University Policy 3.25, Procurement of Goods and Services supports the appropriate stewardship of Cornell's assets by establishing best practices for procuring goods and services that comply with applicable laws and regulations, university policies, and sound and ethical business management. It formalizes existing procurement practices and sets forth new requirements for utilizing preferred suppliers and for using e-SHOP as the procurement method for enabled suppliers.
Where an agreement for a specific commodity with a specific supplier exists, units must procure the covered goods from that preferred supplier, regardless of dollar amount or procurement method. If a preferred supplier agreement does not exist, and if the purchase exceeds the formal bid limit of $10,000, units must identify a vendor through competitive bidding, unless an appropriate justification has been made and a procurement agent specifically authorizes an alternative selection method.
The Buying Manual provides detailed procedures and best practices required to comply with University Policy 3.25, Procurement of Goods and Services.
The Introduction and General Information sections of the manual provide an overview of the process and important requirements, including how to select a supplier and make an authorized business purchase. The Purchase Order Process section discusses how to process purchase orders, including information on the bidding process, thresholds, and sole-source justification.
The manual also provides information related to procurement methods and processes, including the following:
