Policies and Procedures
Policies & Procedures
Procurement Services Policy Manual
This policy manual outlines the services provided by the Procurement Services department in addition to Bidding Policy, Vendor Selection Criteria, Receiving, and Special Purchases.
Excerpt from the Procurement Services Policy Manual - Unrestricted Funds and Grants.
Standard Purchase Order Terms & Conditions
Standard Terms & Conditions sent with purchase orders issued by the University.
This document outlines the process and suppliers to be used when purchasing a computer at the University.
Bidding Policy - Excerpt from the Procurement Services Policy Manual
Procurement Services' responsibility for University expenditures dictates the following policy with regard to competitive bidding. This policy calls for evaluation of the best bids based on prices and other factors such as lease versus purchase or use of surplus property that are pertinent to the specific purchase. The following dollar threshold levels have been established to promote best value in a competitive bidding environment and increase the efficiency of the procurement process. The University has defined adequate competition as at least one offering after soliciting three or more sources.
For all the purchases the University requires:
- basis for supplier selection
- justification for selected or sole source purchases, and
- basis for the price of the purchase
Micro Purchases
For purchases less than $10,000, requisitioning departments should follow their own judgment in identifying potential suppliers. Procurement Services can facilitate this process by supplying lists of preferred suppliers, negotiating discounts, and providing support as requested. Purchases may be made without cost or price analysis or soliciting any quotes or bids if the University considers the price to be reasonable. Under this method, awards are encouraged to be distributed among qualified suppliers.
The Automatic Purchase Order (APO) facilitates quick placement of small, routine orders. The APO is to be used as a single, one-time transaction and the total dollar amount of goods/services for any single APO cannot exceed $9,999.99. The use of the APO means the departmental user accepts and is responsible for compliance with all Notre Dame policies.
Small Purchases
This method is for purchases above the micropurchase threshold but below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) as defined by the Federal Acquisition Regulation—currently $150,000, written quotations must be obtained from more than one qualified source. A formal bid and solicitation for quote is unnecessary – these are meant to be simple and informal. No cost or price analysis is required. Departments have two (2) options:
- Obtain three written bids and complete the Supplier Selection Form in buyND. Departments may be asked to submit these bids to Procurement Services for review. If there are limited sources of supply, colleges/departments are to provide sufficient justification for the purchase. If the college/department cannot identify three suppliers, Procurement Services should be contacted prior to requesting bids to help identify additional suppliers.
- Request Procurement Services to solicit bids and provide a summary of results for the requisitioner's review and evaluation. Procurement Services requires a minimum of two weeks for the bidding process.
Purchases above the Simplified Acquisition Threshold
If the purchase is to exceed $150,000, a formal bid process will be performed by Procurement Services. Procurement Services, where practical, must complete a price analysis and conduct competitive bidding procedures with at least three bids obtained and analyzed. Also, a Request for Bid (RFB) or Request for Proposal (RFP) should be initiated, as outlined in the Unrestricted Funds Bidding Policy section above. Procurement Services maintains all the documentation related to all purchases in excess of $150,000, for audit purposes of cognizant funding sources.