Office of Purchasing and Contracts

1. Office of Purchasing and Contracts Procurement Outreach Training Level I Introductory Information

2. Level I – Basic Overview • Policy • Workers’ Compensation • Disability • Liability • Preferred Sources • MWBE • OGS Contract • Threshold Driven • Procedure • Needs Assessment • Procurement Thresholds • State Funds < $5,000 • State Funds < $10,000 • On-line Ordering Systems • Purchase Requisitions • Advance Training Topics • Level II • Level III

3. Workers’ Compensation Insurance • Workers' compensation provides medical treatment, wage replacement and permanent disability compensation to employees who suffer job-related injuries or illnesses, and death benefits to dependents of workers who have died as a result of their employment. • Prior to any permit being issued or any contract being entered into for work in which employees of a business will be engaged in hazardous employment the University must obtain acceptable proof that a business has secured workers’ compensation insurance. • Please contact the Office of Purchasing and Contracts for additional information.

4. Disability Insurance • Disability insurance replaces a workers income should a sickness or illness prevent the worker from earning an income. • Prior to any permit being issued or any contract being entered into for work in which employees of a business will be engaged in hazardous employment the University must obtain acceptable proof that a business has secured disability insurance. • Please contact the Office of Purchasing and Contracts for additional information.

5. NYS Procurement Policy • It is the policy of the University at Albany, SUNY that utilization of preferred sources occur whenever possible. In accordance with State Finance Law and Corrections Law, the University is required to make purchases of commodities and services from preferred sources. Preferred sources must be considered whenever purchases of commodities or services are required. • It is the policy of the University at Albany, SUNY to take affirmative action to ensure that minority and women owned business enterprises are given the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to provide the University with commodities, services and printing at competitive prices.

6. Information on Preferred Sources • Corcraft: http://www.corcraft.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10051 • Industries for the Blind: https://www.ibnys.org/products.asp The University in conjunction with IBNYS offers an online ordering option; to register please go to http://www.albany.edu/purchasing/online_ordering_registration.html • Industries for the Disabled: https://www.nysid.org/nysidportal/webpage.aspx • Office of Mental Health: http://www.omh.state.ny.us/omhweb/BuyOMH/

7. NYS Contract • Office of General Services (OGS) http://www.ogs.state.ny.us/psg/defaultitpur.html • Establishes hundreds of contract awards each year for multiple commodities, services, telecommunications and information technologies. • Computer hardware & software, building supplies, vehicles, heavy equipment, clothing, furniture, communications services, temporary personnel services and others. • OGS provides training and information through the Annual State Purchasing Forum, or on-demand training opportunities to state agencies.

8. Minority and Women-Owned BusinessEnterprises (M/WBEs) • The University at Albany encourages purchasing from NYS Certified M/WBE’s. SUNY has established the following utilization goals: • NYS has created a searchable database of certified MWBEs. The database can be found at: http://www.nylovesmwbe.ny.gov/cf/search.cfm

9. State Purchasing Requirement Thresholds An individual New York State Contract Reporter advertisement is required starting at $50,000. This will increase the procurement time frame. *Construction contracts require VendRep filing starting at $10,000

10. Procurement Steps: Complete Needs Assessment • Can a Preferred Source meet the form, function and/or utility of your need? If so, you must utilize one of the designated Preferred Sources. Information can be found at: http://www.albany.edu/purchasing/state_funded/preferred_source_vendor_sf.html • If a Preferred Source cannot meet your need, is your item/service found on an existing OGS State Contract? If yes, and the item meets the form, function and/or utility of your need, you need to consider utilization of the OGS State Contract. You can find the listing of items on OGS State Contract at: http://www.ogs.state.ny.us/psg/defaultitpur.html • If your need is not met by either a Preferred Source or an existing OGS State Contract, an open market purchase is applicable.

11. Yes Procurement Steps: Complete Needs Assessment Can it be bought from A Preferred Source? Preferred Source No Yes Yes Is the item/service already on an OGS Contract? OGS Contract No Yes No Competitive Bid Are needs met by Competitive Bid? Yes Is price the sole criteria for selection, provided contractors satisfy minimum specification? Is your item/service exclusively available from one vendor? Sole Source* No Yes No Yes Even though more than one contractor meets our needs, is there substantial basis for selecting a single contractor? Single Source* Invitation For Bid Develop specifications and request quotes from multiple vendors; choose based on lowest price Request For Proposals Develop specifications and request proposals from multiple vendors; Choose based on stated Evaluation criteria * Sole and single sources are special processes that require pre-approval of the Office of the State Comptroller. Prior to entering into either a sole or single source transaction, the Office of Purchasing and Contracts must be contacted.

