Please Note: The college will be closed December 25, 2024 – January 1, 2025 for the holiday break.
Responsibility for Maintenance: Management Services
Date of Most Recent Changes: June 23, 2022
I. Policy Statement
Onondaga Community College frequently must procure goods and services from outside vendors in order to meet its needs. This policy sets forth procurement procedures that are designed to enable the College to obtain goods and services in a manner consistent with its best interests and in accordance with New York State and local law.
II. Reason for Policy
This policy is intended to create an efficient goods and services procurement process that complies with New York State and local law.
III. Applicability of the Policy
The President, the College's Board of Trustees, members of Financial Services and Management Services, and Department and Division Heads should be familiar with this policy.
IV. Related Documents
- New York State General Municipal Law Sections 100-109
- New York State County Law Section 408-A
- Onondaga County Administrative Code Section 6.17a
- Onondaga Community College Policy B1 Signature Authority for Contracts
- Onondaga Community College Inventory Control Procedures
- Onondaga Community College Purchasing Procedures Manual
- Onondaga Community College Purchase Requisitions
V. Contacts
| Subject | Office Name | Title or Position | Telephone Number | Email/URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Procurement procedures and Questions regarding the policy | Management Services | Assistant Vice President | (315) 498-2566 | mcmullem@sunyocc.edu |
VI. Definitions
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Competitive Bidding | A process whereby the College notifies the public that it is seeking to enter into a contract for goods and/or services, thereby allowing vendors to submit competing bids for providing the goods and services. |
| Bid Specifications | A listing of requirements vendors must fulfill in order to qualify to provide goods and/or services to the College. |
| Quotations | Estimates of the cost of goods or services from prospective vendors |
| Sole Source Items | An item for which there is not a reasonable equivalent and which is available from only one source so that there is no possibility of competition. |
| Services which involve specialized expertise, use of professional judgment, or a high degree of creativity in the performance of the contract. |
VII. Procedures
Commitment Authority
Any purchases that will require commitment of College funds will be undertaken in accordance with the procedures detailed in the College's Purchasing Procedures Manual. All department requests for goods and/or services shall be in the form of a formal requisition in accordance with the procedures detailed below and in the Purchasing Procedures Manual.
Competitive Bidding for Goods and Services
Except as otherwise provided in this policy, all contracts for public work and all purchase contracts involving an expenditure of funds exceeding the thresholds set forth in General Municipal Law § 103 will be subject to Competitive Bidding and advertised to the public. Bids will be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder who provides any required security and can meet the Bid Specifications.
Contracts for Professional Services and Sole Source Items are not subject to the Competitive Bidding provisions of General Municipal Law § 103. The College will contract for them in accordance with the procedures detailed in the Purchasing Procedures Manual.
Solicitation of Quotations and Bids
The Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer or his or her designee shall maintain a pool of prospective vendors for goods and services that are routinely used by the College with the goal of ensuring that the College will receive competitive prices. The Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer or his or her designee will periodically recruit new vendors.
The Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer will supervise the solicitation of bids consistent with the provisions of New York State General Municipal Law §§ 100-109, as described below.
Processing of Bids
The Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer may decide in his or her discretion whether the Management Services will process the bid, or whether he or she will request that the Onondaga County Division of Purchasing process the bid.
1. College-processed bids. After receiving an approved and complete requisition form, Management Services will draft Bid Specifications and will forward the Bid Specifications to the department seeking the requisition for review. Management Services will then arrange the formal bidding process in accordance with the procedures detailed in the Purchasing Procedures Manual.
2. County-processed bids. After receiving an approved and complete requisition form and Capital Purchase Request Form, Management Services will draft bid specifications and forward them to the County Purchasing Department for finalization. Once the bid is awarded, Financial Services will forward the appropriate County forms (either County Purchase Requisition, or Contract Pre-Encumbrance and Contract Requisition) to the County Purchasing Department.
After the bid process is complete, bids will be reviewed and evaluated by the appropriate College officials, the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and appropriate departmental representatives in accordance with the procedures detailed in the Purchasing Procedures Manual.
Vendor Analysis
The Assistant Vice President of Management Services will continually evaluate current and prospective vendors and will seek input from the various divisions regarding the efficiency and competence of the vendors. Vendors who have delivered goods or services to the College during periods of shortage or emergency will be given priority consideration as long as their prices remain competitive.
Waiver of Competitive Bidding
The Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer will have final authority as to whether Competitive Bidding may be waived with respect to a purchase that would ordinarily be subject to Competitive Bidding pursuant to General Municipal Law § 103. The College will take advantage of subdivision 16 of GML 103, the "Piggybacking" exception and will utilize lowest responsible bidder or on the basis of best value in a manner consistent with GML when it is determined to be in the best interest of the College. Competitive Bidding will be waived only in accordance with the policies detailed in the Purchasing Procedures Manual.
Where Competitive Bidding is not required by law or by College policy and wherever practical, the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, or his or her designee, will seek Quotations from multiple vendors for the goods or services. The Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer or his or her designee will evaluate Quotations in accordance with the policies detailed in the Purchasing Procedures Manual. After quotations are received, Management Services will create a purchase order authorizing the vendor to provide the goods or services. Advertisements for Competitive Bidding may be waived in the following circumstances only:
1. Perishables and Medical Supplies. Public advertisement shall not be required with respect to the procurement of foodstuffs and medical supplies unless required by specific resolution of the College's Board of Trustees.
2. Emergencies. Supplies, materials, equipment and services may be procured without advertisement upon the declaration by the President or other authorized College officer of a public emergency arising out of an accident or other unforeseen condition affecting the life, health or safety of persons within the College and requiring immediate action.
3. Damage to Public Facilities. Public advertisement may be waived when, through accident or other circumstance, the heating, air conditioning, ventilating, lighting, plumbing or other equipment or apparatus of any College building shall become disabled, or when any such building or part thereof shall be rendered unusable. The Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer will certify the necessity of immediate repair. Public advertisement shall not be waived, however, unless such certificate of necessity shall be approved in writing by the President or his/her designee.
4. Replacement Parts. Public advertisement may be waived when machinery, equipment or other apparatus shall become disabled or worn and shall require immediate repair or replacement. The Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer will certify to the necessity of immediate repair. Public advertisement shall not be waived, however, unless such certificate of necessity shall be approved in writing by the President.
5. Procurement from State; Blind-Made Products and Department of Corrections. All required purchases which may be made at the same price as by bid to the State of New York, may, upon authorization, be purchased without Competitive Bidding. All required supplies which may be furnished by the State Department of Correction, or by appropriate charitable agencies for the blind incorporated under the laws of the State of New York, shall, upon authorization, be purchased therefrom without Competitive Bidding at prices established pursuant to law.
6. Surplus and Second Hand Supplies, Materials and Equipment. Surplus and second hand supplies, materials and equipment may be purchased without Competitive Bidding from the United States Government, the State of New York or any other political subdivision.
Processing of Goods Following Acquisition
Following acquisition, goods shall be accounted for and tracked in accordance with the College’s Inventory Control Procedures, as and to the extent applicable.
Approved by OCC Board of Trustees April 3, 2006
Updated and approved by the President January 31, 2011
Updated and approved by the President July 10, 2019
Updated and approved by the President June 23, 2022