Purpose
It is the objective of the City of St. Joseph to procure the necessary supplies, equipment, and services at the lowest possible cost consistent with the quality needed to meet the requirements of the departments, and that the taxpayers receive the maximum value for each dollar expended. All qualified vendors are, therefore, invited to share in the volume of purchases consisting of nearly every conceivable kind of merchandise and service.

No political or other prejudicial consideration governs the award of orders or contracts; rather, every purchase is made in the public’s interest providing all vendors a fair and equal opportunity.

Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the division to promote public confidence in municipal government procurement through compliance with established federal, state, and local procurement statutes by communicating effectively with city staff and outside vendors and by providing staff with the training and tools necessary to execute the procurement function at the highest professional level.

The division also provides a process for the fair and equitable treatment of all persons involved in public procurement to maximize the value of public funds and to provide safeguards for maintaining a procurement system of quality and integrity.

Sale Representative Visits
Visits by sales representatives are welcomed and encouraged. It is recommended that you schedule your visits by calling 816-271-5530 for appointments in order to more productively utilize the time of both buyer and sales person.

Accounts Payable
The City of St. Joseph has a Centralized Accounts Payable System which processes payments of invoices for all city departments.