Making Purchases

How Purchasing Works

The purpose of the Purchasing Office is to procure all needed materials for the College. This means that any items you need for sponsored activity will be purchased through the Purchasing Office. Items should never be bought using personal funds. Only in the case of an emergency, and with proper justification attached, may a PI submit a purchase requisition under $250 for a reimbursement for supplies. Original receipts are required as is a written justification.

Purchasing Supplies

The requisition

The proper method of purchasing items is to send a completed purchase requisition to ORGA. On the requisiton: The cost per unit, total cost, item numbers and item descriptions should all appear. Your name and signature will appear as the department head because you are the fiscal manager of your grant program. On the requisition itself, be sure to list the vendor's fax number, FEIN (Federal Employer ID Number) and MPA #, if one exists, in the "Available At" section. The vendor should be able to supply you with its FEIN. MPA vendors are explained below.

Purchases Over $500

For requisitions with a total dollar amount of greater than $500.00, but less than $2,500.00, Principal Investigators must obtain faxed or written quotes from three (3) different vendors and attach them to the requisition. Note: Telephone quotes or prices printed from a vendor's e-commerce web page will not be accepted. Further, one of the vendors must be a Minority Business vendor, if one exists for that particular commodity. The Minority Business Enterprise Vendor listing is now available on the Purchasing website. Also, be sure to document the name of the individual who provided the quote and the date they were contacted.

Exceptions to the Three-Bid Rule

Master Price Agreement vendors

A list of MPA vendors by category is available on the RI State Purchasing website. Purchases made from MPA vendors are exempt from the three-bid requirement. Please consult the preceding MPA list or ask your vendor if it has an MPA with the State, and be sure to list the MPA # (the vendor should provide this) on your purchase requisition. Laboratory supplies are often purchased from MPA vendors, thus often nullifying the three-bid requirement.

Sole source vendors

Buying a "unique" or "one-of-a-kind" item from a vendor nullifies the three-bid requirement, as that vendor is known as the sole source for the item supply. Purchasers must provide proof of the sole-source in letter form, and the letter should be attached to the purchase requisition.

Exempted items

Certain categories of items are exempted from any bid requirement, regardless of the total cost and these exemptions are under delegated authority limitations regulated by the Board of Governors. Primarily, textbooks are exempted from the three-bid requirement.

Purchases Over $2500

Purchases for items that are not listed above as exceptions and are over $2500 are required to go to State bid. When processed in this manner, the average length of time from when the request arrives at State Purchasing until the Purchase Order is encumbered at the State Controller's Office and returned to Rhode Island College is eight to ten weeks. Please allow for this time when submitting large dollar requests. After the Purchase Order is received and materials and/or services have been delivered, the Principal Investigator should immediately sign the copy of the order as complete and forward to Purchasing. It is imperative that this information be received as quickly as possible to expedite vendor payment.

Purchasing Computers