Emergency Purchases - Procedure 010

1. PURPOSE

   To establish a procedure to accommodate emergency purchases.

    

2. SCOPE:

   This procedure applies to all emergency purchases.

    

3. GENERAL:

   An emergency shall be defined as an urgent and immediate need for equipment, supplies or repair service, the lack of which would seriously handicap the operation of City government, where the protection of the life, health, safety or welfare of the community or the preservation of public properties would not be possible through normal purchasing procedures.

    

4. APPROVAL AUTHORITY:

   In the event that the City Manager or designee determines that an emergency exists which requires the immediate purchase of an item, the contract or purchase order may be awarded regardless of the amount of the expenditure under the procedures contained herein. However, if the expenditure is over $15,000.00 the City Commission shall be notified at the next regularly scheduled Commission meeting of the circumstances surrounding the emergency purchase.

5. PROCEDURE:
   1. During Normal Working Hours

      A department may request an emergency purchase order (EPO) by calling the Procurement Division with a full explanation of the conditions requiring the emergency purchase. If the City Manager or Procurement Division Manager concurs and approves the request, the Procurement Division will issue an EPO and notify the requesting department of the EPO number. The requesting department will then directly contact the vendor and place the order. As soon as possible, after the order has been placed, the requesting department shall enter the requisition.

   2. On Weekends or After Working Hours

      If an emergency exists on weekends or after working hours, the personnel on duty at the time of the emergency shall notify their Department Director of the emergency and obtain approval from the Director prior to each emergency purchase.

      The requesting department shall notify the Procurement Division the morning of the first working day following the emergency. An EPO will be issued and the requesting department notified. They will then immediately contact the vendor with the EPO number for invoicing purposes and enter a requisition referencing the EPO number.