All county purchasing is centralized in a single office and is carried out by a single purchasing agent whose job is to act as the facilitator in the procurement of goods and services for the county. The county purchasing agent researches vendors, finds the most efficient products, places the orders, and makes all purchases for which county funds are used.
19 O.S. § 1500(A)

Appointment

The county clerk of each county, or another employee in the office appointed by the county clerk, shall be the county purchasing agent. The exception is in counties with a budget board where the budget board may appoint and supervise the purchasing agent and set the agent’s salary. If they fail to do so, the appointment and supervision revert to the county clerk.
19 O.S. § 1500(C)

The county clerk’s salary does not increase if that individual also acts as the purchasing agent.

The appointing authority (either the county clerk or the budget board) approves any assistants that the purchasing agent needs to carry out the duties and responsibilities of that position and sets the salaries of both the purchasing agent and the assistants.

The appointing authority approves the assignment of adequate office space, furnishings, equipment, and supplies necessary for the purchasing agent to carry out the duties of that office. The board of county commissioners authorizes the office space.

• 19 O.S. § 1500(D)
• 19 O.S. § 447

Responsibilities

In the county purchasing process, the purchasing agent has the following responsibilities:

• Shall not furnish any supplies, material, equipment, or other articles EXCEPT upon receipt of a requisition by a county officer; 19 O.S. § 1505(A)(3)
• Shall develop, implement, and promote policies and procedures that allow for the procurement of materials and equipment through contracts that are flexible and value-based and are in the best interests of the state and its political subdivisions; 19 O.S. § 1501(A)(1)
• Shall have the authority to use electronic commerce for solicitation, notification, and other purchasing processes; 19 O.S. § 1500.1
  • For purposes of this authority, “electronic commerce” means the use of electronic methods to enable solicitations, open bids, supplier response, bid submission, a notice of contract award, county acquisition processes, or any other function to make an acquisition.
  • 19 O.S. § 1505(B)
  • 19 O.S. § 1500.1(B)
• Shall within the unencumbered balance, make all purchases for which county funds are used for the various institutions, departments, officers, and employees of the county, except at a public auction or unless otherwise provided by law;
  • The purchasing agent procures all county purchases, and all county purchasing must be conducted through this agent. 19 O.S. § 1501(A)(1)
  • County funds have been interpreted to mean all funds that are deposited with the county. 19 O.S. § 220
  • Exception: The purchases made from the Court Clerk Revolving Fund do not require the purchasing agent’s approval. 19 O.S. § 1501(A)(2)
• May make purchases for political subdivisions of the state within the county if authorized by appropriate action of the governing board or body of that subdivision;
• Request written recommendations from all county officers for commonly used supplies, materials, and equipment whose use does not exceed twelve months in duration and that may be included in bid lists; 19 O.S. § 1505(B)(1)
• Request contracts from the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) for either making purchases directly or for comparing prices; 19 O.S. § 1505(B)(1)
• Serve as administrator for the State Credit Card system (P-Card); 19 O.S. § 1505(J)
• Prepare and solicit bids for all purchases and dispositions where bidding is required by the Oklahoma Statutes, including publishing legal notices, as required; 19 O.S. § 1505(B)
• Forward the bids, unopened, to the county clerk who presents them to the board of county commissioners to open in an open meeting; 19 O.S. § 1505(B)(3)(4)
• Notify successful vendors of bid acceptance;
• Solicit quotes of prices in cases where vendors have not submitted bids; 19 O.S. § 1505(B)(5)
  • The purchasing agent records these quotes on SA&I Form 4046, Vendor Quote Sheet. 19 O.S. § 1505(B)(6)
  • At least three quotes are required unless circumstances make it In such cases, documentation is required. 19 O.S. § 1505(B)(6)(b)
• Prepare and submit requests for road machinery and equipment acquired by the following methods through the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT);
  • 69 O.S. § 636.3(F)
  • Purchase
  • Lease
  • Lease Purchase
• Solicit appraised values for purchase by trade-in or sale at auction;
• Complete the purchase order parts of SA&I Form 1116, Requisition - Purchase Order – Claim;
  • Refer to “Requisition - Purchase Order - Claim” in Chapter Three, “Purchasing” 19 O.S. § 421.1(B)
• Forward the Requisition - Purchase Order - Claim form to the county 19 O.S. § 1505(C)

Training Requirements

Within one year of being appointed or assuming their duties, all county purchasing agents must attend a training seminar on county purchasing procedures provided through the County Training Program (CTP) which is a program implemented by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service (OCES) at Oklahoma State University. The Commission on County Government Personnel Education and Training oversees this program.

• 19 O.S. § 1500(B)
• 19 O.S. § 130.2