Throughout the following sections, you will find detailed information that will help guide you through your purchasing experience both efficiently and thoroughly.
For further information concerning technology purchases (hardware and software), please consult the Information Technology Help Desk website – IT Help Desk.
Any time you have questions, please do not hesitate to call Purchasing at Ext. 6018, or feel free to stop by our office for assistance.
GENERAL PURCHASING GUIDELINESThe Purchasing Department has significant experience in Supplier Management, and at any time, anyone may request assistance for the sourcing of qualified suppliers, the review of quotes, and/or the best value analysis of supplier pricing. The Purchasing Department is also available to assist with contract negotiation on behalf of the University. Purchasing guidelines based on pricing are detailed below. In addition, please consult the commodity-specific purchase section. Purchases $5,000 and underOrders $5,000.00 and under do not require a purchase order. An organization number should be given to the supplier and used as a reference number for billing purposes. Should a supplier require a purchase order, please follow the purchase order guidelines. Purchases greater than $5,000 and less than or equal to $10,000Purchases of goods or services greater than $5,000 and less than or equal to $10,000 require at least three (3) verbal-quote-form. Please use Appendix 2 and attach the verbal-quote-form, along with the backup, to the purchase order. Purchases greater than $10,000 and less than or equal to $25,000Purchases of goods or services greater than $10,000 and less than or equal to $25,000 require at least three (3) written quotes. The requesting department provides written specifications of the required products or services to suppliers and acquires their written quote on company stationery or via business email. (These quotes are maintained by Accounts Payable for 7 years and act as a permanent record for auditing purposes per IRS guidelines.) A spreadsheet with an analysis of the quotes should be completed by the department and attached to the purchase order along with all quotes received. The following items are excluded from the quote process: (PO’s are still required)
Purchases greater than $25,000All purchases greater than $25,000 require a formal RFP. Please refer to the RFP Process. For any services greater than $25,000 that you wish to be excluded from the RFP/Bid Process, a Preferred Supplier Form or Sole source Justification Form may be utilized. This form must be submitted to the Purchasing Office and approved by the Assistant Director of Purchasing prior to the commencement of services. Please refer to the Other Considerations or Preferred Supplier sections for information. GENERAL PURCHASING GUIDELINES – Campus Management Only
A Preferred Supplier or Sole Source Justification Form may be utilized for any specialized service. Please refer to the Other Considerations, Preferred Supplier, RFQ Process, or RFP Process, sections for more information. Emergency Building RepairsUnder the responsibility of Campus Management, emergency repair parts or services are exempted from the Purchase Order, RFQ and RFP process. In this case, a check request is utilized for payment which must include an explanation of the emergency and repair. COMMODITY-SPECIFIC PURCHASE GUIDELINESFurniture – All furniture purchases made to supplement an existing office, regardless of cost, will be sourced by the Purchasing Department and will require a purchase order. No furniture may be purchased with a Procurement Card (P-Card). Please contact the Purchasing Department at x 6018 for assistance. Furniture related to office or building renovations are handled by a Project Manager in the Facilities Department. Computer Hardware, Software and Maintenance Agreements – All hardware and software requests must be directed to the Help Desk. All software maintenance agreements should be approved by Information Services prior to purchase. Computer Equipment, Multifunctional Devices & Printers – All requests must be directed to the Help Desk. Equipment will then be sourced and purchased through Information Services. General Office Equipment – Office Equipment such as large capacity shredders, laminators, etc., will be sourced and purchased through the Purchasing Department. Construction and Building Services – Please contact Campus Management. OTHER CONSIDERATIONSSuppliers falling under the following three categories do not require bids regardless of amount.
When using a Sole Source/Proprietary Supplier, it is necessary to include the sole-source-justification-form (Appendix 3) and attach it to the purchase order. If the exception is found to be unwarranted, the Purchasing Department will research the item or service and provide the department with a list of additional qualified suppliers. Competitive quotes should then be obtained by the department. The sole source/proprietary documentation will remain on file as part of the official procurement documents and may be subject to audit or review by interested parties. PREFERRED SUPPLIERA preferred supplier status eliminates the need to obtain quotes for certain products and/or services but does not eliminate the need to create a purchase order. Preferred Supplier status is valid for three years from date of approval; however if an approved supporting contract states the contract is longer than 3 years, then the contracted term will apply. Please contact Purchasing for further assistance. Establishing Preferred SuppliersIn order to establish a Preferred Supplier status, a supplier must meet the following criteria:
Departments are then required to follow the steps below.
