Purchasing Procedures and Requisitions
Purchasing Manual
What follows outlines the procedure for obtaining goods or services via the requisition/purchase order system. This system is used for all goods or services for which the price exceeds $1,000, for reimbursements, and for those vendors who do not accept credit cards. If a purchase costs under $1,000 and the vendor accepts credit cards, then the purchase must be made using a College-issued credit card.
Allowed vs. Non-Allowed Purchases
A detailed (but non-exhaustive) list of items that are and are not allowed to be purchased at the College's expense (whether by purchasing card, reimbursement, or any other method) can be found here. If you have any questions about allowed purchases, please contact the Purchasing Office at purchase@hampshire.edu prior to making the purchase. Non-allowed purchases will ultimately be at the employee's expense, so it is wise to check first and ask when in doubt.
A note about reimbursements
Please note that a reimbursement is a form of invoice; after all the required documentation has been gathered and the appropriate travel or non-travel reimbursement form has been filled out and signed, the requisition/PO process should be initiated in order to generate a purchase order number. More detailed information about reimbursements can be found here.
Requisitions
A. Description
A requisition is a template of a purchase order. Requisitions are created and submitted in the Hub via the "Requisitions" module. Detailed instructions for entering requisitions can be found here. Each office manager determines who will have the responsibility to enter requisitions, the credit limit assigned to that person, and the general ledger account numbers that can be accessed. Purchasing office staff holds training in the use of this module several times per year.
B. Initiation and Submission of Requisitions
All requisitions must be submitted at the office level. It is recommended that one person within each office, or school, be given the responsibility to requisition items or services for the entire office or school. Requisitions must first be completed in the Colleague requisition module in their entirety. The following information is mandatory:
- Requisition date
- Initiator name
- Vendor
- "Ship to" address, that is, the mail code for delivery
- AP Type (always, "01")
- Item description
- Quantity (including unit of measure, e.g., carton, pounds, crate, etc.)
- Estimated price
- 13-digit account number
Delays will occur in processing requisitions that are submitted without adequate information.
Each vendor requires a separate requisition.
The dollar limit allowed for each designee to purchase goods will be at the discretion of the budget manager and/or the senior director of budgets and planning. Dollar amounts that exceed the individual limit require the additional approval of the supervisor. All bulk purchases or large orders over $10,000 will require the approval of the controller. Splitting a vendor payment into multiple requisitions in order to avoid one's requisition limit or the $10,000 limit is not allowed.
C. Additional Approvals
The requisitions pertaining to the areas listed below will require additional approval. Please note the area from which to request authorization.
| Item | Approval needed | Policy or Contact |
| Computers, printers, and related equipment; audio-visual equipment | Vice President of Information Technology | www.hampshire.edu/it/computer-resources-for-faculty-and-staff |
| Construction contracts | Director of Facilities and Grounds | www.hampshire.edu/facilities/administration-and-staff |
| Non-beverage potable alcohol | Director of Campus Safety and Wellbeing | www.hampshire.edu/campus-safety-and-security/campus-safety-and-security |
| Manufacturer Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) | Director of Environmental Health and Safety | www.hampshire.edu/ehs/chemical-safety-data-sheets-sds |
| Equipment purchases over $10,000 | Senior Director of Budgets and Planning | www.hampshire.edu/business-office/controllers-office |
| Certificate of Insurance | Treasurer | www.fivecolleges.edu/riskmgmt/certificates_of_insurance |
| Printing of external publications | Chief Advancement Officer | www.hampshire.edu/communications/communications-office |
| Furniture and window treatments | Purchasing Coordinator & Treasurer | www.hampshire.edu/business-office/purchasing-office |
| Library acquisitions | Director of the Library | www.hampshire.edu/library/collection-development-policy |
| Computer software, electronic educational materials and programs | IT Accessibility Working Group | itaccessibility.hampshire.edu |
| Expenditures related to Federal Awards | Senior Director of Accounting |
These additional approvals are required regardless of whether the funds are from the general operating budget, donations from any source, state or federally-funded grants, student group accounts, or any College funds not otherwise specified.
Office/Classroom Furniture
Please note: The purchasing office must approve all furniture purchases. No invoices for furniture will be paid without the prior approval of the purchasing office. Furniture is not to be purchased on a purchasing card without authorization.
Non-Beverage Potable Alcohol
The purchase of non-beverage potable alcohol requires a permit from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. All such requests must be placed through the office of campus safety and security.
D. Fund Availability
No requisition will be processed without sufficient budget funds and proper authorization.