Procurement Policy

Procurement Policy

Middle Country Public Library shall follow the provisions of New York State law regarding public work and purchase contracts.

All public work contracts in excess of $35,000 and all purchase contracts in excess of $20,000 shall be subject to competitive bidding.  The Director is authorized to approve purchases that do not exceed $10,000.

Under normal circumstances, contracts shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder. Circumstances under which the contract may not be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder may include, but are not limited to: (1) vendor cannot guarantee delivery of goods or services within the time frame or under the conditions established by the library; (2) vendor’s terms of payment are disadvantageous to the library; (3) vendor cannot comply with the full specifications set forth in the bid; and (4) vendor’s after purchase support services are deemed inadequate.

For all materials and services not subject to competitive bidding, the library will solicit at least three competitive quotations for public works and purchase contracts. Such price quotes will be either written or verbal based on the following criteria:

1.  Procedures for procurement of purchase contracts not subject to competitive bidding:

Dollar Limit                                            Procedure

Under $1,500                              Discretion of authorized staff

$1,500 – $4,000                          Documented verbal from at least three seperate vendors (if available)

$4,001 – $20,000                        Formal written quotes from at least three separate vendors (if available)

2.  Procedures for procurement of public works contracts not subject to competitive bidding:

Dollar Limit                                                        Procedure

 

Under $2,500                              Discretion of authorized staff

 

$2,500 – $10,000                       Documented verbal quotes from at least three separate vendors (if available)

 

$10,001 – $35000                      Formal written quotes from at least three separate vendors (if available)

In emergency situations, verbal quotes should be obtained in so far as practical under the circumstances.

Reasons to dispense with competitive bidding or quotations may include:  true leases, professional services, sole source procurements, and federal, state, county, town, BOCES and Suffolk Cooperative Library System contracts, articles manufactured in state correctional institutions or from agencies for the blind and severely disabled.  The process of soliciting competitive quotations, as long as the procurements are below the bid thresholds, is not necessary if the procurement adds to an existing system, and it is in the library’s best interest to deal with one vendor for a particular system.

Documentation for leases of personal property will include written quotes, cost-benefit analysis of leasing versus purchasing, etc.  The Library will note that the contract is a true lease and not an installment purchase contract.

Documentation for Insurance will include bid advertisements, specifications and the awarding resolution.  Alternatively, written or verbal quotation forms will serve as documentation if formal bidding is not required.  “Request for Proposals” (RFTPs), documented in the same manner may also be used.

The Procurement Policy shall be reviewed annually by the Board of Trustees.

Adopted May 20, 1992 by the Board of Trustees of the Middle Country Public Library
Revised November 12, 2003, June 21, 2006, July 18, 2007, November 17, 2010, April 20, 2011, September 21, 2011

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