Topic: Procurement Team Reorganization
When will the new bid limit go into effect?
The new policy will go into effect Tuesday, March 12th, 2024.
Do I still need to submit a Sole Source Justification (SSJ) form for purchases between $10,000 and less than $50,000?
No. An SSJ form is only required when a purchase or agreement of $50,000 and greater is awarded outside of a competitive bid process and does not qualify as an exemption.
What if I already know which supplier I want to use for a purchase that is between $10,000 and less than $50,000?
Procurement Services will review your request for any compliance risks involved with the purchase (e.g. access to university data, access to patient data, restricted commodities, etc.) and check to see if there is a University-Wide Agreement which would meet the department’s needs. If there is no existing agreement available and you have already identified a supplier who can provide the good or service, providing information and supporting documentation up front regarding any due diligence/research already completed will help expedite the review of the request.
What kind of information should I provide to justify using a particular supplier for a purchase between $10,000 and less than $50,000?
Acceptable forms of supporting documentation include but are not limited to:
- Quotes from other suppliers
- Documentation of web search results
- Invoices/similar purchase history
- Comparable pricing for other institutions
- Relevant pages out of an awarded grant (could be a combination of the grant application and Notice of Award)
- Relevant materials displaying sponsor requirements of a specific supplier
What if I don’t include any supporting documentation for choosing the supplier I would like to use?
A buyer will contact you directly to understand the rationale for choosing the particular supplier and confirm whether or not any supporting documentation is available based on any research/due diligence that has already been performed. If no supporting documentation is available, the buyer will work with you to benchmark against other suppliers to confirm best value (which need not be based on cost alone).
What training and/or resources are available for me to reference related to the revised SPG and bid limit change?
- Register to attend the Buying Blue Community of Practice on April 11th at 1pm where we will provide additional information on the revised SPG and new bid limit.
- This article provides guidance on when and how to complete the Sole Source Justification Form.
- This article provides guidance on the process for requesting purchases made on behalf of the university with a value between $10,000 and less than $50,000.
- This video reviews how to submit a requisition and highlights key points important for requisitions between $10,000 and less than $50,000.
Why do you recommend leaving the ‘Buyer’ field blank in my requisition unless working directly with a buyer? Won’t that delay the process?
If you are not working directly with a buyer, leaving the ‘Buyer’ field blank will help expedite the review of your requisition. With the recent reorganization, many buyers have changed teams and are supporting new commodity areas. Our newly established PO Center has a team of buyers dedicated to processing requisitions between $10,000 and less than $50,000. This team is also responsible for ensuring requisitions are routed to the appropriate commodity teams for further review where necessary.
Who should I reach out to if I want to initiate a purchase or if I have additional questions?
Our teams track the status of requests within our TDx ticketing system. By initiating your request with one of our eForms, you will be automatically notified with updates related to the status of your request. You can also contact us directly with specific questions.
Do I have to use a university-wide supplier if there is one available? What if I have another supplier who I am satisfied with?
While there are several benefits to purchasing through our University-Wide Agreements (e.g. negotiated pricing, delivery, other terms and conditions favorable to the university), their use is not mandated. If a department chooses to use an alternate supplier, a buyer may contact you for additional information so that we can identify trends related to our current University-Wide Supplier base and/or identify opportunities to establish agreements with new suppliers.
How do I get signatures on low dollar agreements or quotes that require signatures?
eForms for contracting activities are available in our TDx Contracting Service Catalog. For contract signatures, use the Signature Request eForm.