Contracting Authority

In accordance to UA Board Policy 300.1:

No University employee may execute any contract purporting to be on behalf of the University unless he or she has been delegated signature authority to do so. No contract signed by a person without signature authority shall be binding upon the University or the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas. The University is not bound by and does not recognize as binding any promise or obligation made by an unauthorized person. Those signing external agreements or attempting to bind the University by any other means without authority may be subject to legal and/or disciplinary action up to and including termination.

All documents legally binding UAPB must first be forwarded to the Agency Procurement Official for review and consideration, after legal review by the General Counsel. Failure to submit a contract for review to Procurement at least seven (7) days in advance of the date needed or deadline jeopardizes your ability to contract with the other party.

1. If the contract needs to be revised, the contract will be forward back to the requester to submit to the vendor to make the necessary modification.
2. Once the Procurement office receive the revised contract that was corrected by the vendor, the document will then be submitted to the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration (or Chancellor, where appropriate) for final approval.
3. The Procurement official will forward the executed contract to the requester. Then, the requester should forward the contract back to the vendor for execution. Once the vendor has fully executed the contract a copy MUST BE submitted to the Procurement Office.
4. After the above steps have been taken, the requester may proceed with processing a requisition through Workday and MUST attach a copy of the fully executed agreement/contract.

CONTRACT AND GRANT DISCLOSURE

• It is the policy of the Board of Trustees to assure that employees of the University of Arkansas and persons or entities contracting with the University of the Arkansas at Pine Bluff abide by laws applicable to them in performing their responsibilities and specifically that they conduct their activities in accordance with applicable law, regulations, and policies governing ethical conduct and ethics in public purchasing and contracting
• The University shall not without approval by the Chancellor, Vice President for Agriculture, Director of the Arkansas Archeological Survey, Director of the Criminal Justice Institute or their designee, enter into, extend, amend, or renew a contract with or award a discretionary grant to, current or former:

1. Members of the Arkansas General Assembly
2. Constitutional Officers
3. Board or Commission Members
4. State Employees
5. The Immediate family member, including the spouse of any of (1) through 4 or
6. Any Entity in which any person designated in (1) through (5) holds any position of control, or holds any ownership interest of ten percent (10%) or greater.

Purchases (PO Policy)

The purchase order is the primary accepted business standard of UAPB for transmitting ordering information to a supplier. Without an approved authorized purchase order in hand, you cannot fiscally obligate the University for goods/services accepted by any other means. For Example: A vendor cannot ship/delivery goods or begin services without an approved purchase order. To do otherwise may leave you personally liable for the expense.

PURCHASING THRESHOLDS

$20,000 or less

• Quote from vendor/supplier
• Boycott must be uploaded with the requisition
• Repeated small quantity purchases of similar items to circumvent the $20,000 bid limit are prohibited.

$20,000.01 – $75,000

• Competitive Bid is required.
• This is completed by the Procurement Office.
• A minimum of three (3) bids must be received

Purchases Exceeding $75,000.00

• Formal Bids are processed by Request for Proposal (RFP) or Invitation for Bid (IFB)
• Formal competitive sealed bidding must be completed by the Procurement Office.
• Bids are posted publicly

PAYMENT OF DUES FOR MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS UA SYSTEMWIDE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES UASP 350.1

1.Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance in determining the circumstance where payment of dues for membership in professional organizations can be paid from appropriated funds.

2.Policy
 (A) Memberships in an organization where the University is listed as the member or where the University designates an institutional representative in an organization may be paid from appropriated funds.
(B) Appropriated funds may not normally be used to pay individual membership dues, assessments, or any other levy in professional organizations, honorary societies, civic clubs, or other organizations where the membership is in the name of an individual.

• Individual membership must complete a Membership Justification form

However, individual membership fees can be considered for payment in cases when the University will clearly benefit from the membership, and one or more of the following criteria prevail:

1) the organization does not offer an institutional membership;

2) the individual membership fee is less than the institutional membership fee;

3) individual license fees are necessary to meet or maintain a specific job description requirement; or

4) individual memberships are required to achieve other benefit(s) desired by the University.

(C) All memberships are subject to availability of funds and administrative approval as determined on a campus level.

Reimbursement

Arkansas statues stipulate that all purchases of goods (supplies/equipment), services, rental or leases to which the university is a party are subject to rules and regulations. These purchases require approval with the assignment of a purchase order by the Procurement Department. Without a duly authorized purchase order, the university takes no liability or legal obligation for merchandise or services arbitrarily received by any other means. Any individuals making a purchase without proper authorization may be required to assume personal liability.

It is recommended that a call be made to the Interim Director of Procurement and a list of the items sent which are to be purchased in advance so they may be reviewed for compliance to existing state laws as some items are not reimbursable. For Example: printing, items on state or agency contracts and those items which should have been bid prior to the expense.

