Town of Coeymans, NY Chapter 38 Purchasing Procedures

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Coeymans 12-9-1996. Amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 38-1 Preparation of and types of purchase orders; exceptions.

A. Prepare purchase order. Department head or designated subordinate prepares a four-part purchase order. The form includes the following information:

(1) Description of item(s) requested.

(2) Quantity required.

(3) Appropriation account code to be charged.

(4) Date.

(5) Signature of department head or subordinate.

(6) Name of department.

(7) Bureau (if appropriate).

(8) Delivery point.

(9) Preferred date of delivery (if any).

(10) Purchase order number.

B. The four parts of the purchase order form are to be used as follows:

(1) Vendor original (white) is sent to vendor to place order.

(2) Receiving copy (pink) is retained by the requisitioning department until the requested items are delivered.

(3) Department copy (yellow) is retained by department for future reference.

(4) Encumbrance copy (blue) is retained by fiscal officer in open purchase order file.

	NOTES:
	The prenumbered (upper right-hand corner) is for internal control of the forms. A record of purchase order forms distributed will be maintained in the Supervisor's office.
	The check (or check stub) will indicate the purchase order number, where possible, to assist the vendor in determining the purpose of the payment.

C. Blanket purchase orders will be used to reduce the number of individual purchase orders prepared for reoccurring items. They will be used for the following items: fuel oil, gasoline, blacktop, salt, sand, automotive supplies, culvert pipe. Their use will be limited to those items that are:

(1) Covered by a contract; and

(2) Delivery is sporadic and therefore cannot be planned.

D. Department heads, with the approval of the Town Supervisor, may issue blanket purchase orders where circumstances warrant it. The use of blanket purchase orders shall be kept to an absolute minimum.

E. Confirming purchase orders will only be issued in cases where there is no one available to issue a purchase order (office closed), there was no time for advanced planning or where necessity for immediate action exists (public emergency, as defined by General Municipal Law § 103). A written confirming purchase order will be processed as soon as possible setting forth the justification for its use. The purchase should be marked as "confirming."

F. Exceptions to purchase order system. The following do not need a P.O.:

(1) Petty cash.

(2) Leases.

(3) Legal notices.

(4) Insurance.

(5) Utilities.

(6) Office supplies [requests totaling less than $25 (do not use this method to circumvent the purchase system; it will not be permitted)].

§ 38-2 Purchase order to Supervisor's office.

All copies of the completed purchase order are sent to the Supervisor.

§ 38-3 Availability of funds.

Upon receipt of the purchase order, the Supervisor (designated subordinate) shall determine if there is sufficient unencumbered balance in the appropriation account(s) to be charged. If sufficient funds are available, the Supervisor (or authorized representative) shall certify to availability of funds and the procurement process continues. If there is no available balance or the balance is insufficient, the process is discontinued. It will not be resumed until the Board passes the necessary resolution to modify the budget (unencumbered balance) for the appropriation account involved. The only exception to this rule is a confirming purchase order issued for a genuine emergency, which will be validated by Board resolution.

§ 38-4 Encumbering appropriation.

After determining that the appropriation account to be charged has sufficient balance, the Supervisor detaches the encumbrance copy and places it in an open purchase order file. The appropriation account(s) will have the encumbrance recorded against it, thus reducing the available balance for future commitments.

§ 38-5 Establishment of open encumbrance file.

The Supervisor will use this file as the basis for recording encumbrances placed and liquidated (monthly totals). A general journal entry will record activity in accounts 521 Encumbrances and 821 Reserve for Encumbrances for each fund. The control accounts, as adjusted, are compared to the totals reflected in the monthly budgetary report.

§ 38-6 Return of purchase order.

The Supervisor will send the remaining three copies to the originating department for distribution.

§ 38-7 Distribution of purchase order.

A. Department head distributes:

(1) Original to vendor - place order;

(2) Receiving copy to employee responsible for receiving shipment;

(3) Department copy to files for future reference.

NOTE: Vendors will be instructed on procedure, by individual letter.

B. The Town of Coeymans will advertise the adoption of the new purchasing procedure prior to its initial implementation.

§ 38-8 Receiving materials or supplies.

A. Upon delivery of the requested materials or supplies, the designated departmental employee will compare the item(s) received to the receiving copy of the purchase order and the accompanying invoices or delivery slips. Any discrepancies are noted on the receiving copy, and it is signed and dated by the employee actually receiving the shipment.

B. If delivery is to the receptionist area of Town Hall (Russell Avenue), the receptionist will only sign for delivery. Actual comparison of the receiving copy to the delivery will occur after sending the delivered items to the originating department.

§ 38-9 Claims.

A. All claims will be sent directly to the originating department. Upon receipt of the claim form, the receiving copy of the purchase order (and all invoices/receipts) will be attached thereto.

B. The department shall perform preliminary steps to prepare the claim for submission to the Town Board for its audit (see claim process -Financial Information for Municipalities - copy of pertinent pages attached)[1]. Prior to transmittal of the claim to the Town Clerk, the department head shall sign indicating his/her approval.

[1] Editor's Note: Copy is on file in the office of the Town Clerk.

§ 38-10 Completed claims.

The department sends, as soon as possible but no later than five business days, the completed claim with the receiving copy of the purchase order and any invoices, receipts, etc., to the Town Clerk's Office. The claims will be numbered by the Town Clerk's office. The preliminary abstract (listing) of claims will be prepared by entering information into the accounting system.

§ 38-11 Audit of claims.

The claim submitted is audited by the Board. The audit includes (at a minimum) a comparison of the receiving copy of the purchase order to the claim, determination of compliance to state and local statutes, that proper signatures have been obtained and that terms of existing contracts have been adhered to.

§ 38-12 Authorize payment.

The abstract of approved claims will be adjusted (if necessary) by the Town Clerk. The Town Clerk certifies that the claims listed have been approved for payment by the Board. A signed copy of the abstract is filed with the Supervisor's office.

§ 38-13 Payment.

The individual checks are prepared by the Supervisor's office staff, signed by the Supervisor and sent to vendors.

§ 38-14 Adjustment of accounting records.

The Supervisor's office staff will charge subsidiary appropriation (and other) accounts to record amounts disbursed and encumbrances liquidated.