Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: How are the funds liquidated on a blanket purchase order that has expired?Q: How is a blanket purchase order cancelled before the expiration date?
Q: What if delivery on a standard purchase order is not received in the fiscal year that it is encumbered?
Q: Where can I find a list of Internal Vendors?
Q: What is the current process for ordering from URI Internal Vendors?
Q: What documentation is sent to General Accounting when goods are received from an Internal Vendor?
Q: Do I need to obtain competitive quotes when purchasing from an Internal Vendor?
Q: Where do I find the Invoice Voucher form?
Q: When is it appropriate to use an Invoice Voucher?
Q: What is the website for the State of Rhode Island Division of Purchases?
Q: Where can I find a complete listing of Master Price Agreements (MPA's)?
Q: Do I have to use the MPA vendor if I find an item(s) less expensive somewhere else?
Q: If I am using an MPA, do I have to get 3 quotes?
Q: Can I order any product from a MPA vendor?
Q: Where can I find a listing of all State Bids?
Q: How are vehicles purchased?
Q: Will I lose my funds if the vehicle is not delivered in the fiscal year that the funds are encumbered?
Q: Can a LVPO be processed to a vendor that is not in PeopleSoft?
Q: Are we required to get competitive quotes if we are using an LVPO?
Q: How do I purchase from a vendor that will only accept a credit card?
Q: Can I order on-line at Amazon.com?
Q: How can I obtain an e-quote from Dell Computer?
Q: Where do I find the college requisition form?
Q: Is it necessary to complete all information on a college requisition?
Q: Why was my college requisition returned requesting an authorized signature?
Q: How do I find a vendor by FEIN?
Q: What account code do I use to purchase furniture?
Q: What is the vendor # for Correctional Industries?
Q: Are The Good 5¢ Cigar and the University Club internal vendors?
Q: What is the difference between a single source, a sole source and a proprietary source procurement?
Q: Are reimbursements for purchases made with personal funds allowed?
Q: How do I find a FRS Account Number for a particular chartfield string?
Q: How are the funds liquidated on a blanket purchase order that has expired?
A: The final receiving report needs to be sent to Accounts Payable. If the balance is not liquidated you will need to contact the PS Financial Lab at x4-7048. A college requisition is not required to liquidate the balance on a blanket purchase order that has expired.
Q: How is a blanket purchase order cancelled before the expiration date?
A: A college requisition is needed to process an advice of change to cancel the purchase order. The requisition must reference the purchase order number and the dollar amount that is being cancelled.
Q: What if delivery on a standard purchase order is not received in the
fiscal year that it is encumbered?
A: Standard purchase orders that are not received in the current fiscal
year will be rolled to the new fiscal year. No advice of change is required to encumber the funds for the next fiscal year.
Q: Where can I find a list of Internal Vendors?
A: Most Internal Vendors in the Peoplesoft database have a Vendor ID number that begins with URI_. The navigation in PeopleSoft is: Vendors/vendor, in the Vendor ID field: type URI_ and click search.
Q: What is the current process for ordering from URI Internal Vendors?
A: Standard purchases (one-time delivery/one-time payment):
The requisitioning department must complete the college requisition and if appropriate,
attach the internal vendor form and obtain the signature/approval of the authorized agent.
When using Research Funds (Fund 500) the requisitioning department must obtain the
signature/approval of Grant & Contract Accounting and when using Foundation
Funds (Fund 401) signature/approval from the URI Foundation Office is required.
Upon
obtaining the necessary approvals, the requisitioning department retains a copy of the
college requisition for its files and the original is submitted to the internal vendor.
Blanket Purchases (multiple deliveries/multiple payments):
The requisitioning department must complete the college requisition and
if appropriate,
attach the internal vendor form and obtain the signature/approval of
the authorized
agent. When using Research Funds (Fund 500) the requisitioning
department must
obtain the signature/approval of Grant & Contract Accounting and
when using
Foundation Funds (Fund 401) signature/approval from the URI Foundation
Office is
required. Upon obtaining the necessary approvals, the requisitioning department
retains a copy of the college requsition for its files and the original is submitted to the
Purchasing
Department. The Purchasing Department will process a Blanket Purchase
Order to the internal
vendor and the funds will be encumbered.
