Vendors

General Purchasing Procedures

All purchases of goods and services require a purchase order number.

Purchase orders are issued by the Purchasing Department. Vendors should verify the purchase order number before delivering goods or services requested by a college employee. Unless a purchase order, with appropriate signature, is issued and received, no contract exists between vendor and the college.

When a delivery is made, a receiving report signed by the Lee College District representative who received the products or service is required to be sent to the Accounts Payable Department before an invoice can be paid.

Vendors should send all invoices to the Lee College District Accounts Payable Department in accordance with the prices and terms on the purchase order.

Issuing Purchase Orders

Purchases Under $10,000

• The requesting department determines the product needed and prepares a requisition with the description of the material or services to be purchased.
• The Purchasing Department prices the materials and prepares a purchase order.
• Open market purchases between $2,500 and $5,000 require at least three verbal or written quotations from any vendor.
• Open market purchases of between $5,000 and $10,000 require at least 3 written quotations from any vendor.

Purchases $10,000 or More

• Purchase Orders exceeding $10,000 require advertisement and must adhere to the competitive bid process.
• The Purchasing Department advertises all bids in one daily local newspaper.
• Bids are publicly opened at least two weeks from the date of the first advertisement in the newspaper. After the bid opening, the bids are tabulated and a recommendation for award of bid to the lowest responsible bidder offering the best value to the district is prepared. The recommendation is then taken to the Lee College District Board of Regents for approval of award. After approval by the Board of Regents, purchase orders are issued.