Purchasing Manual

PURCHASING ASSISTANT

Heather Domin

• Current expense requisitions under $5,000
• Changes to purchase orders under $5,000
• Vendor information packets and W9 forms
• Credit applications and similar forms
• Website issues and inquiries
• Vending machine issues and inquiries
• General Purchasing/Auxiliary questions

PURCHASING AGENT

Tyffany Wishart

• Current expense requisitions over $5,000
• Changes to purchase orders over $5,000
• All capital expense purchases
• Requisitions for copiers and Dell equipment
• All Tempforce requisitions, POs, & updates
• Surplus item inquiries

DIRECTOR OF PURCHASING

David Shlafer

• Bids and purchases over $35,000
• All legal and financial agreements and/or contracts

Violation of any of the Standards of Conduct here may subject employees to discipline under College Rule 2.12, Prohibition Against Fraudulent, Dishonest, or Improper Acts.

CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

Budget Authorities (and Grant Program Administrators) are responsible for monitoring any contract for goods and services paid for by their department. This includes:

• Assuring the vendor delivers the goods or services in the manner required by the agreement;
• Requiring the vendor to promptly correct any deficiencies;
• Withholding payment (and informing accounts payable) if the vendor fails to comply with the contract provisions; and
• Informing the Purchasing department if, after reasonable communication, the vendor refuses to comply with the terms of the agreement.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

No employee, officer, or agent of the College may participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract (including those supported by a Federal award) if they have a real or apparent conflict of interest. Such a conflict of interest would arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of their immediate family, their partner, or an organization which employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit from a firm considered for a contract.

Any failure to disclose a conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest shall be considered in violation of College Rule 2.12, and appropriate action will be taken in accordance with that rule.

CONSIDERATION FROM VENDORS

College employees, officers, or agents shall comply with Florida Statute 112.313 with regard to soliciting or accepting consideration (gifts, gratuities, or anything of monetary value) from vendors. Improper acceptance of any consideration shall be considered in violation of College Rule 2.12, and appropriate action will be taken in accordance with that rule. Furthermore, violators may be subject to criminal penalties as indicated in FS 112.313.

PARTICIPATING IN SOLICITATION/SELECTION PROCESS

Employees or agents of the College who participate in a selection process shall be subject to the following rules:

• Any participating employee or agent of the College shall review the CONFLICT OF INTEREST section above and must disclose the conflict and recuse themselves from the process if there is any conflict. Failure to do so shall result in disciplinary action by the College up to and including termination. Furthermore, violators may be subject to the criminal penalties as indicated in FS 112.313.
• Participants must be ethical and non-preferential when evaluating potential vendors.
• During an informal quote process, communication with participating vendors or potentially participating vendors shall be solely to inform the vendor of the quote request or answer questions regarding the specifications. Answers to any clarifying questions received from any vendor must be shared with all vendors that you solicited from to assure an "apples-to-apples" response from all participating vendors. You may not share any vendor’s pricing with any other until the process is complete and a PO has been issued.
• During a formal bid or RFP solicitation process (from the time the solicitation is first posted to the conclusion of the award process), no participating employee or agent of the College shall have any contact with vendors that are participating or may potentially participate except to refer the vendor to the solicitation document. All other communication with participating or potentially participating vendors shall be conducted solely by the Purchasing department. The Purchasing department will receive and respond to any vendor questions. (Answers to any questions received from any vendor will be shared with all vendors.) No discussion of the responses from vendors is permitted outside of the public evaluation meetings, although inquiries about the process to the appropriate Purchasing department official are permitted at any time.
• The State of Florida requires a 72-hour protest period upon the award or recommended award of a formal solicitation. During this time any inquiries regarding the solicitation must be directed to Purchasing.

No SF College employee is permitted to order any materials, equipment, or services without an assigned purchase order number. A purchase order must be created BEFORE any purchase is made. Using a requisition number is not acceptable; only a completed and signed purchase order is valid. Any purchase made without being authorized as described above will be considered a personal purchase and will not be an obligation to the College.

The only exceptions are:

• P-Card transactions
• emergency petty cash use (per Board of Trustees rule 5.5)
• personal reimbursements for purchases made from vendors that do not accept purchase orders, or that must be made in advance (see Petty Cash/Reimbursement section)

All such purchases must be approved in advance by the department budget authority and adhere to all applicable regulations. Justification shall be included on the requisition.

