Vendors:
Southern Oregon University (SOU) Procurement and Contracting Policy summarizes the standards and procedures applicable to the purchase of services and supplies. This policy supersedes the February 2012 policy. As a public agency, SOU adheres to strict laws, rules, and ethical practices when purchasing goods and services. SOU employees do not accept personal gifts from suppliers nor conduct purchasing transactions for personal benefit. It is a goal of SOU to obtain maximum value for each dollar spent. Purchases made by the University range from office supplies, equipment, maintenance contracts, hardware, software, chemicals, vehicles, to medical supplies. Of the goods and services purchased each fiscal year, SOU strives to purchase the majority of goods and services from local vendors.
The intention of these pages is to provide information that will assist you as you pursue developing business opportunities with Southern Oregon University. Please contact the Service Center at (541) 552-6700 for additional information or clarification.
How Purchases Are Made
The Service Center at Southern Oregon University assists departments with purchasing options. The Service Center may help departments with purchasing, but some purchases may be made at the department level. Some departments have higher delegated authority, specialized commodities, or special purchasing procedures as indicated below. Formal bid lists are not maintained; however, catalogs and other vendor literature can be sent to appropriate departments or to the Service Center. Please call a Purchasing and Contracting Specialist, at 541-552-6700, or go to the Service Center's Purchasing and Contracting website for contact information.
SOU Bookstore
The bookstore purchases items for resale to faculty, staff and students. Buyers for the bookstore work with vendors approved by Barnes and Noble College Division.
For additional information, call the SOU Bookstore at 541-552-6178 or visit the official SOU Bookstore website.
Capital Construction
These projects require a formal bidding procedure. Generally, bid lists are developed for each individual construction project, depending on the type, size, and scope of the work.
Current Bidding Opportunities can be found at Shared Resources on the Oregon Public Universities website located at: http://www.orpu.org/ or through the University's Bonfire Portal, https://sou.bonfirehub.com/portal. You may also call Facilities Management & Planning at 541-552-6231 for additional information.
Computer Hardware and Software
The Information Technology Department and the Service Center manage purchasing for all types of computing resources, including hardware and software to ensure consistency, compliance and security standards are all met. Contact the Service Center at 541-552-6700 for additional information.
Dining Services
Aladdin is contracted to deliver food services to SOU.
Contact Del Clark, General Manager, 541-552-6464, or email: delbert.clark@aladdinfood.com for additional information.
Library
The SOU Library's collection of books, periodicals, electronic resources, and films is considered a specialized commodity and is exempt from competitive purchasing procedures. Contact Emily Miller-Francisco, Librarian, at 541-552-6819 for additional information.
Physical Plant, Building, and Landscape Maintenance
Purchases include such items as fertilizers, lights and light bulbs, hardware, building, vehicles, and landscape maintenance equipment, repair parts, and services. Call Facilities Management & Planning at 541-552-6231 for additional information.
Printing
SOU Print and Copy Services provides a wide range of inexpensive printing, copying, bindery, and finishing services to the campus community. These services are available to all SOU students, faculty, staff and affiliates for university-related work. To place printing orders, log into printcopy.sou.edu with your SOU credentials. Please call John Silverman at 541-552-6165, or email (silvermj1@sou.edu) for additional information or if you require assistance.
Publications
The Marketing and Communications Department bids out the printing of publications that have been produced within the office and cannot be printed in-house. Generally, this applies to jobs that include at least one of the following characteristics:
- Larger than 11x17
- Web Press
- High quantity projects where a large press makes production more cost effective
- Specialty printing techniques such as die-cutting or lenticular printing
Vendors seeking qualification should contact Marketing and Communications at 541-552-7246 or e-mail (alemann@sou.edu).
University Housing – Conferences, Dining Services, Residence Halls, Student Apartments & Family Housing
Purchases include such items as institutional furniture, linens, maintenance and custodial services / supplies, and educational marketing and training services. Vendors seeking qualification should contact University Housing at 541-552-6377 (main office for University Housing) or email (housing@sou.edu) for additional information.
Bid Solicitations
The type of bid selection varies depending upon the anticipated contract price, (including all fees and expenses contemplated by the parties). Multiple contracts, purchase orders or requisitions may not be issued separately to circumvent these rules.
