The budget has been proposed and approved and the library has received its funding. Now the money must be spent. Units of local government in Washington must accomplish projects and purchase goods and services in the course of doing business. Statutes governing purchasing are intended to ensure that quality projects, goods and services are purchased at the least cost. Other goals are to reduce, if not eliminate, the impact of favoritism and cronyism in purchasing and to prevent fraud. You should also be sure that your library has a strong procurement policy in place.
This may seem daunting, but help is available. MRSC makes it (relatively) easy with a wide range of free online resources including:
RFP, RFQs, and Work Rosters is a helpful section of the Washington State Public Libraries Policies page. Another useful resource may be found in the Public Library Policies page on the WebJunction Washington website, which provides examples of policies relating to purchasing, credit card use, and more.