Requisitions

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Purchase Orders | Amazon Orders | Office Depot Orders | Contract for Services | Professional Services

Requesting the Purchase of Items from a Vendor

To request the purchase of items, a Requisition Request Form must be completed and submitted. Relevant backup documentation should always be included, whenever possible (except when establishing Open Purchase orders -- see below). Requisitions are specific to one vendor -- multiple vendors will require multiple Requisition forms. When completing a Requisition, please only use the LPC version provided here. Signature approval is always required up to your Vice President (or President) level. For instructions on ordering items through Amazon or Office Depot, see below.

How to Request the Purchase of Items from a Vendor

1. Contact the vendor to request a quote of all requested items. Quotes should include item numbers, item descriptions, quantities, unit pricing, extended pricing, and any relevant fees (tax, shipping, etc.) whenever possible.
2. Once the quote has been received, complete a Requisition Request Form.
   1. All required and relevant fields MUST be entered.
   2. Note: insert your backup documentation to the Requisition Request Form BEFORE any signatures are added to the document. Signing before attaching documentation may prevent documents from being attached.
3. Submit your Requisition, with relevant backup attached, to your immediate supervisor for approval.
4. Up to your Vice President's signature approval is required.
5. Once approved, submit the Requisition and relevant backup to the Business Office for review.
6. The Business Office will obtain signature approval from the Vice President of Administrative Services.
7. Once final approval has been obtained, the Business Office will enter the Requisition into Banner. A copy of the Requisition will then be provided to the names listed in the "Return Copy of Req to" field.
8. Upon Banner approval, the Business Office will forward the Requisition packet to the District Purchasing Office for processing.

Establishing Purchase Orders

Purchase Orders are the preferred method for the requisition of items and should be used whenever possible in lieu of direct-payment through a Disbursement Request Form. You are encouraged to set up all needed PO's for all planned and expected expenses and purchases for the upcoming fiscal year. Purchase Orders can be established for various expenses, such as paying for invoices, purchasing items, hiring independent contractors, and more. There are two types of Purchase Orders that the District Office will establish: Open Purchase Orders and Regular Purchase Orders (see below for distinguishable characteristics of the two). Please note that PO's are set up based on a designated FOAP (Fund-Org-Account-Program) and for a specified vendor. For this reason, purchases made against a PO should all be for the same type of expense. For example, if you purchase physical supplies from one vendor, but also purchase digital software from the same vendor, these should not be paid against the same PO, as physical supplies should be coded to one account, while software purchases should be coded to a different account. In this scenario, two PO's should be established with the vendor.

Purchase Orders are established via a Requisition Request Form. See section "Requesting the Purchase of Items from a Vendor" for more detailed instructions on filling out a Requisition Request Form.

Open Purchase Orders (PO number begins with an "O")

Open Purchase Orders are essentially "open ended." These are typically used in cases where you expect to make multiple purchases through the same vendor, using the same FOAP (Fund-Org-Account-Program), throughout the year. For this reason, it is usually best to estimate the cost as a whole, rounded number, such as $850 or $3575. For example, if your department purchases diploma paper through Herff Jones frequently throughout the year, consider establishing an Open Purchase Order for Herff Jones for an estimated cost for the whole fiscal year. The PO amount can always be increased or decreased throughout the year via the Purchase Order Adjustment Form as needs change.

Additionally, Open Purchase Orders can be established in cases where you may only make one purchase to the vendor, but a quote cannot be provided (though you are still encouraged to request a quote from the vendor). For example, if your department needs to pay for a subscription service every year that usually costs $300, but the vendor has not provided you a quote, you can still establish an Open Purchase Order with the vendor, which you can then use to pay against the invoice you receive later on. This process is preferred over direct-payment through a Disbursement Request Form.

Form to use: Requisition Request Form (Open PO Version)

On the Requisition Request Form: include a brief description of the types of purchases that will be made against the PO.

Provided backup: for Open Purchase Orders, no backup is required by the Business Office, nor should it be included.

Regular Purchase Orders (PO number begins with a "P")

Regular Purchase Orders are established in cases where you have a more exact idea of the cost of the expense AND can include backup to show the cost, such as a quote or estimate. In cases like this, a PO number will be established that begins with a P. These costs should be indicated in more exact terms, such as $357.25. An example of a Regular Purchase Order would be the Chemistry department requesting 6 beakers and 3 graduated cylinders through a Requisition Request Form that has a quote attached.

Form to use: Requisition Request Form (Standard Version)

On the Requisition Request Form: enter each item number, description, quantity, and unit price.

