Guidelines

Guidelines for Purchasing Commodities

• Under $10,000 – Enter a requisition into the FRS system at least three weeks before commodity is needed. Bids will be solicited if we believe we can save you money by doing so.

• $10,000 and over- Enter a requisition into the FRS system at least six weeks before commodity is needed. Sealed bids are required for purchases with a value of $10,,000 or more.

• $25,000 and over- Enter a requisition into the FRS system at least six to eight weeks before the commodity is needed. Commodities with a purchase value of $25,000 or greater require the Board of Trustees’ Finance Committee approval before the purchase order can be issued. This can add up to 30 days lead time to the purchasing process depending on when the committee’s monthly meeting is scheduled.

Guidelines for Purchasing Services

• 1,500 and under- Enter a requisition into the FRS system at least three weeks before the service is needed. Purchasing will then transfer it to a purchase order. The purchase order will then be sent to the vendor via FAX, mail, etc.

• $1,500 to $10,000- Enter a requisition into the FRS system at least four weeks before the service is needed. Purchasing will create a Service Purchase Contract (SPC). NOTE: A fully approved SPC must be in effect BEFORE the services commence. SPCs require approval by the university’s legal counsel. Drafting the SPC and getting legal council approval adds two weeks to the purchasing process. The university cannot pay for services costing more than $1.500 that do not have an SPC in place before the start of the service.

• $10,000 and over- Enter a requisition into the FRS system at least six weeks before service is needed. Sealed bids are required for purchases with a value of $10,000 or more require Office of Attorney General review and approval prior to the start of the service.

• $25,000 and over- Enter a requisition into the FRS system at least six to eight weeks before the service is needed. The provisions of a $10,000 and over service purchase need to be completed along with the Board of Trustee’s Finance Committee approval before the SPC can be issued.