OLD VERSION - SMALL PURCHASES AND EXPEDITED PROCUREMENT

	SMALL PURCHASES AND EXPEDITED PROCUREMENT	No. 5-25c	Rev.
		Date 2-23-83

OLD VERSION

I. PURPOSE

To establish expedited procedures for small purchases ($8,000 or less) and for handling procurement requirements on a "rush order" basis or under emergency conditions.

II. REFERENCES

1953 Utah Code Annotated SS63-56-22

PPM 5-25a, University Procurement

III. DEFINITIONS

A. Small Purchase

The procurement of supplies or services for which the total cost is $8,000 or less.

B. Emergency

A condition that threatens public health, welfare or safety, arising from natural forces (e.g. fire, wind, flood, storm, earthquake, epidemic or other natural disasters); from riot, unlawful assembly or mob violence; or from hostile acts of a public enemy.

C. Rush Order

A requisition for supplies or services that requires expedited handling on a special basis to meet urgent program needs.

D. Petty Cash

The procurement of supplies or services for which the total cost is $35 or less, with personal cash, for which persons will be reimbursed by the University upon presentation of a petty cash voucher at the Cashier's Office.

IV. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

A. Small Purchases Costing $8,000 or less

1. Informal Procurement

Small purchases of goods, services and construction (i.e., purchases estimated to cost $8,000 or less) may be effected by the Purchasing Department on an informal basis, using either written or oral bids, or without bidding, when the director of Purchasing determines from available information that the use of formal bidding procedures would not be sufficiently cost-effective or expeditious to meet the needs of the requisitioning department or unit in a timely and economical manner.

2. Splitting of Small Purchases Forbidden

Procurement requirements may not be artificially divided among two or more small purchase orders of $8,000 or less in order to avoid normal bidding procedures.

B. Rush Orders

1. Planned Procurement

Departments should anticipate procurement requirements as far in advance as possible to provide sufficient lead time to apply established purchasing procedures and still meet delivery requirements.

2. Special Handling Requests

Upon request, the Purchasing Department will make every effort to obtain requisitioned supplies and services in the most expeditious manner possible and will attempt to honor special handling and delivery instructions as appropriate.

3. Small Purchases

In cases of urgency where the needed procurement is estimated to cost $8,000 or less, the department may specifically request that informal procurement procedures be used by the Purchasing Department as authorized by section IV.A.l above instead of normal bidding procedures.

4. Expedited Procedures

Requisitions for supplies or services needed on an urgent high-priority basis may be delivered in person to the Purchasing Department, together with a written request that the requisition be processed on a rush order basis. Such request will be processed immediately and with maximum feasible speed consistent with bidding and other legal requirements.

a. The cost of long distance telephone calls, TWX messages, cables or telegrams placed to secure rush orders will be charged to the requisitioning department. The telephone authorization code is to be included on subject requisition.

b. Purchase orders to be placed with vendors outside the continental limits of the United States will ordinarily be forwarded via airmail.

c. When appropriate, a requisitioning department may be authorized by the director of Purchasing to deliver a duly authorized purchase order directly to a particular vendor and to take immediate possession of the purchased goods. In such cases, all memoranda, receipts, packing lists, invoices and other documents relating to the purchases and received from the vendor must be immediately transmitted to the Purchasing Department.

C. Emergency Procurement

1. Definition of Emergency Conditions

An emergency condition is a condition which creates a threat to public health, welfare or safety, such as may arise by reason of flood, epidemic, fire, wind, risk, equipment failure or such other reason as may be determined by the director of Purchasing or his/her designee. The existence of such emergency creates an immediate and serious need for supplies, services or construction which cannot be met through normal procurement methods.

2. Emergency purchases shall be limited to only such items necessary to satiate the emergency condition.

3. The source selection method used shall accomplish the following:

a. Assure meeting the time requirement of the emergency situation

b. Secure such competition as is practicable within the time constraint

4. Any person requesting an emergency procurement shall be required to include a written determination stating the basis of need for the emergency procurement.