The City of Atwater is required by Chapter 3.04 of the City of Atwater Municipal Code to engage in fair and open purchasing. The City encourages competition to ensure the best pricing and quality of goods and services. The purchasing policy is a means of budget control since purchasing of goods and services must be authorized by the City Council within the adopted budget.
By ordinance the City Manager is designated as the Purchasing Officer of the City.
In general City Departments have the authority to purchase goods or services which are less than $1,000 in an over the counter approach using prudent judgment and comparative pricing.
Purchases in excess of $1,001 follow an open market process wherein at least three cost quotes must be obtained. For purchases at this level approval by the City Manager is required.
For purchases in excess of $10,000 a formal contract bidding process is utilized. City Council approval is required for purchases within this category.
The Finance Department administers the City's purchasing program and all departments follow its requirements.
Open requests for bids, proposals, and quotations are available on the web site as is a downloadable purchasing policy manual.  | 
