SECTION CONTENTS

300.00     Purchasing Authority

310.00     Delegated Purchasing Authority

320.00     Sub parts to the Delegated Purchasing Authority
320.10     Non-Exclusive Statewide Term Contracts

320.20     Food

  320.30     Bus Transportation

320.40     Animals

  320.50     Agricultural Items

330.00     EXCLUSIONS to Delegated Purchasing Authority

330.10     Controlled Items

330.20     Surplus Property

  340.00     EXCEPTIONS to Delegated Purchasing Authority

300.00 PURCHASING AUTHORITY

MSU-Bozeman Purchasing Department: The State Department of Administration, General Services Division, State Procurement Bureau (SPB), and the MSU-PD entered into a "Procurement Delegation Agreement" effective through September 30, 2003.  The State has authorized the MSU-PD to procure all non-controlled supplies or services with a "Total Contract Value" (TCV) of $250,000 or less. This is applicable to all contracts, including payment contracts, revenue generating contracts, and no-cost contracts.

The MSU-PD is solely responsible for purchasing supplies and services with a total contract value over $25,000 and up to $250,000 on behalf the University. This is designed to relieve the faculty, research personnel and departmental staff of certain duties and responsibilities connected with the procurement process.  "Procurement" is defined as "acquisition with or without cost, buying, purchasing, renting, leasing, or otherwise acquiring any supplies or services.  This term includes all functions that pertain to obtaining supplies or services, including description of requirements, selection and solicitation of sources, preparation and award of contract, and all phases of contract administration." 

310.00   Delegated Purchasing Authority

MSU-Bozeman Departments and Affiliated Campuses:     
The "Procurement Delegation Agreement" between the SPB and the MSU-PD authorizes the MSU-PD to further delegate purchasing authority.  However, the Purchasing Director at MSU-Bozeman reserves the right to reduce, suspend or revoke delegated purchasing authority for failure to adhere to purchasing policies and regulations established herein.  For purchases with a Total Contract Value up to $25,000, the purchasing function is de-centralized to provide Departments and Affiliated Campuses, flexibility and efficiency in administration and management. Please note the EXCEPTIONS to this delegation, as reflected below.

MSU-Bozeman Departments, MSU College of Technology at Great Falls, and MSU-Northern: Purchasing authority for supplies and services with a total contract value up to $25,000 is hereby delegated.

MSU-Billings and MSU-Bozeman Auxiliary Services & Facilities Services Departments: Purchasing authority for supplies and services with a total contract value up to $50,000 is hereby delegated.  This delegation authority is specifically limited to the personnel identified below:        

MSU-Billings: Nancy Voorhees or her replacement;    
MSU-Bozeman Auxiliary Services: Mary Lou Wilson, or her replacement;
MSU-Bozeman Facilities Services: Roz Wortman or her replacement.


320.00    Sub-parts to the Delegated Purchasing Authority

 
320.10 Non-Exclusive Statewide Term Contracts  
The SPB establishes Term Contracts for supplies and services that are commonly procured by State Agencies. These Term Contracts are based on competitive procedures and are negotiated by the SPB to provide the best prices available to State Agencies based on economic order quantities. See Appendix M for a list of current State Term Contracts.     
     
MSU-Bozeman departments and affiliated campuses, herein referred to as "Departments," are authorized to purchase supplies and services from "Non-Exclusive" Statewide Term Contracts, regardless of total contract value. However, if a department chooses NOT to purchase supplies and services available from these Term Contracts, you must follow the purchasing processes defined herein and must comply with the delegated purchasing authority established herein.      
 

If you know of any items or services that are not currently on a State Term Contract, but would be a good candidate; or if any current State Term Contract should be modified or discontinued, please submit the Term Contract Comment form (Appendix AD) to the MSU-PD.

320.20 Food  
MSU-Bozeman is authorized to make all food purchases necessary for the operation of its facilities, regardless of dollar amount, following the requirements of Title 18, MCA, and Title 2, Chapter 5, ARM.  The MSU-PD has further delegated this authority to Departments, within the specific delegation limits identified in the Procurement Delegation Agreement.  
 

Departments are responsible for complying with policy # 205.4 established in the Montana University System Policy and Procedures Manual. A unit may pay expenses for official hospitality, community relations, or public relations only when such activities are directly related to the unit. Food purchases for official entertainment, community relations, or public relations may only be made when (1) such activities are directly related to the objectives of the campus and (2) when the Department has evaluated the importance of the event in terms of the costs that will be incurred, benefits that are anticipated from the expenditure, the availability of funds, and alternatives that would be equally effective in accomplishing the desired objective.  Departments must comply with Section 460 of the Business Procedures Manual for "Hospitality Approval" located at: http://www2.montana.edu/policy/business_manual/bus400.html#460.00

320.30 Bus Transportation   
The Agency is authorized to purchase the necessary bus transportation services, regardless of dollar amount, following the requirements of Title 18, MCA, and Title 2, Chapter 5, ARM.  The MSU-PD has further delegated this authority to Departments.   