QUOTE MINIMUM

Unless the purchase is exempt under SBE Rule 6A-14.0734, requisitions over $5,000 must include three (3) written quotes. Send copies of the quotes to the Purchasing Agent, and include the following information in your requisition:

• Names of quoting vendors
• Names of representatives who gave quotes
• Contact information for each quote
• Dollar amounts quoted

MINORITY VENDORS

Departments must include at least one local minority-owned vendor when obtaining quotes if possible. Identify minority vendors on your quote as follows: woman-owned (WBE), minority-owned (MBE), or veteran-owned (VBE). If minority-owned (if not already in the College's vendor file), specify the minority (African-American, Asian, Hispanic, etc.) Specify if no quote could be obtained from a minority vendor. If you need help finding minority vendors, contact Purchasing for assistance or see the Florida Office of Supplier Diversity Minority Business Directory and/or the Gainesville Black Professionals Minority Business Directory.

LARGE PURCHASES

Unless the purchase is exempt under Florida SBE Rule 6A-14.0734, procurement of goods over $35,000 must be obtained through solicitation processes.

Purchases using funds from grants may have different policies or require additional procedures. In cases where rules conflict, the stricter rules will apply. For example, Federal grants have a quote threshold of $10,000 ($2,000 in the case of acquisitions for construction, subject to the Davis-Bacon Act). Check with your grantor to determine what special rules apply for your grant.

FEDERAL GRANTS

In addition to a different quote threshold, grants using federal funds (including grants administered by the State of Florida which use federal funds) must adhere to the following:

• For purchases over $10,000, the College's bid exemptions in FAC 6A-14.0734 do not apply. There is no exemption for technology equipment, educational materials and equipment, food, library materials, or professional services (including consultants). However, the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity may expressly authorize a specific brand or vendor, but any such authorization MUST be in writing from the awarding agency and MUST be submitted to Purchasing for consideration.
• The federal grant quote threshold is $10,000, which means purchases over $10,000 require the obtaining of at least three quotes. However, you may need at least three (3) quotes for purchases over $5,000 because the College’s quote threshold is $5,000.  Purchases between $5,000 and $10,000 that are exempt from quotes (as indicated in the bullet point above) will not require quotes. (For questions on whether you need quotes specific to your purchase between $5,000 and $10,000, contact Purchasing.)  For purchases over $35,000 a formal solicitation (bid or RFP) will likely be required. Contact Purchasing for more information.
• Federal grant recipients must assure that small and minority businesses and women’s business enterprises are solicited whenever they are potential sources.
• There are additional requirements for purchases over $250,000. Contact Purchasing prior to taking any action to make such purchases.
• Construction project purchases using federal funds have additional requirements. Contact Purchasing well in advance of any potential construction projects that use federal funds.
• Federal grant recipients may not solicit a bid or quote from an entity which developed or drafted the specifications, requirements, or statements of work.
• Federal grant rules suggest using Federal excess and surplus property in lieu of purchasing new equipment and property whenever such use is feasible and reduces project cost. Contact Purchasing if you wish to visit the Federal Surplus location in Starke.
• When considering a vendor, check the sam.gov website to see if the entity is prohibited from doing business with the Federal government. The entity you wish to do business with must not be on the Excluded Parties list.
• There are a number of standard allowable and unallowable costs when using federal funds. These restrictions can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations Sections 200.420 – 200.475.

An item is considered a capital expense if it 1) does not materially change through use and 2) has a useful life greater than one year. These criteria do not apply to component items (such as machine parts) for repair or maintenance of a capital expense item; such components are treated as current expense if they are replacing a broken or worn-out part, since the part has materially changed through use. 

Capital expenses include items such as furniture, equipment, computers, technology, and similar long-term items with a unit cost over $199.99. Capital items with a unit cost under $200 may be purchased using current funds, if desired.

Current expenses include items such as consumable supplies (office, classroom, art, lab), small classroom items, and accessories to capital items (toner cartridges, repair parts, peripherals like keyboards/mice/cables). Generally, all services are current expense.

