Purchasing Basics

A&M-Commerce departments are delegated less than $3,000.00 to make purchases of equipment, supplies, and services (including freight and/or postage), excluding restricted purchases.  The dollar delegation allows departments to expedite the purchase of goods and/or services without having to process the request through the Purchasing department. 

Currently, most departments have access two sources of funds, state funds and local funds.  Some department have access to federal or grant funds as well.  At the division level, HEF funds have been made available for distribution by the vice president to the department.  Regardless of funding type, departments are required to follow the University's Purchasing Procedures. 

Departments are encouraged to purchase goods and/or services from Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB's).  Purchasing can assist departments in identifying HUB's from whom to make their purchases.

Important things to remember:

1. Freight or shipping cost must be included in the delegated dollar limitation. 
2. Large purchases many not be divided into small lot purchases in order to meet dollar delegation. 
3. For purchases exceeding the $3,000.00 delegation, departments are to send a requisition to the Purchasing Department for the required bidding process.  The requisition should be sent prior to the need or purchase of the goods and/or services.

Justification of Sole Source Purchases over $5,000.00.

Generally, purchases are made on a competitive basis.  However, there may be just cause to request a Sole Source.  A sole source situation occurs when an equivalent product is not available from any other vendor.  If this situation does arise, a memo of justification must accompany the requisition.  The memo must answer the following two questions:

1. What are the unique features and why are they needed.
2. Why competing products will not be satisfactory.

Emergency Purchases

Emergency purchases are defined as "a purchase of goods and/or services so badly needed that the department or institution will suffer financial or operational loss unless those goods and/or services are procured immediately."  When an emergency purchase is made, the department should submit a requisition to the Purchasing Department and include a letter of justification that includes the following:

1. State the reasons for the emergency by explaining what the emergency was and/or what caused the emergency situation.
2. State the financial or operational loss that would have occurred if the goods and/or services were not procured immediately.
3. State why the needs were not or could not be anticipated so that the items could have been purchased through regular procurement procedures.

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Purchasing and Contract Administration
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