ADMINISTRATIVE RULE NO: 5035-04

RELATED TO POLICY SERIES: 5035 & 5080

TITLE: PURCHASING—GENERAL

PURPOSE
To provide college-wide guidelines for competitive and systematic purchasing that ensures adherence to all purchasing rules and regulations.

STATEMENT

Purchasing may occur when board-approved, budgeted funds are available and authorized by appropriate staff with budgetary authority.
1. Procedures for purchasing are governed by:
  1. Oregon state statute;
  2. LBCC Board policy;
  3. LBCC administrative rules; and
  4. Oregon Community College Rules of Procurement.
2. Any person failing to comply with established procedures shall assume personal liability for misspent funds.
3. Budgetary authorization and authorization levels:
  1. designated classified staff, as defined in job description, up to $1,000;
  2. department chairs/program coordinators up to $1,000;
  3. management staff up to approved fiscal year budget amounts.
Purchase orders are required for all purchases that meet or exceed $5,000, including freight, shipping, and all incremental charges, and/or all capital outlay expenditure purchases.
1. Capital outlay expenditures are for:
  1. the acquisition of, or the increase of, visible, tangible property of a non- consumable nature;
  2. items with a unit cost of $5,000 or more; and
  3. items with a useful life of more than one year.
2. Purchases equal to or more than $5,000 require a purchase order and must:
  1. be issued through the college's electronic purchasing system; and
  2. be approved by appropriate staff with budget authority for the respective account.
3. Purchases less than $5,000 must utilize one of the following options:
  1. A purchase order may be issued through the college's electronic purchasing system, but is not required.
  2. If a purchase order is not issued, the purchase must be documented with an invoice on file in the Accounts Payable Office and must contain an authorized signature and the account number to be charged on the invoice.
  3. A college Purchasing Card (P-Card) may be used following established card limits and transaction documentation.
4. Exceptions to the purchase order process may occur when waived in writing by the Vice President of Finance and Operations or designee with such waiver(s) placed on file in the Accounts Payable Office. Other exceptions to the purchase order requirement are for the following types of expenditures:
  1. authorized employee travel vouchers and advances related to travel;
  2. continuous utility and monthly services, i.e., phone, power, etc.;
  3. personal services contracts;
  4. contracted services;
  5. facility rentals;
  6. dues/memberships/registrations;
  7. conferences/accommodations;
  8. reimbursements;
  9. LBCC Enterprise Services items for resale;
  10. intercampus charges;
  11. contracts made with public agencies or the federal government;
  12. investments;
  13. employee benefits, including, but not limited to insurance and TSAs;
  14. advertising; and
  15. contracts between public agencies utilizing an existing solicitation or current requirement contract of one of the public agencies that is party to the contract for which the original contract met the competitive bid requirements of this policy, and the contract allows other public agency usage of the contract and the public agency concurs.
5. Blanket purchase orders do not go through the college's electronic approval process. The hard copy purchase order must be signed by the appropriate management staff and must indicate the account number to be used.
Competitive quotes are encouraged for purchases when it is in the best interest of the college and to assure optimum value for college funds.
1. When the cost is expected to be at least $10,000 and not to exceed $100,000, quotes must be:
  1. requested in writing, with coordination from the Purchasing Office, to prospective vendors with detailed specifications as to the product or service needed;
  2. secured from three or more prospective vendors via email or in writing and signed by the vendor or his/her agent. Other methods of receipt (fax, e-mail, electronic data interchange, etc.) are acceptable;
  3. received in a confidential manner;
  4. signed by the appropriate staff with budgetary authority, recorded, and placed on file in the Purchasing Office prior to disbursement of a purchase order;
  5. reported to the Board of Education with the action taken and the reason for the selection of a particular vendor, when required per Board Policy 5080; and
  6. awarded to the responsible bidder submitting the lowest, responsive bid.
2. Exceptions to the quote process requirement may occur when an item(s) is listed in the Community College Rules of Procurement, purchased from Oregon State Price Agreement, or when waived in writing by the vice president of finance and operations or designee with such waiver(s) placed on file in the Accounts Payable Office.
  1. When the contract is for a "public improvement" as defined in ORS 279A.010(1)(cc) and/or for "public works" as defined in ORS 279C.800(6), and the contract price exceeds $50,000, the college and the contractor shall comply with:
    1. the prevailing wage provisions of ORS 279C.800 to 279C.870, when applicable;
    2. the contractor registration requirements of ORS 701; and
    3. any other law applicable to such a contract.
Competitive bidding is undertaken on all major purchases to assure consistency of specifications, an opportunity for qualified vendors to participate, and optimum value for the funds expended. The Purchasing Office will assist staff in the preparation of specifications and will solicit and open bids.
1. The formal bid process will occur when:
  1. it is deemed in the best interest of the college; or
  2. the price of the item(s) under consideration is expected to meet or exceed $100,000 for regular purchases and public improvements, or $100,000 for personal services contracts or those involving architectural, engineering, land surveying, or related services.
2. Finalization of bidding process:
  1. Final award will be to the responsible bidder submitting the lowest, responsive bid.
  2. All bids prepared for Board action will include a schedule listing of the bids and the staff's recommendation pertaining to acceptance or rejection.
  3. The Board of Education reserves the right to waive formalities and to reject any or all items of any or all bids.
3. Exceptions to the bid process requirement may occur when an item(s) is listed in the Community College Rules of Procurement, purchased through Oregon State Price Agreements, or waived in writing by the vice president of finance and operations or designee with such waiver(s) placed on file in the Accounts Payable Office.
Multi-step related bidding:
1. When it is considered impractical to initially prepare a purchase description to support an award based on price, an invitation for bids may be issued requesting the submission of un-priced offers to be followed by an invitation for bids limited to those bidders whose offers have been determined to be technically acceptable under the criteria set forth in the first solicitation.
2. The college reserves the right to require mandatory prequalification of bidders when a multi-step sealed bidding process is determined to be in the best interest of the college.

DATE OF ADOPTION: 08/13/84
DATE(S) OF REVISION(S): 07/02/91; 06/29/93; 07/12/94; 02/21/95; 05/16/95; 09/03/96; 06/14/05; 08/03/10; 11/01/12; 12/4/14; 10/31/16; 11/5/2020
DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 10/31/16