W9s AND VENDOR PACKETS

To use a vendor that is not listed in eStaff's Vendor Browse, you must obtain an IRS Form W-9 and SF Vendor Information Packet. Have the vendor send the completed forms via email to sfpurchasing@sfcollege.edu or via mail to room F-42. When received, Purchasing will assign a vendor number which you can then use to submit your requisition.

• Do not write the vendor's Federal ID on the requisition; a W-9 form must be on file.
• Do not retain any W-9 forms in your records. Send all copies to the Purchasing Office.

CREDIT APPLICATIONS

If a vendor asks you for credit information, a credit or account application, banking references, or sends you any kind of terms/conditions or financial forms requiring a signature, send these to Purchasing in room F-42, referencing the applicable requisition or purchase order. Do not sign any type of guarantee or agreement terms. Send all such documents to Purchasing for the Director's review and signature.

HOW TO SUBMIT A REQUISITION

Requisitions are submitted via eStaff using My Accounts (ACIM Web) → Requisition Request/Inquiry. If you have difficulty using this screen, see the tutorial video for detailed information on creating a requisition and the requisition approval process.

All requisitions must be approved by the budget authority. Keep in mind that Purchasing cannot see a requisition in its processing queue until all necessary approvals have been given. 

HOW TO CHECK REQUISITION STATUS

In eStaff, under My Accounts (ACIM Web), select Department Reports and then Purchase Status Browse. Select the account number, and all requisitions and POs for that account will be shown.

• If the requisition does not have a Y-number next to it (e.g. Y12345), the PO has not yet been created. Keep in mind that requisitions do not appear in Purchasing's queue until all levels on the approval path have given approval. You can check the approval path for your requisition by entering the requisition number in eStaff and clicking Requisition Request/Inquiry.
• If the requisition has a W-number (e.g. W12345), it is in progress. If applicable, a note in the status column will tell you what is needed to complete the PO (contract, W-9, quotes, etc.)
• If the status note is In Final Review, the requisition has been processed and is in the queue for the Purchasing Director's final approval. The Purchasing Director may be consulting with legal counsel or otherwise researching the purchase if the purchase order is not created by the next business day.

If you would like additional training in requisition processes, contact Purchasing.

REQUISITION PROCESSING TIMES

Requisitions under $5000 are generally processed by the next business day unless missing required information or documentation such as a vendor W-9, contracts, etc. If we are waiting on information to process a requisition, we will update the status in eStaff to indicate what is needed.

Processing time for requisitions over $5000 will vary significantly depending on factors such as: obtaining quotes; contract documents to be reviewed and signed; additional required documents and/or information; or if a solicitation is necessary. If Purchasing is waiting on information or an event (such as legal review) to process the requisition, we will update the status in eStaff. Please note that legal review (and subsequent negotiations with the vendor) can take several weeks depending on the complexity of the legal issues.

Year-End/New Fiscal Year

During the months of May-July processing times can increase significantly due to heavy volume. Please plan accordingly.

HOW TO CANCEL A REQUISITION

If the requisition has not yet been approved by the budget authority, tell the budget authority to reject it rather than approving it, and then you'll be able to delete it. If it has already been approved and is in Purchasing's queue, let us know and we'll send it back so that you can modify or delete it.

HOW TO CANCEL A PURCHASE ORDER

If a PO has been created but should not be paid (items not available, returned goods, service not performed satisfactorily, event canceled, etc.), inform Accounts Payable and Purchasing immediately.

• If no payment has been made against the PO, Purchasing can cancel it.
• If a payment has been made, Accounts Payable must liquidate it instead.

Year-End/New Fiscal Year

As year-end approaches, you may want to check your budgets to see if there are any requisitions that were created but never submitted. Blanket purchase orders that have been partially spent must be liquidated by Accounts Payable.

Purchase orders are emailed to the vendor unless otherwise specified. 

• When using a new vendor, be sure to obtain the contact email where POs should be sent.
• If a PO should be distributed other than the contact email on file (fax, postal mail, different email, etc.), you must note this on your requisition.

Exception: Blanket POs to local stores are not emailed to the vendor. They are sent to the department (usually the person who put on the requisition) so that you can take the PO with you to the store. See the Local Stores section below for more information on buying from local stores.

