In order to maintain efficient procedures for the purchase of supplies, services, and equipment, to secure for the city supplies, services, and equipment at the lowest possible costs 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 California Government Code. In addition to the purchasing system set forth in this chapter, the city shall comply with the city's purchasing policy and procedures manual, as adopted by city council resolution. All future changes, modifications, or amendments to the city's purchasing policy shall require city council action.
The authority for the purchase of supplies, services, and equipment is vested in a purchasing officer.
(Ord. 524, 10/15/2024)
The city manager, or their designee, shall serve as the "purchasing officer." The procedures and policies herein, as well as in the purchasing policy and procedures manual, or any other regulations promulgated by the city council, shall govern the purchase of supplies, services, and equipment.
The purchasing officer shall have the following powers and duties:
A. 
To purchase or contract for supplies, services and equipment required by any using agency 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. 
To negotiate and recommend execution of contracts for the purchase of supplies, services and equipment;
C. 
To act to procure for the city the needed quality in supplies, services and equipment at least expense to the city;
D. 
To discourage uniform bidding and endeavor to obtain as full and open competition as possible on all purchases;
E. 
To promulgate rules governing the purchasing of supplies, services and equipment for the city, consistent with this chapter, state and federal laws;
F. 
To prepare and recommend to the city council, revisions and amendments to this chapter;
G. 
To keep informed of current developments in the field of purchasing, prices, market conditions and new products;
H. 
To prescribe and maintain such forms as are reasonably necessary to the operation of this chapter and other rules and regulations;
I. 
To supervise the inspection of all supplies, services and equipment purchased to ensure conformance with specifications;
J. 
To 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. 
To maintain a proposers' list, vendors' file and records needed for the efficient operation of the purchasing department;
L. 
Virtual Platforms. The purchasing officer may also use a third-party virtual platform, as specified in the purchasing policy and procedure manual, to secure quotes or proposals;
M. 
Execute all contracts and agreements whenever such authorization is granted in a resolution, motion, or minute order adopted by the city council. All contracts, including settlements, up to the threshold amounts set forth in the purchasing policy and procedures manual may be approved and executed by the purchasing officer and attested by the city clerk and do not require council approval. Contracts and settlements over the threshold amounts set forth in the purchasing policy and procedures manual shall be approved by the city council; and
N. 
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 against which such purchase is to be charged.
(Ord. 524, 10/15/2024)
Purchases of supplies, services, and equipment, except professional services in an amount less than the threshold amounts set forth in the purchasing policy and procedures manual may be made by the purchasing officer in the open market pursuant to the following procedure:
A. 
Minimum Number of Quotes or Proposals. Open market purchases shall, wherever possible, be based on at least three quotes or proposals and shall be awarded to the vendor or service provider who offers the best combination of price and quality, as determined by purchasing officer in their sole discretion The purchasing officer may promulgate rules setting forth minimum purchase amounts where quotes or proposals shall be required.
B. 
Request for Quotes or Proposals. The purchasing officer shall solicit quotes or proposals by written request to prospective vendors by telephone, by public notice posted on a public bulletin board at City Hall and/or on the city's website. The purchasing officer may promulgate additional rules setting forth the procedure to request quotes or proposals. Quotes or proposals must be in writing.
C. 
Written Quotes or Proposals. Quotes or proposals shall be submitted to the city clerk who shall keep a record of all open market orders and quotes or proposals for a period of one year after the submission of quotes or proposals or the placing of orders. This record, while so kept, shall be open to public inspection. The purchasing officer may promulgate additional rules setting forth the retention of quotes or proposals consistent with this provision.
(Ord. 524, 10/15/2024)
A. 
Purchases of supplies, services, and equipment of an estimated value greater than the threshold value set in the purchasing policy and procedure manual shall be procured pursuant to quotes or proposals. The city council shall award the contract to the vendor or service provider who offers the best combination of price and quality, as determined by the city council in its sole discretion.
B. 
On refusal or failure of the successful vendor or service provider to execute the contract, the city council may award the contract to another vendor or service provider in conformance with subsection A.
C. 
The city council may reject any and all quotes or proposals, waive any irregularity in any quote or proposal, or re-advertise for quotes or proposals.
D. 
If two or more quotes received for supplies and equipment are for the same total amount or unit price, the council may accept the quote it considers best meets the needs of the city.
E. 
La Cañada Flintridge Vendors. Whenever appropriate, the purchasing officer shall seek to include La Cañada Flintridge vendors in the procurement process. Quotes or proposals received from vendors or service providers whose principal place of business is located in La Cañada Flintridge may be given preference, provided they meet the quality and price standards set by the request for quotes or proposals.
(Ord. 524, 10/15/2024)
A. 
Purchases Thorough Purchasing Agent of Another Public Agency. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the purchase of supplies, services, and equipment where the city council, by contract or resolution or both, transfers the authority to make such purchases, 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, services, and equipment, follows to the satisfaction of the purchasing officer policies and procedures in compliance with the provisions of Sections 54201 to 54202 of the Government Code of the state of California. In the event of the transfer of blanket authority in respect to such purchase of supplies, services, and equipment pursuant to this subsection, the purchasing officer 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 may authorize purchases through the purchasing agent in accordance with the authority vested in him or her by the city council.
