CSU Contracts & Procurement Policy
In accordance with legislation and guidelines established by the State and the CSU Board of Trustees, all commodities and services are processed by the Procurement and Contracts Office. This ensures compliance with relevant laws and policies, promotes transparency in procurement processes, and helps manage the efficient acquisition of goods and services to meet the needs of the University.
It's important to emphasize that as an agency of the State of California and a campus within the California State University (CSU) system, all requests for the purchase of commodities and services are processed through the Procurement and Contracts Office. This process adheres to the legislation and guidelines established by both the State of California and the CSU Board of Trustees.
By adhering to these guidelines, CSUSB maintains control over its procurement processes, ensuring that contracts are entered into responsibly and in accordance with university policies and regulations. This approach helps mitigate risks and maintain transparency in contractual agreements.
Procurement and Contracts Responsibility: The Procurement and Contracts department is responsible for handling all purchases made by the university.
Authorized Contract Signatories: Only five designated individuals on campus are authorized to sign contracts on behalf of CSUSB. These individuals are:
- President
- Provost
- Vice President for Administration & Finance
- Associate Vice President for Financial Operations
- Director of Procurement & Contracts and Designees
Commitment to University: Individuals outside of the Procurement and Contracts department are not authorized to commit the university to acquiring products or services. This emphasizes the importance of centralizing the procurement process and ensuring that contracts are signed by authorized personnel.
Requests for purchases are made through requisitions and once they've been approved, the Procurement and Contracts team will generate a purchase order or contract. Be advised that the act of entering a requisition does not guarantee that a purchase order will be issued, so make sure to follow up with the department to see what may be missing or what else is needed with the requisition. An unauthorized purchase can lead to the University not honoring the individuals requisition and may lead the vendor to request payment from the individual who submitted a requisition.
By adhering to these procedures and understanding the distinction between requisitions and purchase orders, the university can ensure compliance with procurement regulations, maintain control over purchasing activities, and avoid unauthorized expenditures.
Requisition Process: Requests for purchases are initiated through requisitions. A requisition serves as a formal request for the procurement of goods or services.
Procurement and Contracts Review: If deemed appropriate, a requisition is processed by the Procurement and Contracts department, which may result in the generation of a purchase order or contract.
Requisition vs. Purchase Order: It's essential to understand that a requisition is NOT a purchase order. A requisition is a request for procurement, while a purchase order is the official document issued by the university to authorize a vendor to provide goods or services. Entering a requisition does not guarantee the issuance of a purchase order.
Unauthorized Purchases: Unauthorized purchases, those made without following the proper requisition and procurement process, may not be honored by the university.
By clicking Requisition Checklist, it will give you a break down on what you will need for a specific requisition (Located in Forms and Documents)
Purchase Requestor's Checklists and Tips
Departments that would like to request a purchase order can use the Requisition Checklist as a guide for the requisition process. The Requisition Checklists identify the forms, documents, and information that requestors must include with requisitions. In addition, this document includes helpful tips about how to buy certain goods and services, defines “types” of purchases, and identifies where purchase requestors can retrieve the various forms and documents required for a requisition.
The Requisition Checklist can be downloaded or can be accessed on the Forms and Documents page.
Timelines
Timelines Basis: The timelines for processing requisitions are based on the following criteria:
Complete Documentation: All required documentation must be complete and accurate.
Approvals: The requisition must have received appropriate approvals.
CFS Department Delegate Approval: The requisition should be approved by the end user's CFS department delegate (CFS approver).
Request Processing Time
Less than $50K-no risk: 10 Business days
Less than $50K-some risk/negotiations required: 10 to 20 Business days
$50K or $100K (competition required): 20 to 45 Business days
More than $100K (formal bidding required): 30 to 180 Business days