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Purchasing services: FAQs

Obtaining bids

What procedures do I need to follow when requesting bids from vendors?

The Office of Business and Financial Services (OBFS) provides the following resources

Are there sample Request for Proposals (RFPs) I could access?

You can use the OBFS RFP template — available online as a word document.

Krannert Art Museum has graciously agreed to share their RFP sample for a web site redesign. Download the Word file.

Purchase requisition form

Are there instructions for filling out the purchase requisition form correctly?

The best way to learn the proper procedure is to attend a Banner class (and later to use the handbook as a reference).

Need more help with Banner?

What are common mistakes to avoid?

  • The vendor isn't in the system
  • The department didn't fill out a "new vendor add form"
  • A zero-dollar line item is included (they are prohibited in Banner)
  • A line item or document text is missing
  • The FOAPAL ( Fund, Organization, Account, Program, Activity, and Location) information submitted is wrong

Purchase orders

How long does it take the Purchasing Department to issue a Purchase Order?

If everything is working smoothly and there are no unforeseen delays, the usual time frame between receipt of a purchase requisition form and the issuing of a purchase order is a few days to a few weeks.The time frame depends on many variables.

  • Have all attachments been received?
  • Is the computer system working that day?
  • Was the requisition filled out correctly?
  • Is the supplier in the preferred supplier list?
  • If not, was all the information needed to issue a Purchase Order documented in the quote provided?

Does Purchasing send the paperwork to me or to the supplier?

Both. Purchasing sends the Purchase Order to the supplier, and sends one department copy to the department address that matches the ORG code on the requisition. 

I've heard the supplier doesn't need the actual Purchase Order, just the Purchase Order number to begin the job. Is this true? 

Preferred suppliers can begin work with just the Purchase Order number (provided verbally or via email). Whether nonpreferred vendors can begin with just the number must be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Suppliers and contracts

What does “preferred supplier” mean?

These vendors have been selected through a bid or RFP process to provide a service or commodity to the campus and already have a contract with the university. See the prime and preferred supplier database for the full list of preferred suppliers. You'll need a university ID number to search the site.

What is a professional services contract?

It is simply a contract the university enters for one of the following.

Marketing and media services

  • Audio and video production
  • Commercial photography requiring a high degree of professional and artistic expertise (may include photography for public relations and marketing projects)
  • Editing
  • Graphic design
  • Media consultation
  • Public relations

Professional and artistic services

  • Commissions for paintings or other artwork that would not be included in graphic design
  • Entertainment–limited to performances requiring extraordinary skill and expertise
  • Commissions for music composition
  • Commissions for sculpture

Printing

Where can I find university rules regarding printing?

Note: Off-campus printing requires compliance with specific university policies and rules related to dollar level expenditures, and with specific requirements of the Illinois Procurement Code regarding use of soybean-oil-based ink and payment of prevailing wages.  You'll find detailed printing policies and rules in the Campus Administrative Manual, or contact buyer Jeannie Flessner in Purchasing at 333-0775, or jaflessn@uiuc.edu.