice directly to the accounts payable division without a purchase order.
3. 
Subscriptions exceeding the capitalization threshold require a formal agreement and a purchase order. Please follow the most current procurement policies and procedures for the most appropriate procurement option. The city shall consider the suitability of any such software for its intended purpose and the cost of any ancillary implementation or maintenance services and award any such software subscriptions or SaaS agreements to the proposer providing the best value to the city.
E. 
For purposes of this section, other services are defined as general services, which are services of a general nature (as opposed to personal and professional services). A general service includes, but is not limited to, the following:
1. 
Maintenance service for equipment, machinery, or other city-owned personal property;
2. 
Maintenance service for city-owned or occupied real property and buildings.
(Ord. 784 § 5, 1990; Ord. 1151 § 2, 2021; Ord. 1183, 3/26/2024; Ord. 1193, 4/8/2025; Ord. 1206, 4/28/2026)
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, purchases and contracts for supplies and equipment of estimated value greater than fifty thousand dollars shall be by written contract with the lowest responsible bidder, pursuant to the procedure prescribed in Sections 3.20.120 through 3.20.190 of this chapter.
(Prior code § 2709; Ord. 784 § 3, 1990; Ord. 1035 § 3, 2007; Ord. 1076 § 8, 2013; Ord. 1151 § 2, 2021; Ord. 1183, 3/26/2024; Ord. 1206, 4/28/2026)
A. 
Contents of Notices. Notices inviting bids shall include a general description of the articles to be purchased or sold, shall state where bid blanks and specifications may be secured, and the time and place for opening bids.
B. 
Published Notices. Notices inviting bids shall be given at least ten days before the date of opening of the bids. Notice shall be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation, printed and published in the city, or if there is none, it shall be posted in at least three public places in the city that have been designated by ordinance as the places for posting public notices or the city's approved electronic procurement platform.
C. 
Bidders' List. The purchasing officer shall also solicit sealed bids from all responsible prospective suppliers whose names are on the bidders' list, or who have requested their names be added thereto.
D. 
Bulletin Board. The purchasing officer shall also advertise pending purchases or sales by a notice posted on a public bulletin board in the City Hall or the city's approved electronic procurement platform.
(Prior code § 2709(a); Ord. 1159 § 2, 2022)
When deemed necessary by the purchasing officer, bidder's security may be prescribed in the public notices inviting bids. Bidders shall be entitled to return of bid security; provided, that a successful bidder shall forfeit his or her bid security upon failure to execute the contract within ten days after the notice of award of contract has been mailed, unless the city is responsible for the delay. The city council may, on refusal or failure of the successful bidder to execute the contract, award it to the next lowest responsible bidder. If the city council awards the contract to the next lowest bidder, the amount of the lowest bidder's security shall be applied by the city to the difference between the low bid and the second lowest bid, and the surplus, if any, shall be returned to the lowest bidder.
(Prior code § 2709(b))
Sealed bids shall be submitted to the purchasing officer and shall be identified as bids on the envelope, or submitted on the city's approved electronic procurement platform if required by the notice inviting bids. Bids shall be opened in public at the time and place stated in the public notices. A tabulation of all bids received shall be open for public inspection during regular business hours or on the city's approved electronic procurement platform for a period of not less than thirty calendar days after the bid opening.
(Prior code § 2709(c); Ord. 755 § 2, 2022)
Contracts shall be awarded by the city council to the lowest responsible bidder, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
(Prior code § 2709(e))
If two or more bids received are for the same total amount or unit price, quality and service being equal, and if the public interest will not permit the delay of readvertising for bids, the city council may accept the one it chooses, or accept the lowest bid made by negotiation with the tie bidders at the time of bid opening.
(Prior code § 2709(f))
The city council shall have authority to require a performance bond before entering a contract, in such amount as it shall find reasonably necessary to protect the best interests of the city. If the city council requires a performance bond, the form and amount of the bond shall be described in the notice inviting bids.
