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Doing Business with Winthrop
University
This guide is designed to be used as a handy reference for vendors on how to do business
with Winthrop University's Purchasing Office.
Contents:
About
Winthrop University: Winthrop's history dated
to 1886, when 21 students gathered in a borrowed one-room building in Columbia.
David Bancroft Johnson, a dedicated and gifted superintendent of schools, headed up the
fledgling institution, whose mission was the education of teachers. Winthrop has
changed considerably since moving to its permanent Rock Hill home in 1895, growing from a
single classroom to a comprehensive university of distinction. Winthrop's beautiful
100-acre main campus is complemented by a nearby 450-acre athletics and recreational area.
For more visitor information and directions to
the campus, click
here.
About
Procurement Services: Winthrop University operates a centralized
procurement operation. The purchasing office exists to assist faculty and staff with the
acquisition of goods and services. Its objective is to procure goods and services of the
proper quality, at the right time, in the proper quantity at an economical price, and from
the right source. The purchasing office is organized into two buying teams which have
responsibility for the departments they serve. The two functional areas are (1)
information technology and academic purchasing and (2) physical plant and operations
purchasing. The I/T and academic procurement officer is Linda Campfield, telephone (803) 323-2143. The
facilities management and operations procurement officer is Teresia
Sexton, telephone (803) 323-2143.
Doing Business With Winthrop University: Winthrop has a central purchasing office responsible for acquiring
a wide variety of products and services. Winthrop is a state agency governed by state law
as regards the procurement of goods and services. The purpose of this guide is to help you
better understand how to do business with Winthrop.
Governing
State Law: The South Carolina Procurement Code
governs the expenditure of all funds regardless of source unless specifically exempted.
The purchasing office adheres to and abides by the procurement code and its implementing
regulations. Where a procurement involves the expenditure of federal assistance or
contract funds, Winthrop is required to comply with the federal law and authorized
regulations which are applicable.
Certification: The Division of General Services has
certified Winthrop University to make direct purchases of up to $200,000.00 for goods and
services, $200,000.00 for printing, $200,000.00 for consultant services and information technology, and up to $100,000.00 in
construction goods and services. Purchases exceeding these limits are forwarded to central
state purchasing for processing.
To view all state contracts, click
here.
Contracts:
A properly executed purchase order constitutes a contract which is binding on the college
and the vendor. The vice president for finance and business affairs, director of
procurement services, and designated procurement officers are the only persons authorized
to bind Winthrop University. Vendors are cautioned not to accept verbal orders without
receiving a purchase order number from the person placing the order. The University will
not be responsible for orders received without a valid purchase order. Failure to follow
these procedures will result in delayed payments or the return of material to the
vendor.
Direct Contact With Departments: Direct
discussion between vendor representatives and potential users in the departments is
acceptable on such subject matter as, availability of specified requirements, technical
information, instructional information, requests for literature, etc. unless instructed
otherwise in a solicitation notice. However, it is University practice that all contacts
or correspondence pertaining to negotiations affecting purchases or prospective purchases
which involve prices, terms, conditions, and delivery shall be carried on by the
purchasing office. Further, all correspondence pertaining to a purchase order which has
been placed and which involves prices, terms, conditions, delivery, quantity,
substitution, complaint, or anything whatsoever involving the commitment, shall be
processed through the purchasing office.
Office
Hours And Appointments: The purchasing office is open from 8:30 AM to 5:00
PM Monday through Friday, except on designated University holidays.
Modified summer schedule office hours are: 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM Monday
through Thursday; 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM on Friday. Appointments are
required in order to meet with a procurement officer.
Parking:
Visitor parking spaces on campus are very limited and are available in the front of
Tillman Hall marked in green. If you cannot find a visitors space, please report to
the Campus Police office located
in the Good Building on Myrtle Drive (between Dinkins
Student Center and Withers Building) to obtain a visitor's pass.
Small
Purchases: Orders for less than $2,500 do not require bidding. There are
two methods used to process orders for less than $2,500. The first method is by use of the
purchasing card, whereby, University department heads and certain others are authorized to
purchase goods costing less than $2,500 without processing a purchase order. The second
method is by use of the purchase order system. Departments forward their request forms to
the purchasing office for processing. If the total estimate is close to $2,500 or if a
procurement officer feels a better price can be obtained, the order may be informally bid.
Final discretionary authority rests with the procurement officer. Otherwise, the orders
are processed and sent directly to the suggested vendor.
