1. When is a requisition necessary?
A requisition is necessary when requesting the purchase of goods and
services, regardless of the source of funds, unless the purchase is to
be made from petty cash (see the Handbook
of Operating Procedures (HOP), Section 6.4.3 , or from a voucher
for
services totaling $5,000 or less, in those categories identified in the
Handbook
of Operating Procedures (HOP), Section 6.7.5.
2. How long should departments expect the Purchasing Office
to take
in processing orders from requisitions received in the People Soft
system?
The amount of time for order processing varies
according to the necessity for various procurement methods, based upon the
total amount of the requisition. For orders up to $5,000, routine
processing time should be within five to seven business
days, after receipt of the "Approved" People Soft requisition in the
Purchasing Office. For orders exceeding $5,000 but less than $25,000,
informal bidding is required and routine processing time should be within
seven to ten
business days, after receipt of the "Approved" People Soft requisition
in the Purchasing Office. For orders totaling $25,000 and above, formal
bidding is required and routine processing time should be 25 calendar
days
or more, after receipt of the "Approved" People Soft requisition in the
Purchasing Office, depending upon the complexity of the product/service
specifications. (Please note that if your requisition requires the
Purchasing
department to add a new vendor to the vendor file, the processing time
stated above may be extended up to 10 days. The time period in which a
new vendor is set up is based on the vendor's ability to respond
quickly
to the Purchasing Department's request.)
*Processing Time may vary based on complexity of specifications.
|
|
|
|
|
| $0.00 - $5,000.00 | Non-Competitive | 5-7 Business Days | |
| Repairs
less than $5,000.00 (With or without parts included) |
Process as a LOCAL VOUCHER through the Accounting Department | If Vendor requires a Purchase Order number, contact the Purchasing Department's front desk, 562-6200, to obtain a "Reserved purchase order number". | |
| $5,000.01
- $25,000.00 |
3 Request
for Quotes from
the CMBL: 1 quote each from a minority-owned business and a woman-owned business |
7-10 Business Days | . |
| $25,000.01 and over | 3 Request
for Bids from
the CMBL: 1 quote each from a minority-owned business and a woman-owned business |
Within 25 Calendar Days, depending upon the complexity of the bid specifications. | . |
3. How do departments request a change to an order, after
the requisition
has been submitted to the Purchasing Office via People Soft?
A department should submit a request to the
designated buyer for the desired change(s) via e-mail, by an individual authorized to approve
People Soft requisitions within the department requesting the change and
from which the original requisition was submitted. If you are cancelling
a Requisition, please call Purchasing directly at 562-6200, to
expedite
the cancellation.
4. Who should be contacted for problems with orders, after
the items
have been received?
For problems with orders after the items have been received, the
Central
Receiving Department should be contacted at extension 7-6075 or 7-6019
for assistance.
5. How do I process a request for equipment repairs?
(Reference - Business
Affairs Bulletin # 03 - FY2005; and People
Soft Web Requisition Manual)
Should your area have a repair need less than $5,000.00, you no longer
need to obtain a purchase order prior to placing the repaired order
with
the vendor. This policy change includes those repairs for both
labor
as well as those that include labor and repair parts. After you
have
placed the repair request with the respective vendor, completed the
repair
and received the invoice, your area can then prepare a voucher for
payment
through Accounts Payable. Should any vendor “require” a purchase
order number prior to a repair being accepted or should your repair
exceed
$5,000.00, please contact the Purchasing Administrative team at
562-6200
to obtain a “reserved” purchase order number from the People Soft
system.
6. What is a Reserved purchase order number used for and
how is it
processed?
(Reference - Business
Affairs Bulletin - #03 - FY2005; and People
Soft Web Requisition Manual)
The Reserved purchase order number process is used for:
- Repairs less than $5000.00 where a Vendor requires a purchase order number. If the Repair is over $5000.00, the request needs to be submitted as a regular requisition in People Soft.
- Emergency situations, approved by the Director of Purchasing, that need to be expedited.