Provided backup: a quote, estimate, or similar document indicating the estimated cost. Please avoid using shopping carts as backup.

Requesting Items from Amazon

The College has an established business account with Amazon for college-related purchases. This account includes Amazon Prime shipping speeds. If you would like to request items from Amazon to be purchased using your discretionary funds, you will need to submit a Requisition Request Form for the requested items. Please view the instructions below for the Amazon ordering process.

Form to use: Requisition Request Form (Amazon Version)

On the Requisition Request Form: list each item's SKU, name, quantity, and unit price.

Provided backup: a PDF copy of the shopping cart containing all items.

Amazon Requisition Process

1. Access the most current Requisition Request Form (Amazon Version). Be sure to download the PDF and open it in your Adobe program. Do not fill out the form in a browser.
2. Fill in all preliminary details on the Requisition.
3. On Amazon, add each item (and its respective quantity) to the shopping cart. Be sure to add the SKU for each item on the Requisition when viewing the item page. This SKU is essential to ensure the Business Office finds the exact item you're requesting, as Amazon will often have many different listings for similar items. The SKU for each item is found embedded in the item page's URL (aka web address). See example below on finding the SKU.
4. Once all items have been added, click on the shopping cart to view it.
5. While viewing the shopping cart, press Ctrl+P or File --> Print to print the page(s) to PDF. This will be used as your backup for the Requisition.
6. On the Requisition form, log each requested item, the item SKU, the quantity you're requesting, and the unit price of the item.
7. While on the Requisition form, press Ctrl+Shift+i to open the document insertion window. Navigate to the PDF of the shopping cart you prepared in Step 5 and attach the shopping cart after the Requisition page.
8. On the Requisition form, be sure to include any applicable tax and shipping charges in the appropriate fields. Ensure all other required and necessary fields are completed.
9. Submit the prepared PDF document to your first level supervisor. Up to your Vice President's (or President's) signature approval is required.
10. Once approved by your Vice President (or President), submit the completed PDF to the Business Office for processing. The Business Office will obtain signature approval from the Vice President of Administrative Services.
11. Once approved by the Vice President of Administrative Services, the Business Office will order the requested items. Amazon orders must be approved by the District Office before items will begin shipping.
12. For questions related to your Amazon order, please contact Thomas Rothman at trothman@laspositascollege.edu.

*Note: Amazon has many vendor pages for the same product, as well as similar products. Including the SKU from the item page's URL helps ensure that the Business Office orders the exact item you're requesting. Without the SKU, it is difficult to ensure that we order the exact item you are requesting, as some pages can look incredibly similar. Additionally, some items may become unavailable by the time we process the Requisition. If an item is unavailable, we will contact the Requestor directly for a substitute. Substitutions must be similar to the original item, and similar in price. If no reasonable substitution is available, we can remove the item from the request.

Amazon SKU Example

In the example below, the SKU (ASIN) for the Sharpie product is B0040R4E2O. This SKU code will direct the Business Office to the exact item page for your requested product.

Additionally, the SKU/ASIN code can be found by adding your items to cart and then viewing the cart. See example below.

Ordering Items from Office Depot

The College has partnered with Office Depot for our office supply needs. You are strongly encouraged to purchase your office supplies through our established contract and Office Depot account as prices are often offered at lower rates than competitors. Accounts are established on an as-needed basis and have been set up for certain employees across the campus that typically order office supplies. If you have already been given a business account with Office Depot, please follow the instructions below to order needed items. If you do not have a business account with Office Depot, consult your supervisor to determine if someone in your division will order supplies on your behalf, or to request an Office Depot business account.

Step-by-step instructions (with pictures!) on the Office Depot ordering process can be found here.

Form to use: Requisition Request Form (Office Depot Version)

On the Requisition Request Form: list each order and order number, a quantity of 1 for each order, and the order total under the unit price.

Provided backup: a PDF copy of the Order Detail Summary that shows the order total and all ordered items.

Contract for Services

Contract for Services are established for the purpose of hiring independent contractors to provide services to the College that are not typically provided by a College-employed position. The Contract for Services process requires many steps and should be prepared for accordingly. You are encouraged to begin the process approximately 2 months before the service needs to be performed. Please review the instructions below on the procedure for hiring independent contractors through the Contract for Services process.

Form to use: Requisition Request Form (Contract for Services Version) and additional documents listed below.

On the Requisition Request Form: enter a brief description of the work to be performed, a quantity of 1, and the total cost of the work under the unit price.

Provided backup: see below for all necessary documents.