All quotes and information should be forwarded to the Purchasing Office for review. Supplier approval will then be determined by the Assistant Director of Purchasing in consultation with the VPBA and departments will be notified once a vendor is approved. Suppliers may be removed from the Preferred Vendor list for low volume or lack of business transacted during any given 12 month period. Preferred Supplier Renewal Process In order to preserve the integrity of Bryant University’s purchasing practices, the status of all Preferred Suppliers will be reviewed every 3 years using the steps shown above. CONFIDENTIALITYIt is the duty of anyone who comes in contact with quotes, specifications, drawings or any other materials submitted by a supplier to keep that information strictly confidential, not sharing any information with any outside company, agency or any Bryant personnel that are not directly connected with the bids or project. **Exceptions to purchasing policy are made exclusively by the Vice President for Business Affairs** PROCUREMENT PROCESSPurchase OrdersA Purchase Order is a contract between Bryant University and a supplier and contains detailed information about the goods or services ordered. (delivery, price, payment terms, length of contract or services, etc.) The purchase order also contains the Terms and Conditions required by state and federal laws and by University policy. Please note: An internal purchase order is used to encumber budgeted funds for the procurement of goods and/or services but the Purchase Order is not transmitted to the supplier. If repeated purchases are to be made from the same supplier for the same type of commodity or service within a fiscal year, the originating department may request a Blanket Purchase Order (BPO) by indicating this within the body of the purchase order. The Purchasing Department encourages the use of BPO’s for goods or services where it is advantageous from a pricing point of view. BPO’s are not exempt from the quote/bid process, however, they eliminate the need for multiple requisitions for items such as leases, rentals, cell phone, utilities, etc. The purchase order, along with all required quotes or contract copies, is entered on-line into Banner and upon final approval, a copy is transmitted to the requestor and supplier, based on the delivery method. The process also encumbers budgeted funds at the time of final approval. Please note that all purchase orders immediately encumber the entire amount of the purchase order. If an order is canceled, any unused funds are released from encumbrance making the funds available to the department for other purchases.
W-9’sW-9 forms are required from all suppliers. When entering a purchase order, if the supplier of choice is found to be new or inactive, the requisitioner is responsible for obtaining a current W-9 from the supplier, which should then be forwarded to Accounts Payable. Delivery AddressFor all orders, please ensure suppliers use the “ship to” address below: Bryant University 1150 Douglas Pike Failure to provide complete shipping information could result in the delay or even loss of ordered merchandise. The Purchase Order number should be clearly referenced on the packing slip or written on the outside of the package. The Receiving Department signs for most shipments delivered to Bryant University. Upon delivery of merchandise, the user department is responsible for verifying the quantity and quality of each order. If an order is not complete or if any goods need to be returned to the supplier, it is the department’s responsibility to notify the supplier immediately. If the order was placed using a Purchase Order, the department should also contact Purchasing so that 1.) A note may be placed on the purchase order to prevent payment for incorrect or incomplete orders and 2.) Purchasing may assist in the return and rapid replacement of any damaged goods or the quick shipment of missing goods. Insurance & LicensesAll Suppliers performing services on campus must provide certificates of insurance prior to the commencement of work or service. This is in addition to permits and licenses applicable to their trade. It is the responsibility of departments to obtain this documentation. Certificates of insurance should list Bryant University as an additional insured in accordance with minimum insurance requirements as determined by Risk Management. All purchases with an aggregate amount over $250,000 require that the full Insurance Policy be obtained from the supplier. DepositsThe University should make every effort to avoid paying deposits to suppliers unless there is a significant discount or other benefit given as a quid-pro-quo. If deposits are requested, refer the matter to Purchasing who may be able to negotiate a waiver or reduction of the deposit amount. Open Purchase OrdersTwice a year, the Purchasing Department will run a list of open purchase orders that may have partial or full commitments remaining. Purchasing will then look at individual PO’s based on transaction date, remaining balance, etc., and may notify appropriate departments of the open order(s). The department is then responsible for verifying continued PO activity or voiding the outstanding commitments. Purchase Orders at Year EndAll blanket purchase orders will be closed at year-end and must be renewed every fiscal year. Regular purchase orders remain open and any remaining commitment will be rolled and encumbered into the next fiscal year. Change OrdersA change order may be entered by the department to modify an existing purchase order. Change orders may incorporate an increase or decrease in the item quantity or dollar amount, a change in the account distribution, or any other substantive change. All change orders must be accompanied by appropriate documentation to verify the necessity for the change and will follow the level authorization grid for approval. Purchase Order OveragesWhen an invoice exceeds the purchase order amount by more than $2,000, a change order is required. Purchase Order CancellationTo request the cancellation of a purchase order, send an email to Purchasing at purchase@bryant.edu RFQ PROCESS – Campus Management OnlyFor smaller scope projects of $50,000 but less than $100,000, an RFQ Form (Appendix 5) may be utilized to solicit a minimum of 3 quotes for all good & services. Prior to generation of the RFQ form, an email will be sent from the CM Project Manager to the Purchasing Department and VPBA to inform them of the project and the suppliers that they anticipate to bid on the project. Purchasing and VPBA will reply to this email with the suggestion of any additional vendors within 4 hours. The RFQ form will then be generated by the CM Project Manager and sent out to the Purchasing Department, the VPBA, and to a minimum of 3 potential suppliers. The bidder responses should contain, in exacting detail, a description of relevant parameters such as:
