The Ohio State University's Purchasing staff is committed to helping all vendors have a mutually beneficial business relationship with The Ohio State University. To acquaint prospective bidders and vendors with our purchasing procedures, please refer to our suggestions below or download our Doing Business with Ohio State tool.



How to Market your Products and Services

The University intends that its purchasing be conducted in accordance with State laws and University policies and procedures such that students, staff, faculty and taxpayers receive full value for each dollar of public funds spent. To that end, the University's procedures conform to open, ethical and sound procurement policies. Qualified vendors are invited to compete for the University's business, which consists of a variety of goods and services. Your first steps include:

• Getting Registered
  The Purchasing Department maintains an active list of vendors for the purpose of soliciting quotations and proposals for various categories of goods and services as the needs are identified. See Vendor Registration to submit your vendor profile.

• Contacting the Purchasing Department
  Although we have an open door policy at the University, we recommend that you call and schedule an appointment prior to visiting. This will guarantee seeing a buyer, and the buyer will be better prepared to learn about your company. Prospective vendors are encouraged to send a catalog or other listing of products/services offered for our vendor file and bid lists. Making the initial contact with the appropriate buyer is a critical first step to successfully participating in the University procurement process.

• Marketing to Campus Departments
  Vendors should consider marketing products directly to departmental personnel. Since campus departments determine which supplies, equipment or services to purchase and are instrumental in initiating specifications for the equipment, supplies and/or services they require, marketing contacts are recognized as a necessary part of educating users on the capabilities and varieties of products in the marketplace. Unexpected or unsolicited calls are not encouraged. Every effort should be made to make an appointment with the appropriate department personnel prior to your visit. A useful tool for setting up appointments with departmental personnel is the University's Faculty and Staff Directory...copies can be purchased at OSU Stores for $10 (credit card purchase only, no cash payments).

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Purchasing Procedures & Dollar Thresholds

• Order procedure for purchases under $50,000.00 (for services) and $25,000.00 (for goods): One signed quote is required, although the Purchasing Department may solicit multiple quotes. Orders may not be split to circumvent the threshold.
• Purchases in excess of $50,000.00 (for services) and $25,000.00 (for goods) require a formal bid process which is publicly advertised.

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Solicitation Documents

• Requests for Quotations (RFQ): A document provided to bidders requesting prices for goods or services. Also called a bid or price inquiry.
• Requests for Proposals (RFP): A request for bidders to provide a customized response, often for services or goods that include a service element. Responses may include pricing, enhancements, implementation plan, and timeline.
• Request for Information (RFI): A request issued to suppliers within a specific commodity or market to determine the viability of a concept. No award is made from an RFI.
• Quote: A supplier’s offer of a price for specific goods or services, generally provided verbally or in writing on supplier letterhead.

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Bidding Standards

Bonding: The University does not normally require bid bonds. Performance bonds, however, may be called for with or without expense to the University. Alternative bonding methods may also be provided. Otherwise, in the case of default of the contractor, the University may procure the articles or services from other sources and hold the contractor responsible for excess costs incurred.

Communication with Vendors in the RFQ or RFP Process
In order to achieve fair and equitable competition and to maintain the integrity of the purchasing process, vendor discussions with University personnel concerning an RFQ or RFP request must be coordinated through the Purchasing Department. A vendor's failure to coordinate its discussions through the Purchasing Department may, at the University's sole discretion, disqualify the vendor's quotation or proposal.

Delivery: Bids will be received at the address cited in the RFQ/RFP on or before the date and time specified. A bid will not be considered for evaluation if delivered after the specified time. It is the vendor's responsibility to make sure that the bid is submitted on time and to the proper location.

Pre-Bid Conferences/Site Inspections: When the solicitation documents stipulates a mandatory conference or site inspection, interested vendors must attend the conference or site visit at the specified place, time, and date or their bids will be automatically rejected. Such requirements are intended to supply vendors with the valuable information or visual inspection that the University deems to be an essential element for ensuring the completeness and responsiveness of a bid.

Price Alterations or Withdrawal of Bid Prior to Bid Opening: Any price corrections on bids should be individually initialed in ink. Price corrections may only be made or a bid may only be withdrawn prior to opening. In order to make corrections or withdraw a bid, proper identification must be presented. For those bids requiring prices lists, product literature or other information, such material must be provided in accordance with the instructions outlined in the RFQ/RFP.

Questions about the RFQ/RFP: If you have any questions prior to submitting a bid, contact the buyer whose name and telephone number is on each RFQ/RFP. Once the bid opening has occurred, no changes by the vendor will be permitted.

Requirements: Each responding vendor is responsible for carefully reading the RFQ/RFP and understanding its contents. Vendors who have previously submitted bids for the same commodity or service should not presume that the specifications, terms and conditions are necessarily the same. There may be differences that would only be realized after carefully reading the entire bid document. Any questions related to the bid should be directed to the buyer named in the solicitation document.

Responding to RFQs/RFPs: The Request for Quotations (RFQ) or Request for Proposals (RFP) provides all the necessary instructions and a complete description of the requirement(s), with specifications, terms and conditions to enable the preparation of a bid.

Responsibility of Bidders: Prospective suppliers should be financially sound and able to perform fully, according to the specifications, delivery requirements, services and other stipulations in the RFQ/RFP at the price(s) offered. In cases where the awarded contractor refuses to comply with the resultant contract, the University reserves the right to purchase on the open market and charge the contractor for any excess costs incurred.

