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Volunteer State Community College

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How/When to Bid

  1. Individual items, or items similar in nature totaling $5,000.00 or above MUST be bid.  This includes cost for shipping.
  2. A requisition must be completed online (Self Service Banner) and submitted for approval process.
  3. Bids will be forwarded to the vendor by the Purchasing & Contracts Office. 
  4. Bids are opened and analyzed by Purchasing & Contracts. A copy of all the bids and the analysis, are then forwarded to the requesting department for review and award.
  5. The requesting department may choose to go with total low bid or individual item low bid depending upon bid specifications.
  6. Departments may not change their bid request after bids are mailed (i.e. increase amount needed) Additional quantities may be purchased on a separate purchase order, if there is written documentation from vendor stating they will honor their bid price.
  7. Items that can only be purchased from one (1) known vendor must have a “sole source” letter, from the vendor, attached to the requisition.

Online Requisition How To Guides

Hardware/Software Purchases

  1. All hardware and software purchases must be made by the Information Technology (IT) Department before placing the order.
  2. Hardware and software items, when received, must be installed by the IT Department.
  3. Hardware and software items not on a contract (i.e. state contract, contract from other institutions, VSCC contract, etc...) must be bid when the amount is $5,000.00 or more.
  4. All licensing and maintenance agreements for hardware/software must be forwarded to the Purchasing & Contracts Office for review.

Capital Projects

  1. All Capital Project requisitions must go through our Director of Facilities.  Please call Ext. 3797 if you have a request.
  2. All requests are then sent to the Purchasing & Contracts Office where they are approved, processed, and forwarded to Tennessee Boards of Regents where a purchase order is done.
  3. All invoices for Capital Projects should be sent to the Director of Facilities for a receiving report to be processed.  The invoice and receiving report are forwarded to the Purchasing & Contracts Office where a payment request is issued and sent to Tennessee Board of Regents.
  4. All problems with shipments or functioning of equipment should be communicated to the Director of Facilities (ext .3797) and to Director of Purchasing & Contracts (ext.3352).

ProCard

Documents:

Procard Information

  1. If your card is lost or stolen, please contact the Procard Administrator at (615) 230 - 3352 or call (800) 375 - 1747.
  2. The single transaction limit and monthly limit is as assigned to your department by the Procard Administartor, which includes all shipping and handling charges.
  3. Make sure you let the vendor know that Vol State is tax exempt!
  4. Ask the vendor to put your name/department on the package that is to be delivered.
  5. Maintain a procard activity log every month.
  6. Procards may not be used for the following (see General Travel Policy)
    • Travel (with exceptions noted in accordance with TBR General Travel policy 4:03:03:00)
    • Cash Advances
    • Purchases over your assigned limit
    • Maintenance/Service Contracts unless approved by Purchasing and Contracts Office
    • Medical Services
    • Fuel
    • Personal Services
  7. Turn your procard log and all receipts into your departmental reconciler promptly at the beginning of each month. Each reconciler must have all departmental posting complete by the 15th of each month.
  8. If you forget your password, please contact the procard administrator at (615) 230 - 3352.

Fequently Asked Questions

Purchases FAQ

I would like to place an order that is over the bid limit, but the company indicates they are the only vendor who provides this item. May I make this purchase without going through the bid process?
Yes. This is a sole source purchase and must be put on a Requisition for Purchase with a letter from the company stating they are the sole source vendor for this item.
What is the purchase order limit?
The purchase order limit is $5,000.00.
What needs to accompany the Requisition for Purchase?
If there is an order form, please include with the requisition. If there is no backup documentation, please be sure to include the complete specifications, price, freight/shipping charges, and the vendor’s complete address.
I am in a hurry for this item, can the purchase order be faxed?
Yes, purchase orders can be faxed, but you need to provide the fax number, or at a minimum, the phone number.
Who has to approve my requisition?
Your department head, your applicable vice president, and the Vice President for Business and Finance. Please allow enough time for routing approval when forwarding a Requisition for Purchase.
What if payment has to be sent with my order?
A check request form must accompany your Requisition for Purchase if payment must be enclosed with your order.
What if you have done a purchase order for me and it should have been delivered by now?
You should attempt to get delivery information from the vendor. If you cannot get the necessary information, please contact the Purchasing & Contracts Office for assistance.

