Purchasing Manual
II. Purchasing Objectives
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The aims and objectives of the Materials Management Department (MMD) set the stage for the policies and procedures to be followed in conducting the University's purchasing program. The established purchasing objectives center around the need for efficient and effective operations which are responsive to user needs, and practices which promote sound purchasing management and render the greatest value on the University's purchasing dollars. With these principles in mind, MMD is charged with accomplishing the following objectives:

• Purchase supplies, equipment, and services necessary to the daily operation of the University and whenever possible ensure the proper accountability of all goods procured by means of the University purchasing program.
• Promote prudent spending of University funds by obtaining maximum value for purchasing dollars spent by ensuring competition whenever possible.. Promote fair and open competition among vendors by soliciting qualified vendors in an impartial manner.
• Provide timely procurement of supplies, equipment, and services.
• Promote buying techniques which encourage economies of scale by implementing timetables to consolidate user department orders and thereby order materials and services in large quantities.
• Insure that all interested suppliers understand the ground rules for doing business with the University by describing pertinent procurement policies and procedures of the university in a vendor's brochure.
• Operate a general stores system for common-use and high volume items to provide user departments with low cost and timely access to frequently needed items.
• Operate a central receiving area for receipt and inspection of all materials to provide user departments with expedient and safe delivery and accountability of their materials.