A&M-Commerce departments are delegated less than $15,000.00 to make purchases of equipment, supplies, and services (including freight and/or postage), excluding restricted purchases.  The dollar delegation allows departments to expedite the purchase of goods and/or services without having to process the request through the Purchasing department. 

Currently, most departments have access two sources of funds, state funds and local funds.  Some department have access to federal or grant funds as well.  At the division level, HEF funds have been made available for distribution by the vice president to the department.  Regardless of funding type, departments are required to follow the University's Purchasing Procedures. 

Departments are encouraged to purchase goods and/or services from Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB's).  Purchasing can assist departments in identifying HUB's from whom to make their purchases.

Important things to remember

1. Freight or shipping cost must be included in the delegated dollar limitation. 
2. Large purchases many not be divided into small lot purchases in order to meet dollar delegation. 
3. For purchases exceeding the $15,000.00 delegation, departments are to send a requisition to the Purchasing Department for the required bidding process.  The requisition should be sent prior to the need or purchase of the goods and/or services.

Making Information Technology (IT) Purchases

It is highly recommended and in your best interest to consult the Center for Information Technology Excellence (CITE) within your delegated dollar limit. This would apply to any type of IT purchase, whether it be hardware, software, outsourcing, telecommunications or related goods/services. CITE will advise you about compliance with state laws, System Policies and other IT security and information resource requirements, BCP/DRP contingencies, security breach notification, data storage and transfer requirements, availability of resources needed for initialization, on-going support and upgrades, compatibility with the existing IT infrastructure, reduction of duplicative applications, availability of existing bulk licenses, project management, and possible hidden or additional goods/services required or associated with the purchase. CITE can also provide information about known defects or reliability issues associated with many products.

Justification of Sole Source Purchases over $15,000.00.

Generally, purchases are made on a competitive basis.  However, there may be just cause to request a Sole Source.  A sole source situation occurs when an equivalent product is not available from any other vendor.  If this situation does arise, the sole source form in Mane Market should be completed and attached to the requisition. 

Emergency Purchases

Emergency purchases are defined as "a purchase of goods and/or services so badly needed that the department or institution will suffer financial or operational loss unless those goods and/or services are procured immediately."  When an emergency purchase is made, the department should submit a requisition to the Purchasing Department and include justification form from Mane Market that includes the following:

1. State the reasons for the emergency by explaining what the emergency was and/or what caused the emergency situation.
2. State the financial or operational loss that would have occurred if the goods and/or services were not procured immediately.
3. State why the needs were not or could not be anticipated so that the items could have been purchased through regular procurement procedures.