Requesting the Purchase of Items from a Vendor

Open Purchase Order | Standard Purchase Order 

To request the purchase of items, a Requisition Request Form must be completed and submitted. Relevant backup documentation should always be included, whenever possible (except when establishing Open Purchase orders -- see below). Requisitions are specific to one vendor -- multiple vendors will require multiple Requisition forms. When completing a Requisition, only the LPC version will be accepted. Requests under $5,000 require Dean approval. Requests of $5,000 or more require Vice President approval.

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How to Request the Purchase of Items from a Vendor

Flowchart: Standard PO | Open PO

1. Contact the vendor to request a quote of all items needed. Quotes should include item numbers, item descriptions, quantities, unit pricing, extended pricing, and any relevant fees (tax, shipping, etc.) whenever possible.
2. Once the quote has been received, complete a Requisition Request Form and attached the quote before submitting. All items on the quote must be entered on the requisition, in the same order.
3. Once your request is approved, the Business Office will enter the requisition and forward the form to Purchasing. You will receive an automated email notice when your requisition request is fully approved that contains a link to your completed form.
4. Purchasing will issue a PO for the requisition and send a copy of this PO to the requestor and the vendor.

IMPORTANT: If your quote ranges from $30,000 to $109,299.99* you must submit two additional quotes from two other vendors. The requisition must be filled out for the cheapest of the 3 quotes. If you prefer a more expensive vendor, you must include a letter of explanation to justify the aditional cost. If no other vendor sells your item(s), you must include a letter from the vendor that states they are a sole-source providor of those item(s). This is a requirment of Purchasing in order to comply with state law. If you do not include any of the above required documentation, your request will be returned to you.

*Quotes of $109,300.00 must go through the bid process, followed by board approval.

Establishing Purchase Orders

Purchase Orders are the preferred method for the requisition of items and should be used whenever possible in lieu of direct-payment through a Disbursement Request Form or going out of pocket. You are encouraged to set up all needed PO's for all planned and expected expenses and purchases for the upcoming fiscal year. Purchase Orders can be established for various expenses, such as paying for invoices, purchasing items, hiring independent contractors, and more. There are two types of Purchase Orders that the District Office will establish: Open Purchase Orders and Standard Purchase Orders (see below for distinguishable characteristics of the two). Please note that PO's are set up based on a designated FOAP (Fund-Org-Account-Program) and for a single, specified vendor. Purchase Orders are established via a Requisition Request Form.

Open Purchase Orders (PO number begins with an "O")

Open Purchase Orders are essentially "open ended." These are typically used in cases where you expect to make multiple purchases through the same vendor, using the same FOAP (Fund-Org-Account-Program), throughout the year. For this reason, it is usually best to estimate the cost as a whole, rounded number, such as $850 or $3575. For example, if your department purchases diploma paper through Herff Jones frequently throughout the year, consider establishing an Open Purchase Order for Herff Jones for an estimated cost for the whole fiscal year. The PO amount can always be increased or decreased throughout the year via the Purchase Order Adjustment Form as needs change (example here).

Additionally, Open Purchase Orders can be established in cases where you may only make one purchase to the vendor, but a quote cannot be provided (though you are still encouraged to request a quote from the vendor). For example, if your department needs to pay for a subscription service every year that usually costs $300, but the vendor has not provided you a quote, you can still establish an Open Purchase Order with the vendor, which you can then use to pay against the invoice you receive later on. This process is preferred over direct-payment through a Disbursement Request Form.

Form to use: Requisition Request Form (select "Open PO")

On the Requisition Request Form: include a brief description of the types of purchases that will be made against the PO.

Required backup: for Open Purchase Orders, no backup is required by the Business Office, nor should it be included.

Standard Purchase Orders (PO number begins with a "P")

Standard Purchase Orders are established in cases where you have a more exact idea of the cost of the expense AND can include backup to show the cost, such as a quote or estimate. In cases like this, a PO number will be established that begins with a P. These costs should be indicated in more exact terms, such as $357.25. An example of a Standard Purchase Order would be the Chemistry department requesting 6 beakers and 3 graduated cylinders through a Requisition Request Form that has a quote attached.

Form to use: Requisition Request Form (select "Standard PO")

On the Requisition Request Form: enter each item number, description, quantity, and unit price.

Required backup: a quote, estimate, or similar document indicating the estimated cost. Shopping carts may not be accepted by the Purchasing department.

Receipts of Delivery
When establishing PO's of this type, it is imperative that a "receiver" is entered in Banner by the Warehouse to confirm the items have been received. This helps facilitate payment with Accounts Payable, as we do not pay for invoices until the items have been received. If the "P" PO number is noted somewhere on or inside the package(s), the Warehouse will enter this receiver upon receipt of the items and you will receive a Receipt of Delivery notice for your records (example). If you did NOT receive a Receipt of Delivery when you received your package, please contact the Warehouse* and provide the "P" PO number associated with the items you received so the "receiver" can be entered in Banner.
*Please contact Matthew Strout at mstrout@clpccd.org