Within the purchasing function, the purchasing office exercises primary control of expenditures for services, equipment, supplies and materials. Additionally, the Purchasing Department provides assistance to other departments in selecting the best product and service vendors, considering the needs and budgets of the user departments.

The Purchasing Department establishes a framework of law and ethics within which competitive procurement can bring an optimal combination of quality, service and affordability to the District.

Below you will find a Staff Directory.
The remainder of this page provides guidelines on doing business with the District. You may click on any of the following topics to skip to that specific topic, or you may scroll and browse all of the material.

     Staff Directory
     Purchasing Responsibility
     Code of Ethics
     Operating Guidelines
     Types of PO
     Bids and Quotations
     Quote/Bid Requirements
     Construction Projects, etc.
     Change Orders
     Emergency Repairs
     Repair/Service Requests
     Maintenance Agreement
     Surplus
     Warehouse Services

   For more information contact the 
   Purchasing Department at
   (714) 808-4768

The Board has designated the District Director of Purchasing, working under the supervision of the Vice Chancellor of Finance & Facilities, to be responsible for the purchase and distribution of all equipment, services, work to be done and supplies, which shall be acquired in accordance with legal requirements and District policy and procedure.

According to Board policy, the purchasing responsibility and function shall be centralized in the Purchasing Department. Purchases shall not be made in the name of the District without an authorized Purchase Order, except that in an emergency when any repair, alteration, work, or improvement necessary to permit the continuance of existing school classes, or to avoid danger to life or person, authorized persons may make purchases. However, all such purchases shall be reported to the Purchasing Department for issuance of a Purchase Order as soon as possible.

The Purchasing Department shall not assist employees of the District in making personal purchases, or sell to employees items that are stocked in the District Warehouse.

The function of purchasing shall be carried out in cooperation with District personnel responsible for the item to be purchased.

Operating Guidelines 

Instructions governing the use of a Blanket Purchase Order are as follows:

	Use a regular Purchase Requisition giving the following information:
		Brief description of items or services requested; i.e., laundry services, purchase of sheet music, delivery of bottled water, clay for art projects, welding gasses, engraving services, etc.
		Estimate the amount of funds required to purchase those items during a given period (quarterly, semi-annually, annually) and enter that amount in the unit cost column. That will be designated as a "Not to Exceed" amount and will be the maximum limit that may be used for purchases against that order.
		List the name(s) of person(s) authorized to make purchases against the Purchase Order.
	Blanket Purchase Orders are processed the same as regular Purchase Orders. The requisitioner will receive a file copy giving complete information necessary to make further purchases, such as name of vendor, P.O. number, type of supplies which may be purchased.
	Orders may be placed by the requisitioner at any time, but the following rules must be observed:
		Give the vendor the Blanket Purchase Order number when placing an order. This number must appear on Delivery slips and invoices.
		Request a delivery ticket at the time delivery is made. Back orders will not be permitted. Sign all delivery copies, indicating any shortages and/or changes, and forward immediately to the Accounting Department at the District Business Office for payment.
		Strict adherence to the dates set forth on the Purchase Order(s) along with the monitoring of the unused funds shall be the sole responsibility of the person(s) initiating the requisition.

Prior to the expiration of the Purchase Order, the department must request another Blanket Purchase Order for an amount needed to cover the next period. A new Blanket Purchase Order will be issued, and the new number must be used for any purchases made during the new period. Any unused balance remaining in the older order will remain in the account until it is used up.

Instructions for requesting Open Purchase Orders:

	Use a regular Purchase Requisition giving a brief description of items requested; i.e., repair parts for Auto Shop class.
	Open Orders shall be issued in limited quantities in the following areas:
		Repair and servicing of equipment and tools
		Repeated small purchases of limited dollar value of $500.00 or less per day.
	Strict adherence to the dates set forth on the Purchase Order(s) along with the monitoring of the unused funds shall be the sole responsibility of the person(s) initiating the requisition.
	Open Orders will be issued quarterly, semi- annually or annually.
	Requisitions requesting Open Orders must list the name of at least one person authorized to make purchases against that order. Purchases made by unauthorized persons shall become the liability of the individual who initiated them.
	Itemized list of supplies must accompany sales slips, and shall be forwarded immediately to the District Accounting Office upon completion of transaction.
	Any exceptions to the above shall be handled individually.
	Open Purchase Orders are to be processed the same as regular Purchase Orders. The requisitioner will receive a file copy giving complete information necessary to make further purchases, such as name of vendor, P.O. number, type of supplies that may be purchased.
	Orders may be placed by the requisitioner at any time, but the following rules must be observed:
		Be sure to give the vendor the Open Purchase Order number when placing an order. This number must appear on delivery slips and invoices.
		Request a delivery ticket with the items that are delivered. No back orders are to be permitted. Sign all delivery copies, indicating any shortages and/or changes, and immediately forward to the Accounting Department at the District Business Office for payment.
		Do not exceed the dollar amount listed on the Purchase Order. The dollar amount of an open purchase order may be increased only once. After that, a new purchase order must be generated.

