Procurement Policy
Policy: Purchase Requests & Spending Authorization
New Path follows both the Broader Public Sector (BPS) and Buy Ontario Procurement Directives. Goods and services, including but not limited to, construction, consulting services and information technology, will be purchased through a process that helps ensure New Path receives value for its money, prioritizes Ontario and Canadian goods and services, excludes US vendors, and adheres to a procurement process that is fair and transparent. All purchases made must be for the optimal benefit of New Path Youth and Family Services and will be pre-approved by an appropriate spending authority, and will adhere to the following principles:
Accountability – New Path is accountable for the results of our procurement decisions and the appropriateness of the process.
Transparency –New Path is transparent to all vendors. Wherever possible, vendors will have equal access to information on procurement opportunities, processes and results.
Value for Money – New Path will ensure value received from the use of public funds.
Quality of Service – New Path will ensure front-line services, such as training and client care, meet the needs of the right product, at the right time, in the right place.
Process Standardization – New Path will ensure standardized processed are in place to remove inefficiencies and create a level playing field.
Procedures
- All those making purchased on behalf of New Path will adhere to New Path’s Supply Chain Code of Ethics, available on New Path’s website.
- All purchases must be pre-approved by the appropriate spending authority prior to making the purchase. The table below outlines the employees who are authorized as spending authority for purchase limits (as approved by the board of directors):
| Up to $500 | Supervisor |
| Up to $2,000 | Executive Assistant & Board Liaison, LITS Supervisor & Finance Supervisor |
| $2,000 to $5,000 | Managers |
| $5,000 to $15,000 | Manager of Finance, Director of Planning and System Integration, Director of Services, Manager of People and Culture |
| $15,000 to $100,000 | CEO |
| Over $100,000 | CEO and Chair of the Audit Committee or Board Chair |
GOODS & NON-CONSULTING SERVICES
| Over $15,000 and less than $100,000 | Three written quotes or price comparisons (catalogue, website or other verifiable pricing) are required. Where this is not practical and possible, CEO approval is required, and the Board Executive will be updated |
| Over $100,000 | An open competitive process is required along with signed approval from the CEO and either the Audit Committee Chair or Board Chair. |
CONSULTING SERVICES
| $0 to $100,000 | Three written quotes are required. |
| Over $100,000 | An open competitive process is required along with signed approval from the CEO and either the Audit Committee Chair of Board Chair. |
3. Where goods or services are available from an Ontario business, the Ontario business should be given preference for such purchase. Canadian business should be given preference after Ontario businesses for all purchases.
4. Purchases of any goods or services are not permitted from a US vendor, regardless of the value, unless using an existing Vendor of Record arrangement or in consultation with the Manager of Finance and with the approval of the CEO. A US vendor:
- has its headquarters or main office located in the U.S., and
- has fewer than 250 full-time employees in Canada
5. Employees who do not have spending authority will ensure they have received the appropriate approval for all purchases, prior to making a purchase. Either implied or verbal pre-approval is required where the purchase meets the following criteria:
- Implied pre-approval
- Where purchases are a regular part of an employees ongoing responsibilities and meet the criteria below, they may be made without the explicit approval of a supervisor/manager:
- Repetitive, predictable, ongoing program goods/services requirements (i.e. groceries in the LITS program, office supplies, snacks in a weekly program, vehicle oil changes)
- Where purchases are a regular part of an employees ongoing responsibilities and meet the criteria below, they may be made without the explicit approval of a supervisor/manager:
- Verbal pre-approval:
- All expenses that do not meet the criteria for implied pre-approval require verbal-preapproval from the appropriate supervisor/manager.
6. All purchase requests must be in line with New Path budgets and forecasts, completed by the Manger of Finance in collaboration with the New Path Leadership team. Supervisors/managers unsure if the budget can accommodate the purchase should seek clarification from the Manager of Finance.
7. Purchase or lease of vehicles must be in consultation with the Manager of Finance and comply with the BPS Procurement Directive and the Buy Ontario Procurement Directive.
8. New capital infrastructure projects must be in consultation with the Manager of Finance and comply with the BPS Procurement Directive and the Buy Ontario Procurement Directive.
9. For purchases requiring an open competitive process, tender documents will be developed with the Manager of Finance and will comply with the BPS Procurement Directive and the Buy Ontario Procurement Directive.
Licensing/Ministry/Accreditation Standard:
ORG-STW-3.1
BPS Procurement Directive
Buy Ontario Procurement Directive