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Owensboro purchasing staff outline procurement rules: thresholds, bids and cooperative contracts
Summary
Purchasing manager Kaylin (Caitlin) Fox briefed commissioners on procurement rules under Kentucky statute and the city's thresholds for small purchases, formal bids, cooperative contracts and surplus disposition. Staff cited the new Bonfire purchasing software and reported last year's procurement activity and auction proceeds.
Caitlin Fox, purchasing manager for the City of Owensboro, reviewed procurement rules, thresholds and recent activity with the city commission on Aug. 19, 2025.
Fox said the city's purchasing department follows Kentucky's local model procurement code (KRS 45A.343 through .460) and described spending thresholds that trigger different procedures: purchases below $5,000 are at department discretion; purchases between $5,000 and $40,000 require three written quotes and purchasing approval; purchases above $40,000 require a formal bid process. She said small purchases require a procurement form and a purchase order in the city's ERP system.
Why it matters: Clear procurement rules govern how taxpayer dollars are spent, shape competition among vendors and determine when competitive bids or cooperative contracts are required.
Fox walked commissioners through last fiscal year's activity: approximately 464 purchase orders, 32 requests for bids, nine requests for proposals and roughly 20 cooperative contracts that piggyback on competitively bid state or national agreements. She identified Bonfire as a new software tool that has helped staff track intake, templates and approvals.
Fox also described the city's disposal of surplus property. The city recently completed a live auction with Kurtz that earned about $120,500 and online auctions via GovDeals that returned about $70,000. She said surplus items range from vehicles and mowers to tools and furniture.
Commissioners asked operational questions about bid cycles and vehicle dispositions; staff said heavy or specialized vehicles sometimes sell better online while most vehicles go to the annual live auction. Staff also noted insurance determines whether hail‑damaged vehicles are totaled before disposition.
Ending: Fox offered to answer additional questions and urged departments to use the procurement process to remain compliant with state law and to encourage transparency. No formal action was taken; the presentation was informational.
