Purchasing Practices

Authority to Purchase

Camosun College Purchasing Practices fall under the Financial Responsibility and Accountability Policy approved by the Board of Governors March 24, 2003. The Purchasing Department has been delegated authority by the Chief Financial Officer to commit the College to binding agreements such as Purchase Orders, Blanket Purchase Orders and the resulting contracts, from all sources of college funding.

Orders placed in the name of the College without an authorized Purchase Order, or as outlined in these procedures, will be the obligation of the person placing the order and not the obligation of the College.

Purchasing Practices

All purchases, including financial commitment for goods and services, are to be made through the Purchasing Department. Exceptions are for items governed by other procedures or policies, such as Payment Voucher, Petty Cash, or VISA Purchasing card processes. All capital expenditures, regardless of dollar value, are to be processed through Purchasing.

Purchase Order & Blanket Purchase Order. Purchase Orders (PO) are used for one time purchases over $1000.  Goods under $1000 can be purchased via Payment Voucher or the College Procurement Card, as and when appropriate.

Blanket Purchase Orders (BPO) are used for repetitive routine purchases under $1000, and from a single vendor for a set period of time (usually one fiscal year).  BPOs are restricted to specific users.

Requisitions. A Requisition must be written and approved before Purchasing staff can write a PO or BPO.  For training in Colleague Requisitions, contact the Purchasing Office.  It is the responsibility of all departments and Schools to ensure they have adequate staff trained in writing requisitions and approvers are in place.  The Purchasing Department recommends at least two people in each department be trained in requisitions.

Payment Voucher. Payment Vouchers are for use to request payment for subscriptions, memberships, honorariums, cash advances, conference registration fees, catering services from Aramark, Continuing Education instructors (including reimbursement of materials required to supply for classes). Not to be used for other goods or services.

Petty cash. Petty Cash is for acquiring materials and supplies of a minor nature, to a maximum of $100 with no single item exceeding $50.

VISA Procurement Card. The VISA Procurement Card is for use wherever possible to purchase materials, supplies and travel bookings, as is appropriate within the Procedural Guidelines. General card limits use a guideline of $1,000 per transaction. A few examples of appropriate Visa purchases are: subscriptions, professional association fees, stationery items, routine low value items, catering, vehicle rental, and travel bookings.

Procurement Cards are not for capital purchases or items such as computers, software, dangerous/hazardous goods. Camosun faculty and staff can apply for a Procurement Card using the application found on the Purchasing SharePoint site, or by sending a request to the Purchasing Office.

Emergency Purchases. Emergency Purchases are defined as:

• Goods or services to preserve the safety of staff, students or the public
• Goods or services required to prevent damage to College facilities
• Goods or services required to restore essential pieces of equipment to service
• Goods or services required to restore essential physical plant services

Purchasing staff are able to place orders on an emergency basis during regular working hours. Outside of these hours, in an emergency, a Dean /Director (or designate) may authorize the immediate purchase of any goods or service required. 
 
Disposal of Surplus. The Purchasing Department is responsible for the disposal of all surplus materials and assets through re-allocation, direct sale, auction, trade, donation or landfill.

General Principles

The Purchasing Department uses, in part, dollar value to determine the procurement process used to obtain goods or services. 

Under $1,000. The VISA Procurement Card should be used wherever possible for supplies and travel bookings. Petty cash provisions may also apply. Repetitive purchases over $1,000 annually are more appropriately handled using a Blanket Purchase Order.

Orders with a value of up to $5,000. One to three quotes are required, at the discretion of Purchasing staff. The Purchasing Department may obtain the required quotes using an informal process. The Chief Financial Officer may delegate solicitation of quotes to individuals and/or some departments.

Orders with a value between $5,000 and $24,999. Two to three quotes are required, at the discretion of Purchasing staff.  The Purchasing Department will obtain the required quotes using an informal process. The Chief Financial Office may delegate solicitation of quotes to individuals and /or some departments. 

Orders with a value of over $25K to $49,999. Three formal quotes are required.  Purchasing staff will solicit and obtain quotes. 

Orders with a value of over $50K. A formal sealed process is required.  Depending on the value and the type of goods/services sought, the Purchasing Department will initiate and manage a Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), Expression of Interest (EOI), Request for Information (RFI), or Stipulated Price Construction document. 

These are legal processes aimed at acquiring goods and/or services at the best value will maintaining the highest levels of transparency, fairness, and accountability.

Trade Agreements. Procurement over the thresholds of $100,000 for goods and services and $250,000 for construction must be made in compliance with all the provisions of the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT). These provisions include the national advertising of tendering opportunities using an electronic tendering system, such as B.C. Bid.

Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) was made active on April 28, 2006 between Alberta and British Columbia.  This groundbreaking agreement was created to remove barriers to trade, investment and labour mobility between the two provinces. After April 1, 2009, procurement over the thresholds of $75,000 for goods and services and $200,000 for construction must be made in compliance with all the provisions of the Agreement.

Building on TILMA, the New West Partnership Agreement (NWPTA) now includes Saskatchewan, and as of July 1, 2013. 

Green procurement policy. Wherever possible, specifications for goods and services will provide for the expanded use of environmentally preferred products to assure minimal impact on the environment while ensuring that product performance criteria and fiscal responsibility are met.

Energy Procurement Policy. Wherever possible, specifications for goods and services will provide for the expanded use of EnergyStar rated products to assure minimal impact on the Colleges energy usage while ensuring that product performance criteria and fiscal responsibility are met.

Sole Source Justification. An items with specifications so specialized that only one source of supply exists are “sole source” items.  Sole source purchases are generally frowned upon, but with a legitimate justification written in a brief statement, they can be approved.  The sole source justification must illustrate how the specifications are unique and why alternatives or equivalents are not acceptable. The Dean or Director of the department must sign the statement. Although the item may not be tendered to a number of vendors, the Purchasing Department may still issue a tender to the vendor to establish specific contractual requirements.

Unsolicited Proposals. Vendors presenting an unsolicited proposal to the college will still be required to undergo normal procurement practices prior to any commitment being made.

Vendor Sales or Service Agreement. Purchasing Policies do not allow for the signing of vendor’s sales or service agreements.
The College viewpoint is that if the College has made an offer to purchase based on the our terms and conditions, and by the vendor submitting an offer, the vendor has accepted those terms and conditions. The acceptance of the offer is completed with the issuance of the Purchase Order, which concludes the formation of the contract.

Receiving Department. All packing slips for goods received or services performed must be sent to the Receiving Department to be entered into Colleaque.  Receiving staff entries are a key step in the process to facilitate payment of invoices within 30 days. All packing slips must reference the correct Purchase Order number.

Returns. All returns must be processed through the Receiving Department. They must reference the correct Purchase Order number the goods were originally ordered on. Where items were bought with Petty Cash or the VISA procurement card, it is the responsibility of the purchaser to arrange for their return or exchange.