SECTION J: PROCUREMENT. I. Introduction. II. Procurement Standards

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1 SECTION J: PROCUREMENT I. Introduction The purchasing of products or services must be executed in accordance with all applicable state and federal statutes, including the Uniform Guidance, in an efficient and business-like manner. The following College policies are to be followed by all College personnel participating in purchasing activities, regardless of funding source. For all policies outlined in this section, the term must is a requirement and the term should references a best practice, suggestion or recommendation. Violation of procurement policies, may result in disciplinary actions pursuant to the Employee Handbooks. II. Procurement Standards 1. Codes of Conduct No employee, officer, or agent shall participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract if a real or apparent conflict of interest would be involved. Such a conflict would arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of his or her immediate family, his or her partner, or an organization which employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in the firm selected for an award. The officers, employees, and agents of the College shall neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from contractors, or parties to subagreements. The College may take appropriate disciplinary actions for violations of such standards by officers, employees, or agents of the recipient. See College s Conflict of Interest Policy in Human Resources Employee Handbooks for further information. 2. Competition All procurement transactions must be conducted in a manner that provides open and free competition. This means situations must be avoided that may prevent competition, such as placing unreasonable requirements on firms to qualify noncompetitive pricing practices between firms or affiliated companies or specifying only a brand name.

2 To ensure objective contractor performance and eliminate unfair competitive advantage, contractors that develop or draft specifications, requirements, statements of work, or invitations for bid or requests for proposal must be excluded from competing for such procurements. Additionally, other situations considered to be restrictive of competition include but are not limited to: placing unreasonable qualifying requirements on firms; requiring unnecessary experience and excessive bonding requirements; noncompetitive pricing practices between firms or affiliated companies; noncompetitive contracts to consultants that are on retainer; and any arbitrary action in the procurement process. The College must conduct procurements in a manner that prohibits the use of statutorily or administratively imposed state, local, or tribal geographical preferences in the evaluation of bids or proposals, except in those cases where applicable Federal statutes expressly mandate or encourage geographic preference. Nothing in this section preempts state licensing laws. When contracting for architectural and engineering (A/E) services, geographic location may be a selection criterion provided its application leaves an appropriate number of qualified firms, given the nature and size of the project, to compete for the contract. III. The Purchasing Process A. Identify Need Faculty or staff may identify a need for products or services necessary for effective operation of instructional programs or support services. Procurement or Business Office staff may be consulted during the assessment of the need and the evaluation of alternative types of items which may meet the requirements; products such as equipment, supplies, etc., or services such as rental of facilities, printing, advertising, etc. Unnecessary or duplicative items should not be purchased. Consideration should be given to consolidating or breaking out procurements to obtain a more economical purchase. Where appropriate, an analysis must be made of lease versus purchase alternatives as well as any other appropriate analysis to determine the most economical approach. Purchasers are encouraged to use Federal excess and surplus property in lieu of purchasing new equipment and property whenever such use is feasible and reduces project costs. State and local intergovernmental agreements should be used whenever appropriate. Use value engineering clauses in contracts for construction projects of sufficient size to offer reasonable opportunities for cost reductions.

3 B. Develop Product Specification/Request for Proposal Requests for proposals should be solicited from service providers for any services for which a pricing agreement may be financially beneficial to the College. These services may be bid for a period up to three years. Requests to bid contracts for periods in excess of three years must be approved by the Senior VP/CFO. All procurement transactions must be conducted in a manner providing full and open competition. The preparation of proper product technical specifications or service specifications is a critical component of the purchasing process. Specifications should describe what is required or desired and provide a common basis for securing bids. Incorporate a clear and accurate description of the technical requirements for the material, product, or service to be procured. The description may include a statement of the qualitative nature of the material, product or service to be procured and, when necessary, must set forth those minimum essential characteristics and standards to which it must conform if it is to satisfy its intended use. Identify all requirements which the offerors must fulfill and all other factors to be used in evaluating bids or proposals. Specifications must clearly and accurately describe the kind and quantity of the materials, product, or service needed, avoiding restrictive specifications that might unduly limit competition. When it is impractical or not economical to make a clear and accurate description of the technical requirements, a brand name or equivalent description may be used as a means to define the performance or other salient requirements of procurement If brand specifications are used, the specifications must include a statement that competitive bids of equivalent and quality level will be acceptable and that no restrictions or limitations are intended by use of a specific brand name. The College must comply with section 6002 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The requirements of Section 6002 include procuring only items designated in guidelines of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at 40 CFR part 247 that contain the highest percentage of recovered materials practical, consistent with maintaining a satisfactory level of competition, where the purchase price of the item exceeds $10,000 or the value of the quantity acquired during the preceding fiscal year exceeded $10,000;