Original POs are not generally sent to the department. You may view and track your requisitions and purchase orders on eStaff.

INSPECTION AND CHECKING ITEMS

Inspection and testing of all items received will ensure that the College is receiving the quantity and quality of goods it has ordered. The requesting department is responsible for promptly unpacking and carefully inspecting all shipments and items, as well as verifying that all goods have been received and/or services have been performed according to the terms on the PO. Do this as soon as your items arrive: orders cannot be returned or exchanged once the vendor's return window has expired.

PROBLEMS WITH PRODUCTS OR SERVICES

If you receive a defective product and/or unsatisfactory service, contact Accounts Payable as soon as possible and alert them not to pay the related invoice until the issue is resolved. The requesting department should try to work out the problem with the vendor. If the requesting department is unable to obtain a satisfactory solution, they must contact the Purchasing Department for assistance.

PAYMENT RECONCILIATION

When all items have been received and/or services performed and the PO may be paid, forward the invoices, receipts, or other documentation to Accounts Payable referencing the PO number and stating "OK to Pay". Payment will not be sent unless approval has been given by the department that submitted the PO. Be sure to submit your invoices as soon as possible to prevent late payments.

To purchase items from Mister Paper and Staples, you must have an account at their contract websites (which are NOT the same as their main websites). Mister Paper and Staples purchases may only be made via these websites using a PO or P-Card. 

To set up a new account at Mister Paper, use the Mister Paper New User Site. To set up a new account at Staples, contact the Purchasing Assistant.

Once you have an account, you may create POs for specific items or set up blanket purchase orders (making sure to list all authorized users). The vendor will add the PO number to the accounts of each authorized user as a form of payment at checkout. You may then place your order online.

Do not allow anyone else access to your Mister Paper or Staples account. For information on special pricing for personal purchases, see the Pricing Contracts page.

NOTE: Petty cash purchases at local Office Depot stores will NOT receive contract pricing. Remember that sales tax is not reimbursed when using petty cash reimbursement.

To purchase an item from Amazon, submit a requisition in eStaff and Purchasing will place the order through the SF Business Account. To ensure accuracy, please note the following:

• Include as much information as possible in your requisition, such as ASIN, ISBN, and/or a link to the product page, plus specific colors and sizes where applicable.
• The College receives free shipping for orders over $25 of qualifying items. If your order doesn't qualify, shipping will be charged. Read the fine print! 
• Amazon prices and availability change frequently. For small prices changes, Purchasing will correct your PO to reflect the correct amount; for changes of more than a few dollars, we will contact you before placing the order.

If your department plans to use Amazon frequently, contact Purchasing to set up an Authorized Buyer account. This person will usually be the same person who uses other supply blanket POs (Mister Paper, Staples, SF Bookstore, etc). See the Amazon Users Guide for instructions on how to create and use an Authorized Buyer accounts. 

Personal Amazon accounts may NOT be used for College purchases. All College Amazon spending has been consolidated to the SF Business Account. See the Amazon Users Guide for details.

IMPORTANT: Before making any purchase online, you must first find out if the website accepts purchase orders. 

Some online vendors accept PO numbers as payment at checkout; others will accept POs sent  through a sales rep or a specific email address; and others will not accept purchase orders at all. Find out this information BEFORE submitting your requisition! Purchases are often delayed because the department put on a requisition without checking to see if the vendor would accept POs, or how to use them / where to send them when ordering.

If the site does accept POs, Purchasing will generally send the PO to the vendor via email. Include contact info for the sales rep you spoke to and/or the email to which POs should be sent, as well as any quote or reference number. (Obtaining a quote online is allowed, but departments are not authorized to place orders online unless approved by Purchasing. Purchase orders may NOT be applied after the fact to a purchase made by an individual.)

If the site does not accept POs, you have the following options:

• If the website will accept checks, submit an Authorization to Pre-Pay Form. Keep in mind that you will not receive your order until the vendor has received and processed the check.
• Use a College Procurement Card (P-Card). Check first to make sure the purchase is allowable under P-Card rules.
• With approval, use a personal card and get reimbursed. (The College does not reimburse sales tax.)

If none of these options work for the purchase you want to make, you may need to choose another vendor.

IMPORTANT: LOCAL STORES VS. WEBSITES

Buying from a store's website is NOT the same as buying from the local store! 