B. 
The purchasing officer or city council, as applicable, finds that due to the nature of the supplies, services, or equipment, competitive procurement is not likely to result in the lowest price or greatest benefit to the city.
C. 
Sole Source Procurement. A contract for a purchase may be awarded without competition when the purchasing officer determines in writing, after conducting a good faith review of available sources, that there is only one source for the required supplies, services, and equipment. The purchasing officer shall conduct appropriate negotiations as to price, delivery, and other terms. A record of sole source procurements shall be maintained as a public record and shall list each vendor's name, local address and principal place of business, the amount and type of each contract, the item(s) procured under each contract, and the identification number of the procurement, if any.
D. 
Emergency Purchases. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the purchasing officer may make emergency purchases of supplies, services, and equipment when there exists an unexpected occurrence that requires immediate action, including, but not limited to, prevent or mitigate the loss or impairment of life, health, property, or essential public services. Emergency purchases shall be made with such competition as is practicable under the circumstances. A written determination of the basis for the emergency and the selection of the particular vendor shall be included in the contract file. Expenditures made during a locally declared emergency or in an emergency situation must be reported to the city council at the next regular city council meeting if approval for such expenditures would otherwise have been subject to the approval of the city council.
E. 
Cooperative Purchasing. The purchasing officer may arrange for the city to enter an agreement involving the purchase of supplies, services, and equipment in cooperation with another local, county, state, federal, or other public entity, school district, or the League of California Cities, provided that:
1. 
The agreement is the result of competitive bidding or negotiation and is made in compliance with the competitive bid or proposal requirements of any participating entity or organization; and
2. 
The purchase conforms to the city's specifications for the item; and
3. 
The price established by the prior bid or negotiation is not more than six months old; and
4. 
The estimated price of the purchase is lower than that estimated for the purchase if made directly by the city pursuant to this chapter.
Such cooperative purchasing may include, but is not limited to, joint or multi-party contracts between public agencies and public agency contracts negotiated to be available to other public agencies.
F. 
Professional and Personal Services Procurement. The procurement of the professional services of any architect, landscape architect, engineer, artist, environmental consultant, land surveyor, construction project manager, accountant, appraiser, financial advisor, attorney, information technology, or other provider of professional services involving a high degree of technical or individual skill shall be based on demonstrated competence, the professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of the required services, and a fair and reasonable price, after notice to a number of potential offerors adequate to permit reasonable competition consistent with the nature and requirements of the procurement. Offerors shall provide evidence that the person or firm carrying out contract responsibilities possesses the expertise and experience to perform the requisite professional services. The contract file shall contain a written summary of the basis on which notice to potential offerors was given and on which the award was made. Professional services contracts for the preparation of environmental reports or special studies regarding private projects, when the project applicant has deposited the full amount of the contract, must be awarded by city council.
G. 
Other Purchases. The provisions of this chapter do not apply to purchases of the following items, so long as funds have been properly appropriated therefore:
1. 
Materials, supplies, equipment or services from public or private nonprofit California corporations operating workshops serving the handicapped;
2. 
Books, periodicals, records, tapes, and similar materials used at the public library;
3. 
Software and other intellectual property with a unique or special purpose, as documented in writing by the purchasing officer;
4. 
Items and services acquired with federal or state loan or grant funds when the terms and conditions of the loan or grant conflict with this code;
5. 
Insurance, insurance adjusting, legal, and related services. If a new appropriation therefor is required or an existing appropriation is insufficient, the chief administrative officer or finance director is authorized to bind coverage or otherwise provide for such services until the required appropriation has been approved; and
6. 
Vendor servicing agreements where the equipment has been purchased competitively.
H. 
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to contracts for public projects, which are governed by Chapter 3.02 of this Municipal Code.
(Ord. 524, 10/15/2024)
The purchasing officer shall inspect supplies and equipment delivered to determine their conformance with the specifications set forth in the order of 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.
(Ord. 524, 10/15/2024)
Department directors should advise city manager in writing of any equipment or supplies not needed or no longer useful. Such notice must include a description of the item, the present location of the item, and an estimated market value of the item. Before surplusing, city staff shall first determine whether such items may be put to practical use in another department. The city manager shall be authorized to declare any item or equipment "surplus property" and shall prepare such item for sale to the general public or, alternatively, for distribution to the local school district or a nonprofit, nonsectarian charitable organization. City website and/or online surplus vendors may be used to advertise and sell surplus property.
Any items not sold through the surplus property sale process following a 30-day advertising period may either be donated to a nonprofit or educational institution or may be disposed of by any means deemed appropriate by the city manager. Any receiving organization must supply to the city a letter of acceptance for the goods/items received as a condition of their acceptance.
(Ord. 524, 10/15/2024)