4 procuring solid waste management services in a manner that maximizes energy and resource recovery; and establishing an affirmative procurement program for procurement of recovered materials identified in the EPA guidelines. For Federally funded construction or facility improvement contracts or subcontracts exceeding the Simplified Acquisition ($150,000) threshold, the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity may accept the bonding policy and requirements of the College provided that the Federal awarding agency or College has made a determination that the Federal interest is adequately protected. If such a determination has not been made, the minimum requirements must be as follows: (a) A bid guarantee from each bidder equivalent to five percent of the bid price. The bid guarantee must consist of a firm commitment such as a bid bond, certified check, or other negotiable instrument accompanying a bid as assurance that the bidder will, upon acceptance of the bid, execute such contractual documents as may be required within the time specified. (b) A performance bond on the part of the contractor for 100 percent of the contract price. A performance bond is one executed in connection with a contract to secure fulfillment of all the contractor s obligations under such contract. (c) A payment bond on the part of the contractor for 100 percent of the contract price. A payment bond is one executed in connection with a contract to assure payment as required by law of all persons supplying labor and material in the execution of the work provided for in the contract. For non-federally funded construction projects that fits the definition below, refer to Section X Capital Projects. Capital Projects involve the construction, alteration or repair and rehabilitation to real property owned or leased by Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana. "Repair and rehabilitation project" means any project to repair, rehabilitate, remodel, renovate, reconstruct, or finish existing facilities or buildings; to improve, replace, or add utilities or fixed equipment; and to perform site improvement work, whereby the exterior dimensions of any existing facilities or buildings remain substantially unchanged. C. Identify Potential Suppliers

5 Once an assessment has been completed, specifications developed, and a decision made about the best product or service that will meet the need, then initiate the process of identifying potential suppliers, vendors or service providers. The College must award contracts only to responsible contractors as defined by the following criteria. Contractors must possess the ability to perform successfully under the terms and conditions of a proposed procurement. Consideration will be given to such matters as contractor integrity, compliance with public policy, record of past performance, and financial and technical resources. Suspension and debarment checks for contracts over $25,000 should be made on the EPLS site ( and documented, or added in a clause in the procurement contract. Vendors must complete an ACH payment form, W-9 form, Supplier Diversity Information form and Non-Collusive Certificate form. (exceptions to ACH payment form may be granted by Systems Office Finance.) College Finance staff must submit the new supplier request, W-9 form and ACH authorization form via to vendorcreate@ivytech.edu. The forms should be password protected. Good business practices must be used and ethical standards followed when soliciting quotes, bids, and proposals from potential suppliers. Special attention should be given to situations where the available vendors providing the product or services are limited, in order not to limit the competitive process. The College must take all affirmative steps to assure that minority-owned businesses, womenowned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, and labor surplus area firms are used whenever possible. These steps include; 1. Identify and include in solicitations multiple qualified small, Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), Women s Business Enterprises (WBEs) and Veteran s Business Enterprises (VBEs). 2. Assure that small and Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), Women s Business Enterprises (WBEs) and Veteran s Business Enterprises (VBEs) are solicited whenever they are potential sources.

6 3. Dividing total requirements, when economically feasible, into smaller tasks or quantities to permit maximum participation by small and Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), Women s Business Enterprises (WBEs) and Veteran s Business Enterprises (VBEs). 4. Establish delivery schedules, where the requirement permits, which encourage participation by small and Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), Women s Business Enterprises (WBEs) and Veteran s Business Enterprises (VBEs). 5. Where there is involvement of a prime (or general) contractor, if subcontracts are to be let, require the contractor to take these same affirmative steps 6. Use the following resources to help ensure the solicitation respondent list is representative of the diversity in the communities that the College serves; o o o o Indiana Department of Administration Department Minority and Women's Business Enterprises Division website ( City of Indianapolis Department of Minority and Women Business Development Vendor-Listing.aspx Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council: Conexus Indiana: The College must ensure that all prequalified lists of persons, firms, or products which are used in acquiring goods and services are current and include enough qualified sources to ensure maximum open and free competition. Also, the College must not preclude potential bidders from qualifying during the solicitation period. D. Conduct Cost/Price Analysis The College must perform a cost or price analysis in connection with every procurement action in excess of $149,999 including contract modifications. Buyers are encouraged to conduct a price analysis for purchases over $9,999. The method and degree of analysis is dependent on the facts surrounding the particular procurement situation, but as a starting point, the College must make independent estimates before receiving bids or proposals.

