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 (hereinafter "purchaser") shall
estimate the cumulative amount of the items of supply or equipment
needed in a given fiscal year. That estimate may 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 maintained with file
or other documentation supporting the purchase activity.
All purchases of supplies or equipment which will exceed $10,000
in the fiscal year, or public works contracts over $20,000 in the
fiscal year, shall be formally bid pursuant to General Municipal Law
§ 103.
The lowest responsible proposal or quote shall be awarded the
purchase or public works contract unless the purchaser prepares 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
bidder. 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, the purchaser shall document the attempt made at
obtaining the required proposals. In no event shall the inability
to obtain the required number of 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.
D. Goods/services purchased from agencies for the blind or handicapped.
E. Goods/services purchased from correctional facilities.
F. Goods/services purchased from other government agencies.
G. Goods purchased at auction.
H. Goods/services purchased for less than $250.
I. Public works contracts for less than $500.
J. Goods/services purchased under state contracts.
This policy shall be reviewed annually by the Town Board at
its organizational meeting or as soon after as is reasonably practicable.