Our objective is to acquire needed goods and services as efficiently and as inexpensively as possible, while assuring fair and equal opportunity to all qualified vendors. To achieve this objective, we seek to foster as much competition as possible while ensuring fairness to all who wish to compete for the opportunity to sell to the City of Madera. Purchasing - Central Supply's primary function is to assist other City Departments in their procurement efforts, securing materials and services which meet necessary standards. Concurrently, Purchasing - Central Supply monitors the procurement process to ascertain compliance with applicable laws.

Department personnel prepare the City's procurement program; establish standards for quality assurance; purchase products and services; and administer contracts. Staff prepare specifications and schedule purchases; develop advantageous contractual terms; solicit and evaluate bids; award and administer contracts; place legal advertisements; prepare contract documents; maintain procurement records for all City departments; and formulate policy for the disposition of excess and/or obsolete material. Functioning as a major business office of the City with the vendor community, Purchasing - Central Supply strives to promote goodwill through sound business practices, efficient operations and supporting the purchase of recycled and environmentally preferred products while providing the greatest value for the tax dollar.

It is the City's policy to encourage the purchase of supplies, services and equipment from vendors located within the boundaries of the City. Local vendors are sellers, vendors, suppliers and contractors who maintain places of business located within the limits of the City and who have a current City of Madera business license. The local vendor preference shall not apply to those contracts where State or Federal law, or other laws or regulations preclude such a preference.