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Special Circumstance Approval Requests

Effective July 1, 2015, the laws pertaining to single source purchases and emergency purchases, by state agencies and institutions, have been changed. The following is a brief overview but we urge you to consult with Procurement and Contracts if you have any questions related to a purchase that falls under either of these categories.

Emergency Purchase Request:
If an emergency does not threaten the health or safety of any person, or the preservation or protection of property, we are required to seek and obtain approval from OPT prior to making the purchase. If an emergency does threaten the health or safety of any person, or the preservation or protection of property, after proper declaration by the President of the university, we may make the purchases required to meet the specific needs created by the emergency situation.Please contact your Purchasing Manager for instructions.

OPT and IT Sole Source Requests:
Prior to claiming an item is a sole source procurement, we are now required to post a notice of a proposed sole source procurement on a state website for 14 days. In addition we are required to advertise the notice in a newspaper, once each week for two consecutive weeks. The notice must contain certain information as prescribed by law and state requirements. The notice also must provide a procedure for anyone that objects to the purchase to follow.

We have developed a template found below for the "Notice of a Proposed Sole Source Procurement". The department should complete the form and submit it to their Purchasing Manager via email. The email should also indicate the name and contact information for the person within the department with expertise to answer questions related to the request.

Once an item has been certified as sole source, the head of the purchasing agency or his/her designee shall conduct negotiations, as appropriate, as to price, delivery, and terms.

If, after the required procedure is followed, the item is certified to be a sole source item, we must then submit a request to the appropriate office (DFA Office of Purchasing and Travel or ITS), requesting approval of the purchase. That request must include a letter request outlining the results of the procedures that have been detailed above. Upon electronic approval from OPT/ITS we may issue a purchase order. It should be noted that this process will probably take about one month, to complete.
Sample Letter