A. 
The provisions of this article apply to all standard or nonemergency purchases, and are hereafter referred to as "standard purchasing procedures."
B. 
"Standard purchases" are described as systematic, planned and necessary purchases for administration and operation of a project, division, and/or department. There shall be no exception to these standard procedures except as provided in the emergency and urgent purchasing procedures in Article III of this chapter.
A. 
All standard purchases as authorized by this article require that a requisition be completed and submitted to the Financial Services Department prior to making any purchase. Requisitions shall include as a minimum, but shall not be limited to, the following information:
[Amended 9-27-2011 by Ord. No. 235-2011]
(1) 
Date: the date the requisition is prepared.
(2) 
Department: name of department or division initiating the requisition.
(3) 
Quantity: specify the unit and the approximate amount per unit being requested. Units may be "each," "box," "gals," "reams," "pound," etc.
(4) 
Description: the description of the items or services to be purchased, which shall be adequate to identify the item and/or services being requested without having to request additional information from the user.
(5) 
Amount: Users shall provide the cost or their best estimate of cost on the requisition if exact cost cannot be determined. When quotations are required, the quotations shall be cited on the requisition.
(6) 
Account: The appropriate budgeted line item account number must be shown on each requisition in order for the costs of the items purchased to be appropriately charged. Requisitions may include multiple line items.
(7) 
Department head or designee requisition approval.
B. 
Requisitions that lack the required information will be returned to the user department for completion and compliance.
A purchase order must be issued to the vendor prior to receiving any items or services. Purchases executed by users prior to issuance of a purchase order are prohibited, except as otherwise provided in the emergency purchasing procedures of Article III of this chapter.
A. 
An invoice is an itemized statement submitted by the vendor to the County for payment for tangible personal property and/or services provided. It is the responsibility of the vendor to ensure that the invoice matches the items on the purchase order. Vendors shall be instructed to include the purchase order number on the invoice for ready identification.
B. 
Vendors shall be notified by the Doña Ana County Finance Accounts Payable Department that repeated improper invoicing may cause a vendor to be excluded from participating in County purchases. Also, the County may refuse payment in any case where there is an unauthorized purchase.
Requisitions shall not be initiated and purchase orders shall not be issued, approved or processed when line items are overexpended, except as approved by the appropriate County reviewing department in accordance with state and Doña Ana County regulations and provisions, and provided there are legally sufficient budget balances available otherwise. It shall be the primary responsibility of the purchase user to ensure sufficient funds are available prior to initiating a purchase.
[Amended 9-14-2010 by Res. No. 2010-70; 9-27-2011 by Ord. No. 235-2011; 6-24-2014 by Res. No. 2014-70; 4-13-2021 by Res. No. 2021-42]
Purchases shall be made at the best possible prices and in accordance with the following procedures:
A. 
Purchases not exceeding $20,000, plus applicable gross receipts tax (GRT). Requests involving dollar amounts not exceeding $20,000, plus applicable GRT, may be processed without formal written quotations. These purchases should be procured at the best obtainable price, considering the time, cost and effort of obtaining the purchase. Quotations are normally solicited by telephone. The Department for Auditor's inspection shall maintain records of such purchases. Purchases shall not be artificially divided for the purpose of qualifying as a purchase under this subsection.
B. 
Purchases exceeding $20,000 but less than $60,000, plus applicable gross receipts tax (GRT).
(1) 
Requests involving dollar amounts exceeding $20,000 but not exceeding $60,000, plus applicable GRT, may be processed with three formal written quotations. Written quotations obtained from a vendor must be written on vendor letterhead, vendor invoice, vendor website, vendor catalog or vendor email. Such quotations as "does not carry" or "did not return my phone call" do not qualify as a valid written quotation. In the case where three obtainable quotes are not obtainable, the department shall contact Purchasing to assist in locating another source for a written quote. Written quotations received will be submitted to the Purchasing Department. These purchases should be procured at the best obtainable price. Purchases shall not be artificially divided for the purpose of qualifying as a purchase under this subsection.
(2) 
If a vendor has an agreement or contract with the County to provide tangible personal property or service, multiple quotations are not required.
C. 
Purchases exceeding $60,000, plus applicable gross receipts tax (GRT).
(1) 
All purchases exceeding $60,000 require competitive sealed bids or requests for proposal. The procedures for competitive sealed bids or requests for proposal are specified by the State of New Mexico Procurement Code and shall be processed and executed by the Purchasing Department.
