Waiver Justification for Non-Competitive Purchases

  1. Office & Department Directory
  2. Business Office
  3. Waiver Justification for Non-Competitive Purchases

St. Lawrence University procures goods and services competitively whenever practicable. In situations where competitive bidding is not feasible, a justification must be recorded in Unimarket at the time a requisition is entered. This ensures compliance with the University’s Purchasing Procedures and documents the rationale for the purchase.

This process applies to purchases exceeding $10,000 ($25,000 for Facilities contractors). Examples include sole-source providers, emergency situations, or single-source/economic considerations. Purchases under existing University contracts that were competitively bid or previously justified do not require additional documentation.

Justification Categories:

  1. Sole Source: A sole source purchase applies to an item or service that is one of a kind, has no equivalent, and is only available from one source. If a manufacturer has dealers or distributors anywhere, it does not qualify as a sole source.
  2. Emergency: A sudden, unanticipated critical situation that is life-threatening, catastrophic, or involves the pressing necessity for immediate repairs, reconstruction, or maintenance to ensure the safe continuation of necessary operations or to protect life, health, or property.
  3. Economic / Single Source: A purchase where only one supplier is reasonably available, as determined by the requesting department and the Procurement Department. This may also apply where:
    • Use of another supplier would result in incompatibility with existing conditions.
    • Significant training, time, or costs would be required to evaluate alternatives.
    • The goods or services are part of ongoing long-term projects.
    • The product or service is offered at a substantial discount below current market conditions and price structures and can be documented as such.

Process:

  • Record the justification in Unimarket when entering the requisition.
  • Inform your department’s Vice President of the rationale for non-competitive procurement.

If you have any questions, please contact the Procurement Department at procurement@stlawu.edu.