University of Southern Indiana

Purchasing Policies

 

Procurement at the University of Southern Indiana is the central purchasing agency of the University. Procurement has the sole authority to order supplies, materials, and equipment and obligate the University for contractual services. Without definite and particular permission of Procurement, no University department may order directly by the computer, email, letter, telephone, fax, or in any other manner. The University will assume no obligations, except on a previously issued and duly authorized purchase order. 

Procurement, in conducting its business and discharging its responsibilities, is guided by three primary objectives:
      
  • To consider the objectives and policies of the University as well as the particular requirements and objectives of the department.
      
  • To obtain maximum ultimate value for each dollar of expenditure.
      
  • To make sure that all qualified, competitive bidders be given equal consideration and opportunity to quote on the University's requirements. 

Since Procurement is charged with the responsibility of obtaining maximum value for each dollar spent, it has the prerogative of selecting the vendor. Such selection may not be arbitrary, but shall be an objective decision based on knowledge of the market gained through competitive bidding. It is the policy of Procurement, where all things are equal, to give first preference to MWVBE (Minority, Women, and Veteran-owned businesses) vendors, then to local vendors, and finally to Indiana vendors. 

As a basic buying tool, the use of competitive quotation requests is to secure the lowest and the best pricing available, to survey the market, foster a competitive climate, and provide a traceable audit record.

The following guideline is offered not as a fixed limit, but rather to enable the buyer to make sound and consistent judgments compatible with the goals of the department:

There are two ways to process University purchases:

  1. Utilize the BuyUSI eProcurement system to process catalog or non-catalog transactions

  2. Utilize the Department P-card:
    Purchase of items that total less than $500 (unless a catalog vendor exists, then you must use BuyUSI)
    Memberships / Subscriptions / Dues
    Academic Testing
    Academic Accreditation Fees
    Applications
    Non-Travel Dining / Restaurants
    Gift Cards
    Advertising

Quote Thresholds:

Catalog Orders (punch-out catalogs):

Non-Catalog vendor purchases (those using a Banner vendor):

Federally Funded Orders over $10,000:

  • Requires three quotes

Renovation/Construction Orders (Effective July 1, 2021):


Competitive Proposals when using federal funds: 

Procurement by competitive proposals. The technique of competitive proposals is normally conducted with more than one source submitting an offer, and either a fixed price or cost-reimbursement type contract is awarded. It is generally used when conditions are not appropriate for the use of sealed bids. If this method is used, the following requirements apply: 

  1. Requests for proposals must be publicized and identify all evaluation factors and their relative importance. Any response to publicized requests for proposals must be considered to the maximum extent practical;
  2. Proposals must be solicited from an adequate number of qualified sources;
  3. The non-Federal entity must have a written method for conducting technical evaluations of the proposals received and for selecting recipients;
  4. Contracts must be awarded to the responsible firm whose proposal is most advantageous to the program, with price and other factors considered; and
  5. The non-Federal entity may use competitive proposal procedures for qualifications-based procurement of architectural/engineering (A/E) professional services whereby competitors' qualifications are evaluated and the most qualified competitor is selected, subject to negotiation of fair and reasonable compensation. The method, where the price is not used as a selection factor, can only be used in the procurement of A/E professional services. It cannot be used to purchase other types of services though A/E firms are a potential source to perform the proposed effort.

    It will be generally permitted and sometimes required to purchase from a vendor which has negotiated a contract for its products with the University, state, or federal government, the Educational and Institutional Cooperative Service, or with other Group Purchasing Organizations. State purchasing policies currently exclude Universities from specific rules and regulations as it pertains to the procurement of items except for public works projects. Public works projects follow specific procedures as outlined in Indiana Code. The above guidelines for the request for bids or quotations have been established by Business Affairs, but the procurement decisions are vested with the Director of Procurement by the Vice President for Business Affairs or designee who may choose to waive the guidelines and formalities based upon situations and circumstances for the procurement of all items needed by the University, except as they pertain to public works.

 

Flow Down Provisions for Federally Funded Grants

The University of Southern Indiana has entered into an agreement with either the U.S. Government or another entity that has itself entered into an Agreement with the U.S. Government. That Agreement requires that certain federal grant provisions be made a part of any subsequent Purchase Order issued by the University of Southern Indiana related to furthering the performance or deliverables required under that Agreement. 

Where necessary to make the context of these provisions applicable to this order, the term "contractor" shall mean "seller," the term "contract" shall mean "this order," and the terms "Government," "contracting officer," and equivalent phrases shall mean "buyer." Seller hereby agrees to flow down the applicable clauses to its lower-tier subcontractors and agrees that the clauses are in effect between it and the buyer, as applicable. 

Performance by the seller under this Purchase Order constitutes certification that the seller is presently in compliance with, and will continue to comply with, the Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment (31 U.S.C. 1352) and Executive Orders Numbers 12549 and 12689, all as described below.