• Some vendors give the College special pricing, which will not be shown on their website
• Merchandise availability often differs between the website and the local store
• Online orders may include taxes that must be waived for College purchases

Home Depot, Lowes, Sam's, Wal-Mart

Items must be purchased at a local store. These stores' websites do not allow for College pricing, purchase order use, and/or sales tax exemption. To place an order for items you found on the website, contact a local store first to see if the items can be ordered via Customer Service.

Office Depot

Office Depot items should be ordered via the Mister Paper UF/Tier One website using a PO or P-Card. The Office Depot website does not accept POs, and pricing is not the same as College contract pricing.

Best Buy

The local Best Buy store and the Best Buy website do not accept POs. To order Best Buy items, contact the Purchasing Agent to get a quote from the College's sales rep, then submit a requisition.

Other Stores

If you want to buy from another local store's website, contact Purchasing first to see if we have an account with them. If not, contact the vendor to find out how online orders should be sent. Be sure to indicate in the notes of your requisition that this is an online order! Any requisition that does not specify an online order will be processed as if it were being used at the local store.

For these four vendors, Purchasing will send your purchase order to you so that you can take it to the store with you. (Remember that buying online is different!) 

HOME DEPOT

List all authorized users on your requisition. No one else is allowed to use the PO. You may contact the Customer Service Desk to get a quote on special order items, but do not place the order until the PO has been made.

LOWES

Lowes is very strict about authorized buyers. You must present a College-issued Lowes Buyer key fob at checkout, or they will not let you use a PO, even if your name is on it. Obtain a key fob from Purchasing. Key fobs should be checked out to employees only on a per-purchase basis. Please keep the number of buyers to a minimum, and inform Purchasing of any staff changes.

SAM'S CLUB

You must have a College-issued Sam's card to use a PO at Sam's. Employees may NOT use their personal Sam's cards for College purchases, even with a PO. Cards are $15 per year and expire in November regardless of when they were activated. 

WAL-MART

Purchasing will add your department's account number to the PO. Be sure to specify which location you will use, as Walmart requires the PO to match. If you go to a different location, they will not let you use the PO.

Important Reminders

• Only the original PO is valid. Do not make copies.
• It is mandatory that all authorized users are listed on blanket POs. Unless your name is on the printed PO, the store will not allow you to use it.
• Capital items with a unit cost over $199 may not be purchased with a current-expense blanket PO. Create a separate PO for any such purchases.

Before submitting a requisition to a local store, be sure they will accept purchase orders. If a store does not accept POs.

If a local store does not accept POs, you may still shop there by using a P-Card, petty cash (less than $100), or personal reimbursement (more than $100). If you need assistance finding out if a store accepts POs, contact Purchasing.

• Ace Hardware - Some locations accept POs and some don't. Ask the store you intend to use. 
• Best Buy - Does NOT accept POs at the store, but Purchasing can place your order through the corporate site for shipment directly to the College. Create a requisition as normal.
• CVS - does NOT accept purchase orders
• Dollar Tree - does NOT accept purchase orders
• Hitchcock Foods - accepts purchase orders
• Hobby Lobby - does NOT accept purchase orders
• JoAnn Fabric - does NOT accept purchase orders
• Michaels - does NOT accept purchase orders
• Office Depot - Only purchases made online through the Mister Paper/Office Depot Tier 1 site will receive College pricing and tax exemption.
• Party Store - does NOT accept purchase orders
• Publix - does NOT accept purchase orders
• Simply Unforgettable Party - does NOT accept purchase orders
• Target - does NOT accept purchase orders
• Walgreens - does NOT accept purchase orders
• Whole Foods - 
• Winn-Dixie - does NOT accept purchase orders

For current-expense purchases up to and including $100, employees may use Petty Cash rather than a purchase order. Department approval is required before using Petty Cash. Have your receipt signed by the budget authority, who must assign a GLC to the purchase, then take your receipt to the Cashier's Office for processing. Splitting purchases into separate transactions to avoid the $100 limit is not allowed.

Petty Cash is NOT permitted for the following purchases:

• Capital expense items
• Beverages violating the College's exclusivity agreement
• Alcoholic beverages
• Holiday cards
• Stamps (one-time postage is allowed)

SALES TAX

The College does not reimburse sales tax. Many (but not all) vendors will waive sales tax if you specify that you are purchasing items for College use.