The RFQ form will specify a deadline date and time for supplier response. Bidders will respond via E-mail to Purchasing and the CM Project Manager. If bidders communicate requests for clarification during the bid period, then a written or sketch answer/clarification will be simultaneously sent to all bidders as well as the Purchasing Department. Copies of all bids will be attached to the purchase order. Upon receipt of quotes, a comparison and analysis of the RFQ responses may be done by the Purchasing Department and forwarded to the Campus Management department for their review. This analysis will include pricing of service, review of relevant parameters, and overall best value for the University. The supplier or provider of choice will be recommended by the Campus Management and Purchasing departments to the VPBA. Any request for documented projects or those greater than $100,000 require a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) process as described in this document. (page 14) RFP PROCESSA Request for Proposal (RFP) is a solicitation to potential suppliers to submit business proposals for the procurement of a commodity or service. An RFP is done through a bidding process which outlines the procedure, contract terms and provides guidance on how the bid should be formatted and presented. It is typically open to a selection of bidders which creates open competition between companies looking for work. All RFPs, with an attached list of bidders must be reviewed and approved by the Divisional Vice President prior to the release to the bidders by the Purchasing Office. Anticipated time to review and comment or approve is 72 hours from receipt. Longer review times may be required due to the complexity of the subject matter, employee absence or other circumstances. All products and services (with the exception of medical and dental insurance) with an individual cost of over $25,000 or an annual aggregate cost of over $25,000 require the RFP/Bid process be completed in conjunction with the Purchasing Department. The Campus Management and Project Management Departments RFP requirement begins at the $100,000 level, for costs associated with construction, major building repair, and upgrade projects only. Furniture, fixtures and equipment associated with these projects must adhere to the standard $25,000 RFP threshold. It is suggested that departments consult with Purchasing early in the RFP process. An RFP Package will be prepared by the department and forwarded to Purchasing for review. The requesting department is responsible for preparing a set of specifications and time lines that is sent to Purchasing for inclusion in an RFP Document. The requesting department should also provide purchasing with a list of qualified suppliers. If at least three suppliers are not known, Purchasing will make best efforts to source additional suppliers. Once the RFP package has been reviewed, Purchasing will be responsible for the distribution of the package to suppliers, whether electronically or by hard-copy. When furniture, fixtures or equipment are needed, and expected to cost in excess of $25,000, three suppliers should be invited in to survey the area and allowed to measure if possible, and/or be given a set of floor plans. Each supplier would then present a proposal of furniture items under consideration. The most appropriate and cost competitive supplier would be given the award for the contract. Some RFP processes typically include a period of time when suppliers are permitted to submit questions and/or requests for RFP clarification to both the Purchasing Department and originating department via email (see Table below). The department will forward a response to all questions via email to the Purchasing Office as well as to all bidders. This will be done in accordance with a time specified in the RFP documents. Answers to the questions will also be printed and attached to the bid evaluations matrix as part of the permanent bid record. Bid results are expected to remain confidential. The results of the bid submission are held in confidence to allow equitable treatment to all bidders and to assure that no supplier has an unfair advantage. Participants in the evaluation process should not disclose or share any information pertaining to pricing, trade secrets, contents, terms and conditions, or any other information collected during the RFP process with anyone other than University staff involved in the bid review process. All bids and proposals must be returned to the Purchasing Office by the supplier(s) in hard copy. Email replies will not be accepted unless otherwise noted in the RFP. Bid packages will be opened and recorded by Purchasing on the date and time specified in the RFP. Upon opening, copies will be distributed to the requesting department and evaluation will be done by Purchasing for adherence to the Terms and Conditions and Commercial Requirements. The requesting department will evaluate based on the specifications. Departments are not required to choose the supplier based on price only. However, when the lowest bidder is not chosen, justification should be provided as to what factors contributed to the choice. It is strongly recommended that the originating department prepare a bid comparison matrix; a copy of this matrix should then be forwarded to the divisional VP for review and approval. After a thorough review of the evaluation matrix and bid documents, and after all required signatures and approvals have been obtained, recommendations for bid awards will be made by the originating department. Purchasing and the sponsoring department will meet to discuss evaluations, and select the bidder providing the best value to the University. If a Best and Final meeting or conference call is conducted, the Purchasing Department should be invited to clarify any issues regarding Terms and Conditions and possibly negotiate a more favorable price or terms. Once the final award decision has been made, the originating department will prepare a purchase order. A copy of the bid evaluation matrix should be attached to the purchase order. The purchase order should be submitted to Purchasing with all pertinent documentation and approval signatures to validate the bid award. Upon completion of the above, the bidders must be notified. Please note that final bid award decisions are at the discretion of the Divisional Vice President.
