Emergency Purchases

An emergency condition is defined as “a situation that creates a threat to public health, welfare, safety, or property, such as may arise by reason of floods, epidemics, riots, equipment failures, or such other reasons as may be proclaimed by the Commissioner of Administration.”

Poor planning does not constitute an emergency condition.

An emergency purchase may be made when the existence of an emergency condition creates an immediate and serious need for supplies, materials, equipment, or services that cannot be purchased by normal methods and the lack of which would seriously threaten:

• the functioning of state government
• the preservation or protection of property, or
• the health or safety of any person

When an emergency purchase is indicated, the Purchasing Department should be contacted for assistance. If an emergency condition arises after office hours and circumstances will not permit delays, then the department head should obtain whatever competitive pricing is practical (written, telephone, etc.) and proceed, using discretion, with the purchase. A written report explaining the nature of the emergency must then be signed by the department head and appropriate Vice-Chancellor and submitted to the Purchasing Department, along with a requisition for the materials or services purchased. This report and requisition are required to be submitted within two (2) working days and must indicate the competition that was obtained or attempted.

All emergency purchases are reported to the Office of State Purchasing, Division of Administration at the end of each fiscal year.