Purchasing Overview
Overview
The college intends that its purchasing be conducted in accordance with State laws and college policies and procedures such that students, staff, faculty and taxpayers receive full value for each dollar of public funds spent. The college's procedures conform to open, ethical and sound procurement policies. Qualified suppliers are invited to compete for the colleges business, which consists of a variety of goods and services.
The purchasing function is decentralized with the majority of the vendor selection decisions being made at the department level. Making the initial contact with the appropriate buyer is a critical first step to successfully participating in the procurement process. Here is a list of Purchasing contact persons. All marketing material needs to be delivered to the Purchasing Department.
Minority/Disadvantaged Suppliers
The college strongly supports having a diverse supplier base. Minority/disadvantaged vendors are encouraged to participate in the purchasing process. Vendors should keep the college informed of their ownership category and products/services offered.
Purchasing Ethics
All purchasing office employees, all other college personnel authorized to conduct purchasing activities and vendors the college does business with, must adhere to the principles and standards of the Oklahoma Ethics Law. It is contrary to college policy for any employee to accept any gratuities, premiums or other incentives. As a member of the National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP), the college also subscribes to the NAEP code of ethics. Each employee involved in the expenditure of public funds is held to the highest degree of public trust.
Buying Consortium Contracts
The college is a member of several buying consortiums that competitively bid goods and services. Purchases made off State, General Services Administration (GSA), Educational & Institutional Cooperative (E&I) and local and state contracts are exempt from competitive bidding.