 Equal Employment Opportunity

All contracts shall contain a provision requiring compliance with E.O. 11246, "Equal Employment Opportunity," as amended by E.O. 11375, "Amending Executive Order 11246 Relating to Equal Employment Opportunity," and as supplemented by regulations at 41 CFR part 60, "Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Equal Employment Opportunity, Department of Labor."

Copeland "Anti-Kickback" Act (18 U.S.C. 874 and 40 U.S.C. 276c)

All contracts and subgrants over $2000 for construction or repair awarded by recipients and sub-recipients shall include a provision for compliance with the Copeland "Anti-Kickback" Act (18 U.S.C. 874), as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR part 3, "Contractors and Subcontractors on Public Building or Public Work Financed in Whole or in Part by Loans or Grants from the United States"). The Act provides that each contractor or subrecipient shall be prohibited from inducing, by any means, any person employed in the construction, completion, or repair of public work, to give up any part of the compensation to which he is otherwise entitled. The recipient shall report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency.

Davis-Bacon Act, as amended (40 U.S.C. 276a to a-7)

When required by Federal program legislation, all construction contracts awarded by the recipients and sub-recipients of more than $2000 shall include a provision for compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 276a to a-7) and as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR part 5, "Labor Standards Provisions Applicable to Contracts Governing Federally Financed and Assisted Construction"). Under this Act, contractors shall be required to pay wages to laborers and mechanics at a rate not less than the minimum wages specified in a wage determination made by the Secretary of Labor. In addition, contractors shall be required to pay wages not less than once a week. The recipient shall place a copy of the current prevailing wage determination issued by the Department of Labor in each solicitation and the award of a contract shall be conditioned upon the acceptance of the wage determination. The recipient shall report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency.

Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. 327-333)

Where applicable, all contracts awarded by recipients over $2000 for construction contracts and over $2500 for other contracts that involve the employment of mechanics or laborers shall include a provision for compliance with Sections 102 and 107 of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. 327-333), as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR part 5). Under Section 102 of the Act, each contractor shall be required to compute the wages of every mechanic and laborer based on a standard workweek of 40 hours. Work over the standard workweek is permissible provided that the worker is compensated at a rate of not less than 1 1/2 times the basic rate of pay for all hours worked more than 40 hours in the workweek. Section 107 of the Act applies to construction work and provides that no laborer or mechanic shall be required to work in surroundings or under working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous. These requirements do not apply to the purchases of supplies or materials or articles ordinarily available on the open market, or contracts for transportation or transmission of intelligence.

Rights to Inventions Made Under a Contract or Agreement

Contracts or agreements for the performance of experimental, developmental, or research work shall provide for the rights of the Federal Government and the recipient in any resulting invention by 37 CFR part 401, "Rights to Inventions made by Nonprofit Organizations and Small Business Firms Under Government Grants, Contracts and Cooperative Agreements," and any implementing regulations issued by the awarding agency.

Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.), as amended

Contracts and subgrants of amounts over $100,000 shall contain a provision that requires the recipient to agree to comply with all applicable standards, orders, or regulations issued under the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act as amended (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.). Violations shall be reported to the Federal awarding agency and the Regional Office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment (31 U.S.C. 1352)

Contractors who apply or bid for an award of $100,000 or more shall file the required certification. Each tier certifies to the tier above that it will not and has not used Federal appropriated funds to pay any person or organization for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of Congress in connection with obtaining any Federal contract, grant or any other award covered by 31 U.S.C. 1352. Each tier shall also disclose any lobbying with non-Federal funds that takes place in connection with obtaining any Federal award. Such disclosures are forwarded from tier to tier up to the recipient.

Debarment and Suspension (E.O.s 12549 and 12689)

No contract shall be made to parties listed on the General Services Administration's List of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement or Nonprocurement Programs in accordance with E.O.s 12549 and 12689, "Debarment and Suspension." This list contains the names of parties debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded by agencies, and contracts declared ineligible under statutory or regulatory authority other than E.O. 12549. Contractors with awards that exceed the small purchase threshold shall provide the required certification regarding its exclusion status and that of its principal employees.

Public Works Projects

Any Public Works projects over $150,000 must be advertised two times and must have a public bid opening.

The amount required for a bid bond, performance bond, and the legal contract is $150,000.

If the project is under $150,000, it does not need to be advertised and does not require a public bid opening.

Emergency Exception

When an emergency arises which could not be reasonably foreseen, and health, welfare, or safety requires immediate action and the project is estimated to be more than $25,000,  Procurement Services may contract for a project without advertising for bids if quotes are obtained from at least two (2) persons or firms known to deal in the work required to be done.  Such action should be recorded with the Board of Trustees at its next meeting, along with the names of the parties invited to quote on the project.

Sales Tax Exemption

As a public institution, the University is exempt from paying state and city sales and use tax on items purchased for University use. Individuals authorized to purchase items with University funds should not pay sales tax.  

To obtain a Sales Tax Exemption form, contact Becky Weinzapfel at 812-464-1847 or .
 

Forms -library 

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