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HomeMy WebLinkAboutG01.0 Purchasing Policies, Objectives and Ethics �'l3llRl�ll `Y 111CJ- 1' E A S CITY OF GRAPEVINE ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY SUBJECT: PURCHASING POLICIES, SECTION: G NUMBER: 1.0 OBJECTIVES, AND ETHICS PREPARED BY: Purchasing REVISED DATE: 04/26/2013 PAGE: 1 of 4 PURPOSE 1.1 The Grapevine City Purchasing Policies are based on the Model Purchasing Manual for Texas Cities and Counties published by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The Purchasing Policies are an extension of the City's Manual in that it provides greater detail involving many types of procurements that are not normally made by the City but may provide viable options for the procurement. The policies cover in detail purchasing principles and types of purchases, purchasing ethics, the requisition process, specifications, competitive bidding, negotiated purchases, accounting practices, auditing, electronic procurement and purchasing law. POLICY 1.2 The Model Purchasing Manual for Texas Cities and Counties can be found at http://www.texasahead.org/Iga/finances/purchasing/ 1.3 The Grapevine City Purchasing Policies are also structured around the Texas Local Government Code, specifically Title 8, Chapters 252 and 271 . 1.4 Public employment is a public trust. It is the policy of the City of Grapevine to promote and balance the objective of protecting government integrity and the objective of facilitating the recruitment and retention of personnel needed by the City of Grapevine. Such policy is implemented by prescribing essential standards of ethical conduct without creating unnecessary obstacles to entering public service. 1.5 Public employees must discharge their duties impartially so as to assure fair competitive access to governmental procurement by responsible contractors. Moreover, they should conduct themselves in such a manner as to foster public confidence in the integrity of the City of Grapevine procurement organization. 1.6 To achieve the purpose of this Article, it is essential that those doing business with the City also observe the ethical standards prescribed herein. �'l3llRl�ll `Y 111CJ- 1' E A S CITY OF GRAPEVINE ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY SUBJECT: PURCHASING POLICIES, SECTION: G NUMBER: 1.0 OBJECTIVES, AND ETHICS PREPARED BY: Purchasing REVISED DATE: 04/26/2013 PAGE: 2 of 4 1.7 PURCHASING OBJECTIVES The primary objective of the Purchasing Division of the City of Grapevine is to support the City's administrative staff in accomplishing the goals and directives established by the City Council and the City Manager. The Purchasing Agent will comply with all legal and ethical standards in obtaining the specified quality and quantity of materials and services at the City. The Purchasing Agent will promote fair and open competition for the procurement of all goods and services in accordance with all State and Local Laws, Policies and Regulations. 1.8 PURCHASING ETHICS All City Staff engaged in procurement for the City of Grapevine shall comply with the following ethical standards. 1.9 PERSONAL GAIN It shall be a breach of ethics to attempt to realize personal gain through public employment with the City by any conduct inconsistent with the proper discharge of the employee's duties. 1.10 INFLUENCE OF A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE It shall be a breach of ethics to attempt to influence any public employee of the City to breach the standards of ethical conduct set forth in this code. 1.11 CONFLICT OF INTEREST It shall be a breach of ethics for any employee of the City to participate directly or indirectly in procurement when the employee knows that: o The employee or any member of the employee's immediate family has a financial interest pertaining to the procurement; o A business or organization in which the employee, or any member of the employee's immediate family, has a financial interest pertaining to the procurement; or �'l3llRl�ll `Y 111CJ- 1' E A S CITY OF GRAPEVINE ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY SUBJECT: PURCHASING POLICIES, SECTION: G NUMBER: 1.0 OBJECTIVES, AND ETHICS PREPARED BY: Purchasing REVISED DATE: 04/26/2013 PAGE: 3 of 4 o Any other person, business or organization with which the employee or any member of the employee's immediate family is negotiating or has an arrangement concerning prospective employment is involved in the procurement. 1.12 GRATUITIES It shall be a breach of ethics to offer, give or agree to give any employee or former employee of the City, or for any employee or former employee of the City to solicit, demand, accept or agree to accept from another person, a gratuity or an offer of employment in connection with any decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, preparation of any part of a program requirement or purchase request, influencing the content of any specification or procurement standard, rendering of advice, investigation, auditing or in any other advisory capacity in any proceeding or application, request for ruling, determination, claim or controversy, or other particular matter pertaining to any program requirement or a contract or subcontract or to any solicitation or pro- posal therefore pending before this local government. 1.13 KICKBACKS It shall be a breach of ethics for any payment, gratuity or offer of employment to be made by or on behalf of a subcontractor under a contract to the prime contractor or higher tier subcontractor for any contract for the City, or any person associated therewith, as an inducement for the award of a subcontract or order. 1.14 CONTRACT CLAUSE The prohibition against gratuities and kickbacks prescribed above shall be conspicuously set forth in every contract and solicitation therefore. 1.15 CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION It shall be a breach of ethics for any employee or former employee of the City knowingly to use confidential information for actual or anticipated personal gain, or for the actual or anticipated gain of any person. �'l3llRl�ll `Y 111CJ- 1' E A S CITY OF GRAPEVINE ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY SUBJECT: PURCHASING POLICIES, SECTION: G NUMBER: 1.0 OBJECTIVES, AND ETHICS PREPARED BY: Purchasing REVISED DATE: 04/26/2013 PAGE: 4 of 4 1.16 PURCHASE OF MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT, AND SUPPLIES FOR PERSONAL USE Unless specifically approved in writing by the Administrative Services Director, no employee may purchase City property for his/her own personal use unless it is purchased through the City's public auction or through the sealed bid procedures of the City. This includes new and used equipment, materials or supplies. 1.17 PRIVATE PURCHASES THROUGH CITY FACILITIES No employee may use the purchasing power of the City of Grapevine to make private purchases. In addition, employees should not have private purchases sent to the City C.O.D. to be paid for by the employee. 1.18 TAX EXEMPT STATUS The City of Grapevine is exempt from Federal, State, and Local taxes except in certain prescribed cases. An exemption certificate is available from the Purchasing Division and should be furnished to any of the City's suppliers upon request.