7 There are various ways to conduct a price analysis. These include comparing offered prices including discounts with those listed in commercial catalogs, or with those recently submitted for similar services. It can be done, for example, by comparing the price quotes submitted by vendors, or by telephoning other vendors to obtain their market price, or simply by comparing published market prices (such as from a classroom supply catalog, for example). Cost analysis involves an examination of all the elements used in calculating a contract s total estimated cost. Every cost element listed in the vendor s offer must be examined. Additional cost analysis should be done if there are contract modifications that introduce new conditions or more current information is needed. The College must negotiate profit as a separate element of the price for each contract in which there is no price competition and in all cases where it meets or exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold (greater than $149,999). The cost plus a percentage of cost and percentage of construction cost methods of contracting must not be used. Cost Analysis documentation including quotes or bids received must be attached to the College s e-procurement system requisition and include vendor name, amount, and date received. After the bids have been submitted, the College must contract with the lowest and best bidder using terms and conditions that will accomplish the work at the lowest possible cost to the College. When the best quote or bid is not the lowest, documentation justifying the best quote or bid must be attached to the College s e-procurement system requisition E. Post Procurement Award Policies The College must maintain oversight to ensure that contractors perform in accordance with the terms, conditions and specifications detailed in contracts and purchase orders. All contracts made by the College must include the subsections of contractual clauses as outlined in The College may use a time and materials type contract only after a determination that no other contract is suitable and if the contract includes a ceiling price that the contractor exceeds at its

8 own risk. Time and materials type contract means a contract whose cost to the College is the sum of: (i) The actual cost of materials; and (ii) Direct labor hours charged at fixed hourly rates that reflect wages, general and administrative expenses, and profit. Since this formula generates an open-ended contract price, a time-and-materials contract provides no positive profit incentive to the contractor for cost control or labor efficiency. Therefore, each contract must set a ceiling price that the contractor exceeds at its own risk. Further, the College must assert a high degree of oversight in order to obtain reasonable assurance that the contractor is using efficient methods and effective cost controls. The College must be responsible, in accordance with good administrative practice and sound business judgment, for the settlement of all contractual and administrative issues arising out of procurements. These issues include, but are not limited to, source evaluation, protests, disputes, and claims. These standards do not relieve College of any contractual responsibilities under its contracts. Violations of law will be referred to the local, state or Federal authority having proper jurisdiction. F. Procurement Methods Non-Construction For Non-construction activities, the following methods must be used depending on the dollar value of the procurement. 1. Micro purchase: Purchases of $9,999 or less Acquisition that, in the aggregate, does not exceed the micro-purchase threshold. The College utilizes the threshold defined in Section 806 of the National Defense Authorization Act. To the extent practical, purchases in this category shall be distributed equitably among qualified suppliers. For example, when purchasing supplies, the campus might consider rotating purchases between vendors that offer similar rates. Purchases may be awarded without soliciting competitive quotations; price just must be reasonable. Recommend Price or rate quotations from more than one qualified source. o Can be informal phone call and document or web search

9 2. Small purchase: Purchases of $10,000 up to $149,999 Acquisition that, in the aggregate, does not exceed the small purchase threshold. No requirement for formal RFP solicitations. Quote (RFQ) procedures may be simple and informal. Include detailed business requirements with RFQ as necessary to obtain the best fit supplies, equipment or services for the College s needs. Price or rate quotations must be obtained from two or more qualified sources. When applicable, quotes may be obtained from a variety of simple sources, e.g., internet search, vendor price listing, verbal quotes, etc. 3. Methods of Procurement for Purchases over $149,999 up to $499,999 Procurement by competitive proposals. The technique of competitive proposals is normally conducted with more than one source submitting an offer, and either a fixed price or cost-reimbursement type contract is awarded. It is generally used when conditions are not appropriate for the use of sealed bids. In order for sealed bidding to be feasible, the following conditions should be present: a complete, adequate and realistic specification or purchase description is available two or more responsible bidders are willing and able to compete effectively for the business the procurement lends itself to a firm fixed price contract and the selection of the successful bidder can be made principally on the basis of price If this method is used, the following requirements apply: Requests for proposals must be publicized and identify all evaluation factors and their relative importance. Any response to publicized requests for proposals must be considered to the maximum extent practical; Proposals must be solicited from an adequate number of qualified sources; The College must have a written method for conducting technical evaluations of the proposals received and for selecting recipients;

