The Purchasing Department

The Purchasing Department
I. THE AGENT:
Just what is a local government purchasing agent? What are the qualifications necessary to perform the job? Are they professionals or amateurs? This information is as necessary to you as the local government regulations and manual. You should take the time to find out whom you will be dealing with so that your strategies in future transactions will be most effective. Purchasing agents have usually been in the purchasing field for years, know all the tricks, have ready answers to all of your questions, run an efficient office and do not yield to vendor pressure. If you find one of these, go by the book. Do your homework and bid frequently. Pressure against this type is normally ineffective. Your best approach is to play it by the numbers and appeal to ethics, the purchasing regulations and the extras added to your bid. This type tends to frequently award to the "most responsive and responsible low bidder".

II. THE STAFF:
Purchasing staffs vary as much as local government regulations depending on local government policies and the type of agent in charge. Some local governments, by using decentralization techniques, can handle a volume of forty million dollars a year with a purchasing staff of four or five; others who follow the total centralization of procurement theory, require up to twenty five persons in the purchasing office to handle the same dollar volume. The purchasing staff usually consists of one or two buyers, the same number of clerical staff and the agent. The small office staff usually relies heavily on the expertise of the using agencies in developing specifications and making bid awards. These offices usually have purchasing staffs who are aware of any problems and will welcome constructive criticism and offers of assistance to correct problems.

The general approach to take in offices such as this is one of "support" to the agent, offering assistance in identifying and correcting specifications or award recommendations. This type of office will normally allow indiscriminate contact with the using agencies and will cooperate in identifying the using agency key personnel for your contacts.

Sherry McMillan- Purchasing Officer

Anita Perrow- Assistant Purchasing Officer

Damara Mitchell- Specialist