The Procurement Services exists to aid Units in purchasing goods and services in the most cost effective manner possible. In almost all cases the Requisition serves as the document through which requests are made.
A prepayment request for goods and services may not be solicited on a Direct Payment Voucher. It must be requested on a Requisition. This procedure is designed to avoid duplicate payments. Originators must state on the Requisition that "prepayment is a condition of order" and attach supporting vendor documentation.
At no time can the University accept liability for goods or services provided without submitting one of the above forms in the proper time frames described in the appropriate instruction section.
All purchases made by the University are exempt from the Illinois Retailers Occupation Tax under provisions of Chapter 120, Section 441 of The Illinois Revised Statutes. Further, the University is exempt from federal excise taxes and certain taxes on gasoline and oil. Questions regarding tax exempt status should be directed to the Controller's Office, extension 5143.
After the decision has been made to procure goods or services the Requisition is completed by the requestor and approved by the fiscal agent. See section G1 for types of purchases which do not need to be placed on a Requisition. Section M11 details the instructions for preparing the Requisition.
The Requisition is a numbered three part form ordered without charge from Printing Services on a Forms Requisition. After the Requisition has been approved, the white and yellow copies of the Requisition are forwarded to the Office of University Budgets, except in the following cases:
The Publications Office staff must approve all design specifications for marketing and administrative materials. Contact the Publications Office for information on procedures for approval of artwork before printing. To obtain design services, fill out a Graphics Request. The form is available from the Publications Office.
All printing either on campus or off campus must be sent to Printing Services. By the time a Requisition is prepared, the client should have already met with the publications and graphics staff of Community Affairs and Publications and Printing Services will have made the decision to send the job off campus for printing. See section L7 of this manual for a detailed description of the printing policy.
A Requisition detailing full specifications should be completed for off campus printing. Artwork and a Requisition approved by the appropriate areas must be forwarded to Community Affairs and Publications for approval to ensure that visual and editorial standards are being met. If Publications approves the Requisition, they will forward it to Printing Services for their approval. If not approved by either office, the Requisition will be returned to the fiscal agent. If approved, the Requisition will be forwarded directly to Procurement Services for processing.
Facilities Management: Facilities Management has coordination authority over a wide range of equipment and items of a contractual nature. See W7 for listings (Click the back button to return.)
To obtain Facilities Management approval, forward the Requisition with appropriate supporting documentation to Facilities Management. If approved, Facilities Management will forward the Requisition to Procurement Services; if not, the Requisition will be returned to the fiscal agent.
Procurement Services has the coordination authority over surplus furniture vs. new furniture. This coordination will be accomplished by screening all Requisitions and contracts, contacting Central Management Services (CMS), State Surplus Property Warehouse for available suitable furniture, completing the mandatory affidavit if surplus furniture is not available and contacting the unit with instructions for acquiring surplus furniture when available. If the NEIU unit does not agree to accept the surplus furniture, the unit must submit, to Procurement Services, justification for non-acceptance. Only after final agreement with CMS that acceptable surplus furniture is not available, the Requisition will be approved and processed.
Office of University Budgets personnel test each Requisition for authorized signatures and available funds. In instances when proposed expenditures exceed available funds or the signatures do not match the signature cards on file, the Requisition will be returned to the fiscal agent. When funds are insufficient, the fiscal agent is expected to transfer funds to the appropriate line item before resubmitting the Requisition. In an emergency situation, a budget override may be requested to expedite the purchase of the goods or services. Override authority for expenditures made by agency accounts and grants resides with the Controller's Office. Override authority for expenditures made with all other local funds and all appropriated funds resides with the Office of University Budgets.
The request is then reviewed by purchasing management
for propriety and compliance with the State Purchasing Act and University
policy. If the Requisition meets all of these tests, a Purchase
Order will be issued to the requested vendor.