10 Contracts must be awarded to the responsible firm whose proposal is most advantageous to the program, with price and other factors considered; The College may use competitive proposal procedures for qualifications-based procurement of architectural/engineering (A/E) professional services whereby competitors' qualifications are evaluated and the most qualified competitor is selected, subject to negotiation of fair and reasonable compensation. The method, where price is not used as a selection factor, can only be used in procurement of A/E professional services. It cannot be used to purchase other types of services though A/E firms are a potential source to perform the proposed effort. Quote, bid or proposal solicitations additional requirements: and Solicitations must be publicized and all necessary affirmative steps to assure that minority businesses, women s business enterprises, veteran s businesses and labor surplus area firms must be used when possible. (See Section C.) 4. Methods of Procurement for Purchases over $499,999 Must follow all of the steps for purchases greater than $149,999 and must obtain State Board of Trustees approval in the form of a resolution. 5. Procurement by non-competitive proposals (sole source) is allowable when one of the following circumstances apply: In the event a product or service is available from only one source; or The public exigency or emergency for the requirement will not permit a delay resulting from competitive solicitation; or The Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity expressly authorizes noncompetitive proposals in response to a written request from the College; or After solicitation of a number of sources, competition is determined inadequate. Sole source bid exception requests must be submitted to the Senior VP/CFO or designee for approval to proceed with purchase/contract. G. Procurement Methods For Federally Funded Construction

11 For Federally Funded construction activities defined as micropurchases and small purchases, The College follows the threshold defined in the Davis Bacon Act. The following methods must be used depending on the dollar value of the procurement. 1. Micro purchase: Purchases of $1,999 or less Acquisition that, in the aggregate, does not exceed the micro-purchase threshold. To the extent practical, purchases in this category shall be distributed equitably among qualified suppliers. For example, when purchasing supplies, the campus might consider rotating purchases between vendors that offer similar rates. Purchases may be awarded without soliciting competitive quotations. No quotations necessary, price just must be reasonable. Recommend Price or rate quotations must be obtained from an adequate number of qualified sources (interpreted as at least 2 sources) Can be informal phone call and document or web search 2. Construction Purchases of $2,000 and over The sealed bid method is the preferred method for procuring construction purchases exceeding $2,000, if the following conditions apply: a. The value of a single item or the total value of multiple items is $2,000 and greater; and b. The item for which quotes, bids or proposals being solicited is categorized as *professional and expert service or construction, alteration, or repair of facilities (regardless of dollar value); and c. A complete, adequate, and realistic specification or purchase description is available; and d. Two or more responsible bidders are willing and able to compete effectively for the business; and e. The procurement lends itself to a firm fixed price contract and the selection of the successful bidder can be made principally on the basis of price.

12 Procurement by sealed bids (formal advertising). Bids are publicly solicited and a firm fixed price contract (lump sum or unit price) is awarded to the responsible bidder whose bid, conforming with all the material terms and conditions of the invitation for bids, is the lowest in price. The sealed bid is the preferred method for procuring construction. In order for sealed bidding to be feasible, the following conditions should be present: o Bids must be solicited from an adequate number of known suppliers, providing them sufficient response time prior to the date set for opening the bids, for local, and tribal governments, the invitation for bids must be publically advertised; and o The invitation for bids, which will include any specifications and pertinent attachments, must define the items or services in order for the bidder to properly respond; and o All bids will be opened at the time and place prescribed in the invitation for bids, and for local and tribal governments, the bids must be opened publicly; and o A firm fixed price contract award will be made in writing to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. Where specified in bidding documents, factors such as discounts, transportation cost, and life cycle costs must be considered in determining which bid is lowest. Payment discounts will only be used to determine the low bid when prior experience indicates that such discounts are usually taken advantage of; and o Any or all bids may be rejected if there is a sound documented reason. 3. Construction Purchases of $500,000 and over for Federally Funded Construction Must follow all of the steps for purchases $2,000 and above must obtain State Board of Trustees approval in the form of a resolution. H. Maintain Procurement Records The College must maintain records sufficient to detail the history of procurement. These records will include, but are not necessarily limited to the following: rationale for the method of

