Purchasing Guidelines

Thresholds & Requirements

• Bid Limits - updated 01-04-2021
• Requisition Checklist - updated 02-8-2021

The Purchasing Department ensures that requested goods and services are allowable under the established:

• California Constitution Codes
• Standards of Public Purchasing Practice
• District Board Policies
  • BP 6330
  • BP 6340
• District Adm. Procedures
  • AP 6350
  • AP 6360
  • AP 6365
  • AP 6370

Competitive Bid Process

Purchasing Processes/Procedures

• Facilities Involved Procurement (Furniture, Equipment, Install, Repair, Maintenance)
• Ink and Toner Purchases
• IT Purchases
• Marketing & Publication Purchases
• Office Depot (Office Supplies)
• Piggybacks and Cooperative Agreements
• Placing Orders Without Authorization
• Procurement & Virtual Cards
• Requisition Timeline
• Returns/Order Issues
• Sales Tax Information
• Standing (Open) Purchase Orders
• Urgent Request Processing

Once a properly completed Requisition is approved through Banner, the estimated turn around time is:

• 1-2 weeks for standard purchases
• 90-120 days for items requiring formal bidding or sole source justification

Returns/Order Issues

Customarily, items may usually be returned within 30 days after receipt if the items are still in their original unopened packages. Please note: vendors do have different return policies and some may charge restocking fees. Do not send return goods through the interoffice mail and do not bring them to the Business Services Area without permission from the Purchasing Department. Under no circumstances should a return be made without contacting Purchasing prior to the return. Vendors may require a Return Material Authorization (RMA) in order to have a valid return, which can be obtained through Purchasing. Not following this process will delay credits and/or replacements.

The return process is as follows:

• Call Purchasing at extension 6310 or email purcahsing@avc.edu to arrange a method of return.
• Purchasing will contact the vendor for return authorization and process, then relays information to the requester.
• The Warehouse will then be notified to pick up the items to be returned if authorization was given by the vendor.

Any issues with your order are to be reported to the Purchasing Department immediately, so that the vendor can be contacted and the issue resolved.  The process is as follows:

• Call Purchasing at extension 6310 or email purcahsing@avc.edu to report the issue.  Include the PO #, details of the issues, and your preference for a resolution (return, exchange, substitution, etc.)
• Purchasing will contact the vendor for options to get the issue resolved.