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Emergency Purchasing Guide

Emergency Purchasing Guide

Emergency Purchasing Guide

Ensure your agency's Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) has electronic and printed versions of: 

  • Template spreadsheet to report emergency purchases (write by hand if needed)
  • Emergency purchasing instructions (copy/paste Step 3)
  • CPA# and Phone/Email for your agency's on-contract suppliers you may need in an emergency


Review all contract language
 

  • Establish contracts in advance based on expected emergency needs.
  • Include FEMA contract language in contracts likely to be used in an emergency to ensure contract purchases are reimbursable in the event of a federal emergency.

The County Executive must submit a Proclamation of Emergency and waiver of procurement requirements to Council within 2 days of the emergency event.

  1. Draft the Proclamation and submit to the County Executive
    • If the emergency affects only your agency, your department will draft the Proclamation. 
    • If the emergency event is countywide and activates the RCECC, the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) will draft the Proclamation.

  2. Assign a Project Number for federal emergencies
    • During federal emergencies, all purchases must be associated with a project number to be eligible for FEMA reimbursement.
    • Ensure all Oracle Contract Purchase Agreements (CPAs), Purchase Orders (POs), and P-Card Purchases are associated with the project number.

  3. Emergency waivers expire after 21 days, unless an extension is approved by Council.
  1. Use awarded contracts whenever possible.

  2. Reference the emergency procurement number (assigned by Procurement & Payables) and pay with P-Card or Purchase Order (PO)
    • View recent emergency procurement numbers here
    • Purchase limits and MCC restrictions on designated P-Cards will be lifted automatically in a declared emergency.
    • Contact the P-Card Team to find out who in your agency is designated as an emergency purchaser.

  3. For off-contract, reoccurring purchases, Request a CPA (an Oracle Contract Purchase Agreement) from Procurement & Payables.
    • Submit a Service Request  to Create Oracle Contract Agreement.
    • For federal emergencies, include the Project Number in your request.

  4. Reference the assigned Project Number in federal emergencies (required for FEMA reimbursement)
    • Purchase Orders (POs) and P-Card Purchases should reference the CPA or Emergency Procurement number, and Project Number in the Description field of the requisition or p-card expense report.

How to report Category 4 emergency purchases:


Login to SharePoint here - (use your standard King County username/password)

  1. Use the sheet for your department

  2. Update as needed to ensure complete/accurate reporting

  3. Respond promptly to any FBOD clarification requests



 What NOT to Report

  • Do NOT report purchases made under existing awarded contracts.
    For example, if we already have a contract for road sand you don't need to report that spend because you didn't use the emergency waiver.

  • Do NOT report spend for employee transportation, meals or lodging. The specific reporting requirements related to reimbursing employees during emergencies is governed by a separate part of King County Code and an Executive policy. Use T-Card (Travel Card) for transportation/lodging expenses whenever possible.

Finance & Business Operations Division (FBOD) must report all purchases to King County Council within 45 days of the emergency declaration per KC ordinance 2019-0443  . Read the Staff Report for a content summary.
Contact Us

Phone: 206-263-9400

TTY Relay: 711

Fax: 206-296-7676

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