Procurement is an essential county government business function. Procurement activities, which are expenditures made to the private sector for the purchase of goods and services, result in the second largest expenditure of taxpayers dollars. The largest dollars are for personal services that are paid out in the form of employee wages, salaries, and benefits.

The integrity and efficiency of the county procurement process is a crucial component of its credibility. More public officials have been criticized for real or perceived conflicts of interest in the spending of public funds than on any other financial activity. Even with the knowledge of such potential criticism, public officials often misunderstand procurement's significant budgetary and public relations importance.

Even the perception of public officials misusing the procurement process for personal or political gain threatens the public's confidence in it's government. Therefore, the commissioners court, all public officials, and the purchasing agent must ensure a high standard of professional ethics in all personnel who participate in, or who can influence those involved in, making procurement decisions.

The relationship between the purchasing agent and commissioners court is a unique one. On the one hand, the purchasing agent is a customer service function for commissioners court and is responsible for ensuring that all county offices have the goods and services they need to perform the essential functions of their missions. On the other hand, the purchasing agent is an expenditure control function, responsible for supervising the commissioners courts' contracting authority and ensuring compliance with the County Purchasing Act. This unique relationship lends credence to the notion that the purchasing agent be an independent officer of the county.

This document is intended to provide elected officials and others with a basic understanding of procurement activities, the County Purchasing Act and the role of the county's chief procurement officer (the purchasing agent or county auditor). It also offers good business reasons for the centralization of the county procurement function and offers professional procurement principles for public officials committed to improving government operations.

Guide to County Purchasing (PDF File)

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