3506     PURCHASING AUTHORITY 
(Revised 03/06) 

In accordance with Public Contract Code Section 10330, et seq., the statutory authority to purchase for State government, except for competitive purchases valued at $100 and less for non-information technology (non-IT) goods, is vested with the Director of the Department of General Services (DGS).  The Director of DGS also has the statutory authority to delegate its purchasing authority to departments.  The Director has delegated this authority to the Procurement Division within DGS.  DGS is accountable and responsible for the purchasing  authority it grants.

Non-IT purchasing authority includes, though is not necessarily limited to, the following:

• Competitive. 
• SB/DVBE Option
• Non-competitive bid
• Exempt
• Prison Industries
• Community-Based Rehabilitation Programs
• Leveraged Procurement Agreements (i.e. CMAS, Master Agreements, Statewide Contracts, State Price Schedules, Cooperative Agreements)
• Interagency purchases
• Federal and local government purchases

The requirements for departments to obtain and maintain purchasing authority is contained in the Purchasing Authority Manual (PAM), Volume II of the State Contracting Manual (SCM).  The PAM is available on the Internet at http://www.dgs.pd.ca.gov/.  Departments are held accountable for the procurement activities conducted under approved purchasing authority.

For IT purchasing authority, see SAM Section 5210.1.