12. State Procurement Levels DOLLAR THRESHOLD POLICY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK$0.00 - $10,000.00 Requires certification by the Purchasing Agent of reasonableness of price and Notification to Agency Bidder’s List $10,000.01 - $50,000 Requires certification by the Purchasing Agent of reasonableness of price and quarterly NYS Contract Reporter publication and Notification to Agency Bidder’s List $50,000.01 - $125,000.00 Requires 3 quotes or proposals and Individual NYS Contract Reporter publication (15 business days advance notice) $125,000.01 - $250,000.00 * Requires 5 sealed bids or proposals and Individual NYS Contract Reporter publication (15 business days advance notice) * For Services: No external agency prior approval is needed for contracts and purchase orders up to $250,000 EXCEPTif any one condition exists: a) bid protest; b) low bid or best value not used; c) award not made in accordance with provisions of bid; d) single or sole source procurement. If any single condition exists the approval limit is reduced to $125,000. * For Services: No external agency prior approval is needed for contracts and purchase orders EXCEPT if the procurement is a single or sole source. If so, the exemption approval limit is $50,000 but no external approval is required at any limit. $250,000.01 – Above 5 SEALED BIDS OR PROPOSALS and INDIVIDUAL CONTRACT REPORTER NOTICE (15 BUSINESS DAYS ADVANCE NOTICE) with approval of Attorney General (when appropriate) and State Comptroller THE PURCHASING STAFF RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK COMPETITION AT ANY LEVEL.

13. Orders < $5,000 - State • Campus policy mandates the use of Procurement Card for orders $4,999.99 and less for vendors who accept the card (VISA) • Obtained thru the Office of State Accounting • Training and use guidelines; certification and reconciliation • http://www.albany.edu/accounting/procurement_card.html • Discretion and Reasonability (end user) • Regulations that are the end user’s responsibility include but are not limited to the following: • Equipment/Property Tracking (items with a value of $500 or more) • Service Purchases – Liability Insurance & Prevailing Wage • Apparel/Textiles/Athletic Purchases – Fair Labor Standards • Use of Logo – Licensed CLC Vendor & Graphic Identity Compliance • Preservation of purchase documentation

14. State Funded Purchases <$10K • Requires certification by the Purchasing Associate of reasonableness of price. • Discretion and reasonableness of price factors • Market price • Compare the cost that we are quoted against that of Universities of similar size and nature • Prevailing wage • New York State – Office of General Services contract • SUNY contract

15. On-line Ordering The Office of Purchasing & Contracts has established direct-to-vendor desktop on-line ordering systems for the following products: • Office Supplies • Industrial Supplies • Letterhead, Business Card, & Envelopes • Lab Supplies On-Line Registration Web-link: http://www.albany.edu/purchasing/online_ordering_registration.html

16. State Purchase Requisition Required Information Box NumberBox Title 1 Date 2 Account 4 Amount 5 Date required 6 Identify if Applicable 7 Description, Quantity, Unit, Unit Price, Unit Total 8-10 Vendor Information (if avail) 11 Delivery Destination 12 Department Phone # 13 Signature Please provide us with the Contact Name and Phone Number in the event there are any questions with this requisition. StateRequisitions and instructions can be found at http://www.albany.edu/purchasing/state_funded/purchase_requisition_sf.html

17. Quotes as Part of the Submittal • Available quotes should be submitted with the requisition. • Purchasing Associate reviews and verifies all submitted quotes. • Quotes should be in written format (faxes or e-mail). Verbal quotes are acceptable in select circumstances. • Written quotes are to be submitted with the requisition as they will become a part of the permanent procurement record. • Verbal quotes can be documented directly on the requisition in the Supplier information boxes on the requisition.

18. Submittal of Purchase Requisitions - State and Research • FAX :(518) 437-4571 • Internal Mail:Purchasing& Contracts,MSC302 • Hand Deliver: Management Services Center - Room 302 • Mailing Address: University at Albany, Office of Purchasing & Contracts, 1400 Washington Avenue, Management Services Center – Room 302, Albany, NY 12222 MSC302

19. Yes Procurement Steps: Complete Needs Assessment Can it be bought from A Preferred Source? Preferred Source No Yes Yes Is the item/service already on an OGS Contract? OGS Contract Level II No Yes No Competitive Bid Are needs met by Competitive Bid? Yes Is price the sole criteria for selection, provided contractors satisfy minimum specification? Is your item/service exclusively available from one vendor? Sole Source* No Yes No Yes Even though more than one contractor meets our needs, is there substantial basis for selecting a single contractor? Single Source* Invitation For Bid Develop specifications and request quotes from multiple vendors; choose based on lowest price Request For Proposals Develop specifications and request proposals from multiple vendors; Choose based on stated Evaluation criteria * Sole and single sources are special processes that require pre-approval of the Office of the State Comptroller. Prior to entering into either a sole or single source transaction, the Office of Purchasing and Contracts must be contacted. Level III