Material Support Department (MSD)
POLICY 11
Effective Date: 03/01/1998
Last Modified Date: 11/13/2003
General
Extraordinary purchasing procedures may be used to accommodate "pressing need" or "emergency" conditions.
Definitions
A pressing need is one arising from unforeseen causes, including but not limited to delay by contractors, delay in transportation, breakdown in machinery, or unanticipated volume of work; while emergencies are defined generally as situations that endanger lives, property, or the continuation of a vital program and that can be rectified only by immediate on-the-spot purchases or rental of equipment, supplies, materials, or services.
Purchasing Services
Emergency or pressing need requests for purchases from commercial vendors or agencies should be brought to Purchasing Services by messenger, with a written explanation for the emergency purchase. Purchasing will solicit quotations by telephone or fax, if necessary; obtain the approval of the State Purchase and Contract Division, if required; and place the order. If the situation warrants, Purchasing may authorize the requesting department to place the order by telephone and then submit the covering Purchase Requisition with justification memorandum describing the extraordinary circumstances. Alternatively, if teh department has access to a purchasing card, the Purchasing Officer will contact MBNA and increase the card transaction limit to accommodate the emergency acquisition. A justification memorandum describing the extraordinary circumstances must then be submitted to the State Purchase and Contract Department.
Rare Procedure
This procedure will not be authorized except in those rare instances in which it is impossible or impractical for a department to bring a Purchase Requisition to Purchasing prior to the placing of an order by Purchasing.
Additional Information
See also: MSD Appendix 2, Justification Memorandum
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