Purchasing Overview for New Faculty and Staff

The Office for Supply Management Services would like to welcome new faculty and staff to the university and to give you a brief overview of the purchasing process at Cornell.  This document is intended to familiarize new faculty and staff with the policies, procedures, services, and authorized buying methods that are to be used when ordering goods and services from external suppliers.

The Buying Process
Based on the purchasing policy , Cornell has three authorized buying methods that may be used to satisfy your purchasing requirements.

1. You may have your administrative unit process a requisition/purchase order through the mainframe-based Automated Procurement and Payment System (APPS).  This generates an official purchase order, which is sent to the supplier specifying the items you wish to order, complete with terms, pricing, instructions, etc.  Web interfaces  have been developed to assist with this process.  Bidding requirements  need to be followed when considering a purchase.
   
2. The university’s Procurement Card program  is another method that can be used to procure “low dollar” goods.  To be an authorized user, you must apply for a card .  When making purchases with this method, users must follow specific procedures .
   
3. The Payment Request System  may also be used to obtain and pay for certain types of goods and services for which a purchase order is not required, as defined by purchasing policy 205.  Other university policies may influence the use of a payment request for uses outside of Purchasing's responsibility .

How We Can Help
The Office for Supply Management Services staff possesses a unique blend of business and technical skills required to purchase goods, supplies, equipment, and services, including the following:

• Providing the interface with suppliers in matters of price, quality, and delivery at both the quotation and ordering stages of the procurement process
• Identifying alternative sources of supply through regular commodity reviews
• Conducting negotiations with suppliers
• Communicating with units to stay current with planned needs
• Assisting units with the development of specifications for required products and services
• Providing acceptable terms and conditions for procurement actions
• Resolving legal and risk management issues with the aid of the offices of University Counsel  and Risk Management and Insurance , respectively, that may arise during contract and purchase order negotiations

The Purchasing website also contains relevant information related directly to the purchase of goods and services, including preferred supplier  and commodity code lists , staff responsibilities , various policies and procedures , etc.  Please peruse the site for more information.