Purchasing Guidelines

The following are general guidelines for JSCC employees who wish to make College purchases. If you have any questions, please contact the Purchasing Department at (731) 425-2636.

Local Purchases

Employees may purchase goods or services for use in the performance of their duties in the amount of $50 or less through approved college charge accounts. Any purchase made in this manner does not require issuance of a purchase order. Payment to vendors for such transactions will be made using a Check Requisition form.

Employees may purchase goods or services in the amount of $20 or less on a cash basis. The employee can be reimbursed in the Business Office through a Petty Cash Voucher. An invoice or sales ticket for the goods or services purchased must accompany the reimbursement. The College will not reimburse sales tax on such purchases. A sales tax exemption form is available in the Accounts Payable office and will be provided to any employee who elects this method of purchasing items.

Exceptions

Any computer software or hardware purchase valued at $1,000 or greater must be approved by the Office of Information Technology (OIT) before the Purchase Order is issued.  The SciQuest Purchasing system routes all such computer software or hardware requisitions directly to the Director of OIT for approval. 

Equipment

Equipment items with a value of $5,000 or greater are categorized as Capital Fixed Assets and will be tagged with a JSCC inventory tag. Computers and other electronic items costing between $1,000 and $4,999.99 are categorized as sensitive minor equipment and will be tracked and inventoried by OIT.

Requisitions & the Bid Process

For purchases of goods or services between $10,000 to $49,999, there are 3 options:  (1) Obtain 3 bid/quotes, (2) Sole Source Vendor Purchase which requires a completed TBR Sole Source Justification for Non-Competitive Purchase Form and Sole Sorce Statement from the Vendor, or (3) purchase with a valid TBR, UT, or State of TN Contract.  The proper support documents for these purchases should be sent to the JSCC Director of Purchasing for a complete review before a requisition is entered into SciQuest.    

Purchases of goods or services of $50,000 or more require a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quotation to be issued by the Purchsing Dept. before the purchase requisition is entered into SciQuest. TBR guidelines and procedures are followed for issuing RFP's and RFQ's, and for awarding the purchase to the winning bidder.