13 procurement, selection of contract type, contractor selection or rejection, and the basis for the contract price. For ALL procurements the following information must be maintained. 1. Detail history of the procurement [different for each procurement method] 2. Rationale for method of procurement 3. Selection of contract type 4. Contractor selection or rejection 5. Basis for contract price I. Information Released to Vendors. 1. Guiding Principles o o Ivy Tech is a public entity and is subject to the state s Access to Public Records Act at IC The public has a right to know that the College conducts public business properly, and the College needs to reinforce the perception that business is conducted properly. 2. Before the bidding process is complete. Vendors do not have the right to information such as competing vendors' names, items, prices, terms or copies of bids prior to the completion of the bidding process. 3. After the bidding process is complete. Any request for information by vendors not selected should be treated as a public records request under state law and should be immediately referred to the Office of the General Counsel for advice in how to respond. J. Prepayments for Products and Services General prepayment for goods and/or services is strongly discouraged by the College. However, prepayments may be made in advance, without seeking approval for the following items: catalog orders, subscriptions, membership dues, conference fees, maintenance contracts, deposits less than $3,000 and insurance premiums. Prepayments are not allowed for personal services

14 including personal services by contract. Approval for any prepayment reason not listed above shall be governed by the following: 1. Prepayments below $3,000 All prepayments for products and services below $3,000 must have prior approval of the Executive Director of Finance 2. Prepayments $3,000 and above All prepayments for products and services above $3,000 must have prior approval of the Senior VP/CFO or designee. K. Memberships The College will not pay for personal memberships in professional organizations; however, the College will pay for organizational memberships. Exceptions to this policy may be made in the following circumstances and at the discretion of the College. All exceptions must be approved in writing by the Executive Director of Finance or the Senior VP/CFO, and available for review. 1. If a professional organization does not provide for an organizational membership, the college may pay for the individual membership. Documentation must be on file to support that College membership was not available. 2. If an individual membership is less expensive than an organizational membership, the College may pay for the individual membership. This exception would apply in a unique situation where only one person needs the membership, and it is cheaper than an organizational membership. Given that the College pays for many organizational-wide memberships, the campus and offices at the Central location are encouraged to determine if the College already holds a valid membership prior to incurring additional membership expenses. L. Authorization of Contracts Review by the Office of the General Counsel is required for all expenditure and revenue contracts of $25,000 and greater.

15 Contracts for expenditures may be authorized by the Chancellor or Vice President within the prescribed authorization levels. The President's signature is required if the contract is an expenditure level of $100,000 or greater and not previously delegated by the President. All contracts to be approved by the President or designee must be approved and signed by the respective Chancellor or Vice President prior to submission for signature. Options to renew leases originally identified in a prior approved agreement may be signed by the respective Chancellor, provided the annual rent is within the Chancellor s signature authorization level. A copy of the signed lease renewal document must be forwarded to the System s Office Facilities Planning Department. In accordance with 2 CFR , "Cost plus" or percentage of construction cost contracts are prohibited for Federally Funded Contracts. Examples of such prohibited contracts include: a) a contract for equipment at supplier cost plus a stated mark-up percentage, and b) a contract for course development at a fixed labor rate and unfixed labor hours. In certain instances there may arise a need for ongoing consulting or other services where the amount of related labor is unknown. In such cases, contracts should clearly define scope of work, labor rate and a contract not to exceed (NTE) value that relates to defined scope of work, with contractor responsible for any costs in excess of such NTE value. A high degree of oversight must be given to contractor performance against such NTE contracts to obtain reasonable assurance that the contractor is using efficient methods and effective cost controls. The following contracts, regardless of dollar value, must be forwarded to the appropriate System s Office department for approval: 1. Operating and capital lease for land and/or buildings obligating the College for a period greater than two (2) years. This lease will be forwarded to the State Board of Trustees for approval. Any initial lease greater than $150,000 per year needs State Board of Trustees approval before being forwarded for recommendation by the Commission for Higher Education and then approval by the State Budget Committee and Governor. 2. Leases for land and/or buildings that involve a request for additional College level funding in addition to the campus normal annual facilities budget. 3. Purchase or lease-purchase agreements and other contracts for land and/or buildings. These agreements will be forwarded to the State Board of Trustees for approval.

16 4. Vehicle lease or purchase excluding non-recurring leases of less than thirty (30) days. 5. All governmental contracts including government pass-through funds. 6. All contracts for new capital plant improvements such as additions, alterations, repairs and rehabilitation to College-owned property, and all change orders increasing the amount of such contracts by ten percent (10%) or more. Change orders of less than 10% for capital projects may be approved by campus administration within their authorization limit of payment documents, following verbal notification to the System s Office Facilities Planning Department. A copy of the signed change order should be forwarded to the System s Office Facilities Planning Department. Capital leases are contracts which effectively transfer ownership to the College at the end of the lease. If there is doubt as to whether a lease qualifies as a capital lease versus an operating lease (where ownership does not transfer), inquiries may be made to the office of the Senior VP/CFO. Land and Buildings - Capital leases for land and buildings must be approved by the State Board of Trustees. A request for a capital lease of land and buildings should be forwarded to System s Office Facilities Planning Department. Requests for authorization should be submitted on a Lease and Building Acquisition Request form. Technology Purchases for end-user technology equipment and infrastructure technology equipment will be made through the Office of Information Technology. Software licenses, maintenance and support purchases (new and renewal) will be made through the Office of Information Technology. Subscriptions will not be purchased through the Office of Information Technology. Equipment - Capital leases must be initially routed through the office of the Senior VP/CFO so proper notification can be made to include the equipment as a capital asset in the College Fixed Assets system and to assure compliance with IRS reporting requirements. All documents requiring an authorizing signature for commitment of College funds must be signed in accordance with authority delegated by the State Board of Trustees or an officer of the College. The table below outlines the requirements for signature at certain specific levels.

