5/8/09 New furniture procurement process

Procurement Services and the Office of the University Architect are pleased to announce an improved procurement process for non-project furniture (definition below).  An in-depth analysis of the existing process identified issues and constraints that were preventing the University from effectively supporting the increasing number of non-project furniture requests.  The new process will leverage dealer resources and the buyND e-procurement system to provide improved customer service, shorter turnaround times and greater flexibility.

Effective Wednesday, May 13, 2009, campus departments will make requests for non-project furniture directly to the University’s preferred furniture dealers.  Both preferred dealers, Business Furnishings and Office Interiors, will hold regular on-campus hours.  The dealer representatives will be located in the Maintenance Center, where they will be able to host meetings with campus customers and facilitate ergonomic chair fittings.  Regardless of their on-campus hours, representatives from both dealers are available by phone and e-mail during normal business hours. 

Non-project furniture is classified as any furniture-only requirement that does not change the built environment (walls, floors and ceilings) except to move data/phone/power outlets.  Generally, non-project furniture requests do not require the services of a University project coordinator.  Examples of non-project furniture include:

• Ergonomic chairs and keyboard trays
• Desks, workstations and cubicles
• Free-standing shelves and cabinets
• Conference room tables and chairs
• Lounge and common space furniture

Additionally, all furniture requisitions will be entered into buyND by the requesting department.  Once the dealer has identified the specifications of the required furniture and provided a quote, the end-user will enter their request into buyND as a non-catalog requisition. Please contact your departmental administrator or business manager for the individual in your area that enters requisitions into buyND.  If you need access to buyND or simply a refresher, please register for training through http://endeavor.nd.edu.

For your convenience, a detailed step-by-step procedure for ordering non-project furniture is available on the furniture page of the Procurement Services website: https://buy.nd.edu/buying_help/buying_guide/furniture.shtml.  The site also includes frequently asked questions (FAQs), a guide for which dealer to use, as well as on-campus hours and contact details for each dealer.

Under this new process, Procurement Services assumes responsibility for all non-project furniture requests.  Tom Rogers, Procurement Specialist, is the primary contact for inquiries related to the dealers and requests for non-project furniture.  Tom can be reached at trogers@nd.edu or 1-4368.  

Please feel free to contact us with any questions.