Administrative Regulation 10.03-4

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION:   AR: 10.03-4 DATE APPROVED: April 10, 2018
SUBJECT: Emergency Disaster Purchasing Card Policy ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT: Management & Budget

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for emergency purchasing cards in the event an emergency situation (whether accidental, natural or caused by man) strikes Citrus County.

In emergency situations, the County Administrator/designee shall have the authority to waive the requirements and procedures set forth in the purchasing policies, negotiate and execute contracts or otherwise effect purchases for supplies, services and construction in excess of the amounts otherwise provided for. For purposes of this AR, the term "emergency situations" shall mean: 

(1) A disruption of essential operations or conditions adversely affecting the safety, health or security of persons or property, where it is considered unfeasible to remedy such disruption or conditions through the use of normal competitive bidding procedures; or 

(2) An instance where the County Administrator/designee determines that an emergency exists in regard to the purchase of any commodity or letting of any contract, so that the delay to giving opportunity for competitive bidding would be detrimental to the best interest of the County; or 

(3) A state of emergency has been declared by the Governor or President for an area which includes the County.
 
Any emergency purchases other than those under a declared emergency situation shall be processed in accordance with the Administration Regulation 9.06 (latest revision), Emergency Purchases

POLICY:

It is the policy of the Board of County Commissioners to establish guidelines in the event of a major hurricane or other natural disaster to help ensure that purchasing operations continue and emergency supplies and services are procured as quickly as possible.

PROCEDURE:

Emergency Purchasing Cards will be issued by the County Administrator or designee to designated individuals within Departments/Divisions that will be active in response/recovery to a natural disaster or in the event of a declared emergency situation.

The following limits have been established for the Emergency Purchasing Cards.
County Administrator $75,000
Assistant County Administrator(s) $50,000
Department/Office Directors/Assistant Department Directors $30, 000
Division Directors/Coordinators $25,000
Other emergency personnel $10,000

The Emergency Purchasing Cards will be kept secured until such time that an emergency situation is at hand. The County Administrator or designee will distribute the cards at the time it is deemed necessary, either in preparation of an emergency situation or an emergency situation is declared. When the emergency situation is under control and regular business activities can resume, the County Administrator or designee will collect all the Emergency Cards and secure 
them in the locked safe.

Food/Beverage purchases will be allowed on the Emergency Purchasing Cards in preparation for and in the event of an emergency situation upon approval of the County Administrator or designee. Staff shall use discretion when purchasing food/beverages in these situations. All receipts shall be signed by the County Administrator or designee, kept and attached to the card statement for verification of the purchase.

Receipts for all items or services purchased using the Emergency Purchasing Cards shall be obtained and submitted with the card statement along with an explanation of the purchase. The Department/Division/Office shall keep copies of this information for possible FEMA reimbursements if applicable.

Emergency P-Cards may be used during employee deployment to other locations for emergency management related mutual aid within the same parameters of an emergency situation.

FOOTNOTES & REFERENCES TO RELATED A.R.’s: Supersedes AR 9.05 dated October 9, 2001, AR 9.05-1 dated October 25, 2005, AR 10.03 Dated October 26, 2010 (LUB), AR 10.03-1 dated January 22, 2013, and AR 10.03-2 dated October 14, 2014, AR 10.03-3 dated December 2, 2015