PARIS — Amendments to the town’s purchase policy that authorizes department heads to make more expensive purchases were approved by selectmen Tuesday.
The policy previously gave department heads the authority to only make single purchases up to $500 without receiving three price quotes from vendors.
According to Town Manager Amy Bernard, the policy was “time consuming” especially for the Fire and Highway departments, where purchases for single replacement parts for vehicles regularly exceed $500.
Under the amended policy, quotes are not needed for purchases that cost less than $1,000. Purchases costing more than $1,000 but less than $2,500 need three verbal quotes from vendors and purchases from $2,500 to $5,000 need three written quotes.
The policy allows the board, at its discretion, to solicit public bids for purchases between $5,000 and $15,000 and requires a public bid process for anything that costs more than $15,000.
The amendments also establish a “local vendor allowance” that permits the board to award bids to local companies whose proposals are above the lowest bidder by 3 percent.
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