§ 5. Purchasing agent.

The City Manager, subject to such regulations as the Council may prescribe from time to time, shall contract for, purchase, or issue purchase authorizations for, all supplies, materials, services and equipment (including rental thereof when appropriate) for offices, departments and agencies of the City government. Every such contract or purchase exceeding an amount to be established by ordinance and which amount may thereafter be changed by ordinance from time to time, shall require the prior approval of the Council. The City Manager may also transfer to or between offices, departments and agencies, or sell, surplus or obsolete supplies, material and equipment, subject to such regulations as the Council may from time to time establish by ordinance. Before the purchase of, or the making of a contract for, any supplies, services, materials or equipment, or the sale of any surplus or obsolete supplies, materials or equipment, ample opportunity for competitive bidding under such regulations and with such exceptions as the Council may from time to time prescribe by ordinance, shall be given; but the Council shall not except a particular contract, purchase or sale from the requirement of competitive bidding.

The Council by ordinance may transfer some or all of the powers granted to the City Manager under this section to an officer or employee appointed by and subordinate to the City Manager, and may in its discretion by ordinance revoke any such transfer of powers previously authorized, or vest the same in some different officer or employee of the City likewise appointed by and subordinate to the City Manager.