320.40:  Animals   
The Agency is authorized to purchase animals, regardless of dollar amount, following the requirements of Title 18, MCA, and Title 2, Chapter 5, ARM. The MSU-PD has further delegated this authority to Departments, within their specific delegation limits.  

320.50: Agricultural items

The Agency is authorized to purchase livestock feed, machine hire for agricultural field work, and fertilizer, regardless of dollar amount, following the requirements of Title 18, MCA, and Title 2, Chapter 5, ARM. The MSU-PD has further delegated this authority to Departments, within their specific delegation limits.

330.0 EXCLUSIONS TO THE DELEGATED PURCHASING AUTHORITY:

     
330.10 Controlled Items: 
 
Departments ARE NOT authorized to purchase controlled items, regardless of dollar value, except as specifically authorized herein. 

"Controlled items" includes supplies or services identified below:

  (A) Requisition Time Schedule items
  (B) "Exclusive" Statewide Term Contract issued by the SPB
  (C) A supply provided by the Central Stores program
  (D) Any printing projects, aside from business cards
  (E) Purchases made through Cooperative Agreements. 

(A) Requisition Time Schedule (RTS)

The Requisition Time Schedule is a calendar of dates for which requisitions for certain items are due to the SPB. These items are identified as items, which the State of Montana can secure significant cost savings by buying in quantity or purchasing at certain times of the year. Use of the RTS is mandatory for MSU for New Vehicles.  The MSU-PD and departments ARE NOT authorized to purchase new vehicles (cars, trucks, and police pursuit vehicles). The MSU-PD will notify all departments with specific dates that Purchase Requisitions for new vehicles are due to the MSU-PD (see Appendix N).        
 

(B) "Exclusive" Statewide Term Contracts
Departments are authorized to purchase supplies and services identified on "exclusive" Statewide Term Contracts, regardless of dollar value, except as noted below. The Montana SPB (SPB) established these contracts using competitive procedures. Due to the exclusivity of the contract, departments must purchase supplies and services from the suppliers identified on these contracts.  Departments are prohibited from purchasing supplies and services from any other source.  The MSU-PD web site contains a direct link to the State Term Contracts. This list identifies the contract as "exclusive" or "non-exclusive". See http://gsd.mt.gov/procurement/termcontracts.asp.

Departments ARE NOT AUTHORIZED to purchase:     

Photocopiers

2-Color Standard Printing Letterhead (state seal logo only)

PHOTOCOPIERS: The Photocopier Evaluation Worksheet (Appendix J) is provided as a tool to assist departments in determining the type of photocopier that will best meet your needs.  If the worksheet was used, please attach the worksheet to the Purchase Requisition (PD-1).    

 

(C) Central Stores
Departments are authorized to purchase office supplies, within their delegated purchasing authority.  Office supplies includes all office and computer supplies, fine and coarse paper, custodial supplies and chemicals, plastic can liners and food service items.  MSU is not required to purchase office supplies from the State Central Stores program; however, the MSU-PD encourages use of the Central Stores Program. Additional information is available at: 
http://gsd.mt.gov/procurement/centralstoresprogram.asp.

   

(D) Printing
Departments are authorized to purchase printing services within their delegated purchasing authority. Use of the State Print and Mail Services Bureau (P&MSB) is optional for MSU. Printing services can be obtained from MSU-Bozeman University Printing, the State P&MSB, or vendors. To obtain printing services from the P&MSB, the department is required submit a Purchase Requisition to the MSU-PD.  All contracted printing must be obtained following the provisions of Title 18, MCA, and its accompanying rules. Please consult with the MSU-Bozeman Communication Services Department to seek guidance and customer service. For additional information, see http://gsd.mt.gov/agency/printmailservices.asp.

 

Departments are authorized to purchase standard printed envelopes if ordered from University Printing.

(E) Cooperative Agreements   
The SPB is responsible for making decisions to participate in cooperative purchasing agreements.  MSU has agreed to contact the SPB prior to any participation in a cooperative purchasing agreement (MCA, Title 18, chapter 4, 402). Additional information is available at:  
http://gsd.mt.gov/local/cooperativepurchasingprogram.asp.

330.20 Surplus Property

Departments have the option of using the services of the State Surplus Property program, including the procurement of used vehicles.  Title 19, chapter 6, MCA, identifies the policies concerning the sale of surplus property and the distribution of the sale proceeds back to the general fund or the appropriate enterprise or internal service fund or designated account. For additional information, please contact Carla Wiedeman in Property Management at 406-994-5504.

340.00 Exceptions to Delegated Purchasing Authority:    
Per ARM 2.5.301, delegated purchasing authority and competitive procedures are not necessary for the following (see Appendix AC):
     

Delegated authority and competitive procedures are not required for purchases of supplies or services from Sheltered Workshops.  However, prevailing wages are applicable to supplies or services obtained from Sheltered Workshops.  Please refer to:
http://gsd.mt.gov/procurement/shelteredworkshops.asp.

A list of supplies and services from the Sheltered Workshops program is available at: http://gsd.mt.gov/procurement/shelteredworkshops.asp.

Delegated authority and competitive procedures are not required for interagency agreements, unless otherwise prohibited by law.

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