ProCard FAQ

May I use my procard for lodging or meals when traveling?
Procards may now be used for the payment of registration fees, and required advance payments for airline or hotel payments. Procards may not be used for expenses incurred during actual travel time.
May I put conference registration fees/rental cars on my procard?
Procard may now be used for the payment of registration fees.Rental cars and other travel expenses may not be put on the Procard.
I made a purchase with my procard and realized later that the vendor charged tax. What do I need to do?
Call the vendor and tell them we are tax exempt and ask them to reimburse the College. When the credit shows up in monthly billing statement, put the appropriate account number that the money should go back to. Document this on your procard log.
May I use my procard to purchase food?
Meals may not be purchased with the Procard except as allowed under group travel.
May I put rentals of equipment on my procard?
No. Please see your procard manual or quick reference brochure for a list of restrictions.
I tried to use my procard and it was declined and I don’t know why.
You have either met your card limit for the month or you are trying to purchase an item over the bid limit. Please contact the Procard Administrator at Ext. 3352 if this occurs.
I want to purchase some items that need to be split between two account numbers and/or object codes. How do I handle this?
Purchases may be split between two or more account numbers. Go to the Allocation field of monthly billing statement. Instead of the “edit” button, you will click on the “split” button and post to the various number of account numbers you need to.
I accidentally purchased something personal on my procard, what do I do?
Don’t panic. Go to the Business Office the next day and write a check to the College for reimbursement. You need to log this charge on your procard log, but indicate that you have reimbursed the College and attached the receipt for reimbursement just like the other receipts.
I got my procard statement and there are charges on it that I did not make – what do I do?
Please come by the Purchasing & Contracts Office. We will notify the bank and dispute the charge.

Bids FAQ

Where can I get a form for a Requisition to Bid?
The form is available for download in PDF format.
What do I need to attach to a Requisition to Bid?
A list of vendors needs to be attached. If the bid is for multiple items, please attach a listing of all items, their specifications, and a place for the vendor to indicate their unit price and extended price, on a separate sheet of paper.
Who makes the decision on the bid award?
The Purchasing & Contracts Office prepares a bid analysis. This is sent to you with all copies of bids for your review to make an award decision.
Do I have to go with the low bid?
Yes, unless the low bid does not meet your specifications. You may go with total low or individual line item low.
May I award to a local vendor even if they are not the low bidder?
No, you should always award to the low vendor, unless they do not meet specifications.
What limit may I purchase before the bid process is necessary?
The purchase limit is $5,000.00 including shipping.
How long does a bid have to be advertised?
Bids must be back to the Purchasing & Contracts Office two (2) weeks from the date they are mailed to the vendor(s). The opening date is located in the top right corner of the bid. Always make sure you give the Purchasing & Contracts Office plenty of time to get your bid processed.
How far in advance should I send my requisition for bid to the Purchasing & Contracts Office?
Bids should be sent through for processing a minimum of six (6) weeks prior to you needing the item. Items cannot be guaranteed for delivery until the vendor provides their delivery information with their bid.

Copier Information

Copier Problems

To report copier problems, please call Oce at 1-800-243-5556. You will need to have your copier model number and serial number ready to give to the operator. You will be asked to give a detailed description of your problem. A service technician may call for additional explanation, as well as, with an approximate time he will come to fix your copier. If you do not receive service or have problems, please contact the Purchasing & Contracts Office at Ext. 3352 or 3566.

Monthly Readings

  1. Copier readings must also be sent to Oce by doing one (1) of the following:
    Faxed to: 203-365-7446 or 203-365-7409
    Called in to: 1-800-945-9708
    Entered into their website at www.OceUSA.com
    Go to “meter read” the go to imagistics equipment reading to enter your reading.
  2. You must have your model number and serial number ready when entering the count.

Contracts

Contract Forms

Travel