Miscellaneous Obligation (MO) Guidelines

Miscellaneous Obligation (MO)

• A MO is required for the ordering and/or receipt of goods or services prior to the issuance of a purchase order, and constitutes a pre-purchase.
• A completed MO form signed by the department director and/or designee is required, with a spending limit of up to $50,000.
• If the dollar amount is over $50,000, the Assistant County Manager and/or designee signature is required.
• The MO form is to be attached in the Order Attachment of the requisition for review.

In Lieu of Purchase Order Request

• In Lieu of purchase order request is used when the department has not received the items by September 30th and the items are not considered a Fixed Asset or an Attractive Item.
• Fiscal staff will reference the previous fiscal year purchase order in the Order Attachment.
• The dollars left are verified by going into Commitment Inquiry.
• If the dollars on the requisition match the remaining balance, the request can be approved.
• The verbiage "This was done as a Miscellaneous Obligation signed by XXXXXXXXXX, dated XXXXXXXX per Procurement Management Miscellaneous Obligation procedures" is to be entered in the Order Attachment, along with an explanation of why the MO was required.

Open Purchase Order Request for an Annual Contract

• Who, What, When, Where, and Why are required in the Order Attachment.
• A Contract Summary sheet copy is to be pasted into the Order Attachment.
• A Board-approved Agenda Item Report (AIR) is to be attached into the Order Attachment.
• A fully executed vendor contract is to be attached into the Order Attachment (if applicable).
• The Contract Summary sheet and/or Contract are to be verified for a dollar limit for a project being assigned under the annual contract.

Open Purchase Order Request for a Non-Quote

• Who, What, When, Where, and Why are required in the Order Attachment.
• The purchase order cannot exceed $49,999.99.
• The purchase order cannot be on an annual contract.

One Time Purchase Order Request

• Who, What, When, Where, and Why are required in the Order Attachment.
• The purchase order cannot exceed $49,999.99.

Single/Sole Source Purchase Order Request

• Who, What, When, Where, and Why are required in the Order Attachment.
• A Contract Summary sheet copy is to be pasted into the Order Attachment.
• A fully executed Single/Sole Source form is to be attached into the Order Attachment.
• A Board-approved Agenda Item Report (AIR) is to be attached into the Order Attachment (if applicable).

Emergency Purchase

• Who, What, When, Where, and Why are required in the Order Attachment.
• A signed Emergency Purchase form is to be attached into the Order Attachment.

Federal Declaration of Emergency

• Who, What, When, Where, and Why are required in the Order Attachment.
• Purchase limits are as follows:
  • 0.01to0.01 to 0.01to9,999.99 require one written quote
  • 10,000.00to10,000.00 to 10,000.00to99,999.99 require three written quotes
  • $100,000.00 plus require a formal solicitation and an independent cost estimate
  • Architect and Engineering services $35,000.00 plus require a formal solicitation

Piggyback Purchase Order Request

• Verify the commodity/service is not on a current annual contract.
• If not on an annual contract, request documentation from the entity, including solicitation document, bid tabulation, awarded vendor's bid/proposal, and award letter and executed contract.
• Verify that the solicitation document contains "piggyback" clause/language.
• If the language is in the document, verify that the contract is still valid and the pricing matches the award.