Office and
Procurement
Services
We’re here to help
you!
2
Who’s Who In OPS?
Office and Procurement
Services is an atypical setting:
two directors and one office. It
can be a little confusing.
Office and
Procurement
Services
Sue Peck, Director
of Office Services
Debra Campbell,
Mary Schaumberg,
Printing/Mail Clerk
Mail Clerk
(Powell Campus
Center)
Donna Sturdevant,
Director of
Statutory
Procurement
Cheryl Foster,
Procurement
Assistant
3
How do I know who to contact?
Sue Peck
•
•
One Card Questions
Questions on the Following
Commodities:
• IT: Computers/Printers
• AV
• Athletics
• Printing/Publishing
• Office Supplies
• Equestrian
• Mail/Shipping
• Promotional Items
• Car Rentals
• MFP (Multi-Functional
Printer)/Copies
• Shredding
Donna Sturdevant
•
•
Statutory Construction Purchasing
Questions on the following
commodities:
• Maintenance
• Laboratory/Sciences
• Industrial
• Arts
• Furniture
• Safety/Security
• Miscellaneous
Email Sue or Donna at
procurement@alfred.edu or call
607-871-2698
4
What can OPS do for you?
 Help
you with your big purchase needs
 Direct you to a reputable vendor
 Help your department save a few bucks
 Set you up with an AU One Card
 Help you with Printing and Mailing
Services
 Assist you in the Mail Room
 We have the buzz on employee
discounts! Ooh la la!
5
Not sure where to begin when
purchasing? We can help!
You can find the AU-Find-A-Quote
on our website:
http://our.alfred.edu/index.cfm/fus
eaction/procurement.home.cfm
Or, if your purchase is fairly simple,
feel free to email us at
procurement@alfred.edu or call us
at 607-871-2698.
6
What’s a Requisition?
What’s a PO?
What’s the Difference?



A REQUISITION is an internal document that
faculty, staff, and in some cases a student fills
out to request a purchase order
A PURCHASE ORDER, or PO, is a formal
document issued by OPS. It specifies – per the
requisition – the types, quantities, and prices
for the goods and/or services the vendor (the
seller) will provide AU (the buyer)
The difference is that YOU fill out the
requisition. We process it in Banner and then
distribute the PO
7
Do I Need a Purchase Order?
In general, all purchases of goods and services require OPS review and
approvals. However, the following are exceptions where departments may
obtain special services following the guidelines in place by the University.
AU One Card Purchases under $1,000
Items picked up in person up to $1,000
Goods and Services not requiring a PO:
Beverages
Mail services
Books, tapes, etc.
Maintenance/Service Agreements
Catering
Membership renewal fees/dues
Consulting
Postage/Freight
Entertainment
Registration fees, conferences and seminars
Film rentals
Software subscriptions, renewals under $1,000
Flowers
Subscriptions - magazines, periodicals
Food
Travel Services
8
How do I request
a purchase
order?
The requisition is the document that
requests your purchase order. When
that’s received we’ll be able to
process that PO!
To get a requisition visit our website:
http://our.alfred.edu/index.cfm/fuse
action/procurement.home.cfm
or call us at 607-871-2698.
9
What do I need on my
requisition?







Contact and Delivery
Information
Your product description
and its item number
Vendor contact
information
FOAP
Budget Supervisor
approval
Research approval (if
applicable)
Special Notes to
Procurement
FOAP stands
for
Fund
Organization
Account
Program
10
What happens after I turn in
my requisition?



OPS staff will review
your request, making
sure you have the
appropriate
signatures, FOAP,
etc.
An OPS Director will
have to approve
your request
A Purchase Order will
be processed and
distributed, and a
copy will be emailed
to you
11
Now your requisition will turn
into…a purchase order!
Before
After
12
It’s been a couple of days…what
could be holding up my PO?
 No
signature from budget supervisor
 No signature from Research (if
applicable)
 OPS is waiting for the vendor to complete
a Vendor Registration Form
13
Cool! I got my stuff!
What do I do now OPS?
Shortly after you receive
your goods, the vendor will
send an invoice (aka bill) to
Accounts Payable. AP will
email you to confirm that
your PO has been fulfilled,
and then they will pay the
vendor. Send any packing
slips to AP…
And you’re all set!
14
Uh oh…what if
the vendor sent
me an invoice
that’s on a PO?
Don’t worry! Send that invoice down to Accounts Payable and
they’ll pay the vendor. You can identify our PO numbers on the
invoice because they are usually formatted as:
P000#### or 167### .
*If you have a One Card, do NOT pay the vendor for
goods/services purchased on a PO.
15
Are all of the OPS purchases
made with a purchase order?
No, sometimes OPS will order your items with
our credit card. In this case, your packing
slips and any invoices you might receive
should go back to OPS in Greene Hall, and
not to the Business Office.
16
Here’s how you can tell the difference
between an order placed on a PO, and
one placed with a One Card:
Placed on a One Card:
17
Hey! How do I get
one of those AU
One Cards?
Well…first make sure your
supervisor says it’s okay…then
you need to fill out a One Card
application.
One Card Applications are found
on our website!
After the paperwork is in place,
you will be contacted for One
Card Training.
18
Is there anything I should know about
purchases I make myself, and not
through OPS?

