Purchasing
Welcome
Our main priority is to provide the campus community with customer service and guidance when it comes to making purchases to ensure your department needs are met. We are responsible for ensuring federal, state, local, and grant funds are allocated in accordance with not only our TAMUK Procurement Policies and Procedures, but also the 91AV;M University System, the State of Texas and the Federal Government. A goal of ours is to assist you through the procurement cycle while adhering to and exceeding the ethical and professional standards as State of Texas employees.
FY24 Procurement Purchasing Deadline
Rules and Regulations
91AV;M University -Kingsville departments have delegated authority to make purchases of equipment, supplies, and services within specified dollar limits (including freight and/or postage), regardless of the funding source. This limited authority is delegated to allow departments to expedite the purchase of items needed immediately without having to prepare a purchase requisition. The dollar limit is currently restricted to not exceed $10,000.00. Purchases may not be separated in order to remain within the delegated dollar limit.
Departments are encouraged to purchase equipment supplies and services from Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs). An online HUB Directory is available to assist you in identifying HUBs.
For purchases exceeding the delegated departmental spending limits, requisitions, bids and purchase orders processed through the Department of Procurement Services are usually required. The following guidelines apply:
| Type of Order | Type of Funds | Requisitioning Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Emergency Purchases, Goods and Services | All Funds ($10,000.01 or more) |
Create a requisition in AggieBuy and attach specifications. AggieBuy will automatically route the requisition to Procurement Services. |
| Emergency Purchases, Goods and Services | All Funds ($10,000.01 or more) | When possible, contact Procurement Services for prior approval. Enter an AggieBuy Purchase Requisition and include a completed Justification of Emergency Purchases form. See additional information below. |
Notes:
- Freight costs must be included in all dollar limits listed above.
- Large purchases may not be divided into small lot purchases in order to meet the specified dollar limits. (University Rule 25.07.03.M0.01 Section 2.1.3)
Departments are advised to carefully evaluate and plan their goods and services requirements on a monthly/yearly basis whenever possible.
Sole Source and/or Proprietary Purchases
If the specifications restrict the purchase of goods or services to only one product or manufacturer, enter an AggieBuy Purchase Requisition and include a completed Sole Source/Proprietary Justification form.
This questionnaire should be completed and signed by the end user or other subject matter expert familiar with the technical requirements of purchase. After completion, please forward to Procurement Services. If more space is required, feel free to attach additional pages. Note: The price of the product or service is not a consideration for sole source, as pricing can be determined only by competitive solicitation.
Emergency Purchases
An emergency purchase is defined as a purchase of goods or services that if not secured immediately, the university will suffer financial or operational damage.
When possible, contact Procurement Services prior to acquiring the goods or services. If the situation allows, informal bids will be taken. Department should place the order, then enter an AggieBuy Purchase Requisition and include a completed Justification of Emergency Purchases form.
The form must completely describe:
- The reason for the emergency purchase by explaining what the emergency is and/or what caused the emergency situation;
- The financial and/or operational damage that will occur if needs are not satisfied immediately; and
- Why the needs were not or could not be anticipated, so that the items could have been purchased through regular procurement procedures.”
Non-complying Purchase Requisitions
Departments do not have the authority to make purchases in excess of $10,000 that have not been approved prior to the goods being delivered or services being rendered. Non-complying purchase requisitions include, but not limited to, confirming requisitions and requisitions that split large purchases into smaller purchases in order to circumvent purchasing procedures. Procurement Services encourages questions and will assist buyers in determining the best method available in acquiring goods and services.
When making a purchase, it is important to verify the status of vendors to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations. This includes checking if a vendor is debarred, divested, or placed on Texas state hold. Failure to do so may result in non-compliance and could affect university contracts and operations.
Department Responsibility
Before submitting a requisition or purchase request, it is the department's responsibility to verify the status of the vendor. Departments should check the following resources to confirm that the vendor is in good standing:
- Debarred Vendors: To ensure a vendor is not debarred from federal contracts, search the .
- Divested Vendors: For restrictions related to divestiture, especially involving foreign entities, consult the database.
- Texas State Hold Vendors: To verify if a vendor is on Texas state hold, departments can use the Vendor Hold feature located in the 91AV;M University System Single Sign-On (SSO) portal. This tool allows users to check whether a vendor is restricted from receiving payments due to violations such as delinquent taxes or other state-level issues.
Departments should perform these searches before initiating any requisition in JavelinaBuy or proceeding with a purchase. It is recommended that departments retain proof of this verification.
Procurement Services Responsibility
Procurement Services provides additional oversight during the requisition approval process. Although the department is primarily responsible for the vendor search, Procurement will review vendor status during the approval phase to ensure compliance with applicable regulations. For high-risk or high-value contracts, Procurement may request additional documentation or perform a more thorough review.
- Procurement will verify vendor statuses for federal restrictions (SAM.gov) and Texas state holds (via the SSO portal) and may include documentation if required.
- If a department has not attached evidence of the vendor search, Procurement may request confirmation before proceeding with the requisition
Ensuring Compliance
Both departments and Procurement Services play a critical role in maintaining compliance with federal and state guidelines. Regularly verifying vendor eligibility before making any commitments helps prevent potential legal and operational issues.
For assistance or questions regarding vendor status searches or to ensure compliance with procurement processes, please contact us at procurement@tamuk.edu