7. Does the Health Science Center have a contract for
providing temporary
employment services?
Yes. For specific details and procedures related
to our temporary employment services contracts, please reference
Business
Affairs Bulletin #01-FY2003
.
8. What is the price tolerance from Requisition to Purchase
Order? (Business
Affairs Bulletin # 21 - FY2002)
The purchasing buying staff has the functionality to proceed in
awarding
a purchase order as long as the finalized price from the respective
vendor
does not exceed the following formula: 500%, BUT NOT TO EXCEED $300.00
OF THE ORIGINAL REQUISITION PRICING. If the actual dollar cost for the
requested goods and/or service does exceed this formula, then the
requisition
must be disapproved, returned electronically to the requester with the
correct cost so that the budget check and pre encumbrance process is
implemented
again for the departmental approvers review/approval.
9. I was told the vendor I selected was on "Credit Hold",
what does
this mean?
When a vendor is on "Credit Hold" with the State of Texas, we are
mandated
by the State to withhold all payments and to cease any procurement
related
ventures with the company. The vendor may be on hold for various
reasons
which may include:
- Failure to pay State sales or franchise tax
- Delinquent in child support payments
- Non payment of fees
- Default or Non-payment of TGSLC Student Loan
Once the Purchase Order has been placed with the respective vendor, this is the legal contract between the vendor and the University. The document has been based on the negotiated pricing by the buyer on the quantity stated on the original requisition. In addition, Requisitions are routed to the Department Administrator and Project Manager with valid Budget Check for approval, prior to being received by the Purchasing department. An increase to the requisition after the approval has taken place, would bypass the department approval process which has been put into place for Budget management.
If more quantities are needed, a new requisition must be submitted.
11. When would I use the Urgent check box on the People
Soft requisition?
The Urgent check box is used to alert the Purchasing Department to
give the requisition priority shipping/handling. If product needs to be
ordered same day or next day and you are requesting overnight shipping,
the requisition should be marked "Urgent". Marking the requisition
"Urgent",
authorizes the buyer to use the quickest form of delivery to get the
product
delivered by the Due date specified. *Please be aware that when
using
the Urgent check box, that delivery charges may run between $50.00 -
$200.00.
12. How do I inquire on a purchase order in People Soft
when I don't
have the requisition number?
You
can
inquire on your purchase order via the Procure To Pay panel
found under the Financial tab on the UTHSCSA Portal. You can inquire
using the purchase order number, or the requisition number.
13. How do I check to see if my requisition has been
approved by
the department Administrator and Project Manager?
(Reference: People
Soft Web Requisition Manual)
After completing entry of a requisition, you may
check the status by using the Requisition Signature Inquiry in People
Soft.
14. Can I split one requisition to include two Project
Grant IDs?
The People Soft Web requisition and purchase order do not
allow for multiple Project Grant IDs. Thus, a separate requisition will need
to
be submitted for each Project Grant ID.
15. How much item description information do I need to use?
Item description
needs to
include:
| Complete Sample: | Incomplete Sample: | |
| Full Description of Item | 15 ml Conical Centrifuge Tubes Sterile | 15 ml Tubes |
| Catalog number | 21008-678 | 21008-678 |
| Units of measure | 500/case | |
| Brand name | Corning |
16. What is an Emergency Purchase Request?
(Reference - HOP
Section 6.7.3)
An emergency purchase allows for the expeditious purchase of supplies
or equipment needed immediately to prevent financial loss or
operational
damage to the University. Anticipating departmental needs will
eliminate
many emergencies. Prior approval by the Director or the Assistant
Director
of Purchasing is required for this type of purchase.
17. What types of purchases go on a voucher?
(Reference - HOP
Section 6.7.5)
Classified advertising.
Consultants (Art. 6252-11c, V.T.C.S.) $5,000 or less.
Employee moving expenses.
Meals.
Medical prescriptions.
Membership fees and dues.
Notary fees.
Postage and box rent.
Professional dues.
Professional services and fees (Art. 664-4, V.T.C.S.).