17 Approval Level Authorization Amount State Board of Trustees Certain contracts only * Campus Board of Trustees Refer to campus by-laws President or designee up to $500,000 all contracts not delegated **Chancellor or Vice President up to $99,999 Executive Director of Finance up to $29,999 * The following contracts must be approved by the State Board of Trustees: 1. Lease for land and buildings obligating the College for longer than two (2) years. 2. All lease-purchase agreements and other contracts for land and buildings not delegated to the President. 3. All contracts in excess of $500,000 unless previously approved through the allocation of funds by the Board. **The Chancellor may delegate this authority to any of their direct report employees at an employment level E-3 or above at their campus. However, under no circumstances may a sole individual approve. Two separate individuals must approve at all times (for instance the EDF cannot be the requester and approver). This delegation must be in writing and available for review. M. Authorization of Expenditures All expenditures must be within approved budget allocations except for those specifically authorized by the State Board of Trustees. Purchases must not be split in such a way as to place the dollar value of the expenditures into a lower authorization level so that they can be approved without review by a higher authorization

18 level. Likewise, increases in encumbrances must be approved at the appropriate level based on the total commitment. All documents requiring an authorizing signature for commitment of College funds must be approved in accordance with authority delegated by the State Board of Trustees or an officer of the College. The table below outlines the requirements for approval at certain expenditure levels. Approval Level Authorization Amount State Board of Trustees in excess of $500,000 Senior VP/CFO up to $500,000 all contracts not delegated **Chancellor or Vice President up to $ 99,999 all contracts not delegated Executive Director of Finance up to $ 29,999 As delegated by Campus Management up to $ 9,999 **The Chancellor may delegate this authority to any of their direct report employees at an employment level E-3 or above at their campus. However under no circumstances may a sole individual approve. Two separate individuals must approve at all times (for instance the EDF cannot be the requester and approver). This delegation must be in writing and available for review. Delegation to Business Office staff to approve campus expenditures up to $9,999 must be approved by the Vice President, Chancellor, and Executive Director of Finance. See Refer to FMM, Section M, Financial Documents (Approval Authority Delegation) for further details. All the approval level guidelines and requirements are built into the routing criteria for purchase requisitions and purchase orders in the College s e-procurement system.

19 IV. Purchasing Card Policies and Procedures A. Introduction The intent of this section is to provide clear, concise, and workable College Purchasing Card procedures for the conduct of College business. If a circumstance arises that is not specifically covered, either adopt the most conservative course consistent with the policies and procedures of the College or consult with the office of the Senior VP/CFO or designee. The Chancellor or Vice President may develop additional procedures relating to the use of the College purchasing card. Such procedures must be consistent with those outlined in this section. It is important that all purchasing activity be documented in a manner that will satisfy the requirements of established College policies and procedures. Also, purchases of products and services for use in the operation of the College must clearly indicate the details involved in the purchasing transaction. This is necessary for the proper handling of College funds and subsequent review by internal and external auditors. Use of the purchasing card does not replace any policies or procedures that apply to activities that are restricted by College policy. The issuance of the card to the cardholder constitutes authorization to use the card without obtaining prior approval required by other purchasing methods. Prior approval for food purchases is required as outlined in the FMM, Section H, Travel Policies and Procedures (College Sponsored Meetings). The conduct of College business by employees who are authorized to make purchases representing the College is required to be in accordance with established procedures and ethical behavior including the conflict of interest policy. All purchases with the card must comply with the applicable procedures in the FMM, Employee Handbook, and any other published College sources related to the use of College assets and ethical conduct by College employees. B. General Overview Ivy Tech's Purchasing Card Program is designed to allow for the purchase of small dollar (items less than $3,000), non-capital items for use in the College operations. Purchases that exceed the $3,000 single transaction limit are to be processed through the requisition based process in the College s e-procurement system. Purchases must be made in the College s e-procurement system whenever practical to take advantage of the contract and consortium pricing that is built into the system. Purchasing

