Southern Polytechnic State University P & P No: 707.0
Policy and Procedure Manual Date: November 1987
  Revised: April 1997
 
Purchases with State Funds
I. General B. It is among the duties and powers of the state auditors to call special attention to any illegal, improper, or unnecessary expenditures, and all inaccuracies, irregularities, and shortages, and to make specific recommendations for future avoidance.   C. It is the responsibility of the director of procurement, Southern Polytechnic, to determine that institutional purchase requests abide by the rulings of the state auditors. II. Policy A. The beginning of any procurement function regardless of dollar value will be the initiation of a departmental request.   B. All departmental requests, including petty cash, will be reviewed by the Procurement Office before budget review, encumbrances, or any procurement function as described in the Agency Purchasing Manual.   C. An extreme emergency requirement is defined as a situation whereby the lack of items or services immediately endangers the health, welfare, or safety of any person; or for the protection of institutional property. III. Procedures A. All procurement transactions regardless of dollar value will stem from a properly authorized departmental request. Administrative approvals will be established by individual administrators.   B. Item descriptions will be detailed with salient characteristics for full and unrestricted competition. Sole source justifications will be by separate attachment with specific rationale as to why only one product or brand will meet requirements, such as components of a major assembly, compatible items for an existing system, etc. (A definition of entries for completing a departmental request is attached.)   C. Prior to any procurement function or commitment to a vendor, the procurement office will review the request to determine if items are available from mandatory sources, state-wide contracts, or for the possibility of consolidation with other departmental requests for optimum pricing. After review, the individual department's copy of the request will be returned confirming the type of procurement.   D. Extreme emergency requirements may be processed immediately. In situations where the department is unable to work through the Procurement Office, documentation must be forwarded on the next working day following the emergency.   E. Departmental request forms for Southern Polytechnic State University should have  
1. The fiscal year numerical sequence as requests are generated. As an example the first request initiated by the MET Department should be 01-113-001; the second one should be 01-113-002, etc.   2. The "Receiving Section" completed and returned to accounts payable when supplies and services are not received in central receiving. Three documents are required and must be exact in dollar value, vendor name, and terms before a check is issued. The documents are (1) a signed field purchase order or state purchase order, (2) a vendor invoice, and (3) a completed receiving report signed by a department head or authorized designee, accepting the goods or services.   3. A complete and accurate description of the item desired. If it can not be described, the Procurement Office cannot buy it. As many of the following characteristics as necessary should be indicated: a. Complete commercial description   b. Model, make, or catalog number   c. Identification and date of commercial catalog used   d. Brand name of item   e. Name of manufacturer, producer, or distributor of the product referenced, and address of the company if not well known  
4. An entry under the "Unit Estimated Cost" for budget purposes. Please do not call vendors for prices. If past procurement prices, catalogs, etc. are not available, use best estimates.   5. A "Sole Source" entry if valid circumstances require either brand name or sole source contracting to fulfill needs. The rationale must be thoroughly and completely documented by the department and attached to the departmental request. However, the State Purchasing Code emphasizes full and free competition.   6. As many vendors as possible (if known), including complete address, city, zip code, and telephone number.