Refunds.
Registration fees and associated books/materials.
Repairs less than $5,000.00
Textbooks for public free schools.
Tuition under the Employees Training Act of 1969.
(See HOP Section 6.7.5 for entire list)
18. What is a blanket order and how do I use it?
(Reference - HOP
Section 6.7.3)
Blanket and standing orders are issued for commodities which are used
frequently by a department. The department should estimate the quantity
of the items desired, determine the effective dates of the order and
proposed
delivery schedule, and place this information on a People Soft
Requisition.
Please call the Purchasing Department for assistance with the set up of
this type of order.
19. What is a Sole Source/Sole Brand purchase?
(Reference - HOP
Section 6.7.3; People
Soft Web Requisition Manual)
Only source purchases are made for requests which contain
specifications
or conditions proprietary to one vendor, thereby eliminating the
possibility
of obtaining competitive bids. Only brand purchases are made
for
requests which contain specifications or conditions unique to a
specific
brand, thereby eliminating the possibility of competitive bids for
other
than the specified brand.
An electronic Sole Source or Sole Brand Justification
needs to be submitted with the People Soft Requisition for this type of
purchase to be considered for review and approval by the Purchasing
Director.
The People Soft Sole Source/Brand Justification form can be found in
the Memo
Button at the Edits and Comments panel.
20. What is an Improper Purchase and how will it be
paid? Does
this mean I can't place my own orders?
(Reference - HOP
Section 6.7.3)
No individual has the authority
to enter into purchase contracts or in any way obligate the funds
of
the Health Science Center unless specifically authorized by
the
Director of Purchasing, the Health
Science
Center's President, the Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs,
or
by the Board of Regents. The Health Science Center cannot
assume
liability for payment of purchases made in any manner other than those
outlined herein.
21. Why is selecting the correct CATID on the Peoplesoft
Web requisition
so important?
It is important to choose the correct CATID at the time of keying the
requisition so that each transaction will be classified correctly on
your
Data Warehouse reports. The CATID you choose determines the account
number,
and it is the account number which appears on data warehouse reports to
denote the classification of expenditure. Example: You don't want
office supplies appearing on your financial reports as professional
services
and fees expenditures.
22. I requested my purchase order to be canceled. Why isn't my money back in my budget yet? What is the process and how long does it take?
The reversal of pre-encumbrances and encumbrances depends on where your order is in the process:
- Your requisition has not been sourced to a purchase
order
yet, or it
has already been sourced to a purchase order, but the PO has not been
budget
checked.
In this case, no encumbrance will exist yet. What remains is a requisition pre-encumbrance. If a PO has been created, the PO is deleted and the requisition is canceled. A process known as REQRCON (requisition reconciliation) runs every Friday at 6 AM, which marks the requisition for closure. Later that evening, two additional processes--budget checking and posting--run. When budget checking runs, it reverses the requisition pre-encumbrance for budget purposes, freeing up these dollars in the Budget Ledger so they can be used for other purchases. When posting runs, the requisition pre-encumbrance is reversed from the Actuals Ledger, which is the basis for the Data Warehouse reports. - Your requisition has been sourced to a purchase order,
and the PO has
been budget checked and posted, but there have been no receipts or
vouchers
against the purchase order.
Once a PO is budget checked, the requisition pre-encumbrance is reversed and a PO encumbrance is created. To reverse the PO encumbrance, the purchase order must be canceled. This initiates a process known as PORECON (purchase order reconciliation), which marks the purchase order for closure. That evening, the budget checking and posting processes run. When budget checking runs, it reverses the PO encumbrance for budget purposes, freeing up these dollars in the Budget Ledger so they can be used for other purchases. When posting runs, the PO encumbrance is reversed from the Actuals Ledger, which is the basis for the Data Warehouse reports. Following PO cancellation, the requisition is also canceled. If the requisition pre-encumbrance for any line exceeds the amount encumbered by the PO, the excess pre-encumbrance is reversed when REQRCON (described above) runs and marks the requisition for closure.