TIPS/GRATUITIES

Services: Reimbursement of tips/gratuities for services listed in the Travel Manual must follow the rules set forth in those guidelines.

Food: For food delivery or restaurant tips (for departments that are authorized for expenditures at restaurants, such as hospitality accounts and/or certain Student Life/Student Government accounts), the tip/gratuity reimbursement limit is 20%. Any tips/gratuities in excess of 20% shall not be reimbursed by the College and are the responsibility of the individual(s) paying them. This reimbursement limit does not apply to vendor-required service fees beyond the control of the individual.

For certain purchases larger than $100, a College employee may use their own funds and be reimbursed. This is generally only done when a vendor does not accept purchase orders or checks. A requisition for the reimbursement must be submitted prior to the purchase, listing the employee in the Vendor field (be sure to include their SF ID number). Purchases without a requisition submitted in advance may be rejected by the College if they do not comply with College rules.

The reimbursement process:

1. Department submits a requisition listing items/services to be reimbursed and listing the employee as the "vendor" (be sure to include the SF ID number).
2. Purchasing creates a PO. Employee may then make their purchase.
3. Employee submits invoices/documentation to Accounts Payable, referencing PO number
4. Reimbursement is made via direct deposit (if applicable) within a few business days

Important: To protect employee privacy, be sure to black out any confidential information (such as credit card numbers) from all receipts and documentation.

SALES TAX

The College does not reimburse sales tax. Many (but not all) vendors will waive sales tax if you specify that you are purchasing items for College use.

TIPS/GRATUITIES

Services: Reimbursement for tips/gratuities for services listed in the Travel Manual must follow the rules set forth in those guidelines.

Food: For food delivery or restaurant tips (for departments that are authorized for expenditures at restaurants, such as hospitality accounts and/or certain Student Life/Student Government accounts), the tip/gratuity reimbursement limit is 20%. Any tips/gratuities in excess of 20% shall not be reimbursed by the College and are the responsibility of the individual(s) paying them. This reimbursement limit does not apply to vendor-required service fees beyond the control of the individual.

[this section to be added]

COMPUTERS

The College's exclusive contracted vendor for computers is Dell. If you wish to order a computer or accessories for your department, you must first obtain an e-quote from Dell. You will need the College's membership ID number, which you can obtain from Purchasing. You must include the e-quote number on your requisition for Purchasing to complete your order. 

All technology purchases, including peripherals (printers, scanners, etc.) must be approved by the Director of ITS before a purchase order will be created, except as noted below.

SOFTWARE

Software purchases must generally be approved by the Director of ITS, except for the following two categories below.

College Agreement

The following software is covered by College agreement. Do not buy these programs! Contact ITS to obtain them.

• Windows Upgrades
• Microsoft Office Professional
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft InfoPath
• Microsoft Publisher
• Microsoft Entourage
• Microsoft FrontPage
• Microsoft Visual Studio.Net Professional
• Anti-Virus Software - ITS installs antivirus software on all of its computers at setup. Do not purchase antivirus software. Contact ITS for assistance.

ITS Approved

The following software has been pre-approved by ITS and may be purchased without additional approval (however, ITS assistance may be required for installation).

• Adobe Acrobat
• Adobe Photoshop
• Camtasia
• Dreamweaver
• Macro Media
• Quicken
• Visio
• WordPerfect
• all other Adobe products

FURNITURE STANDARDS FOR NON-FACULTY OFFICES

The following standards are based on two presumptions:

1. The office to be furnished is currently empty.
2. There is sufficient spacing to accommodate a U-shaped workstation and additional furniture as needed for each level.

Each section has an a-la-carte area listing a component price range. In some cases, the minimum amounts will be significantly less than the recommendation. This is due to the variances between furniture lines. In some cases, it will make sense to explore the least-expensive option, but in other offices, doing so would clash with existing standards for the office and not be appropriate. The ranges have built-in flexibility to allow for the diversity of the College. 

Note: While large spikes in furniture prices are not common, these figures should be revisited on an annual basis to assess price increases and changes in market conditions.