(Prior code § 2709(g))
The purchasing officer shall inspect supplies and equipment delivered, and contractual services performed, to determine their conformance with the specifications set forth in the order of the contract. The purchasing officer shall have authority to require chemical and physical tests of samples submitted with bids, and samples of deliveries, which are necessary to determine their quality and conformance with specifications.
(Prior code § 2710)
When it is necessary to provide for the disposal of surplus and obsolete materials, equipment, and assets, the surplus property list shall be used. The disposing department shall complete the said form, which declares asset information ranging from origin to reason for disposal. The following guidelines shall also be applied:
A. 
Vehicles and Equipment. All surplus equipment and vehicles shall be sold at a public auction. For equipment and vehicles valued at sixty thousand dollars or less, the city manager has the authority to dispose of such city property using professional auctioneers or similar methods that best serve the city's interests. For items with an estimated value of sixty thousand dollars or more, city council approval is required prior to their transfer to the auction site. It is recommended to use an established method, such as Kelley Blue Book, to determine asset values.
B. 
Furniture and Office Machines. All excess furniture and office machines shall be transferred under the supervision of the maintenance services division of the public works department, either to another department or to surplus property. Furniture that is no longer serviceable should either be dismantled and scrapped or discarded in accordance with subsection C below.
C. 
Dismantling and Scrapping or Discarding. When surplus and obsolete items or materials are to be disposed of either by scrapping or auction, please indicate the appropriate location on the surplus property list form and forward it to the public works superintendent for approval. The public works superintendent shall review the items and or materials listed for the appropriateness of the designation and then sign off for authorization. If deemed necessary by the public works superintendent, the listed items will be inspected to verify that the most appropriate means of disposal is being utilized. No action shall be taken by the submitting party until the surplus property list has been returned from the purchasing office with an authorizing signature.
D. 
Donation of Surplus. Surplus or obsolete materials with an estimated value of ten thousand dollars or more shall be donated with city council approval. To determine asset values, it is recommended that an established method of determination be used (e.g. Kelley Blue Book). Donations less than ten thousand dollars will require the city manager's approval.
(Prior code § 2711; Ord. 784 § 4, 1990; Ord. 1076 § 9, 2013; Ord. 1183, 3/26/2024; Ord. 1193, 4/8/2025)
If no exemptions or special federal, state, and/or local requirements are applicable, the city has the following procurement thresholds, which may be adjusted periodically for inflation by ordinance of the city council:
A. 
The small purchase threshold is set at ten thousand dollars. For purchases less than this amount, no purchase order is required. The department heads or their designees may approve the purchases.
B. 
An informal competitive procurement is for a purchase between ten thousand and fifty thousand dollars. Either three informal quotes or a sole source form is required. The finance director and city manager may approve the sole source form, purchase orders, and/or contracts in this category.
C. 
A formal competitive procurement is for a purchase above fifty thousand dollars. A formal competitive process or a sole source form is required.
1. 
The city manager is authorized to approve and execute, on behalf of the city, any contract in an amount not exceeding seventy-five thousand dollars, including the contracts for the services described in Section 3.20.105B and C.
2. 
The city council shall approve any contracts above seventy-five thousand dollars, including the procurement for personal and professional services described in Section 3.20.105B and C. Contracts described in Section 3.20.105C shall be subject to the provisions of Section 3.20.105A.
(Ord. 784 § 6, 1990; Ord. 1025 § 1, 2006; Ord. 1035 § 1, 2007; Ord. 1151 § 2, 2021; Ord. 1183, 3/26/2024; Ord. 1183, 3/26/2024; Ord. 1206, 4/28/2026)
The city council may adopt Procurement Policies and Procedures by resolution to implement the provisions of this chapter. Such policies and procedures may establish administrative guidelines, evaluation procedures, documentation requirements, and other operational processes necessary to carry out the city's purchasing functions.
The Procurement Policies and Procedures adopted by resolution shall be consistent with this chapter and applicable federal, state, and local laws, but may provide additional administrative guidance to ensure transparency, competition, and efficiency in the city's procurement activities.
(Ord. 1206, 4/28/2026)