Reference Manual For Requesting Services

Capital Assets

Checking the Status of a Purchase Order

Each office/department is responsible for expediting their own purchase orders. The Inventory/Materials Control Department no longer expedites Purchase Orders that are older than 2 months from the Purchase Order date. Please contact the vendor directly. If the company does not have a record of the order, send an e-mail to Purchasing requesting the purchase order to be re-faxed to the vendor. Please include the vendor's fax number in the email..

Exchanging Incorrect Items from Purchase Orders

Anytime you receive a shipment against a Purchase Order please check your order immediately to ensure you received the correct items, correct quantities, and to ensure the items are not damaged. Some companies do not accept returns or exchanges after a certain amount of time (usually 2 weeks to 1 month). If, after this time has passed, the company does accept the return or exchange, a restocking fee may be charged to your account, which is typically 15 to 20 percent.

If you received an incorrect item ordered from a Purchase Order because the vendor sent the wrong item or you ordered the wrong item, call the vendor directly to arrange for an exchange or return. Please call Rob Brown at ext. 7137 to obtain a copy of the packing slip, to arrange pickup of the item, and to inform the Receiving department so the status of the purchase order can be updated in Banner.

When talking with the company be sure to gather information (i.e., if an RMA number is required, to whom it should be directed, and the return address).

If possible, please return the item in the original box. Note whicht Cost Center Code should be charged, and the Purchase Order Number from which the item was ordered. See UPS Ships (Return).

Receiving a Direct Shipment

If items you ordered through a Purchase Order are delivered directly to your department, please call ext. 7137 or forward the packing slips to the Palmer Building storeroom. Please have available the Vendor Name and either the Purchase Order Number or the Requisition Number.

Surplus Property Procedure

The following steps are taken whenever a department wishes to declare any asset or other property as surplus:

1. A Surplus/Moving form is received from a department, asking the Purchasing Office to surplus equipment or other property. The Assistant Director of Purchasing prepares a bid form with all information necessary for the advertising and disposal of the surplus items. A bid number is assigned to the bid form and this number and a description of the items are logged onto a PC file titled SURPLUS.doc.
2. By Council of Trustees resolution dated April 16, 1987, property with an original cost in excess of $10,000 must be approved for surplus by the Trustees in advance. Capital assets (with a value of $1,000 to $10,000) to be surplused must be reported to the Trustees after the fact. The condition of surplus items is reported as either "poor" or "obsolete".
3. The bid sheet is given to Clerical Support in Purchasing for further processing. At this point a file folder is prepared with a label containing a brief description of the surplus items, ex: computers, along with the bid number. All information regarding this transaction will be filed in this folder.
4. An email summarizing the surplus items is sent to various campus departments, including Academic Deans and Vice Presidents, to solicit internal interest. The email list used is called "Campus Surplus Contacts". Names can be added or deleted as needed. Items are only available for University use and not for employees' personal use. One week is allowed for internal responses. Items are removed from the surplus list.
5. A letter is prepared summarizing the surplus items and sent to non-profit agencies to solicit their interest. The surplus item list is the same as described in Step 3, less any items selected in Step 3. A five (5) day response period is given to recipients of this letter. Step 5 begins only after the response period ends. In cases where a response is received from a non-profit agency, those items will be placed in a lot (or lots) as deemed appropriate by the Assistant Director of Purchasing. Agencies may arrange to view the items in advance. Agencies will then have the opportunity to bid on the specific lot(s) in which they are interested at the same time as other bidders.
6. Items are normally advertised in the Lancaster Newspapers, Sunday Edition. Letters are faxed or sent to previous bidders who expressed interest in being notified of surplus equipment sales.
   1. A Copy of the ad is sent to the department along with the bid sheets and envelopes. The department contact person will distribute the bid sheets/envelopes to visiting bidders instructing them that the responses must be received in the Purchasing Office by the date and time noted in the bid envelope.
7. Sealed bids are solicited by lot.
8. Departments generally are responsible for showing the surplus items in order to eliminate the extra labor of moving the items.
9. Items are awarded to the highest bidder. The successful bidder(s) will be called and given the department contact person's name and phone number to arrange a pick up date and time.
10. Payment is made directly to the Purchasing Office, Administrative Assistant, before the buyer is permitted to pick up the goods. A copy of the receipt is retained for the surplus folder.
11. Notices are no longer sent to departments for the purpose of employees bidding on items since this is a conflict of interest as determined by legal counsel.
12. The Receiving Office is notified of all capital assets which are sold so that they are removed from the Capital Asset Inventory.

Disposal of Surplus Items

Departments which have items (supplies, equipment, etc.) that are no longer needed, no longer serviceable, etc. may declare those items surplus. They may transfer such items to another department on campus, or request that the university surplus the items. In either situation the department should submit a Request for Moving Furniture and Equipment.

Only the University Purchasing Department has authority to dispose of University owned property. Surplus property can not be donated or given to another organization or individual, although interdepartmental transfers are permissible. Once a department declares an property as surplus, it transfers responsibility for that property to the Purchasing Department.

UPS Shipments

University Requirements for Shipment

All items being shipped (whether Regular or Return) must meet the following criteria:

• All materials must be boxed in a sturdy carton, preferably the original container if it is a Return package.
• All packages must have attached to the carton or accompanying the package a paper which includes the Ship to: Name, Address, and Zip Code. This information must be legible.
• A Cost Center Code, to which shipping is to be charged, MUST accompany all packages.
• The maximum weight limit for packages is 150 lbs. The maximum size is 130" in length and girth combined with maximum length of 108" per package.

Regular Shipments

A package may be sent in any of the ways listed below. Packages are billed according to the type of service along with the weight and zone destination. Pricing is available upon request.

Packages or letters must be sent:

• UPS Ground - Will arrive 5-7 working days from pickup by UPS
• 3-Day Select - Information is available by calling Rob Brown at ext. 7137
• UPS 2nd Day Air. Blue Label - Will arrive 2 days from pickup by UPS
• UPS Next Day Air. Red Label - Will arrive 1 day from pickup by UPS

Additional charges will occur for the following special services:

• C.O.D.
• Delivery Confirmation Request - A notice will be attached to the package and returned to the sender once the package is delivered.
• Insurance - All packages are automatically insured for $100. Any additional insurance involves extra cost.
• Address Correction
• Call Tags

Return Shipments

All returned shipments that were ordered and received under a purchase order number must be executed through the Receiving Department and must meet the University Requirements for Shipping. Each Return Shipment must be accompanied by the original Purchase Order Number so the Receiving Department records may be updated. If a package is being returned at the University's expense (billed to the Dept.) handle the transaction as a Regular shipment.

Example of Return shipments include:

• Exchange of an item
• Damaged item
• Repair work
• Warranty work

To waive shipping charges to the University, your department must contact the Vendor, who in turn will contact UPS to request a Call Tag. It is also the Department's responsibility to determine if the vendor requires a Return Authorization Number (i.e. RA# _____ or RMA# _____). If so, this number must be submitted to the Receiving Department with the Return package.

Any questions should be directed to Rob Brown at ext. 7137.