B-2 General Purchasing and Contracting Authority

I. Purpose

The Board of Trustees of the University of Kentucky has elected to perform all contractual services, rentals of all types, and purchasing of supplies, materials, equipment, printing and services in accordance with KRS 164A.550 to 164A.630.

II. Responsibilities

Purchasing and contracting functions at the University of Kentucky as a state agency must be completed within the framework of the Commonwealth of Kentucky Revised Statutes. These statutes contain the following major purchasing responsibilities:

1. Establish policy and procedures to complete competitive sealed bidding, competitive and noncompetitive negotiations, and small purchase procedures.
2. Establish procedures to identify items of common general usage to foster volume purchasing, and establish and enforce schedules for purchasing supplies, materials and equipment.
3. Establish procedures to salvage, to exchange, and to condemn supplies, materials and equipment, and real property.
4. Establish procedures to contract for capital construction projects including the necessary design services and bidding and contracting of necessary construction services. Bidding may be on a total design-bid basis, a lump sum bid or construction management, whichever offers the lowest real cost. All specifications for construction contracting must be written to promote competition. 
5. Control purchases of energy consuming equipment, supplies and related equipment to promote energy conservation and acquisition of energy efficient products. 
6. Negotiation for the purchase of contractual services, supplies, materials or equipment in bona fide emergencies regardless of estimated costs. The existence of the emergency must be explained and justified in writing by the Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration and must be approved by the University President.
7. Establish policy and procedures to contract for services and goods where competitive bidding may not be required or appropriate.
8. Establish policy and procedure for negotiation and contracting with vendors who maintain General Services Administration (GSA) agreements. 
9. Establish policy and procedure for cooperative agreements with other public or private institutions of education or health care.

III. Policy

1. In accordance with the provisions of the above statutes and the authority contained therein, the Board of Trustees of the University has elected to perform the entire Purchasing function. This authority has been delegated to the Purchasing Division. 
2. Purchases and contracts must not be made with an employee of the University of Kentucky for any item of supply, equipment, or service, nor may an employee have any interest, directly or indirectly, in any purchase made by the University of Kentucky. Purchases for the University are made for the purpose of meeting program requirements of the various units. 
3. The following sections of this manual provide guidance regarding policies and procedures to be followed by departments of the University of Kentucky for the purchase of supplies, equipment, and services. Direct questions regarding any part of the Purchasing Section, Business Procedures Manual, to the Purchasing Division, Peterson Service Building, Attention: Chief Procurement Officer.