Q: What documentation is sent to General Accounting when goods are received from an Internal Vendor?
A: None. The internal vendor will handle the processing of a credit statement.
Q: Do I need to obtain competitive quotes when purchasing from an internal vendor?
A: Typically when purchasing from an internal vendor competitive quotes are not required. However, purchases from the URI Bookstore and RAM Computers are competitive. Many of the items sold in these areas are currently available on State Master Price Agreements (examples include Apple Computers, Dell Computers, etc.)
Q: Where do I find the Invoice Voucher Form?
A: There is a link on both the Controller's website www.uri.edu/controller/general_accounting.html or the Purchasing website www.uri.edu/purchasing/forms.htm
Q: When is it appropriate to use an invoice voucher?
A: Invoice Vouchers are only for goods/services that are exempt from Purchasing, i.e. Dues & Subscriptions, Utility Services, Memberships, Registration Fees.
Q: What is the web site for the State of Rhode Island Division of Purchases?
A: www.purchasing.ri.gov
Q: Where can I find a complete listing of Master Price Agreements (MPA's)?
A: www.purchasing.ri.gov/RIVIP/MPASearch.asp. Select Search for an alphabetical listing of all MPA's, select the MPA Number and then the Award Number.
Q: Do I have to use the MPA vendor if I find an item(s) less expensive somewhere else?
A: No. However, if you are not purchasing from an MPA vendor you must follow the LVPO procedures as described in section 2.16 of the URI Purchasing Manual located at www.uri.edu/purchasing.
Q: If I am using an MPA, do I have to get 3 quotes?
A: In most cases the answer is no because these contracts have been bid competively. However, it is important to review each individual MPA for any special instructions for utilizing the MPA. This is often the case with multi-vendor construction and service related MPA's.
Q: Can I order any product from a MPA vendor?
A: If the MPA is for specific items and there is no provision for a discount on items that are not listed, the items cannot be purchased from that vendor without following the policies and procedures for LVPO's.
Q: Where can I find a listing of all State Bids?
A: www.purchasing.ri.gov Vendor Information/Bid/Grant Opportunities/State Agency Bids. Select a status, enter criteria, if any and click the search button. To view a listing of all active State bids, choose only the active bid status and click the search button.
To view Public Bids solicited by URI Purchasing: www.purchasing.ri.gov Vendor Information/Bid/Grant Opportunities/External Postings. Select University of Rhode Island as the Bidding Entities and click search.
Q: How are vehicles purchased?
A: The State Division of Purchases solicits a bid once per year for all state agencies. Typically, requisitions are due in November, bids solicited in December/January with an estimated award time of March.
Q: Will I lose my funds if the vehicle is not delivered in the fiscal year that the funds are encumbered?
A: Vehicle Budget/Expense Process for Fund 100 – If a pre-encumbrance exists and the vehicle is received in a subsequent fiscal year, the Budget Office will ensure that the department will not be asked to budget again for this item.
Vehicle Budget/Expense Process for all funds (excluding Fund 100, Fund 500, Foundation and Agency Funds) – If a pre-encumbrance exists and the vehicle is received in a subsequent fiscal year, funds will be carried forward into the new year.
If you are using Fund 500 please contact Grant and Contract Accounting.
Q: Can a LVPO be processed using a vendor that is not set-up in PeopleSoft?
A: Yes, however, the ordering department must obtain a W-9 from the vendor, attach it to the LVPO and forward to General Accounting.
Q: Are we required to get competitive quotes if we are using an LVPO?
A: If the purchase is less than $500 quotations are not required.
