AGENDA DATE: 8/5/2015
TITLE:
Title
Amendments to the Albemarle County Purchasing Manual
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Resolution to amend the County's Purchasing Manual by deleting the requirement for written justification of competitive negotiation, amending small purchase procedures, amending competitive negotiation procedures, and setting the period for the debarment of vendors.
ITEM TYPE: Consent Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Foley, Letteri, Davis, Herrick, Burrell
PRESENTER (S): N/A
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Thomas C. Foley
BACKGROUND: Albemarle County's Purchasing Manual, as adopted by the Board of Supervisors, governs and guides local government and school purchases in accordance with the Virginia Public Procurement Act (VPPA).
The 2015 General Assembly enacted several changes to the VPPA that affect the purchase process of local governments and schools. These changes include:
1. Localities are no longer required to make written findings that competitive sealed bidding is disadvantageous before using competitive negotiation.
2. Non-transportation construction may now come within a public body's small purchase procedures.
3. Unauthorized change orders are voidable, and the unauthorized approval of a change order cannot be the basis of a contractual claim.
4. Requests for Proposals are required to specify if and how numerical scoring will be used to evaluate responsive proposals.
Most of the proposed changes to the Purchasing Manual are in response to these new Virginia Code provisions.
However, unrelated to recent changes in state law, staff is also recommending two additional revisions to the procedures for debarring a vendor:
(a) requiring advance notice to the County Executive of any proposed debarment, and
(b) setting the debarment period for a vendor from ninety (90) days to three (3) years at the discretion of the purchasing agent, subject to lifting or suspension in the best interest of the...
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