Central Purchasing policy

Purpose:

The School of Medical Sciences currently operates a central purchasing service for academic and general staff, which is not fully utilised. This policy will provide the framework for a central purchasing facility to benefit both staff and students within the School. The policy will enable SOMS to maximise its budget allocation through savings and to provide more accurate reporting of the School’s expenditure.

Overview:

Implementation of the Central Purchasing Policy will ensure efficient and cost effective purchasing within the School. A central purchasing procedure will streamline purchasing, maximise purchasing expertise, ensure the accurate coding of purchases to support financial analysis and to optimise relationships with company representative to the advantage of SOMS. This policy will free staff and researchers from the burden of processing purchases. It is envisaged that there will be considerable cost savings in streamlining orders; removing duplication and minimising delivery charges.

Eligibility:

All staff within SOMS will be eligible to seek advice and assistance from the SOMS Purchasing Officer. It is expected that the Centre for Vascular Research (CVR) will continue to manage its own purchasing.

Support Provided:

The Purchasing Officer for the School of Medical Sciences will undertake all purchasing on behalf of the School.

This includes:

• Travel
• Equipment (eg computers, office furniture)
• Gases
• Laboratory Equipment
• Purchase of items over $2000. Where three verbal or written quotations are required.
• Laboratory Consumables. (Please note with regard to Laboratory consumables the Purchasing Officer will meet with laboratory managers and research groups to ascertain where he/she can assist them with the purchase of goods. This category will be reviewed dependent on need and support required.)

• Stationery (eg photocopying paper, stationery items) See attached approved items. Please note the attached stationery are SOMS approved, any items deviating from this list must be submitted with explanations relating to need and cost centre to be debited.

Provision of Support:

The Purchasing Officer (PO) will support staff by providing assistance with quotations, processing orders and negotiating prices with company representatives. The PO will also provide training where needed and refer staff to the appropriate University officers who can provide further assistance if needed. The PO will also circulate relevant information to staff and advise of changes to central purchasing policies and procedures.

The PO will implement this policy and provide supporting documentation to assist with the Central Purchasing system.

Procedure:

When a purchase is to be made, the PO can be contacted in person, via email or on the phone. Contact details are listed below.

Information required by the PO includes:

• Vendor details; name, address, phone and fax numbers
• Description of item and catalogue number if applicable
• Quantity and cost identifying if inclusive or exclusive of GST
• Project to be debited
• Delivery details
• Attach quotes

The PO will be the nominated contact person.

The PO is also available to obtain quotes on items to comply with the University purchasing policy and conduct other enquiries regarding items that are required by staff within the School.

Review:

This policy, upon implementation will be reviewed after 6 months and annually thereafter.
Upon implementation all staff in the School of Medical Sciences will be required to use the central purchasing procedure for purchases.

Purchasing Officer contact details:

Harry Chambers
Location: Room MG14B Ground floor, Wallace Wurth Building
Tel: 9385 1382
Email: h.chambers@unsw.edu.au

Additional Information

This policy is supported by the Policies and Guidelines: Accounting Manual - Section 11. Last updated: May 2004.