20 through the College s e-procurement system is also preferred because the system is set up with appropriate internal controls (i.e. pre-approval requirements, etc.) and more accurate accounting. The Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana Purchasing Card is a MasterCard. It is accepted by any merchant who currently accepts MasterCard. The card is the property of Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, is issued on the credit limit allowed the College, and is only to be used for College business. Purchasing cards are issued bearing the name of the College, the name of the cardholder, and the sales tax exempt number on the front of the card. The card is to be used only by the individual to whom the card is issued. Employees of the College must be approved to be issued a card for use and will be required to sign a Purchasing Cardholder Agreement. New cards should only be created with the written approval of the College Purchasing Card Administrator within the office of the Senior VP/CFO. Purchasing cards should only be assigned to full-time employees. Vice Presidents and Chancellors are not eligible to be cardholders. All designated cardholders and reviewers must attend a training session (on the purchasing card procedures) to be instructed to view transactions and obtain reports of card transactions. This training is conducted by staff in the office of the Executive Director of Finance (EDF) at the campus, or staff in the office of the Senior VP/CFO in the System s Office (Finance). The resources used for training are located on the bank website. Violation of purchasing card procedures, such as unauthorized purchases, may result in termination of the cardholder privileges or other disciplinary actions as outlined in the Employee Handbook. The cardholder may be financially responsible for sales tax and unauthorized purchases. C. Structure for Purchasing Card Program The office of the Senior VP/CFO has approved a structure for the functioning of the College Purchasing Card program. The College Purchasing Card Administrator is an employee in the Finance Department at the System s Office. The Executive Directors of Finance serve as the campus Purchasing Card Administrators at each campus. The EDF must be supported by one back up administrator from the campus Business Office staff. Neither the EDF nor the backup administrator can be cardholders. The designation of all College staff persons functioning in these roles must be in writing, and will be kept on file in the System s Office in the Finance Department.

21 In accordance with the bank's requirement to have designated authorized signers on file to provide approvals when changes are needed for the College's program, there are three System s Office Finance staff persons with this assigned responsibility. This includes the College Purchasing Card Administrator and two other Finance staff persons who serve as administrative support for the program, In addition, in the absence of the College Purchasing Card Administrator, these individuals handle daily inquiries from the bank regarding cards. D. Card Controls The card has several controls and safeguards. There is a specific single purchase limit and a 30- day monthly dollar limit for the card. Another control is the Merchant Category Code (MCC). All businesses that accept the MasterCard for purchases are assigned a MCC that designates their line of business. Each card is created with a specific MCC group designation that restricts the use of the card for certain businesses. Certain MCC groups have been excluded from access by all College cardholders. An attempt to obtain card authorization approval for a non-approved MCC will result in the card being declined. E. Operation of Purchasing Card Program 1. Issue of Purchasing Cards The following steps must be completed to obtain a purchasing card: Step 1 At a minimum, the EDF and the individual's supervisor determine which employees will be issued the purchasing card to purchase items for the College operations. For System s Office, the College Purchasing Card Administrator in the office of the Senior VP/CFO in the Finance Department and the individual's supervisor must approve. These approvals must be in writing, and on file. Requests for a new card must be submitted to the Senior VP/CFO for written approval by his designee, the College Purchasing Card Administrator in the Finance Department, along with a signed Purchasing Cardholder Agreement. Step 2 After approvals are confirmed, the new card information will be entered on the bank's website by

22 Finance Department staff. Step 3 The bank will mail new cards to the campus Card Administrator at the campus or System s Office. Generally, the processing time is 7 to 10 days from the approval. The campus Purchasing Card Administrator at the campus or System s Office will review the card, confirm with information on the bank s website and notify the Executive Director of Finance or the appropriate System s Office department supervisor regarding the card distribution. Step 4 The EDF or the College Purchasing Card Administrator will arrange for training in the use of the card and reports on card transactions using the bank s website as a resource for training. The cardholder must receive the purchasing card in person from the EDF or at the System s Office, the College Purchasing Card Administrator. The card must be signed on the back immediately when received. Step 5 It is the responsibility of the employee to activate the card by calling the bank customer service number prior to use. The number is located on the back of the card. 2. Purchasing Card Use The card may be used in person, by phone, fax, or Internet. The cardholder should be careful in giving out the purchasing card number. Many scams that are conducted by phone, mail, or Internet, require staff to be careful in exercising these options. If using the Internet, only a secured site should be used. As a general guideline, an order should never be placed when the company initiates the contact, such as telephone or Internet solicitation or advertisement. Generally, the card limit for a single transaction is $1,000. However, depending on the size of the campus,, the Vice President for Finance Senior VP/CFO or designee may authorize a limited number of cardholders to have single transaction cards limits of up to $2,999. Cards used for the Concur travel program may have limits up to $5,000 if approved by the Senior VP/CFO or designee. Further, there are limited exceptions for the use of the card for Student Life travel. See IV. E. 4 g. below.

