Cohousing-L Mailing List: Purchasing: Competition?

[Louis-H. Campagna (lhcampagna]

Hi, Our cohousing project is in the midst of a debate regarding the use of 
competition in our purchasing process.  This applies to everything from 
professionals and staff, down to office supplies and table napkins. It's a 
sound business practice issue.  Should competition (e.g., the three bidder 
rule) be applied at all times?  What are the exceptions? The balance is between 
best quality/price ratio, optimal contract clauses, transparency and equal 
opportunity, etc., versus, managing effort, simplifying processes, keeping 
things light, etc. We already have a policy that allows comitee discretion for 
expenses up to 200$.  All that is required is an ok from the finance people. 
What do you folks think?  Have you ever come up against this issue, either in 
project mode or occupancy mode?  Is all your outsourcing and supplying taken on 
by a Project Manager or outside developper?  How do you go about buying 
bathroom tissue?Etc. Note: interesting article on this @ 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purchase Regards, Louis-H. CampagnaCohabitat 
Québec--Coopérative d'accession à la propriétéQuebec City
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