Pre-Bid ConferencesIf it is determined that a Pre-bid conference is necessary for the overall success of the project, it is required that Purchasing and the divisional VP are informed/invited to the meeting. Pre-bid meetings, as a good business practice, should be held no later than five business days after distribution of the RFP documents. All suppliers involved will be invited to the Pre-bid and will be encouraged to attend, ensuring fairness in the bidding process. To expedite the process, typically one-on-one supplier meetings should not be scheduled during the RFP/Bid process. It will be at the discretion of the RFP sponsor to determine if supplier attendance is mandatory. If attendance is mandatory, suppliers that do not attend the Pre-bid may be disqualified. If a supplier does not attend the mandatory meeting but is not disqualified, it becomes their responsibility to obtain any information and/or documents distributed at the Pre-bid meeting. VEHICLE ACQUISITIONSAll vehicles will be acquired by the Purchasing Department in accordance with approved purchasing guidelines. Bidding shall be done, in bulk, when possible. Vehicles that register at least 100,000 miles on the odometer and are at least six (6) years old from date of acquisition, are eligible to be replaced in the next fiscal year, depending on the condition of the vehicle. Vehicles that are driven primarily on campus should be considered for replacement
In the case of special purpose vehicles (Campus Management Department Trucks & Heavy Equipment) the Campus Management Director and supervisor(s) will work with Purchasing and provide a list of required vehicle specifications and features needed. VEHICLE REGISTRATIONSThe Purchasing Department is responsible for the renewal of all vehicle registrations. Purchasing will renew registrations online using the Procurement Card. Departments will see the charge appear on their monthly budget reports. Departments losing registrations are required to send a representative to the Registry for a duplicate registration. Prior to going to the Registry, the representative needs to have the Registration Form signed by the Assistant Director of Purchasing, as well as a notary. Insurance Cards must be carried in all University vehicles. Cards are issued on a yearly basis. If a replacement is needed, please notify the Risk Manager at Ext. 6006. All vehicle titles are to be sent to the Assistant Director of Purchasing. When vehicles are being traded in, it will be necessary to have the title for that vehicle. EQUIPMENT REPAIRSMost repairs to equipment can be paid as a direct expense. When equipment is in need of major repair (over $5,000), three quotes must be obtained before the work begins and a purchase order must be completed. DEPARTMENTAL CHARGES AT AUXILIARY VENDORSFor departmental purchases made at any auxiliary on-campus vendor such as Follett, Subway, Dunkin, etc., a signed and approved 3-part departmental charge slip must be presented to the vendor and any applicable discounts will be applied. The slips are consolidated monthly by the vendor and forwarded to Accounts Payable (A/P) for payment. CONTRACTUAL PURCHASESContractual purchases at Bryant University should be negotiated keeping the University’s best interest in mind. Contracts should be signed in accordance with the University authorized-signature-approval-grid shown in Appendix 1. Copies of all signed and executed contracts should accompany the purchase order. Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Purchasing Office at ext. 6018. If an agreement or contract has a Renewal Option, supplier performance should be reviewed prior to renewal. The user department or Purchasing should review the terms of the renewal and make sure the existing supplier is meeting performance measurements as defined in the agreement. CREDIT CARDSThe Bryant University Procurement Card (P-Card) is administered through JP Morgan Chase. This P-Card allows for ordering and payment in a more efficient and cost effective manner. Potential cardholders should contact the Purchasing Department at ext. 6018 for more details. The P-Card may be used for purchase amounts up to the individual’s single transaction limit either on the internet or at stores and other establishments. When purchasing online, keep in mind the University’s best interests and check local supplier pricing prior to placing your order. Purchases on the P-Card will be monitored through daily and monthly procurement card auditing. Any abuse of general purchasing policies will be addressed and could lead to the cancellation of the procurement card. Please see the Bryant University P-Card Manual for additional information. DIRECT PAYMENTS – No Purchase Order RequiredMost purchases under $5,000 do not require a purchase order. For these purchases, a check request must be prepared and approved in the originating department and submitted with the invoice to Accounts Payable for final approval and payment. SURPLUS FURNITUREA limited amount of surplus furniture is available to the Bryant Community (at no cost to the department) for on-campus use only. All furniture is allocated on a first come, first served basis. Should the need arise to view the surplus furniture storage area, call Receiving at Ext. 6436 to make