Laserfiche WebLink
TUESDAY, MAY 12, 1998 <br />available at this time this was being surveyed. Upon motion duly seconded, and by unanimous vote Council <br /> <br />approved appropriation of $10,000 for the SBDC's FY 97-98 budget. <br /> <br /> Council next considered mending Article I--Purchasing Principles, Section 1.5mMethod of Purchasing, <br /> <br /> ?" Subsection A of the City' s Purchasing Manual establishing responsibility for management and payment of <br /> small purchases and increasing the limit for small purchases. Mr. Gary Via, General Services Administrator, <br /> was present to discuss this recommended amendment to the Purchasing Manual, which consisted of the <br /> implementation of a Procurement Card system to replace the current paper purchase order system used for <br /> small purchases under $1,000. Mr. Via stated that studies had shown that it currently cost about $150 to <br /> $200 to process a purchase order, and that the City processed about 900 of these each month. He stated that <br /> the savings with the use of the Procurement Card system would be significant, and that in addition there <br /> would be real improvements in tracldng of purchases and security of the purchasing process. Mr. Via stated <br /> that instead of the processing of hundreds of individual purchases orders each department would get a <br /> statement each month and make one joumal entry, and that payment to vendors would occur through a single <br /> electronic transfer as opposed to the writing of numerous checks by the City. Mr. Via stated that the State <br /> government had been using the American Express system being proposed for years, and that the local <br /> government example that had been used was the City of Lynchburg, which had gone from processing over <br /> 1,000 invoices per week to about 100. He stated that the proposed system would be phased in over a period <br /> of about three to four months, using six departments as pilots. Mayor Adams asked who would pay American <br /> <br />,~--,, Express for this service, and was told that the vendors would bear that cost, but that there would be no out- <br /> of-pocket expense for them. Mr. Via stated that there would be a 2% charge to vendors for payment in 30 <br /> days, and a 3% charge if they wished to be paid within 3 days. He also stated that the local State offices and <br /> the Community College were already using this system, and that many vendors were already working with <br /> them. Council Member Haskell asked whether any other card companies had a better rate for vendors, and <br /> was told that this was being examined, but that all other companies passed on a fee to the City. Following <br /> <br /> <br />