Duties of the Purchasing Manager

The Purchasing Manager is delegated certain administrative responsibilities by the City Manager. Since it is not practical for the City Manager to become involved in all purchasing decisions, the Purchasing Manager must make every attempt to represent the management philosophies of the administration which he/she serves and to report in a timely fashion to his/her superiors key information regarding the purchasing functions.

The Purchasing Manager carries out the following duties and functions:

1.   Purchase or contract for purchase all supplies and certain contractual services needed by any department of the City.  

2.   Procure the highest quality in supplies and contractual services at the least expense to the City.  

3.   Encourage uniform bidding and endeavor to obtain full and open competition on all purchases and sales of surplus property.  

4.   Keep informed of current developments in the field of purchasing, prices, market conditions and new products. Secure for the City the benefits of research done in the field of purchasing by other governmental agencies, national technical societies, trade associations, and by private businesses and organizations.  

5.   Prescribe and maintain purchasing forms as shall be reasonable and necessary.  

6.   Explore the possibilities of volume purchases to take full advantage of quantity pricing.  

7.   Control and supervise Central Stores Warehouse and maintain a perpetual inventory record of all materials, supplies and equipment stored therein.  

8.   Join with other units of government in co-operative purchasing plans when the best interest of the City would be served by such a joint purchasing agreement.  

9.   Advise and assist the City Manager in the formulation of policies and procedures in connection with the purchasing activities of the City.  

10. Revise the purchasing procedures or Purchasing Manual as necessary to enhance the overall Purchasing function.