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Purchasing Policies

  1. Centralized Purchasing

    Purchases of goods, contracted services, or leases of equipment in excess of $500 must be made on an electronic Purchase Requisition form and submitted to the Purchasing Department.

  2. Authority to Requisition

    Individuals responsible for academic or administrative departments who are assigned budgets are the only persons authorized to requisition supplies, contract services, and equipment against their budget. A department head may, however, delegate authority to an alternate in his absence. Notice of the alternate should be made to Purchasing in writing.

  3. Delegation of Purchasing Authority

    The President, Executive Vice President, Vice President for Administrative Services, and Vice President for Finance, have the authority to obligate the University to procurement. By delegation, the Director of Purchasing also has this authority.

    The Librarian is authorized by delegation to procure books and periodicals in accordance with the policies and procedures approved by the Executive Vice President.

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  4. Selection of Vendors

    Many situations require a joint determination between Purchasing and the user department to select the proper vendor. In these situations, vendors will be chosen on the basis of value. Some of the factors used in vendor selection include:

    1. Quality of Product

    2. Reliability and Delivery of Services

    3. Technical Capability

    4. Competitive Pricing Policy

    5. Financial Stability and Integrity

    6. Geographic Location

  5. Competitive Bidding

    The University will normally use a competitive three (3) bid procedure for all types of purchases in excess of $5,000.

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  6. Buying Decisions

    The accumulated knowledge and judgment of the Purchasing Department shall be a major factor in arriving at a buying decision to obtain the maximum value for the University.

    The Purchasing Department is expected to:

    1. Maintain a sufficient list of responsible vendors to assure competitive bidding.

    2. Obtain competitive bidding where required.

    3. Keep requisitioners informed.

    4. Handle complaints and adjustments promptly.

  7. Blanket Orders

    Blanket orders help departments take advantage of discounts, simplify repetitive ordering, and ensure timely shipments. Generally, they facilitate the order processing. In some cases, the size of the order may require requests for formal bidding before blanket orders can be prepared. Capital equipment purchases cannot be ordered under a blanket order.

    A blanket order must have a maximum dollar limit and be reviewed prior to its expiration date or depletion of funds.

    Open balances on blanket orders cannot be rolled over to a new fiscal year. Therefore it is important to maintain accurate records to reduce the balance accordingly.

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  8. Receiving Reports

    Receipt of goods or contracted services is to be approved on the Receipt Acknowledgement copy (blue copy) of the Purchase Order when supplies are received or services completed. This form along with the signed invoice is to be returned to the Purchasing Office for review and processing. This function is to be performed by the department head or authorized alternate.

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  9. Cash Terms and Discounts

    Cash discounts are to be taken whenever available. The Purchasing Department will attempt to obtain maximum discounts whenever possible.

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