S.C. Code Regs. § 19-445.2100

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 5, May 24, 2024

Section 19-445.2100 - Small Purchases and Other Simplified Purchasing Procedures

A. Authority.

(1) An agency may make small purchases not exceeding the limits prescribed in Section 11-35-1550 in accordance with the procedures in that section and herein.

(2) Any purchase of supplies, services, or information technology made pursuant to Section 11-35-1550 must be within the agency's certification.

(3) These simplified acquisition procedures shall not be used for items available under mandatory state term contracts (see R.19-445-2020B(1)).

(4) Contracts solely for the procurement of commercially available off-the-shelf products pursuant to Section 11-35-1550 are not subject to laws identified in Section 11-35-2040.

(5) When required, adequate public notice must comply with R.19-445.2000F.

(6) Section 11-35-4210(1)(d) makes the protest process inapplicable to contracts with an actual or potential value of up to $50,000. Because the protest process applies to all small purchases in excess of $50,000, notice of an award must be communicated to all bidders on the same date award is made and must be documented in the procurement file. Any method of communication may be used.

B. Purchases pursuant to Section 11-35-1550(2)(b) (Three Written Quotes).

(1) If an agency does not receive responsive quotes from at least three responsible bidders, adequate public notice must be given and documented with the purchase requisition. So-called "no bids" are not bona fide and do not count as one of the three.

(2) Requests for quotes must be distributed equitably among qualified suppliers, unless adequate public notice is given in South Carolina Business Opportunities.

C. Purchases pursuant to Section 11-35-1550(2)(c) (Advertised Small Purchase) may be made by giving adequate public notice in South Carolina Business Opportunities and:

(1) issuing a written solicitation for written quotes, as described in Section 11-35-1550(2)(c);

(2) soliciting bids in accordance with Section 11-35-1520, Competitive Sealed Bidding, Section 11-35-1525, Competitive Fixed Price Bidding, or Section 11-35-1528, Competitive Best Value Bidding; or

(3) soliciting proposals in accordance with Section 11-35-1530, Competitive Sealed Proposals.

D. When conducting a small purchase over twenty-five thousand dollars for which adequate public notice is required, potential offerors must be provided reasonable time to prepare their bids, no less than seven (7) days after such notice is provided, unless a shorter time is deemed necessary for a particular procurement as determined in writing by the head of the purchasing agency, the appropriate chief procurement officer, or the designee of either.

E. Establishment of Blanket Purchase Agreements.

(1) General. A blanket purchase agreement is a simplified method of filling repetitive needs for small quantities of miscellaneous supplies, services, or information technology by establishing "charge accounts" with qualified sources of supply. Blanket purchase agreements are designed to reduce administrative costs in accomplishing small purchases by eliminating the need for issuing individual purchase documents.

(2) Alternate Sources. To the extent practicable, blanket purchase agreements for items of the same type should be placed concurrently with more than one supplier. All competitive sources shall be given an equal opportunity to furnish supplies, services, or information technology under such agreements.

(3) Terms and Conditions. Blanket purchase agreements shall contain the following provisions:

(a) Description of agreement. A statement that the supplier shall furnish supplies, services, or information technology, described therein in general terms, if and when requested by the Procurement Officer, or his authorized representative, during a specified period and within a stipulated aggregate amount, if any. Blanket purchase agreements may encompass all items that the supplier is in a position to furnish.

(b) Extent of obligation. A statement that the State is obligated only to the extent of authorized calls actually placed against the blanket purchase agreement.

(c) Notice of individuals authorized to place calls and dollar limitations. A provision that a list of names of individuals authorized to place calls under the agreement, identified by organizational component, and the dollar limitation per call for each individual shall be furnished to the supplier by the Procurement Officer.

(d) Delivery tickets. A requirement that all shipments under the agreement, except subscriptions and other charges for newspapers, magazines, or other periodicals, shall be accompanied by delivery tickets or sales slips which shall contain the following minimum information:

(1) name of supplier;

(2) blanket purchase agreement number;

(3) date of call;

(4) call number;

(5) itemized list of supplies, services, or information technology furnished;

(6) quantity, unit price, and extension of each item less applicable discounts (unit price and extensions need not be shown when incompatible with the use of automated systems, provided that the invoice is itemized to show this information); and

(7) date of delivery or shipment.

(e) Invoices one of the following statements:

(1) A summary invoice shall be submitted at least monthly or upon expiration of the blanket purchase agreement, whichever occurs first, for all deliveries made during a billing period, identifying the delivery tickets covered therein, stating their total dollar value, and supported by receipted copies of the delivery tickets; or

(2) An itemized invoice shall be submitted at least monthly or upon expiration of the blanket purchase agreement, whichever occurs first, for all deliveries made during a billing period and for which payment has not been received. Such invoices need not be supported by copies of delivery tickets;

(3) When billing procedures provide for an individual invoice for each delivery, these invoices shall be accumulated provided that a consolidated payment will be made for each specified period; and the period of any discounts will commence on final date of billing period or on the date of receipt of invoices for all deliveries accepted during the billing period, whichever is later. This procedure should not be used if the accumulation of the individual invoices materially increases the administrative costs of this purchase method.

F. Competition Under Blanket Purchase Agreement.

Calls against blanket purchase agreements shall be placed after prices are obtained. When concurrent agreements for similar items are in effect, calls shall be equitably distributed. In those instances where there is an insufficient number of BPAs for any given class of supplies, services, or information technology to assure adequate competition, the individual placing the order shall solicit quotations from other sources.

G. Calls Against Blanket Purchase Agreement.

Calls against blanket purchase agreements generally will be made orally, except that informal correspondence may be used when ordering against agreements outside the local trade area. Written calls may be executed.

Documentation of calls shall be limited to essential information. Forms may be developed for this purpose locally and be compatible with the Comptroller General's Office STARS system.

H. Receipt and Acceptance of Supplies or Services.

Acceptance of supplies, services, or information technology shall be indicated by signature and date on the appropriate form by the authorized State representative after verification and notation of any exceptions.

I. Review Procedures.

The governmental body shall review blanket purchase agreement files at least semiannually to assure that authorized procedures are being followed. Blanket purchase agreements shall be issued for a period of no longer than 12 months.

S.C. Code Regs. 19-445.2100

Amended by State Register Volume 19, Issue No. 2, eff February 24, 1995; State Register Volume 23, Issue No. 5, eff May 28, 1999; State Register Volume 31, Issue No. 5, eff May 25, 2007; State Register Volume 43, Issue No. 08, eff. 8/23/2019; State Register Volume 44, Issue No. 06, eff. 6/26/2020.