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University Purchasing: Quotations and tenders
Quotations
Quotations are statements of the current market price of goods or services offered by interested parties and are usually valid for a specified period of time.
This topic includes:
Quotation requirements
When goods are to be supplied under Commonwealth Government, State Government or University contracts, quotations are not required.
The list below defines the quotation requirements for various transactions. However, the Purchasing section or a financial unit may call for quotations at any time. A transaction is defined as being contained on a single requisition whether it contains multiple items or not.
You must not split intended purchases over more than one requisition to avoid compliance with accounting delegations or policies. Breaches of policy may result in disciplinary action against the officers concerned.
Standard order |
Blanket order (using standing requisition) |
Quotation requirements |
$5,000 and under |
$10,000 and under |
One verbal quotation is required. |
$5,001 to $30,000 |
$10,001 to $30,000 |
At least three verbal quotations are required with the selected supplier providing written confirmation of the quotation. |
$30,001 to $100,000 |
$30,001 to $100,000 |
At least three written quotations are required. |
Over $100,000 |
Not applicable |
Tenders must be called. |
The above amounts are GST Exclusive.
Exceptions
In the exceptional cases when compliance with the above is not possible, such as emergencies involving life or property, the authorised officer must:
- Provide a written statement as to why the normal policies could not be followed
- Provide a written statement outlining reasons for supplier selection
- Obtain a written quotation from the selected supplier.
Exceptions to the quotation policy can also be granted when there is only one possible supplier for the goods or services.
The Director, Financial Services and Bursar must approve all exemptions to the mandatory quotations policy on a case by case basis.
Building work
Quotations for all building work must be handled through the Buildings and Grounds Office. This is to ensure that a central record is kept of the condition of the physical assets and also to ensure compliance with statutory and University requirements.
Requesting quotations
You can request quotations through the Purchasing section.
Enter the requisition as normal into Finance One. Select 0QUOTE as the Vendor Code.
The Purchasing section calls for quotations rather than issuing an order. Purchasing sends the quotations received to the financial unit for selection of appropriate supplier.
Choosing a supplier
When you are calling for quotations, it is essential that the same information is consistently given to, and requested from, each potential supplier. The recommended method of achieving this is by faxing the details of the requested goods or services to the supplier. You should give suppliers a reasonable amount of time to respond.
If you are accepting any quotation that is not the lowest, you must record in writing the reasons for not accepting each of the lower quotations. Note these reasons on the requisition in Finance One. Fax any extra information to the Purchasing section with a reference to the requisition number.