title
CC - CONSENT ITEM: Adoption of a Resolution Updating the Purchasing Officer’s Purchasing Authority.
body
Meeting Date: June 8, 2026
Contact Person/Dept: Stephen Agostini/Finance Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-5865
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (06/04/2026); (Email) Meetings and Agendas - Fiscal and Budget Issues (06/04/2026)
Department Approval: Stephen Agostini, Chief Financial Officer (06/03/2026)
_____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council adopt a Resolution updating the Purchasing Officer’s purchasing authority (Attachment 1).
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The goal of the City's Finance Department Purchasing Division is to obtain appropriate equipment, goods, supplies and services for the City, at the best value, and in a timely manner, while maintaining fairness to vendors, and abiding by applicable laws.
Currently, the City Manager has the authority to administratively approve and execute contracts and purchase orders up to $50,000 per vendor per fiscal year, pursuant to Resolution No. 2018-R024, which was adopted by the City Council on March 26, 2018 (Attachment 2). While projects and purchases are planned in the City’s budget and adopted by City Council, departments must return to City Council to award the purchase order or contract for projects or purchases exceeding the $50,000 administrative approval threshold. Unexpected purchases not included in the budget and beyond the administrative approval threshold further require City Council approval prior to issuing a bid or Request for Proposal/Request for Qualifications. In consideration of the growing number of contracts beyond the administrative approval authority threshold, requiring significant staff time involved in preparing an item for a City Council agenda, as well as the fact that the purchasing/contracting authority has not been evaluated over the last eight years, staff from the Finance Department and City Manager’s and City Attorney’s Offices determined that the administrative authority threshold should be further evaluated for consideration by the City Council.
Staff researched purchasing guidelines from a number of California cities. Through a survey, it was identified that Culver City’s dollar thresholds requiring City Council action are well below most of its neighboring cities. Administrative purchasing authority thresholds ranged from $75,000 with most cities at $100,000 or higher. The chart below summarizes those results: 
To streamline City operations and increase efficiency, staff recommends that the City Manager’s purchasing authority be increased to $100,000, which will improve operations and more closely align with neighboring cities. The proposed Resolution sets forth this updated authority, along with authority for the City Manager to delegate purchasing authority to Department Heads in an amount not to exceed $30,000.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
No additional funding is required for adoption and implementation of the proposed resolution. Implementation of this proposal is expected to result in significant savings in staff time and increased efficiency.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2026-06-08_ATT 1_Proposed Resolution Updating the Purchasing Officer’s Purchasing Authority
2. 2026-06-08_ATT 2_Resolution No. 2018-R024
recommended action
MOTION
That the City Council:
Adopt a resolution updating the Purchasing Officer’s purchasing authority.