Vendors are asked to submit bids, which are either formal or informal, based upon the following procurement thresholds:
a) $25,000 or less – Direct Procurement or other method of procurement deemed beneficial is allowed. Obtaining three bids is best business practice.
b) $25,000.01 to $100,000 – Informal Procurement, Formal Procurement or other method of procurement that SOU deems beneficial. Direct Procurement is not permitted at this dollar level.
c) Greater than $100,000 – Formal Procurement, or other procurement method SOU deems beneficial.
Based on the above criteria, one of the following procurement methods can be used:
Purchase of goods or services valued at $25,000 or less may use Direct Procurement or other methods of procurement deemed beneficial. Departments will work with the Service Center to determine the appropriate contract.
Vendors may be asked to submit bids on either a formal or informal basis:
- Informal Bid Soliciatations: Informal bids or quotes may be obtained by telephone, fax, mail, or email. The quotes may be obtained through Informal Procurement, Formal Procurement or other method.
- Formal Bid Solicitations: Formal bids are posted on the Oregon Public Universities website: http://www.orpu.org and through the University's Bonfire Portal, https://sou.bonfirehub.com/portal. Contracts are awarded based upon a variety of evaluation criteria.
Posted on the Oregon Public Universities website http://www.orpu.org and through the University's Bonfire Portal, https://sou.bonfirehub.com/portal. Contracts are awarded based upon a variety of evaluation critera.
The procedures used for procuring Construction-related services, including reimbursable expenses and all change-orders contemplated by the parties, are as follows:
a) $25,000 or less: SOU may directly select a Contractor who has a signed Retainer Contract on file with SOU, through our annual retainer program, or may set up a job specific contract with a contractor who is not on retainer.
b) $25,000.01 to $500,000: SOU must select at least three Contractors that are to provide Bids or Proposals for the service. Selection of a Contractor from submitted Bids or Proposals will be based on the criteria set forth in the Solicitation Document. In the event that fewer than three Contractors can provide the required service, SOU may proceed with fewer than three Bids or Proposals.
c) $500,000.01 to $1,000,000: SOU will post an advertisement of the opportunity on Oregon Public Universities website http://www.orpu.org and the University's Bonfire Portal, https://sou.bonfirehub.com/portal. Selection of a Contractor from submitted proposals will be based on the criteria set forth in the Solicitation Document.
SOU Accounts Payable
Invoices should be sent directly to the Service Center. SOU prefers that vendors send invoices to (servicecenter@sou.edu).Invoices for multiple departments are often combined into a single payment, with accompanying documentation indicating transaction details. SOU encourages its Vendors and Contractors to accept payments via Direct Deposit, a more efficient and less costly way to compensate our partners. The SOU Substitute W-9/Direct Deposit Form can be found on the Business Services Contracting page. Questions regarding payment should be directed to the Service Center at 541-552-6700.
Terms and Conditions
SOU Standard Terms and Conditions can be found here. All vendors who do business with SOU agree to these Standard Terms and Conditions. Our terms and conditions state shipping will be F.O.B. destination, freight prepaid. All vendors must furnish, upon request, a federal tax identification number.
Affirmative Action
The University promotes and encourages contracting with businesses owned by women, minorities, or with emerging small businesses by advertising contract opportunities to local vendors throughthe Oregon Public Universities website at www.orpu.org and the University's Bonfire Portal, https://sou.bonfirehub.com/portal. Southern Oregon University also participates in a State of Oregon program aimed at awarding contracts to qualified rehabilitation facilities. For information about these programs, contact the State of Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Procurement Office at 503-378-4642. For certification information visit the Office of Minority, Women, and Emerging Small Business website http://www.oregon4biz.com/How-We-Can-Help/COBID/MWBE/.
Insurance Requirements
Prior to beginning work, vendors must provide a Certificate of Insurance (COI), naming: "Southern Oregon University, a university with a governing board, and their officers,members, and employees as additionally insured,” in said policy. Minimum coverage typically includes both commercial general liability and auto liability of at least $2,000,000 per occurrence and an annual aggregate limit of $4,000,000. If you have questions, please call the Service Center at 541-552-6700.
You can access further details about doing business with SOU by contacting the Service Center.
Purchasing Office
Service Center
Susanne Homes Hall, 2nd Floor
1250 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, OR 97520
Phone: (541) 552-6700
Fax: (541) 552-6138