Emergency Purchases

State Procurement Ark Codes Ann. §19-11-204 and 19-11-233; Emergency procurement is defined as the acquisition of commodities or services which, if not immediately initiated, will endanger human life, health, state property, or functional capability of UAPB. Accompanying the purchase requisition shall be a written justification as to the critical emergency which has been approved by the Agency Head or his designee (The Vice Chancellor for Finance or Chancellor) and three (3) quotes from vendors contacted to bid.

Procurement Copier Lease

The Office of State Procurement (OSP) has established a copier rental contract available for use to all state agencies.

The lease or procurement of all copiers and related equipment is under a state contract and must be coordinated with Procurement Services.

Workday supplier contracts with scheduled invoices will be created for all existing copier leases. This method of procurement allows for auto-payment of the lease without the creation of a requisition with the exception of utilizing Grant/Federal funds.

• New Copier Leases: When choosing a copier that the University will only enter a contract from the approved state copier contract. Written agreements, quotes, and supporting documentation should be sent to the Office of Procurement via email for review and approval.
• Overages: All Departments are responsible for any overages.  The department will need to process a requisition through Workday with the attached invoice.
• Maintenance: Departments must enter a Workday requisition (with a Framework/blanket) requisition at the start of each fiscal year for maintenance fees.
• Renewal: The Agency Procurement Official will automatically renew the rental agreement for the life of the lease unless otherwise notified by the requestor in writing of cancellation. A penalty will be imposed for cancelling during the three (3) year contract period.

Promotional Items-Office of State Procurement Policy

Promotional items are items purchased for distribution to employees, students, or the general public and may include pins, buttons, pens, tee shirts and sweatshirts. The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff has been authorized to purchase items for promotional purposes by special language in the agency’s appropriations act.(Polo shirts are considered as uniforms not promotional items). Promotional items are subject to availability of funds and administration approval as determined on a campus level.

In addition, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff has established a licensing program to protect the university’s brand and prohibit unauthorized use of the university name or logo on commercial or other products. All uses and representations of the university’s name and logo on items of merchandise, whether for sale or internal use, are licensed. Licensed use of UAPB’s name and logo will preserve its reputation by ensuring that these products are of quality and good taste and consistent with the university’s branding efforts. All promotional items must be produced by a CLC (Collegiate Licensing Company)-licensed vendor that has been approved by the Office of Alumni Affairs.

Postsecondary education institutions may apply to the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State for a transfer of money from its operating expenses appropriation to a promotional item line item in accordance with ACA §6-63-304 (b).

The following items are not prohibited from procurement with general appropriated funds:

1. Plaques for student achievements
2. Plaques for board or commission members upon termination of service on a board or commission
3. Promotional items specifically authorized by language in a state or federal grant
4. Items purchased, the cost of which is reimbursed by students

The above items are the only promotional items authorized without specific language in an agency’s appropriations act.

STAPLES – PREFERRED SUPPLIER FOR OFFICE SUPPLIES

• Workday Support Services is pleased to announce a systemwide contract has been signed to designate Staples as the preferred supplier for offices supplies. Staples provides your campus with a rebate benefit, as well as less expensive costs than Office Depot.
• To order from Staples in Workday, use the task ‘Create Requisition’ and then navigate to the Connect to Supplier website link and choose the Staples punchout. The quick reference guide for Creating aPurchase Requisition for Staples details this process. If you are not currently logged into Workday, you will be directed to my Microsoft Apps and will need to click the Workday app to be taken to the training materials.
• Requisition Requesters can view the Staples Business Advantage Resource Guidethat includes an online ordering user guide, our account number, and support information for assistance with ordering from Staples.

STATE PROCUREMENT LAWS AND REGULATIONS

Visit the Office of State Procurement or the State of Arkansas Procurement Laws, Rules and Guidelines for current laws, rules, and regulations as located on the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration’s website.

PRINTING – AMENDMENT 54

The Arkansas Code Annotated 19-11-222 defines printing as the process of transferring images, by the use of standard industrial type printer ink, upon documents such as letterhead, envelopes, pamphlets, booklets, and forms. Stationery is imprinted letterhead and envelopes used by the General Assembly and other departments of state government to identify an individual department, agency, board, commission, etc.; and supplies means paper and inks used to produce stationery.

• All printing services must be rendered by UAPB Printing Services located L.A. Davis Building, Room 102. If they are unable to accommodate you, a written approval to secure printing services off campus must be obtained from the printing supervisor.
• In instances where in-house printing services cannot be rendered, the next option is to submit a requisition in Workday for payment to another state agency, example: Cooperative Extension, Department of Corrections, UAMS, UAF, UALR, etc.
• Outsourced printing services are subject to bid if the total cost of services rendered for the calendar year exceeds $100,000.00. The Agency Procurement Official is responsible for soliciting quotes for outsourced printing services.
• Printing which has been procured with state or federal funds should never be resold for profit with the expectation that the revenue will be deposited into a private account, example: souvenir booklets,