Signature: All solicitation documents must be properly signed and executed in the designated place(s). Signatures in ink are a requirement to properly execute the bid. Failure to properly execute a bid may result in the bid not being considered for award.

Terms and Conditions: All solicitation documents are subject to the specified terms and conditions. Please read these terms and conditions carefully. The inclusion of any other terms and conditions by the vendor will be considered as an alternate, subject to the University's acceptance or rejection. Terms and conditions included as part of published price lists, catalogs, and other documents submitted as a part of the bid response are considered to be waived and will have no effect either on the bid, or any contract which may be awarded. The bidder specifically agrees to the terms and conditions specified in the RFQ/RFP by signing the University bid document unless exception is taken in writing within the time-frame specified.

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Bid Evaluation, Award, Performance, and Payment

Bid Opening: Request for Quotation (RFQs) and Requests for Proposal (RFPs) are opened and the names of the bidders, the manufacturers and catalog number(s) of the item(s) they have offered, prices, delivery and payment terms they have submitted, become public record. All other information is confidential during the evaluation period. Requests for detailed or written tabulations and abstracts cannot be honored.

Evaluation: During the period of evaluation and prior to award, possession of bids and accompanying information is limited to the University personnel involved in the evaluation process. At the discretion of the appropriate buyer, vendors may be contacted where clarification of a proposal is necessary for proper evaluation; however, in doing so, no change is permitted in prices.

Being the "low bidder" does not necessarily mean that an award will be made to that vendor. The purpose of the evaluation process is to determine the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, taking into consideration selection criteria in the RFQ/RFP and the factors spelled out by procedure and statute.

Factors Determining Award: Some factors considered in addition to price are quality, adherence to specifications, delivery, service, warranty, and other factors depending on the intended use of the goods and services required.

The University reserves the right to waive technicalities or minor discrepancies in any bid, if in its judgment and without any prejudice to any rights of other responsive bidders, the best interest of the University would be served.

The University reserves the right to make awards by item, groups of items or total bid, whichever it deems is in the best interest of the University. The University may also reject any bid, in whole or in part, or reject all bids if it determines that the lowest bid exceeds the funds available for purchase, or if the lowest bid is considered in excess of current reasonable market prices.

Award: After completion of the evaluation process, recommendations for the award of equipment, supplies, and materials are reviewed with the department before an award is made.

Receipt of a Purchase Order: Shipment of goods should not be made until receipt of the official University purchase order that gives shipping and billing instructions. Substitution of items specified in a purchase order are not permitted without the expressed written permission of the Purchasing Department.

Review of Awards: After a contract award, unsuccessful bidders can obtain the name of the successful bidder, price, and similar basic information through written or telephone request or refer to Bid Information to view the award table. Purchasing Department employees are not required or encouraged to provide tabulations by phone.

Requests for more detailed information can be obtained by written request or by visiting the Purchasing Department by appointment to review the bid file during normal business hours. Vendors are encouraged to review bid files since much valuable information can be obtained that may be useful in future bidding situations. Photocopies are available for $0.10/page.

Bid Rejection: Any bid which does not meet, or substantially alters the specifications, bid terms or conditions of a proposal may be rejected in whole or part. The University reserves the right to reject any or all bids in order that the best interests of the University will be served.

Errors, alterations, or corrections on both the original and copy of the bid proposal must be initialed by the person signing the bid proposal or the authorized designee. This includes erasures, alterations or corrections to unit price, total price, quantity, unit and description of goods and services. Failure to do so will result in rejection of the bid for the applicable item or items.

Other factors that are cause for rejection of a bid:

Bid is received after the time and date specified for opening.
Bid did not include descriptive or technical literature, specifications or samples if required in the bid proposal.
Bidder fails to furnish bid surety if required in the bid proposal.
Other determinations which, in the judgment of the Director of Purchasing, render the bid as non-responsive.

Invoicing and Payment: Unless otherwise stipulated on the purchase order or contract, all invoices should be submitted directly to the Accounts Payable Department. Ohio sales and use tax is not applicable. Payment may be delayed if invoices do not reference a University Purchase Order number.

Complaints to Vendors: University departments are encouraged to directly contact vendors in an effort to resolve any dissatisfaction with product, warranty, or service performance. When problems are not resolved to the user's satisfaction, departments are encouraged to contact the University Purchasing Department for assistance. The University Purchasing Department then forwards the complaint to the vendor. A vendor receiving the complaint is urged to act immediately to resolve the complaint.

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Other University Policies

No Findings for Recovery: Vendors warrant that they are not subject to an "unresolved" finding for recovery under Ohio Revised Code Section 9.24. Vendors further agree that if this warranty is deemed to be false, this Purchase Order or any University contract shall be void ab initio as between the parties and the Vendor must immediately repay to the University any funds paid under this Purchase Order, or an action for recovery may be immediately commenced by the University for the recovery of said funds.

Minority Business Program: As an advocate of minority business development for more than two decades, equal opportunity is a basic philosophy at The Ohio State University. Our Purchasing Department guides and supports the University's ongoing commitment to encourage business opportunities and diversity among its vendors. Vendors should keep the University informed of their proper business size, ownership category, and products or services offered (See How to market your products and services).

Tax Exempt Status: The Ohio State University is exempt from Ohio sales and use tax. Although not required by law, Blanket Exemption Certificates may be provided to vendors in order to document the exempt status of the University. Purchases made by the University outside of Ohio, may not be exempt from another state's sales and use tax. Please review the University's tax policies.

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