When using a new vendor visit the Better Business Bureau:
www.bbb.org. You can search your vendor to verify they
are a reputable and legitimate provider.

And don’t forget about sales tax!

When in doubt email or call OPS.
procurement@alfred.edu or
607-871-2698.
19
Some Quick Notes On Sales Tax

Alfred University is a tax-exempt organization within New York State.

These additional costs are depleting your departmental budget.

Any merchandise shipped to AU from another state is a tax exempt
purchase.

At the time of a purchase tell the vendor that AU is tax exempt, and
present them with a tax exempt certificate.

The vendor has the right to refuse AU’s sales tax status…but always try to
prevent the cost, or try to get the reimbursement.


When planning your trip, the university does have to pay taxes for:

Airline purchases

Fuel
For a copy of AU’s tax exempt certificate, go to:
http://our.alfred.edu/index.cfm/fuseaction/business_office.FormsDocs.cfm
20
How Do I Get a Tax Reimbursement?

If you notice taxes on your online purchase after submitting your order,
contact the vendor via telephone, email, or live chat and let them know you
were charged sales tax and you are requesting a reimbursement.

You may need to provide your order number.

If it’s a local vendor, you may need to take the tax exempt certificate to them
directly.

You will need to provide the vendor the tax exemption certificate. Some
vendors require that you write the name of the seller on the line under
“blanket certificate” and the date of purchase, too.

In regards to Amazon…OPS can set you up with a tax exempt account.
Contact Sue Peck for more information.
21
Bids and proposals and
requests…oh my!
Yeah! What’s that about? What do we do with those SUPER
LARGE dollar items? What’s done in that case?
This is the scoop….
• If your purchase is < $50,000 the department can get their
own quote…
BUT… OPS reserves the right to get other bids
• > $50,000 OPS gets the bids
Don’t forget…we’re here to help you! We’re not trying to be a tyrant. We are
familiar with the vendors and suppliers out there. We not only want to help you
SAVE but get a QUALITY product!!!
22
Want the university discount but need
an account? OPS can set-up an
account for you with:





Amazon
Cintas Document Management
Fisher Scientific
Office Max
Staples
Other Training OPS Offers
 One
Card
23
Hey…didn’t you say something
about printing and mailing services?
Yes! We have a small print shop and mailing services facility! Take a
look at our services!











Black and White Photocopying
Color Photocopying
Duplicating
Newsletters
General Office forms
Letterhead/Envelopes
Booklets
Brochures
Posters
Back to Back Printing
Folding










Cutting
Collating and Stapling
Saddle Stapling
Punch & Spiral Binding
3-Hole Punch
Laminating
Tabbing
Labeling/Stuffing
Outgoing general mail
First and Third Class Mailings
Services are available for the Alfred University Community and Students.
Email Mary Schaumberg at schaummd@alfred.edu or check out the website
http://our.alfred.edu/index.cfm/fuseaction/facilities.printing_services.cfm for a printing
request form or more information!
***Please allow 1-3 business days for small printing requests to be completed
and 3-5 days for large printing requests.***
24
What about the mail room in the Powell
Campus Center?
This is where you can drop off any interoffice mail or any mail that
already has postage on it. Non-statutory mail is also picked up here.
Students can obtain services like…









U.S. Postal Stamps
Weighing and mailing small packages up to 5 pounds
Priority Mail
Interoffice mail distribution
International First Class mail
Mail/Package pickup - package notification is via AU email. Students must wait for
email notification prior to package pick-up and will need an AU ID in order to
receive packages.
Department distributions
Forwarding mail service for students who have left AU residence halls
Certified/Registered mail
Questions? Contact Debbie Campbell at campbedk@alfred.edu or 607-871-2666
25
POTENTIAL SCAMS
Below are some tactics that some companies
use to scam universities:




Asking for your copier’s serial number, brand of copier and/or
printer.
Sending out an “invoice” that looks legitimate, but it turns out to be
a solicitation.
Frequently making reference to a local dealer or manufacturer
such as XEROX, giving the impression that they are your regular
supplier or representative.
Pretending to be conducting a survey to find out what office
equipment (especially photocopiers and printers) you have and to
verify your address so they can call you back posing as your
authorized dealer to sell you toner, etc.
When in doubt transfer the call to OPS: 607-871-2698
For more information on Unsolicited Vendors and Scams go to our website
26
Don’t forget about those
employee DISCOUNTS*!
(Through E&I)
http://our.alfred.edu/index.cfm/fuseaction/procurement.Employeeincentive.cfm
*These vendors and discounts change often, so keep checking the website!
27
Helpful Links…
 Procurement:
http://our.alfred.edu/index.cfm/fuseactio
n/procurement.home.cfm
 Office
Services:
http://our.alfred.edu/index.cfm/fuseactio
n/facilities.office_services.cfm