ADMINISTERING PURCHASES/CONTRACTS
ADMINISTERING PURCHASES/CONTRACTS
To Change a Purchase Order: Generally, the Procurement Office must issue a "Change Order" document to materially change a purchase order that has been issued and requires alteration. Any change in price, quantity, quality or delivery to most purchase orders must be made by Procurement. The Change Order is the method used by Procurement to make Purchase Order changes. All requests for changes to purchase orders must be reviewed by the Procurement Office regardless of change amount. To request a Change Order send the appropriate information by one of the following means: Requisition (either "CH" type or on Request Form), e-mail message or memorandum. The Change Order request, regardless of the method sent, should be approved or signed by the same approval authority or higher that approved or signed the original Requisition/Request.
Cancellations: The requesting department must notify Procurement if they are notified of a cancellation to a Purchase Order. Include the identifying purchase order number, vendor name, reason for cancellation, your department and account number(s). Cancellations must be fully coordinated with the vendor to ensure that canceled items are not subsequently received. Some cancellations could result in a penalty and a charge to the department.
Increase/Decrease: If your department is advised that a per item price change for one or more items will increase or decrease the dollar amount committed, a change to the purchase order is required and Procurement must be notified. List the changes, referencing the item and line number and new total dollar amount. Blanket Purchase Agreements/Orders may be increased/decreased in the same manner when the requesting department determines it is necessary. If your department is advised that a per item price change for one or more items will increase or decrease the dollar amount committed, a change to the purchase order is required and Procurement must be notified. List the changes, referencing the item and line number and new total dollar amount. Blanket Purchase Agreements/Orders may be increased/decreased in the same manner when the requesting department determines it is necessary.
Description: Whenever a description, model number, color, size, etc., needs to be changed notify Procurement the correct description.
Other Changes: If you are authorized to pick-up or receive material or supplies and you or the vendor substitutes or in some other manner changes what the Purchase Order states, you must contact your Procurement Officer. If in any case a vendor offers a change and you accept, without authority from the Procurement Office, your actions may result in an "unauthorized procurement" situation.
Contract Administration: Contract administration is the management of various facets of contracts to assure that the contract provisions, according to the contractual commitments and obligations to the College, are fulfilled. Contract administration is performed for all purchases regardless of the dollar value. For that reason, the contract administrator will normally be the Procurement Officer who originated the Purchase Order. To assist the Contract Administrator, one designated person from the requesting department will normally be assigned as a Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR). For purchases above $25,000 this person will be designated in writing. For purchases under $25,000 it will normally be the requestor identified on the requisition. There are three important and necessary steps in contract administration: (1) monitoring contractor performance, (2) documenting findings of the monitoring process, and (3) if necessary, seeking corrective action. See more detailed Guidelines for Administration of A Contract .
Vendor Delivery Performance: All deliveries must be made to points specified in the Invitation to Bid and on the Purchase Order. A vendor who fails to make deliveries within the times specified in the contract, or who delivers material that does not conform with samples or specifications and which is not promptly replaced, or who delivers goods or materials which are repeatedly rejected, could be declared in default. A vendor could also be in default if he mislabels or misrepresents material which he is asked to deliver. In the event of default by a vendor, the College will take such action against the bidder as is allowed by law. (See Receiving at the College)