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Governor declares March purchasing
month
Gov. Mark Sanford declared March Public Purchasing Officials month, and
so, MUSC applauds those individuals who guide the university and
Medical Center in their purchasing endeavors.
Purchasing officials work for the public and their performance must be
above reproach and without fault by public standards at all
times.
Public purchasing officials must be ‘jacks-and-jills-of-all-trades’ so
to speak—a little bit attorney, a little bit engineer, and a little bit
accountant just to mention a few.
Plain and simple, the main objective of a public purchasing official is
to look out for the public’s best interest; it the responsibility of
these individuals to find the best product or service, at the best
price, in the best time to meet a specific need. It is not always an
easy task but it is always required.
Public buyers accomplish this through participation in government
organizations such as SCAGPO (South Carolina Association of
Governmental Purchasing Officials); continuous training and education;
active involvement in community civic activities; active
involvement with Small and Minority Business Enterprise; using the
Internet to cut costs; encouraging other's support; and
contributing ideas.
Top 10 Purchasing Tips
1. Contact your buyer or send purchase requisition to Purchasing
before you buy.
2. Use PCard for small one time purchases. Refer to: What
you can and can not buy on the PCard at
http://www.musc.edu/procurement/Purchcard%20Program/Index.htm.
3. Remember the buying thresholds: Small Purchase under
$1,500 no competition required; $1,500.01-$5,000 verbal quotes;
$5,000.01-$10,000 written quotes; $10,000.01-$25,000 advertised quotes;
$25,000.01 and above formal solicitation.
4. Information Technology purchases: IT purchases may be
subject to approval by the OCIO governance procedures, refer to
Guidelines for Acquiring Information Systems at
http://www.musc.edu/ocio/purchasing/index.shtml.
5. Please plan for your purchases. The following minimum
time allowances for processing with proper supporting
documentation: Up to $1,500 (without competition) 1-3 days;
$1,500.01-$5,000 (three verbal or written quotes) 3-5 days;
$5,000.01-$10,000 (three written quotes) 5-10 days; $10,000.01-$25,000
(advertised formal written quotes) 15-30 days; $25,000.01 and above
(formal bid by Purchasing) 45-60 days; RFP’s 60-120 days.
Contracts in excess of $50,000 require an additional 16 day Intent to
Award period; Payment of invoices by Accounts Payable three to
five days after receipt of invoice and departmental receiver.
6. MUSC must utilize state contracts. Visit
http://www.state.sc.us/mmo/contract/contract.htm and
http://cio.state.sc.us/itmo/contract/itsclist.htm.
7. Include all documentation with purchase requisition; vendor
quote, vendor address, telephone/fax number, TIN (tax
identification number), etc. Include departmental contact,
telephone/fax number, ship to address and fill in return copies to
section. Don’t forget to sign the purchase requisition.
8. Don’t forget to update your SmartStream Ship-To-Address when
you move or the departmental contact changes. You may do this at
http://www.musc.edu/procurement/
9. Never sign a vendor contract or quotation. All documents
must be reviewed by general counsel and can only be signed by
those individuals with authority to bind the university in a contract,
Purchasing, VP’s, etc.
10. When in doubt or need additional information, call your buyer
or 792-4521.
Friday, March 31, 2006
Catalyst Online is published weekly,
updated
as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public
Relations
for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of
South
Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at
792-4107
or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to
Catalyst
Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to
catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island
papers at 849-1778, ext. 201.
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