City of Rochester, NH Article IV Purchases and Contracts

§ 7-38 Legal basis.

The provisions of this article governing purchasing procedures to be used by the City of Rochester are incorporated with the Administrative Code in accordance with the requirements of Section 27 of the Rochester City Charter.

§ 7-39 Purchase orders required.

Purchase orders authorized by the proper authority shall be used in all instances.

§ 7-40 Purchasing procedures.

[Amended 9-4-2007; 10-15-2013; 10-1-2019]

A. All purchases shall have electronic approval, and said sums for each category below shall not be exceeded for any one item, or combination of items, to be purchased from any single vendor. Approval levels are noted for each category.

B. All purchases up to five thousand dollars ($5,000.) shall have the electronic approval of the Department Head and Purchasing Department.

C. All purchases five thousand one dollars ($5,001.) up to fifteen thousand one dollars ($15,000.) shall have a minimum of three quotations for the same product or service. The three quotations must be written vendor responses; no verbal quotations are allowed. The quotation, or notes, must be attached to the requisition request. Approval is required by Department Head, Purchasing Department, Finance Director, or Deputy Finance Director before conversion to purchase order.

D. All purchases fifteen thousand one dollars ($15,001.) or greater require a competitive sealed bid process. Utilization of approved vendor lists, or other approved bid lists, may be substituted for the sealed bid process with approval of the City Manager, or designee. Approval is required by the Department Head, Purchasing Department, Finance Director or Deputy Finance Director, and City Manager. Bid results/quotation notes must be attached to requisition request.

E. Exceptions to the above may be allowed for the following, provided it is determined to be in the best overall interest of the City; approval is required by the City Manager, or designee:

(1) Professional service contracts.

(2) Sole source vendors.

(3) Computers, complex information technology (IT) equipment, and software.

(4) Documented reasons why the bid or required amount of quotations cannot be sourced.

(5) Emergency situations which create immediate risk to the City.

§ 7-41 Sale of tax-deeded property.

[Amended 2-1-2005]

A. In accordance with the provisions of RSA 80:42 and/or 80:80, the City Manager is hereby indefinitely, and until such time as this section is repealed, authorized to transfer tax liens upon real property acquired by the City at a Tax Collector's sale for nonpayment of taxes thereon and/or to convey property acquired by the City by tax deed for nonpayment of taxes; provided, however, that a public auction and/or advertised sealed bid sale is held, and the results of said public auction and/or sealed bid sale are confirmed by a majority vote of the City Council. In conducting such public auction and/or sealed bid sale, the City Manager may establish a minimum amount for which the property is to be sold and the terms and conditions of sale.

B. The City Manager, by ordinance, may be authorized to dispose of tax liens or tax-deeded property in a manner otherwise than provided in this section, as justice may require.

C. Upon the affirmative two-thirds vote of the Rochester City Council, the City Manager may be authorized to transfer tax liens upon real property acquired by the City at a Tax Collector's sale for nonpayment of taxes thereon and/or to convey property acquired by the City by tax deed for nonpayment of taxes without conducting a public auction and/or advertised sealed bid sale, subject to such terms and conditions as the City Council shall establish.

D. For purposes of this section, the authority to dispose of the property "as justice may require" shall include the power of the City Manager to transfer the tax lien(s) and/or convey the property to a former owner, or to a third party for benefit of a former owner, upon such reasonable terms as may be agreed to in writing, including the authority of the City to retain a mortgage interest in the property, or to reimpose its tax lien, contingent upon an agreed payment schedule, which need not necessarily reflect any prior redemption amount. Any such agreement shall be recorded in the Registry of Deeds. This subsection shall not be construed to obligate the City to make any such conveyance or agreement.