(2) 
As provided for in Dona Ana County Board Resolution 2021-42, the County Manager shall have the authority to award bids/requests for proposal not exceeding $100,000, provided sufficient funds have been approved in the current fiscal year budget and the purchase will be completed in the current fiscal year.
(3) 
The Board of County Commissioners shall award bids/requests for proposal exceeding $100,000.
D. 
State or federal purchasing contracts and cooperative bid exceptions.
(1) 
The bidding process may be waived in cases where a vendor has a current state purchasing contract, general services agency (GSA) contract, or contract with another government entity ("piggybacking"). Also, the County may purchase items cooperatively through another public body's bid process consistent with state statutes.
(2) 
As provided for in Dona Ana County Board Resolution 2021-42, the County Manager will have signature authority to enter into short-term contracts (current fiscal year) for purchase of goods and services $100,000 or less per project/purchase order procured through these existing contracts. Funding for these purchases must have been approved in current budget.
(3) 
The Board of County Commissioners shall approve purchases exceeding $100,000 utilizing an existing contract.
"Sole-source purchases" are purchases of goods and services that are available from only one vendor. As examples, there may be just one vendor because of patents or copyrights, or simply because the vendor is the only one that supplies the good or service.
A. 
Authorization for sole-source purchase. In accordance with the State Procurement Code, NMSA § 13-1-126, the Purchasing Department shall make a determination, after conducting a good-faith review of available sources, that there is only one source for the required service, construction or item of tangible personal property. The Purchasing Manager or his/her designee must approve the sole-source purchase prior to the user department initiating the purchase.
B. 
Procedure for sole-source purchase.
(1) 
In order for the Purchasing Department to make a determination for sole-source procurement, the user department must provide the following required justification:
(a) 
The user department must provide a written explanation as to why only this particular product/service is acceptable. Any request by a user department that procurement be restricted to one potential vendor shall be accompanied by a written explanation as to why no other vendor will be suitable or acceptable to meet the need.
(b) 
The user department must provide a detailed letter from the vendor stating that the vendor is the only authorized source for the product or service. The letter shall also include a current price quotation.
(2) 
Note: Sole-source purchase requests submitted without the above written documentation will be returned to the user department for completion and compliance without any action taken by the Purchasing Department.
[Amended 8-14-2007 by Res. No. 2007-83; 9-27-2011 by Ord. No. 235-2011; 4-13-2021 by Res. No. 2021-42]
"Professional services" means the services of architects, archeologists, engineers, surveyors, landscape architects, medical arts practitioners, scientists, management and systems analysts, certified public accountants, registered public accountants, lawyers, psychologists, planners, researchers, construction managers and other persons or businesses providing similar professional services, which may be designated as such by a determination issued by the state purchasing agent or a central purchasing office (NMSA 1978 § 13-1-76). In order for the Purchasing Department to make a determination as to whether or not a service qualifies as "professional," a potential provider may be requested to provide credentials such as proof of an advanced degree, specialized certification and/or training, and a list of references.
A. 
Professional services not exceeding $60,000, plus applicable gross receipts tax (GRT).
(1) 
User departments are encouraged to contact at least three businesses for written or verbal offers before selecting a contractor. The Purchasing Department shall negotiate a contract for the required services at a fair and reasonable price (NMAC 1.4.1.52).
(2) 
As provided for in Dona Ana County Board Resolution 2021-42, the County Manager has contract signature authority for $100,000 or less.
B. 
Professional services exceeding $60,000, plus applicable gross receipts tax (GRT).
(1) 
All professional services purchases exceeding $60,000, plus applicable GRT, require a competitive request for proposal. The procedures for competitive requests for proposal are specified by the State of New Mexico Procurement Code and shall be processed and executed by the Purchasing Department.
(2) 
As provided for in Dona Ana County Board Resolution 2021-42, the County Manager shall have the authority to award bid/request for proposal not exceeding $100,000, provided funds have been approved in the current fiscal year budget and the purchase will be completed in the current fiscal year. The Board of County Commissioners shall award bids/requests for proposal exceeding $100,000.
No purchases shall be made for the purpose of personal or private use. This includes non-business-use purchases.
The County is authorized to purchase used equipment or items. The purchase shall be formally approved by action of the County Commission prior to purchase. The Purchasing Department, when procuring used items of tangible personal property the estimated cost of which exceeds $5,000, shall request bids as though the items were new, adding specifications that permit used items under conditions to be outlined in the bid specifications, including but not limited to requiring a written warranty for at least 90 days after date of delivery and an independent "certificate of working order" by a qualified mechanic or appraiser. (NMSA § 13-1-155)