Purchasing Program Objectives

Program objectives are essential to implement and administer a meaningful and viable purchasing program. The program objectives spell out what is expected of the program and of the individuals who administer and participate in it. Program objectives also serve as a set of guidelines to be used by management, operating personnel and the purchasing agency in reaching responsible and intelligent decisions relative to the day-to-day administration of the program. Over the long run, program objectives provide management with a set of general standards against which to gage the effectiveness and success of the program.

The primary objectives of the City of Fairborn’s purchasing program are as follows:

1. Establish an on-going centralized purchasing function capable of providing daily service and support on an organization wide basis.
2. Introduce a greater measure of responsibility and accountability over implementation of the annual budget, specifically as related to the procurement of commodities, contractual services and capital outlay items.
3. Assure realization of the principles of competitive purchasing and best buy at the least cost.
4. Assist management at all levels in reaching responsible, cost-effective decisions in the procurement of quality supplies and services for City use.
5. Formulate policies and procedures designed to systematize and enhance the efficiency of the City’s procurement process and assure procurement in a timely and proper manner.
6. Promote good will and clear communication in City-Vendor relations and intra- organization relations relative to purchasing.
7. Promote the realization of equal opportunity policies through procurement relations with vendors.

Vendor Selection:

Vendors will be selected on a competitive basis. Bids, quotations and proposals will be solicited by newspaper advertising, direct mail request to prospective suppliers and by telephone. Contracts will be awarded to the lowest and best responsible bidder. All bids may be rejected if it is in the city’s best interest to do so. In determining “lowest and best responsible bidder” in addition to price, the following will be considered:

1. The ability, capacity and skill of the bidder to perform the contract or provide the service required.
2. Whether the bidder can perform the contract or provide the service promptly, or within the time specified, without delay or interference.
3. The character, integrity, reputation, judgement, experience, and efficiency of the bidder.
4. The quality of performance of previous contracts or services.
5. The previous and existing compliance by the bidder with laws and ordinances relating to the contract or service.
6. The sufficiency of the financial resources and ability of the bidder to perform the contract or provide the service.
7. The quality, availability and adaptability of the supplier, or contractual services to the particular use required.
8. The ability of the bidder to provide future maintenance and service for the use of the subject of the contract.
9. The number and scope of conditions attached to the bid.

Formal Contract Procedure:

All supplies and contractual services, except otherwise provided herein, when the estimated cost thereof exceeds fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) shall be purchased by formal, written contract from the lowest and best responsible bidder, after due notice inviting proposals. The notice inviting bids shall:

1. Be published twice in at least one official newspaper in the City
2. Include a general description of the items to be purchased or sold
3. State where bid blanks and specifications can be secured
4. State the date, time and place for opening bids

The sealed bids shall be opened in public at the date, time and place stated in the notice inviting bids. A tabulation of all bids receive shall be available upon request.

The purchase of supplies and contractual services, when the cost thereof exceeds ten thousand dollars ($10,000), shall not require formal bidding but must be approved by Council resolution.

The purchase of petroleum products shall be an exception to this procedure. The purchase of petroleum based products may be done by informal competitive quotes and without Council approval.

All purchases of supplies and contractual services and all sales of personal property, of the estimated value of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) or less, shall be made in the open market, without newspaper advertisement and without observing the formal contract procedure. All open market purchases shall whenever possible be based upon competitive quotes and shall be awarded to the lowest and best responsible vendor.

Terms and Conditions:

The following terms and conditions are included in every formal bid the City composes.

CITY OF FAIRBORN - GENERAL PROVISIONS:

The following terms and conditions are included in every formal bid the City composes.

1. Each bid shall contain the full name of every person or company interested in this bid.
2. No withdrawal or modification of a proposal will be made after it has been submitted.
3. BID BOND: All bids must be accompanied by a cashier’s check, certified check or bid bond in the amount of five percent (5%) of the bid price to insure that if the bid is accepted, a contract will be entered into and the performance properly secured.
4. All bids submitted shall be F.O.B. Fairborn, Ohio.
5. By submitting this bid, the vendor agrees that acceptance of any or all quotations by the City within 60 days constitutes a contract.
6. Bidders shall enclose with their sealed bids sufficient engineering and technical data to enable the City to evaluate the proposal.
7. Proposals must be made upon the official forms enclosed therein. Additional forms and specifications may be obtained from the Finance Department.
8. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: In connection with the execution of this contract, the contractor shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, sex, or national origin. The contractor shall take affirmative action to insure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during their employment without regard to their race, religion, color, sex or national origin. Such action shall include but not be limited to, the following: employment; upgrading; demotion or transfer; recruitment or recruitment advertising; layoff or termination; rates of pay or other forms of compensation; and selection for training, including apprenticeship.
9. Bid specifications are issued for the purpose of establishing standards of quality. Bidders wishing to bid on units that deviate from the specified standards may do so. A complete set of specifications must be included in the sealed bid for each proposed unit. The City of Fairborn reserves the right to judge the suitability and acceptability of any proposed unit.
10. Payment will be made thirty (30) days after complete delivery and acceptance by the City.
11. The bidder shall list on a separate sheet of paper any variations from, or exceptions to, the conditions and specifications of this bid. This sheet shall be labeled “Exception(s) to Bid Conditions and Specifications” and shall be attached to the bid.
12. The award shall be made to the responsible bidder whose bid is responsive to the invitation and is most advantageous to the City of Fairborn, price and other factors considered.
13. The term heavy duty as applied to the specifications shall be interpreted to mean that the item to which the term is applied shall exceed the usual quantity, quality, or capacity supplied with standard vehicles and it shall be able to withstand unusual strain, exposure, temperature, wear and use.
14. Service Facilities: The bidder must state as part of his proposal the location of his service and maintenance facility and the location where repair and replacement parts for the equipment may be obtained. The location of such facilities will be taken into account in determining the lowest and best bidder.
15. The City of Fairborn reserves the right to reject any or all bids when it is in the City’s best interest to do so, and to waive minor informalities or irregularities in the bidding.
16. WARRANTY: The successful bidder(s) shall furnish a written minimum warranty of 12,000 miles or one (1) year for each motor vehicle delivered.
17. BIDS ARE SOLICITED FOR ANY AND ALL ITEMS SHOWN, BUT THE CITY OF FAIRBORN RESERVES THE RIGHT TO PURCHASE FROM ANY SUPPLIER THAT ITEM WHICH IN THE CITY’S JUDGEMENT OFFERS THE BEST BUY.
18. The successful bidder(s) shall supply one (1) copy of the parts and service manual for each vehicle bid unless specified differently in the bid documents.
19. Performance Bond: At the time of bid acceptance, a Performance Bond, Cashier’s Check or Certified Check in the amount of five percent (5%) of the contract price will be required to insure performance.
20. Please state E.P.A. mileage statistics.