23 The single transaction limit is based on the total purchase price which includes shipping and handling charges. Cardholders are prohibited from splitting purchases into multiple transactions in order to avoid single transaction dollar limits. A monthly limit is established based on the department budget availability. Reviewing card transactions on a regular basis is critical for budget control. Purchasing card transactions are not encumbered against departmental budgets. Due to the dollar transaction limit and frequency of feeds to Banner Finance, departments should have adequate tracking procedures to insure transactions do not exceed the budget. A purchase transaction for an amount greater than the standard single purchase transaction or the 30-day monthly limit will be declined at the point of sale. Allowable Use includes, but is not limited to, the following items: Instructional materials and supplies Lab supplies Office supplies Registration Fees (If it is for out of state travel, the travel request must have prior approval ) Subscriptions Equipment repair The card is NOT TO BE USED for the following: Personal use Computers and other high theft items that must be inventoried Foundation purchases or charitable contributions Restricted Merchant Category Codes (MCC): o Financial (all type of transactions including cash advances) o Airlines * o Auto Rental * o Hotels and Motels * o Food and Beverage ** o Entertainment

24 o Transportation * Individual professional memberships (reference Employee Handbook) Payment of Personal Services (refer to FMM, Section E, Authorized Bank Accounts section in the FMM) Prescription drugs and controlled substances Radioactive materials Purchases requiring a contract Third party credit card processors, e.g. PAYPAL *** * Exception: Unless specifically authorized by Chief Financial Officer ** Exception: The MCC (Merchant Category Codes) for Grocery Stores & Supermarkets and Caterers is available for assignment to specific cardholder cards to be used only for approved College sponsored activities and not for personal activities/meals. *** Exception: Certain associations may require use of their third-party credit card processor (e.g. PayPal)) for the payment of conference fees. These purchases may be made using the Purchasing Card, but must be made as a one-time customer to vendor payment transaction. These transactions are only allowed when the third party acts as a payment processor and when the purchaser is not required to setup or log in to an account with the third-party credit card processor. 3. Resolving Disputes and Errors Disputed transactions can occur due to the following: Failure to receive item charged Altered charges Defective items Incorrect amounts Credits not processed Duplicate charges Fraudulent charges not made by the cardholder Fraud or misuse

25 Sales tax charged The cardholder should contact the vendor to resolve any questionable charges. If the matter cannot be resolved, notify the supervisor, EDF, or College Purchasing Card Administrator in the office of the Senior VP/CFO System s Office, Finance Department. The matter must be reported by phone to the bank's customer service number. The bank will immediately credit the account for the disputed amount while it completes its investigation of the matter. The cardholder will be notified of the resolution. In the case of fraudulent charges or misuse, notify the office of the campus Card Administrator or the College Purchasing Card Administrator at Systems Office. In addition, if needed, other appropriate College procedures that fit the situation should be followed. This may involve reporting the matter to the campus Security staff, Human Resources at the location, and the Office of the General Counsel which handles legal matters for the College. 4. Cardholder and Supervisor Responsibilities It is the cardholder's responsibility to keep the purchasing card safe and secured; to obtain and retain appropriate documentation for purchases; to review card transactions regularly, and obtain supervisor's signature on the printed Statement of Account report signed by the cardholder and the immediate supervisor/card reviewer each month. All campuses and the Systems Office should follow a similar procedure for the preparation, collection, and review of Statements of Account. All cardholders must submit the signed and completed Statement of Account and associated documentation by the tenth of the following month to the appropriate office, either the office of the Senior VP/CFO or System s Office, Finance Department or the Executive Director of Finance. A complete packet consists of the monthly Statement of Account signed and dated by the cardholder and card reviewer/supervisor, and all supporting receipts, billing statements, packing slips, etc. Once collected these staff should review the monthly statement to assure that proper receipts and other back-up information and signatures are present. The supervisor/card reviewer assigned to review and approve a Statement of Account must be an exempt level employee. It is the supervisor's responsibility to familiarize themselves with the purchasing policies of the College and to insure compliance with all purchasing card purchases.