Purchases For More Than $2,500.00: Purchases for more
than $2,500 require bidding. Orders between $2,500 and $10,000 require a minimum of three
written quotes. The quotes may be obtained
electronically, or the purchasing office may use a Request For Quotation Form.
Orders between $10,000 and $50,000 are purchased using the Request For Quotation and
require advertisement in the "South
Carolina Business Opportunities," a biweekly publication
published by the state procurement office.
Orders between $50,000 and $200,000 are
purchased by the competitive sealed bidding process by Winthrop University
(based on the University's current certification limits as described in
section "Certification" above). All such bids
are advertised in the "South Carolina Business Opportunities."
Additionally, all such bids are posted in the purchasing office. Bids are
advertised for a minimum of 7 days. The bids state an opening date and time. All bid openings are open
to the public and may be attended by any interested party. After the bids are opened, they
are evaluated by a procurement officer and, if necessary, by the using department. After
the lowest responsive and responsible bid is determined, the award is made.
The vendor receiving the award is notified of the award by
receipt of an approved, signed Statement of Award and a purchase order.
For contracts with a total or potential value of one hundred thousand
dollars or greater, notice of an intended award of a contract
is given by posting the notice for ten days
before entering into a contract and is sent to
all bidders responding to the solicitation on the same day that the
notice is posted. The posting date appears
on the face of all these notices. When only one response is received,
the notice of intent to award and the delay of award may be waived.
Orders for more than
the University's certification limits are processed by the State
materials management office using the competitive sealed bidding process.
MBE Assistance: Winthrop University fully supports the efforts of the Governor and
the State Legislature to assist minority-owned businesses to develop as part of the
state's policies and programs which are designed to promote balanced economic and
community growth. Therefore, Winthrop wishes to ensure that those businesses owned and
operated by minorities in the State of South Carolina are afforded the opportunity to
participate fully in the overall procurement process that will result in awarding
contracts and subcontracts to certified, qualified and responsive minority business
firms.
Vendor
Performance: Vendors are expected to perform per the bidding
document/contract with an honest, earnest effort. Delivery times when stated in bidding
documents and responded to by the vendor become mandatory delivery times. Vendors not
meeting performance standards may be removed from bidders' list, found in default or
otherwise penalized.
Delivery
Conditions: All shipments are to be made
F.O.B. destination, freight prepaid, to receiving point at Winthrop University, Rock Hill,
South Carolina, unless otherwise indicated on the purchase order/contract. If other than
FOB destination, as indicated on the purchase order/contract, all transportation,
insurance, crating and/or packing charges are to be entered as separate items on seller's
invoice. Delivery by the vendor to the common carrier does not constitute delivery to
Winthrop University. Any claim for loss or damage incurred during transport shall be
between the vendor and the carriers.
Drug-Free
Workplace Act: The Drug-Free Workplace Act requires that persons receiving
a grant or contract from a state agency for goods, construction, or services for a stated
or estimated value of fifty thousand dollars or more certify to the using agency that it
will provide a drug-free workplace. The purchasing office is required to obtain the
certification prior to finalizing the purchase order. A copy of the Act may be obtained
from the procurement officer responsible for the purchase.
Ethics:
Public employment is a public trust. Procurement decisions are made solely on
the basis of the South Carolina Procurement Code which prohibits accepting, directly or
indirectly, any rebate, gift, money or any thing of value, or any promise of future reward
or compensation. Winthrop has adopted the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing
(NIGP) Code of Ethics.
Taxes: Winthrop University is required to pay South Carolina sales
taxes.
Bidders'
List: Winthrop University does not maintain a bidders' list. All
solicitations over $10,000 are advertised in the "South Carolina Business
Opportunities."
Additional
Information: Any question regarding doing business with Winthrop University should be addressed to
the director of procurement services, telephone (803) 323-2143.
Invoicing:
Forward all invoices for goods and services to: Accounts Payable, 21 Tillman Hall, Rock
Hill, SC 29733. Accounts Payables direct telephone number is: (803) 323-2243.
Conclusion:
When properly executed, Winthrop University's procurement process will
benefit both the users at the University and our vendors while assuring the citizens of
South Carolina and Winthrop students that their tax moneys and fees are utilized to the
best possible advantage.
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307
Tillman Hall, Rock Hill, SC 29733 • 803/323-2143 •
803/323-2480 (Fax) 