Section 4a-52-2 - Delegation of purchasing authority(a) The Commissioner may delegate direct purchase authority to the head of any purchasing agency or may revoke any such authority. Factors to consider in making the decision to delegate include:(1) the expertise of the potential delegate in terms of procurement knowledge and any specialized knowledge pertinent to the direct purchase authority to be delegated;(2) the past experience of the potential delegate in exercising similar direct purchase authority;(3) the degree of economy and efficiency to be achieved in meeting the State's requirements if the direct purchase authority is delegated;(4) the available resources of the Bureau of Purchases to exercise the authority if it is not delegated; and,(5) the consistency of delegation under similar circumstances.(b) Any designee of the Commissioner shall exercise delegated direct purchase authority in accordance with the delegation, Chapter 58 of the Connecticut General Statutes and Sections 4a-52-1 through 4a-52-22 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.(c) The Commissioner may delegate such direct purchase authority as may be deemed appropriate to the head of any purchasing agency. Such delegation shall be in writing and may specify:(1) the activity or function authorized;(2) any limits or restrictions on the exercise of the delegated direct purchase authority;(3) whether the direct purchase authority may be further delegated; and,(4) the duration of the delegation.(d) The Commissioner may delegate to the head of any purchasing agency the direct purchase authority to make minor nonrecurring purchases pursuant to subsection (c) of this section and subsection (c) of Section 4a-57 of the Connecticut General Statutes when the purchase is expected to be not more than $600 for supplies, materials, equipment or contractual services. Any such delegation shall be in writing and may be limited as the Commissioner directs.(e) Purchases made under any direct purchase authority shall be based on competitive bids or proposals as provided for in Section 4a-57 of the Connecticut General Statutes, where possible and practical. Purchase orders issued on the basis of any direct purchase authority shall have noted in the space provided for the Bureau of Purchase's authorization the appropriate direct purchase authority number as, for example, DPA-1E. Where competition is possible, evidence of such competition in the form of quotations or summary thereof shall be noted on or attached to both the ordering agency's and the Bureau of Purchase's copy of the purchase order. If the nature of the purchase precludes solicitation of competitive bids or proposals, the notation "non-competitive" shall be made on both the ordering agency's and the Bureau of Purchase's copy of the purchase order. The Bureau of Purchases and the State Comptroller will continually review copies of purchase orders received for evidence of competition. The ordering agency's copies of the purchase orders will be subject to periodic review by the State Auditors.(f) While direct purchase authorities permit agencies to make specific types of purchases without prior approval of the Bureau of Purchases, no agency is prevented from submitting its requirements to the Bureau of Purchases for solicitation of competitive bids or proposals.(g) Non-conformance in the application of any direct purchase authority by any agency may result in the withdrawal of the privilege of direct purchasing granted to such agency.Conn. Agencies Regs. § 4a-52-2
Effective September 1, 1992