If the purchase is between $501 - $2,500 at least 3 telephone quotes are required
If the purchase is between $2,501 - $5,000 at least 3 written quotes are required
Please review section 2.16 of the URI Purchasing Manual located at www.uri.edu/purchasing.
Q: How do I purchase from a vendor that will only accept a credit card?
A: If the purchase can only be made by credit card, process a LVPO (if within the LVPO limit), have the authorized agent sign the LVPO and forward to Trish Casey in the Controller's Office.
Q: Can I order on-line at Amazon.com?
A: Yes. Authorized signatories must be added by the Purchasing Department to URI's corporate account. Contact Betty Gil at x4-2310 or Tracey Angell at x 4-2326 to be added as a participant. In the event that the authorized signatory does not want to be added, a college requisition can be processed and forwarded to the Purchasing Department in accordance with the Purchasing procedures for processing college requisitions and a buyer will place the on-line order.
Q:How can I obtain an e-quote from Dell Computer?
A: First time users must request "Shopper" access by contacting the Dell representative Chris Avery at Christopher_Avery@Dell.com. Once you have obtained "Shopper" access you can configure an e-quote on the Dell Premier website: http://premier.dell.com. Attach the e-quote to your college requisition and forward to Purchasing once you have obtained the necessary approvals.
Q: Where do I find the college requisition form?
A: The college requisition (Excel format) is located under Forms @ www.uri.edu/purchasing.
Q: Is it necessary to complete all information on a college requisition?
A: Yes. It is important that all information, including e-mail address, delivery address, contact person and phone, etc., be completed, as this will facilitate and expedite the processing of your order, in addition to ensuring that the paperwork is sent to the appropriate area.
Q: Why was my college requisition returned requesting an authorized signature?
A: Individuals are authorized to sign specific documents for unique chartfield strings. If the individual is not listed as an authorized signatory or the signature does not match the signature on file, the requisition will be returned for an authorized signature.
Q: How do you find a vendor by FEIN?
A: The navigation in PeopleSoft is as follows:
Query/Query Viewer/U_FAP_VENDOR_LOOKUP_BY_TIN, run to HTML, enter the TIN (FEIN #) and click view: ex: 942404110.
Q: What account code do I use to purchase furniture?
A: Office Furniture is charged to 5323 - Office Expenses. Dorm, classroom and outdoor furniture is charged to 5432 - Educational & Recreational Supplies & Expenses. If an individual item is over $5,000
it is charged to 9654 - Capital Equipment.
A complete list of account codes/descriptions and a list of frequently used accounts can be found at www.uri.edu/purchasing.
Q: What is the vendor # for Correctional Industries?
A: The vendor # is 6255 and is listed under State of Rhode Island – use address #27
Q: Are The Good 5¢ Cigar and the University Club internal vendors?
A: No, The Good 5¢ Cigar's vendor # is 1207 and is listed under URI Student Senate – use address #6. The University Club's vendor number is 6856.
Q: What is the difference between a single source, a sole source and a proprietary source procurement?
A:A Single Source procurement is one in which two or more vendors can supply the goods/services but the department selects one vendor over the others for reason such as expertise or previous experience.
A Sole Source procurement is where only one source is practicably available for the goods or services required.
A Proprietary Source procurement is where the desired goods/services must be restricted to one manufacturer. Proprietary items may be available from several distributors through competitive bidding, however, competition has been restricted to this group of suppliers.
Q: Are reimbursements for purchases made with personal funds allowed?
A: Reimbursements require prior approval from the Controller’s Office and will only be allowed in extenuating circumstances with the exception of reimbursement for meals.
Q: How do I find a FRS Account Number for a particular chartfield string?
A: The navigation in PeopleSoft is: Reporting Tools/Query Viewer. Select Advanced Search, Enter the Query Name: U_FGL_SPEEDTYPE and click search. Select HTML for the query, select URIPS as the SetID, Enter a % in SpeedType, enter the fund, department, program, a % in project and click View Results.
