Purchasing

Purchasing plays a critical role in sourcing and acquiring goods and services to meet the university’s needs while optimizing costs and ensuring quality.

Looking for Bids, RFPs, RFQs and Sole Source Notices?

Current Bids, RFPs, RFQs, and Sole Source Notices

Closed Bids, RFPs, RFQs, and Sole Source Notices

Prepayment

Prepayment requires the university to pay for goods or services in advance, ensuring that all necessary funds are allocated and secured before the transaction is completed.

For prepayment fill out the Prepayment Approval Form.

Submit the form through email to prepayment@olemiss.edu.

Sole Source Request (IT & non-IT purchases)

Using one of the links below, you must provide information that will be used to certify sole source for your desired purchase. The appropriate form is required for sole source requests that exceed $5,000 (for IT purchases, the amount is determined from evaluating the lifecycle costs of the project). The purchase requisition (PR) should be created prior to completing this form in order to provide the requisition number on these forms.

These forms do not allow you to save information and come back later to finish, so you will want to collect all of the requested information in advance and enter it at one time. Access to the forms requires WebID and password.

For IT sole source purchases in the range $5,001 to $250,000, the approval process is managed by the University, specifically by the Procurement and Information Technology offices. IT sole source purchases greater than $250,000 are managed by Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services (MDITS). For sole source purchases that exceed $250,000, the MSITS Sole Source Certification Request must also be completed. PDF and Word versions of this form are linked from the MSITS Procurement Forms website. More details can be found in the MDITS Procurement Handbook. Renewals that are within a contract term will not require completion of the forms. The IT sole source certification form linked below will prompt you for the following information:

Contact Info including name of person who "owns" this project
Product name, version, cost, contract term in years
Product summary
Requisition number
Sole source certification – Must respond to the following:
- Specific business requirements to be met by the requested products or services
- Why these products or services are the only ones that can meet your needs
- Why the source is the only entity that can provide the products or services
- Why the amount to be expended for the services is reasonable
- What you have done to obtain the best possible price for the services
Vendor sole source letter and proposal
Acknowledgements of related policies

Fill out the Information Technology (IT) Sole Source Form

The sole source certification form linked below will prompt you for the following information:

Contact Info
Requisition number
Product name and description, including manufacturer, model, etc.
Sole source certification ‐ Must respond to the following:
- Why these products are the only ones that can meet your needs
- Name of vendor and why the source is the only entity that can provide the product(s)
- Description of the efforts to determine the vendor is the only one that can provide the needed commodity
- Amount of the purchase and why the amount to be expended for the commodity is reasonable
- Description of the efforts to obtain the best possible price for the commodity
Vendor signed quote / proposal
Acknowledgements of related policies

Fill out the Non-Information Technology Sole Source Form

Need more information about the sole source process

Download the sole source instruction document.

Download the instructions

State Contracts

State contracts offer pre-negotiated terms and pricing for goods and services, allowing the university to make cost-effective purchases while ensuring compliance with state procurement regulations.

Competitive contracts are awarded through a bidding process, ensuring that goods and services are obtained at the best possible value while promoting fairness, transparency, and compliance with procurement policies.

If the item is on a competitive state contract you must purchase that item from the state contract vendor. The exception to this is if the purchase is less than $100 or purchased through the bookstore.

The following are examples of commonly used competitive contract suppliers.

Office Supplies - Barefield Workplace Solutions
Office Paper - Jackson Paper/ Newell Paper

Search for Competitive Contracts

Negotiated contracts are established through direct discussions with vendors, allowing for tailored terms and pricing that meet the university’s specific needs while ensuring compliance with procurement guidelines.

You may purchase from the state contract vendor or from another vendor as long as the price does not exceed state contract pricing. Only one quote is required for most state contract purchases.

The following are examples of commonly used negotiated contract suppliers.

Copiers - Multiple Manufactures to include Canon, HP, and Sharp
Laboratory Equipment - Multiple Vendors to include Agilent Technologies, Fisher Scientific and Nikon

Search for Negotiated Contracts

Cooperative contracts allow the university to leverage group purchasing power with other institutions, resulting in competitive pricing and streamlined procurement processes while maintaining compliance with applicable regulations.

You may purchase from the state contract vendor or from another vendor as long as the price does not exceed state contract pricing. Only one quote is required for most state contract purchases.

The following are examples of commonly used cooperative contract suppliers.

Equipment Rental - Multiple Vendors to include Herc, United Rental, and Sunbelt.
Floor Covering - Multiple Vendors to include Mannington Mills, Mohawk Industries and Shaw

Search for Cooperative Contracts

Established on the basis of competitive bids or negotiation by a specific agency. These agency contracts are approved by the Office of Purchasing and Travel for use by all state agencies and governing authorities to purchase specific products from the vendor.

Search for Statewide Agency Contracts

Guidelines and Resources

The purchasing guidelines and resources provide clear instructions and support to ensure efficient, compliant, and cost-effective procurement practices across the university.

Before making a purchase, please familiarize yourself with the university's purchasing terms and conditions.

Refer to this guide when submitting purchase requisitions for a copier to ensure the process is smooth and compliant with university policies.