Prior to the expiration of the Purchase Order, the department must request another Open Purchase Order for an amount needed to cover the next period. A new Open Purchase Order will be issued, and the new number must be used for any purchases made during the new period. Any unused balance remaining in the old order will remain in the account until the end of the Fiscal year.

Purchase Orders for the acquisition of all materials, supplies and equipment may be fulfilled by the Purchasing Department without prior Board approval with a minimum of three written quotations or three telephone quotations, excepting where the item is available from fewer than three sources, in which case fewer than three quotations will suffice.

Purchase Orders under (PCC 20651 Bid Limits) for the acquisition of all materials, supplies and equipment not covered in Section C of this Policy, may be fulfilled by the Purchasing Department without prior Board approval upon receipt of a minimum of three written quotations, excepting where the item is available from fewer than three sources, in which case fewer than three quotations will suffice.

Purchase Orders exceeding (PCC 20651 Bid Limits) may be fulfilled by the Purchasing Department after complying with legal advertising requirements, receipt of written bids, and Board of Trustees approval. Purchase Orders of this value shall be signed by the District Director of Purchasing only after Board of Trustees award and approval.

If the item to be repaired is covered by a Maintenance Agreement, the call for service may be made without prior permission from the Purchasing Department. However, if parts not covered under the Maintenance Agreement are required, and the cost of the parts exceeds $300.00, the Purchasing Department must be notified prior to authorization to complete the repairs.

For items that cannot be repaired on campus and that must be shipped to a repair center, the following instructions must be followed:

1.	Send item to District Warehouse.
2.	Mark the carton or item with name of department requesting service.
3.	At the same time, send a Purchase Requisition to the Purchasing Department stating specifically the repairs that are required. Give the name of the company who will do the repair work.
4.	Purchasing Department will arrange for the repair work.

The following information must be furnished for all repair requests:

1.	If the equipment is to be repaired on-site.
2.	If the equipment to be repaired will be delivered and picked up by the department requesting the repairs.
3.	If the equipment to be repaired will be handled in any other manner not listed above, please describe briefly what arrangements have been made.

DO NOT SEND IN MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT REQUESTS FOR ITEMS THAT ARE TO BE REPLACED OR TRADED IN.

Use separate requisitions for different types of equipment. For example, duplicating machines should not be put on the same requisition listing typewriters.

The Purchasing Department will process requisitions and issue Purchase Orders to the company that will perform the service.

Calls for service may be made without prior permission from the Purchasing Department. However, if parts not covered under the Maintenance Agreement are required, the Purchasing Department must be notified prior to authorization to complete the repairs.

Items purchased under special funded projects with a value of $200 or more may not be disposed of without first contacting the District Manager of Instructional Resources.

Property acquired from the State Educational Agency for Surplus Property must be retained for four years before it can be sold, traded in, or cannibalized with written Agency approval. If there is a valid reason for cannibalization, it may be done within the four year period with Agency approval. Contact the Purchasing Department before disposing of surplus property obtained through this Agency.

The Purchasing Department will notify campus and District Administrators in ample time before such sales are to be conducted to allow for lists of obsolete/surplus equipment to be compiled and forwarded to the Purchasing Department.

The Purchasing Department will submit all lists of declared obsolete/surplus equipment to administrators, staff and District Supervisors to review. Any item may be selected from the list and transferred, with approval by the Purchasing Department, to other locations within the District. Transfers shall be made on a priority basis as determined by the Purchasing Department, when more than one request is received for the same item.