Employees whose job duties include the need for a wireless device may use a College-owned device or receive extra compensation, in the form of a monthly salary allowance, to cover business-related costs. No further reimbursement for wireless devices is available to employees who have such an allowance. Full information can be found by reading the SF Wireless Device Policy.

ALLOWANCES

To request an allowance for business use of a personal wireless device, use the Wireless Allowance Request form. Budget Authorities must also complete a Budget Transfer Request form to move the budget from current expense to personnel expense. Today most plans include unlimited talk and text, while the cost of data remains the most variable. Frequent users of wireless devices for College business purposes may be entitled to an allowance based on the following usage:

Allowances must be reviewed at least on a yearly basis. New forms for allowances must be submitted each fiscal year. Check this page before submitting to see if the recommended allowances have changed.

OTHER COSTS

As needs for each department may vary, additions to the allowance may be included as warranted. The decision to include or not include additions rests with the Budget Authority/Vice President.

COLLEGE-OWNED DEVICES

If your device is a cellular and/or wireless device (smartphone, tablet) and was purchased with College funds, then the College will continue to own that equipment.

Effective July 1, 2016, the College has contracted with the Pepsi Beverages Company to provide certain exclusive beverages on all SF campuses. This means that only Pepsi brand beverages (or brands owned by or licensed to Pepsi) may be served at on-campus College events. See the Beverage Exclusivity Page for full details of this agreement and instructions on how to order Pepsi products for your on-campus event.

Beverage exclusivity does not apply to:

1. Beverages not covered by the agreement
2. College events taking place off campus
3. Personal beverages not part of a College function

Per College Rule 5.2, College employees are NOT authorized to sign contracts or agreements on behalf of the College (except as noted below). Depending on the document and the amount of the purchase, the authority to sign contracts rests with the Purchasing Director, Vice Presidents, the President, or the Chair of the Board of Trustees. If you have a contract, agreement, or any binding terms/conditions that require a signature, forward it to Purchasing for review. 

Exception: Contracts for Personal Professional Services are signed by a budget authority, and must also be signed by a Vice President. (See more in the following section.)

Most non-employee individuals who are hired to provide a service to the College must complete a Contract for Personal Professional Services. (Refer to the contract form for complete requirements.) As with all vendors, a completed W-9 must be on file before a PO can be created.

Contracts must be completely filled out and signed by all of the following:

1. the contractor
2. the project coordinator
3. the department's budget authority
4. the department's Vice President

IMPORTANT

• A fully signed contract must be turned in BEFORE the service is performed.
• The purchase order will not be issued until ALL signatures have been obtained.
• Other documentation (such as certification of insurance) may be required.
• No SF employee may be hired as an independent contractor!

Contracts over $35,000 must also be signed by the SF Board of Trustees Chair. Certain contracts may require further documentation, such as specifications, proof of insurance, etc.

PAYMENT: Don't forget to submit a completed Consultant/Contract Services Payment Form to Accounts Payable to ensure prompt payment.

If you have questions, contact Heather for contracts less than $5000 and Tyffany for contracts greater than $5000. Contact Accounts Payable with questions regarding payment.

The Purchasing Agent processes all Tempforce POs and change orders.

PURCHASE ORDERS

A purchase order is not required to begin the screening, testing, and/or approval process for an individual you have chosen to hire – however, a purchase order IS required before Tempforce can employ that individual and pay them on behalf of the College.

A purchase order cannot be created without ALL of the following required information:

1. Name of individual to be employed
2. Who is referring the individual (Tempforce or the College)
3. Beginning and ending date of employment
4. Hourly pay rate, not including markup
5. The position's markup percentage (see table below) & 29¢/hour fee
6. Expected weekly hours worked
7. Contact name/phone/email of the individual’s supervisor

CHANGES

All changes to a Tempforce employee's status MUST be in the form of a written change order sent by Purchasing to Tempforce. Inform the Purchasing Agent immediately of any employee changes, according to the requirements below.

Additions, deletions, and changes cannot be made without all of the following information:

1. Name of individual(s) affected
2. Date when change(s) will take effect
3. Pay rates (if changing)
4. Weekly hours (if changing)

TEMPFORCE PERCENTAGE MARKUP*

*NOTE: After markup, there is an additional 29¢ per hour fee.