Guidelines for Copier Leases and Maintence Agreements

The G/L Codes with Descriptions form provides a comprehensive list of codes, along with clear explanations, to ensure that all purchases are correctly allocated to the appropriate budget categories.

G/L Code Form

These guidelines outline the process for evaluating and selecting appropriate software and hardware solutions, as well as ensuring compliance with legal, financial, and technical standards.

IT Purchases and Lifecycle Costs

The ITS Express Product List provides a curated selection of pre-approved hardware and software items that meet the university's technical standards, ensuring compatibility, reliability, and cost-effectiveness for departmental purchases.

Product List

University departments that have a need to rent mini storage stalls, warehouses, office space, or any rental of space from non University owned companies or individuals, must first obtain written approval from the Division of General Services – Real Property Division , or the (IHL) Institutions of Higher Learning College Board.

Procurement Services will assist departments in securing such written approval and no contract or rental agreements shall be signed nor any rental payments made from University held funds until such approval is secured.

These instructions outline the necessary steps and requirements for submitting a request for payment.

Requirements for Submitting Payment Requests

Verify if your item is included on the current state contract listing.

State Contract Search

Reference the State of Mississippi Procurement Manual for additional purchasing guidelines, which provide detailed procedures, compliance requirements, and best practices to ensure all acquisitions align with state regulations and university policies.

The Vehicle Justification Form must be completed to provide a detailed explanation and approval for the need to acquire or lease a vehicle, ensuring it aligns with the university's operational requirements and budget.

Vehicle Justification Form

Purchasing FAQs

The Purchasing FAQs provide answers to common questions about procurement processes, helping to clarify procedures and ensure smooth transactions.

There are several different ways to purchase goods/services.

Request for Payments should be used for reimbursements of certain expenses and for awards, fellowships, and scholarships.
Form 13 is used to pay individuals and for all consultants.
Procurement Card should be used for small dollar purchases of goods up to $5000 when no fee is charged for use of the card.
Purchase Requisitions should be used for all other purchases of goods or services.

Purchases up to $5000 should be made with the P-Card if at all possible. If a purchase requisition is entered, quotes are not required, but price verification should be made with the vendor. It is good practice to get a written quote.
Purchases over $5000 up to $75,000 require two (2) written quotes from two separate vendors on company identifiable letterhead. The quotes are required to be signed by the vendor or accompanied by the email when the quote was sent.
Purchases over $75,000 will need to be procured using the competitive sealed bid process. This could be by requesting bids or proposals. Procurement Services will work with you on determining the best method for your purchase.

Yes, if it is a Competitive Contract. The exception to this is if the purchase is less than $100 or purchased through the bookstore.

If the state contract is not a Competitive contract, you may purchase from the state contract vendor or from another vendor as long as the price does not exceed state contract pricing. Only one quote is required for most state contract purchases.

Yes, the EPL (Express Products List) is for state contract purchases of computer hardware and software. You may purchase up to $200,000 using the EPL contract. Unlike state contracts, two quotes are required for all EPL purchases.

Yes, you should submit a purchase requisition and have a purchase order issued for ordering. Once the PO is issued, we will send the PO to the vendor per the information in the SAP vendor file.

You do not need a PO if you are purchasing on the P-Card.

No, this is considered splitting quotes and is against state law.

In addition, submitting multiple PRs to keep below the amount to bid or quote is also against state law.

No, we do not keep a listing of vendors for different goods or services.

Our goal is to have as short of a turnaround time as possible. Generally, we strive to issue POs within 2 days of the PR being submitted. However, there are times when this takes longer due to the nature of the purchase.

If a vendor requires an agreement or contract to be signed, it must be routed for signature through the Office of Contract Management.

If a vendor will accept a PO in lieu of a signed agreement/contract, then it doesn’t need to be sent through Office of Contract Management.

The University can now enter into contracts up to $2,000,000 without seeking IHL approval, but those contracts must go through the Office of Contract Management.

All forms of media or merchandise representing University divisions, departments, centers, institutes, schools, or programs should undergo review. This includes print, digital, video, and other display materials.

More information can be found by visiting Marketing & Communications Brand Review.

You will need to submit your vendor quotes along with your brand review approval email from Marketing and Communications before a PO will be issued.

T-shirts purchased for student organizations or as promotional items for prospective students is allowed, but documentation is required.
Clothing purchased for resale should be coded as merchandise for resale and not clothing. Your department should contact Accounting for sales tax issues. Clothing purchase for employees can be a taxable expense unless it is truly a uniform. The following questions should be answered as part of your backup documentation.

Is the employee required to wear the clothes as a condition of employment? An example would be the logoed shirts worn by FM Custodial staff. Another example is monogrammed polo shirts that some staff are required to wear at certain University functions.
Are the clothes unsuitable for everyday wear? In other words, are the shirts monogrammed or logoed with the department’s name rather than an Ole Miss shirt that anyone can walk into a store and purchase?
Will the University retain the clothing after termination of employment? Will the employee be required to return the clothing when they separate from the University?
Procurement Services does not have the ability to enforce this, however the department should keep a record of when clothing is issued and when it’s returned. We recommend that the clothing be destroyed, i.e., cut the logo out of the shirt and throw both away when clothing is returned.

Remember that any logoed items must go through the brand review process.