After the obsolete/surplus equipment list has been reviewed, the Purchasing Department will then conduct the surplus sale in accordance with Section 81450 of the California Education Code and the following procedures:

Sale of Surplus Property

	Agenda item containing list of equipment to be disposed of is submitted to Board of Trustees for permission to sell.
	Notice of sale is posted in at least three public places in the District for not less than two weeks, or published in a newspaper of general circulation and published in the District, once a week for two weeks.
	Bids are prepared and mailed to all who request such bids, salvage dealers, schools, churches, and individuals.
	Bids are opened on the date and time designated in the Notice to Bidder.
	Administrative Assistant to Purchasing evaluates bids and determines highest bidders. Agenda recommendation is submitted to Vice Chancellor of Finance & Facilities for approval.
	Agenda item requesting acceptance of high bids and rejection of all other bids is submitted to the Board. Agenda item will also include a request to dispose of nonsalable items.
	Letters are written to the highest bidders advising items for which they were successful bidders and requesting that payment and pickup of items be made in accordance with bid documents.

Property Valued at $2,500 or Less

When property does not exceed $2,500.00 in value it may be sold at private sale without advertising by any member or employee of the Board so empowered for that purpose by a unanimous vote of those Board Members present when the private sale is approved in accordance with Section 81452 of the Education Code.

When items of equipment are found to have no trade-in value, and the departments choose to replace such equipment under replacement budgets, a memorandum should be attached to the requisition for the new equipment, so that the Purchasing Department will have an accurate record of items which have been recorded as replaced and which will be expected to be sold on the next District obsolete/surplus equipment sale.

Scrap items, including scrap metal and shavings, irreparable tools, chairs, etc., shall be listed on a memorandum and forwarded to the Purchasing Department. The following steps will then be taken:

	Agenda item is prepared requesting Board authorization to scrap items.
	District Director of Purchasing will decide whether items have any salvage value and how the items are to be disposed.
	All checks for sale of surplus items and/or scrap must be made payable to the North Orange County Community College District.
	Sales tax shall be added to all purchases of surplus items unless the buyer provides a valid resale license.

Procedure on Receipt of Merchandise

All orders should be unpacked immediately upon delivery and checked for shortage, breakage, and suitability. After all material received has been examined, if it is determined that the merchandise must be returned to the vendor, the following procedure should be followed.

Procedure for Returning Items to Vendor

Warehouse Catalog

The Purchasing Department prepares and distributes a new catalog about every three years. The catalog is prepared in loose leaf form to accommodate the updated sheets issued annually listing additions, deletions, or any changes that occur between printings. Prices as they appear in the catalog are the latest to date. However, they will not always be the most current. If you need exact cost on any warehouse item, call the Purchasing Department.

Requesting Items to Be Warehoused

Items purchased for a stores system are those that are used in sufficient quantity to justify the cost of establishing them as stock items. Committees composed of users of the various items can be helpful in determining standard items to be warehoused, and in encouraging their use.

Requests for warehousing specific items can be sent to the Purchasing Department where a check will be made on activity. If it is determined that usage is great enough, and if more than one department will be using that item, a minimum and maximum stock balance will be established and the item will be purchased and stocked.

Request to Cancel Back Order

A memorandum requesting cancellation must be sent to the Purchasing Department. Do not send request to Warehouse or Information Services.

Indicate the requisition number and stock number of items you wish to cancel.

Returning Material for Credit

A memo with the original requisition number must accompany the material being returned to warehouse stock. The date, budget charge number, deliver to (campus and room number) must be filled out. This is required so that the credit can be applied to the correct departmental budget. Material that has been in your possession during the previous fiscal year cannot be returned.

The stock number and quantity of items being returned must be indicated for each item.

The words "RETURNING FOR CREDIT" are to be written in bold print.

The copy of the old requisition along with the material being returned should be sent to the Warehouse. Do not send to the Business Office. Only complete units will be accepted. If accepted by the Warehouse, Information Services will process a credit memorandum which will be forwarded to the department. If a credit memorandum is not received within ten days, contact the Warehouse for verification that the items returned were acceptable. If material is not returned with a credit requisition, no credit will be given.

Warehouse Deliveries

The Warehouse Supervisor assigned to the Warehouse will be responsible for developing and maintaining a schedule that insures prompt and efficient delivery of supplies and equipment. A systematic delivery schedule shall be developed that will optimize the use of District staff and equipment.