Purchasing
Policies
Local
Purchase Orders | Departmental
Purchase Orders | Purchase Orders
Check
Requests | Hazardous Materials | Payments
Local
Purchase Orders
Local
purchase order books are available to departments for buying
items costing less than $100 from vendors in the Canton area.
Generally, Purchasing will distribute such books to a designated
person in each department who is then responsible for issuing
the individual orders to departmental employees or designated
students as they need to make purchases.
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When presenting a local purchase order to a vendor, the purchaser
must also present their SLU ID. A description of the items
to be purchased and the account code to be charged for the
purchase must be written on the local purchase order. The
employee or student must provide a printed name and legible
signature at the bottom of the order as well.
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A local purchase order has 5 copies, which should be distributed
as indicated on the bottom of each copy. Two will be given
to the vendor, one to the Business Office, one to Purchasing
and one is maintained by the department.
- In most cases,
the vendor will send an invoice directly to the Business Office.
The Business Office will match the item invoiced to the copy
of the local purchase order received from the department and
then pay the vendor. If a vendor mails an invoice directly
to the department, the department should forward to the Business
Office for payment. If the department has not yet mailed a
copy of the local purchase order to the Business Office, it
should be attached to the invoice.
Departmental
Purchase Orders
Departmental
purchase orders books are available to departments to use
when purchasing goods and services costing less than $500.
Generally, Purchasing will distribute such books to a designated
and authorized person in each department who is then responsible
for issuing the individual orders to departmental employees
as they need to make purchases.
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A departmental purchase order should be completed and signed
by the person responsible for the account being charged or
a person to whom such authority has been delegated. The
shipping address for ordered items should include the department
name, the individual receiving the items, and 23 Romoda Drive
as the street address.
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Vendors should be instructed to reference the departmental
purchase order number on all invoices sent to the university.
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A departmental purchase order has 4 copies that should be
distributed as indicated on the bottom of each copy. One
is the vendor's copy and may be forwarded to the vendor when
placing the order. Another copy is to be forwarded to the
Purchasing Office when the order is placed. A third copy
is for the department's records. A fourth copy is to be approved
for payment when the ordered items are received in satisfactory
condition. This copy should then be forwarded to the Business
Office.
Upon
receipt of departmental purchase orders issued to new vendors,
Purchasing will add the vendors to the FRS system. Vendor
information must be on the system before the Business Office
can issue payment. Delays in forwarding departmental purchase
orders to Purchasing may cause delays in payment to the vendors.
-
In most cases, the vendor will send an invoice directly to
the Business Office. The Business Office will match the invoice
to the approved departmental purchase order received from
the department. If all is in order, the Business Office will
issue a check to the vendor. If there are discrepancies,
the Business Office will contact the department.
- If a vendor mails
an invoice directly to the department, the department should
forward to the Business Office for payment. If the department
has not yet mailed an approved departmental purchase order
to the Business Office, it should be attached to the invoice.
Purchase
Orders
Purchase orders may be issued for items costing
less than $500, but it is not required and departments may
wish to use more expedient methods such as local and departmental
purchase orders and/or purchasing cards. If departments have
any questions about preferred vendors or recommended purchasing
practices,
Purchasing
will be glad to provide assistance.
Unless a
departmental purchasing card is used, a Purchase
Order is to be issued by Purchasing to acquire goods and services
costing more than $500. The department must first submit
an electronic requisition to the Purchasing department specifying
the items required. Electronic requisitions for amounts over
$1,500 must be approved by the chair/head of the department.
Requisitions for amounts over $10,000 must be approved by
the appropriate vice president. Instructions for entering
and approving electronic requisitions are attached.
If
the department wishes to order the item directly, the requisition
should indicate the selected vendor and price quoted. After
approving the requisition, Purchasing will create a purchase
order and notify the department of the purchase order number.
A department may also view the assigned purchase order number
on line by accessing screen 229 in FRS, entering an R to
the class field and pressing return. Requisitions will be
listed in numeric order and the assigned PO number will be
listed in the reference column for the requisition.
If
the department wishes Purchasing to select a vendor and/or
contact the vendor, the selected vendor and quoted price
on the requisition should be left blank. Purchasing will
then proceed to select an appropriate vendor and place the
order.
There
are three types of purchase orders issued by Purchasing and
each is briefly described below.
Regular Order (RO)
- issued for the purchase of a specific amount of materials.
Blanket Order
(BO) - issued for long term purchase of materials over
time, i.e. a contract for one year's supply of paper.
Service Order
(SO) - issued for service such as landscaping or maintenance.
For most departments, instructions
are printed on regular orders to mail invoices
to the Business Office. For Facilities Management, Athletics,
and the Sciences, however, instructions state that invoices
are to be mailed to the shipping address.
Goods orderd on a regular or blanket order that
have been received in satisfactory condition must be received
online in FRS by the ordering department. Purchasing will enter
receivers on an as-needed basis (if the department secretary
is on vacation for example) and departments should contact
Purchasing if such a need arises. The Business
Office will
enter
the invoice to FRS when it is received
from
the
vendor.
FRS
will
perform
a 3 way match of the purchase order, invoice, and receiver
and create a voucher to pay the vendor.
Invoices
for services contracted on a service order and all invoices
on blanket orders will be mailed to the shipping address. If
approved for payment, the department should initial the invoice
and forward to the
Business Office. The Business Office will enter the invoice
to FRS which will perform a 2 way match of the purchase order
and invoice before creating a voucher to pay the vendor.
Check
Requests
Payments for subscriptions,
registrations, membership fees, honoraria and speaking fees
are made by completing a check
request form and forwarding to the Business Office with
supporting documentation. Requests for honoraria or speaking
fees should be accompanied with a signed
agreement form or printed e-mail that provides the same
information. A completed W-9
form must be on file in the Business Office before payment
will be made to any U.S. persons. U.S. persons includes individuals who are U.S. citizens or resident aliens as well as partnerships, corporations, companies, or associations created or organized in the U.S. or under the laws of the U.S.
If payment is to be made to a foreign person or organization, a valid W-8 form must be on file in the Business Office Office. In some cases, the IRS requires tax withholding on payments to foreign persons and organzations. More detailed information is provided at paying
foreign persons and organizations.
An employee
may purchase an item using personal cash, check, or credit card
and be reimbursed by submitting a completed check
request to the Business Office. The employee is responsible,
however, for supplying a tax exempt form to the vendor at the
time of purchase as the University does not pay sales tax.
Tax exempt forms are available in the Purchasing and Business
Offices. Employees will not be reimbursed for paid sales tax.
Hazardous
Materials
Some
items that are procured may be dangerous or regulated and
may require a special license and/or approval by administrative
officers. Radioactive substances must be procured only through
the university radiation safety officer. Certain drugs, syringes,
and chemicals require special licenses for possession. Strong
acids and bases, certain lasers, as well as many solvents
must be handled and stored according to state and/or federal
regulations. It is the responsibility of all employees to
ensure that all ordered items are compliant with current
university policy and with state and federal regulations.
Payments
Checks
are printed in the Business Office every Friday morning.
Generally payments to vendors will be made on the Friday
prior to an invoice's due date. If a vendor offers a discount
for early payment, the Business Office will make every attempt
to issue payment on a Friday within the early time frame
in order to take advantage of the discount. In order for
a check to be printed on Friday morning, the appropriate
documentation must be submitted to the Business Office by
12:00 p.m. of the preceding Wednesday.