arrangements. OFFICE SUPPLIESThe University is currently under a contract for office supplies with WB Mason. All departments have access to the WB Mason website. Contact Purchasing at 6018 for user name and login information. Orders are delivered daily. If you have items to be returned, need general ordering information or have any questions, log into the WB Mason web site and click on the Support tab and Support Requests in the drop down. Choose the appropriate heading in the Select Subject dropdown and type an explanation in the message field. Their customer service representative will respond to you via email. Due to Bryant’s contract with WB Mason, purchases from outside suppliers (such as Staples) are prohibited. Personal Purchases – For added value to the members of the Bryant Community, WB Mason has extended its contract pricing to faculty and staff which is utilized with a personal login available from the Purchasing Department. These purchases are paid using the employee’s personal credit card, subject to sales tax, and delivered to the campus Post Office. The Purchasing Department is not responsible for any personal purchases made through a Bryant supplier. TRAVELAll business travel arrangements may be made through the University’s approved travel agency, Donovan Travel (401) 885-3500. When making reservations please give the agent your six-digit organization (department) number. Donovan will charge the University directly – a check request is not required. This is helpful for those that are not Bryant University p-card holders as although you may use your own personal credit cards to book travel, reimbursements will get paid to you through the Accounts Payable Department. If you hold a P-card, you may prefer making your own travel arrangements through any major travel website. CAR RENTALSCar Rental discounts for business and personal travels have been negotiated and are available for Enterprise and National Car Rentals. Please call the Purchasing Office to obtain the discount codes. Appendix 1 — Signature Authorization Grid
Appendix 2 – Verbal Quote Form
Bryant University Verbal Quote Form (For purchases over $5,000 and less than or equal to $10,000)
Item to be Purchased (Be as specific as possible)
Quantity needed: Enter Quantity Here Date Needed: Click here to enter a date.
Is the chosen supplier in our database with a valid W-9? If no, please obtain a W-9. Does the chosen supplier have an up-to-date Insurance Certificate on file at Bryant University? If no, please obtain. Appendix 3 — Sole Source Justification FormBryant University Sole Source/Proprietary Procurement Request Form (Forward this form to Purchasing, along with the purchase order, for amounts exceeding $5,000) DATE: Click here to enter a date. TO: Purchasing Department FROM: Click here to enter text. VENDOR NAME: Click here to enter text. Check One: _____ Is this a sole source procurement? “Sole Source” is defined as a product or service which is practicably available only from one source. Please answer the 4 questions below and sign. _____ Is this a proprietary procurement? A proprietary specification restricts the acceptable product(s) or service(s) to one manufacturer or vendor. A common example would be specification by brand name which excludes consideration of approved “equals”. Although all sole source specifications are proprietary, all proprietary specifications are not sole source. Proprietary items may be available from several distributors.. Please answer questions 1 and 2 below and sign. _____ Is this a Brand Name Specified procurement? The following is a list of questions which will substantiate a Sole Source or Proprietary Procurement. It will help expedite processing if you will provide thorough and sufficient detail to clearly answer each of these questions. Please use additional sheets and attach all additional information to this form if necessary.
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Click here to enter text. ___________________________ _____ _______________________ Authorized Departmental Signature Date Assistant Director of Purchasing Appendix 4 — Preferred Supplier FormBryant University Request for Preferred Supplier Status (This form is also used for the Requalification of Preferred Supplier Status)
Vendor Name: Click here to enter text. Date of Request: Click here to enter a date. This form should be used to request or re-qualify Preferred Supplier Status for those suppliers who perform above and beyond in meeting University expectations. Please complete the information below, then forward to the Purchasing Office for review.
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Click here to enter text. __________________________________ ________________________________________ Authorized Divisional VP Date Assistant Director of Purchasing Date
Appendix 5 — RFQ Form
Bryant University Request for Quotation Due Date: Enter Due Date Here Request for Quotation:
SEND TO:
Signature: Date: _____________________________________ ____________________ Printed Name: _____________________________________ TERMS AND CONDITIONS
UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED, ALL DELIVERIES ARE F.O.B. / DDP DESTINATION, FREIGHT PREPAID (DELIVERED)
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