Purchasing

These are the steps taken during the purchasing process.

1.Susan identifies a purchasing need and obtains a quote from a supplier. If the item is less than $1500, it can be purchased with a p-card. If it is more than $5000, Susan provides three quotes, or a justification statement of why only one quote was needed (sole source). If it is above $50,000, a tender is issued for the item through Financial Services. 2.Susan picks up the Preq form from Rod in Stores (the Preq has a unique identifier #), and adds the tender number, if any, and CFI line # (collection code) , if known, in the special instructions area. 3.Susan will provide Tracy with the Preq form (with the updated special instructions area) and the quote from the supplier. 4.Tracy compares the quote to the tender (from the tender# in the special instructions area, if any). If the quote doesn’t match the tender, she lets Susan know. 5.Tracy completes the Preq form, attaches quote, and Tracy gives to Fred or Ron to sign. The Preq is prepared, noting the currency (USD, CAN or other) for proper currency conversion. The ship to code is OTN, unless pick up or delivery outside of Dalhousie is requested. 6.Once signed, the Preq is scanned with the quote and given a standardized name (Preq#_company name_YYYY-MM-DD) 7.Tracy sends the PDF to procurement@dal.ca. Purchasing issues the PO, and Bobbi Ciz sees the CFI line and OTN line and adds this to her list when she does her monthly reconciliation. 8.Tracy posts the PDF on PLONE in Groups/HQ/Field Ops/Inventory/PO or /Preq. The Preqs and POs are filed by number. 9.Tracy updates the master spreadsheet and the Description field on the PDF in PLONE. 10.Tracy checks FS Online each morning to determine which POs has been assigned. When a PO is issued, the PO is printed to PDF, and attached to the Preq file. The PDF is moved from the Preq folder in PLONE to the PO folder. 11.Tracy updates the spreadsheet and the description line on the PDF with the PO number. 12.The master spreadsheet is maintained on Tracy’s computer and uploaded to PLONE on the last working day before the 15th of each month. The item is received. 1.Rod Stewart in Stores provides a receiving copy to Susan. 2.When the items are received, Susan signs the receiving copy and puts the receiving copy and any other packing paperwork or waybills and provides this to Tracy. 3.Tracy scans the receiving copy and sends the PDF to Lydia Somers. 4.Tracy scans the receiving copy and packing lists/customs paperwork/waybills to PDF, and appends that PDF to the PO PDF in PLONE 5.The shipment receipt and the Sales Order Number (Job # or Supplier’s Reference Number) are recorded by Tracy on spreadsheet and in the description on the PO in PLONE. 6.Tracy files the original PO and Preq hardcopies are merged in the filing cabinet with receiving copy and additional paperwork. The packet is moved in files to either PO’s in process (partial orders) and Completed POs file folder (completed orders). 7.The master spreadsheet is maintained on Tracy’s computer and uploaded to PLONE on the last working day before the 15th of each month. Invoice arrives. 1.In the case of Purchase orders, the invoice is paid when the receiving copy is sent to Lydia Somers, since signature of the purchase order is enough to approve payment. 2.With internal invoices, a copy is sent directly to Bobbi Ciz via Financial Services by the billing department (PCPC, University Club, etc.). Not all departments are consistent with paperwork, so for Biology Stores or other departments, Bobbi Ciz requests a copy of the charges. A photocopy is made for the files and the original is sent to Bobbi. 3.For some vendors, such as Bell Mobility or Staples, an invoice arrives for Fred to sign. Fred signs the hardcopy of the invoice and either Fred or Tracy provides CFI line # and OTN line # (collection code), and the invoice is sent to Bobbi Ciz. The copy is filed by vendor. Inventory 1.When the tech specs come in from the supplier with the serials (before the items come in) Susan will send them to Marta. The tech specs include the sales order number. The sales order number is recorded by Tracy on the purchasing spreadsheet as the waybills and packing slips come in. 2.The shipping spreadsheet is updated by Susan at deployment, including purchase order number. Marta will receive the shipping spreadsheet from Susan, so Marta will receive the costs per shipment. The shipping spreadsheet includes the costs for each shipment (which Susan obtains from the various supplier and purchase orders), but isn’t sent to Marta until the metadata is received. 3.When items are not shipped, Susan creates a spreadsheet for each non-shipped deployment. She always includes extras, and waits until the shipment is confirmed (the extras are sent back, or damaged items are returned, for example), then provides that spreadsheet to Marta. 4.The database is updated with the information from the shipping (Susan) and purchasing (Tracy) spreadsheets, as well as the serial number spreadsheets provided by the vendors/suppliers. Tracy provides the purchasing spreadsheets on PLONE by the last working day before the 15th of each month. 5.Lenore will provide two separate reports: the active stations, and the separate costs divided out by deck boxes, receivers, and releases. Tender 1.A request for tender is issued through purchasing. 2.Bids on tender are received and evaluated. 3.One or more bids are accepted, dependent on price of goods, but also other factors, such as quality or goods. 4.A tender number is issued to the supplier with an agreement on price and delivery terms. 5.Preqs are filed against the tender. 6.As orders are placed against the tender, the prices of the items are crosschecked against the original bids.