If you need to procure merchandise or services that a) require acknowledgement of terms and conditions and/or b) exceed $15,000.00 in total, then the procurement justification or procurement award must be based on university guidelines regarding informal bids, formal solicitations, or exclusive acquisition justifications. Please review each tab below for specific guidelines based on your dollar amount.

We are never allowed to sign a vendor’s contract. Only Business Contracts is allowed to sign contracts for every unit within the university. For campus policy information, see the Handbook of Business Procedures, 7.4. Purchasing Process - General Information.

Contract policies vary depending on the total value and/or vendor requirements. For more information, please reference the following guidelines:

$0-$15,000

Generally, purchases in the range of $0-$15,000 may be authorized via Purchase Order; however, there are times when vendors request signature on their contract or they require specific terms to provide a good/service. Submit a Contract Request with the following information:

description of goods/service(s) needed
vendor contract needing signature*, reviewed for accuracy OR applicable contract template
vendor information and EID
total cost and payment breakdown (e.g. $cost/unit x #months)
date span or receive date
departmental account number

*If you are using a vendor-provided contract, you must include an Addendum to Agreement with your uploaded materials.

Processing timelines may vary due to the particular requirements of each agreement. We ask that you submit your contract requests at least 3 weeks in advance of good/service need.

When procuring a good or service from an individual, you must always complete an Employee/Independent Contractor Classification Checklist (EICCC) to determine the most appropriate way to proceed with authorization. This form must be included with your Invoice Payment Request form when paying Independent Contractors.

$15,000-$50,000

For purchases over $15,000.00, your department is required to obtain a minimum of three quotes* by mail, email, or fax and submit them via Contract Request with the following information:

description of goods/service(s) needed
vendor contract needing signature**, reviewed for accuracy OR applicable contract template
vendor information and EID
total cost and payment breakdown (e.g. $cost/unit x #months)
date span or receive date
departmental account number

*A good-faith effort should be made to include at least one quote from a minority-owned or woman-owned business.

**If you are using a vendor-provided contract, you must include an Addendum to Agreement with your uploaded materials.

Processing timelines may vary due to the particular requirements of each agreement. We ask that you submit your contract requests at least 4 weeks in advance of good/service need.

Once purchasing reviews your initial contract packet, they may determine additional documentation is needed to satisfy the contracting requirements.

In some instances, competition does not exist, or it is in the university’s best interest to use a particular product or service. If your purchase meets these conditions, attach the most appropriate non-competitive supplemental form (completed and unsigned) listed below to your Contract Request. Bidding may be bypassed at the determination of Central Procurement. Business Office Support Services will coordinate with Central Procurement to determine the best next steps and communicate via your request throughout the process. For more information about exclusive acquisition justifications, see the Handbook of Business Procedures 7.5.3. Exclusive Acquisitions.

Supplemental Documentation for Non-Competitive Contract Process

Proprietary (as defined in Texas Education Code 51.9335 b)

Justification for a proprietary purchase is used when the goods or services are only available through a single source. The Purchasing Office establishes that the selection meets best value criteria. Some examples include:

Equipment maintenance or repair parts from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM)
Pharmaceuticals or chemical reagents that are only available through one supplier
Software or software maintenance that is only available through one software supplier.

Best Value (as defined in Texas Education Code 51.9335 b)

Justification for a best-value purchase is used when it is in the best interest of the university to use the particular product or service, but there is actually more than one source available. The Purchasing Office establishes that the selection meets best-value criteria. Some examples include:

Utilization of an add-on program to an existing contract that leads to overall efficiency and cost savings
Specific reagents used in long-term experiments. For continuity of research, a lab would need to continue using the same products for the duration of the experiment.
Compatibility with existing equipment. A laboratory is purchasing a new component from a supplier to add to an existing piece of equipment to enhance its quality/performance.
A contract or grant specifically names a supplier, product, or service that is required for the university to use.

Emergency Purchase

Justification for an emergency purchase occurs as the result of an unforeseen circumstance that requires an immediate response to prevent financial or operational damage to the university. If a situation arises in which routine compliance with procurement practice is impractical and not in the university’s best interest, an emergency purchase may be warranted to prevent a hazard to life, health, safety, welfare, or property, or to avoid undue additional cost to the university. Emergency purchases of goods or services are performed to restore a system to its original intended functionality and must not exceed the scope or duration of the emergency. The Purchasing Office will establish that the selection meets best value criteria. Note: In cases where Purchasing Office management is not available to provide the second approval signature on the exclusive acquisition form, the Purchasing Office Buyer may proceed with approval and issuance of the PO. The manager’s signature must be obtained afterward.

Professional Services (as defined in Texas Government Code 2254.002)

Professional service providers must normally be pre-qualified based upon a Request for Qualifications (RFQ). The contract award is based on negotiation with the most qualified provider. When a professional service is required and no pre-qualification has been established, a contract award must be justified as an exclusive acquisition to establish that the selection meets best-value criteria.

A provider of professional services may not be selected on the basis of competitive bids, but rather on basis of demonstrated competence and qualifications to perform the service and for a fair and reasonable price.
Professional service providers are normally licensed or certified and the scope of their services include:
- accounting
- architecture
- landscape architecture
- land surveying
- medicine
- optometry
- professional engineering
- real estate appraising
- professional nursing

$50,000+

When executing a high value contract, there are many factors that must be taken into consideration and require additional analysis from the business office. Please submit a Contract Request with the following information, and a member of our team will offer consultation on the contracting process:

description of goods/service(s) needed
vendor contract needing signature*, reviewed for accuracy OR applicable contract template
vendor information and EID
total cost and payment breakdown (e.g. $cost/unit x #months)
date span or receive date
departmental account number

*If you are using a vendor-provided contract, you must include an Addendum to Agreement with your uploaded materials.

Because this process requires multiple units offering review and approval, please begin this process a minimum of 8 weeks in advance of service/merchandise need.

Authorizations for Goods and/or Services