Every prospective purchase of goods or services shall be evaluated to determine the applicability of General Municipal Law § 103. Every Town officer, board member, department head or other personnel with the requisite purchasing authority (hereinafter "purchaser") shall estimate the cumulative amount of items of supply or equipment needed in a given fiscal year. That estimate shall include the canvas 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 purchases of supplies or equipment which will exceed $20,000 in the fiscal year or public works contracts over $35,000 shall be formally bid pursuant to General Municipal Law § 103.
A. 
All estimate purchases of:
(1) 
Less than $20,000, but greater than or equal to $3,000, must have written quotations from at least three vendors and attached to the purchase order and voucher. All purchases must be approved by the Town Board prior to purchase.
(2) 
Less than $3,000 is left to the discretion of the purchaser.
B. 
If the purchase was due to any emergency and no other quotation was received, the emergency must be documented on the purchase order.
C. 
Department heads (purchasers) are requested to check with the New York State Office of State Comptroller, the Sullivan County Office of General Services or the Town Director of Finance to determine what items are available to the Town at county, state or other local government bid prices. Local government bids must comply with the "OSC Piggybacking Policy."
D. 
Although each department head is responsible for his or her own purchasing, the Director of Finance should be contacted if and when any questions arise.
E. 
The Finance Office will supply all needed information such as vendor lists, account code information and year-to-date purchase information on vendors.
F. 
All estimated public works contracts of:
(1) 
Less than $35,000, but greater than or equal to $10,000, require a written RFP and proposals from three vendors attached to the purchase order and must be approved by the Town Board.
(2) 
Less than $10,000, but greater than or equal to $3,000, require a verbal RFP and proposals from three vendors attached to the purchase order.
(3) 
Less than $3,000 is left to the discretion of the purchaser.
G. 
Any written RFP shall describe the desired goods, the quantity and the particulars of delivery, if possible. The purchaser shall compile a list of all vendors from whom written/fax/oral quotes have been requested and the written/fax/oral quotes offered.
H. 
All information gathered in complying with the procedures of this section shall be preserved and filed with the documentation supporting the subsequent purchase or public works contract.
The lowest responsible proposal or quote shall be awarded the purchase or public works contract unless the purchaser prepares a written justification (best value) 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. The best value policy will allow governments the ability to purchase products and services that may not be the lowest in price but due to factors such as product like or quality may provide a cheaper long-term solution. The basis for best value award must be objective, and written documentation must be attached to the voucher for the purchase that used this policy.
The Town of Liberty is required to pay prevailing wages for all labor performed on Town property, unless the contractor certifies they are the owner of the business and solely performed the work. All bids and quotes must include information that prevailing wage rates are applicable. Contact the Finance Office for more information. All invoices that include labor that is subject to prevailing wage must have a payroll certification report. The payroll certification report or vendor certification must also be attached to the voucher before payment will be processed.
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 must 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;
D. 
Goods purchased from agencies for the blind or severely handicapped;
E. 
Goods purchased from correctional facilities;
F. 
Goods purchased from another governmental agency;
G. 
Goods purchased at auction.
This policy shall be reviewed annually by the Town Board at its organizational meeting or as soon thereafter as is reasonably practicable.