Competitive Procurement (6.01)

Procedures for Single Purchase Orders

Competitive Procurement. (6.01)

Competitive procurement is required in accordance with the dollar thresholds in Chapter IV.

The University conducts free and open competition for its purchases to the maximum extent practical. The University will be alert to organizational conflicts of interest as well as noncompetitive practices among contractors that may restrict or eliminate competition or otherwise restrain trade. In order to ensure objective contractor performance and eliminate unfair competitive advantage, contractors that develop or draft specifications, requirements, statements of work, invitations for bids, and/or requests for proposals shall be excluded from competing for such procurements. Awards shall be made to the bidder or offeror whose bid or offer is responsive to the solicitation and is most advantageous to the University based upon such considerations as price, quality, and other relevant factors. Solicitations shall clearly set forth all requirements that the bidder or offeror shall fulfill in order for the bid or offer to be evaluated by the recipient. Any and all bids or offers may be rejected when it is in the recipient?s interest to do so. See OMB Circular A-110__.43

A. Threshold limits. A procurement shall not be artificially divided in order to avoid the threshold limits. A Department or the Purchasing Office may at their discretion secure competitive bids regardless of the dollar thresholds at anytime. Furthermore, the Purchasing Office may, at its discretion, conduct negotiations with more than the apparent low bidder when it is deemed by the University to be in its best interest.

See Appendix 8, Bid Thresholds and Appendix 11, Policies and Procedures for Vendor Qualification and Purchasing of Facilities Services for bid thresholds in connection with the purchase of Construction/Facilities Services.

B. Rejection of bids. The University reserves the right to reject all bids, quotations and/or proposals and re-solicit or cancel the procurement if deemed by the University to be in its best interest. See OMB Circular A-110__.43.

C. Best price. When determining best price, the University will consider pricing, warranties, maintenance, terms and conditions, delivery, payment terms, discounts, life cycle costs, vendor performance, and other matters relevant to the procurement.