Contract for Services Process

1.  Consider the type of work that needs to be performed and ensure that it falls under the Contract for Services process. Information about Contract for Services can be found at the District website here.
   1. Vendors that provide services to be performed fall under the Contract for Services process primarily when they are an "individual/sole-proprietor/single-member LLC" type of business. This can be confirmed with the vendor, or by the vendor's W-9 form. Vendors that are an S-Corp, C-Corp, LLC, or Incorporated business do NOT fall under the Contract for Services process. If the vendor files as one of these four business types, Contract for Service paperwork will not be accepted. See section "Professional Services (Non-Contract for Service)" below.
2. Gather the necessary paperwork, to be filled out in combination between you or your supervisor and the independent contractor. The required forms can be found here and below. The first three listed forms are required every time you hire an independent contractor, regardless of whether they have been hired in the past. The last two forms are required only if the independent contractor has not been previously hired by the College. If you are unsure if they have been hired in the past, consult your supervisor or consider having the vendor fill out the additional two forms, just in case. Forms should be downloaded and opened via your Adobe program. Do not fill out forms in a browser.
   1. Requisition Request Form (LPC version) [always required]
      1. District-Clearing funded only. If funded by ASB or Co-Curricular, do not include this form, and ignore subsequent references to the Requisition form*.
   2. Contract for Services Form [always required]
   3. Independent Contractor Questionnaire [always required]
   4. Vendor Profile Application [new independent contractors only]
   5. IRS W-9 Form [new independent contractors only]
3. Attach the following documents to the Requisition PDF: (1) the Contract for Services Form, (2) the Independent Contractor Questionnaire, (3) the Vendor Profile Application, when applicable, and (4) the vendor's W-9, when applicable. Documents can be attached to the Requisition PDF by pressing Ctrl+Shift+i with the Requisition PDF open. The files in the combined PDF should follow the same order as shown in Step 2.
4. Once all required forms are filled out and complete, submit your packet to your immediate supervisor for first-level signature approval. Up to your Vice President's signature approval is required. Do not obtain signature approval from the College President -- this will be obtained by the Business Office.
5. Once you have up to your Vice President's signature approval, submit your packet to the Business Office for processing. The Business Office will assign your packet an R number (for the Requisition) and a CS number (for the Contract). These numbers are used to identify your Contract for Services packet.
6. The Business Office will obtain the College President's signature approval on the Contract for Services Form.
7. Once approved by the College President, the Business Office will obtain approval from the Vice President of Administrative Services.
8. Once approved by the Vice President of Administrative Services, the Business Office will process the packet in Banner.
9. Once approved in Banner, the Business Office will send a copy of the packet to the Requestor. This copy only denotes that approval has been obtained up to the College level and that the paperwork has been forwarded to the District Office. This copy does NOT indicate that a contract has been approved.
10. The Business Office will forward the packet to the District Office. The District Office will first obtain signature approval from both the Vice Chancellor of Human Resources and the Vice Chancellor of Business Services.
    1. Note: until the final approval is obtained from both Vice Chancellors, the College does NOT have an approved contract with the independent contractor. Independent contractors should NOT be instructed to start performing services until final approval is obtained from both Vice Chancellors.
11. Once approved by both Vice Chancellors, the packet is forwarded to Purchasing to be issued a PO. Invoices for the service(s) performed by the independent contractor will be paid against this established PO. In most cases, the Requestor will be sent a copy of the PO from Purchasing. Receiving this PO copy is your cue that the contract has been approved and work may be performed.
12. Once the work has been performed, you should be provided with an invoice for payment by the vendor. Invoices must be clearly labeled with the word "invoice" and should only be paid after the service has been provided. Invoices must contain the following before forwarding to the Business Office:
    1. Confirm that all information is correct, including the amount due.
    2. Write "ok to pay," sign below, and date.
    3. Write the PO number established by the District Purchasing Office.
13. The Business Office will submit the invoice to District Accounting for payment.

*Note about ASB and Co-Curricular funded Contracts: Contract for Service packets funded by ASB or Co-Curricular should not include the Requisition Request Form. In this case, references to the Requisition should be disregarded. Additionally, PO's are not generated for ASB and Co-Curricular funded contracts. Once the College President has signed the Contract for Services Form, work may be performed by the contractor. A Disbursement Request Form must then be prepared to pay for the invoice after the work has been completed.

Professional Services (Non-Contract for Services)

Per Assembly Bill 5, requirements for the classification of an independent contractor has changed. As such, the Contract for Services process has changed as well. Vendors of one of the four business types (S-Corp, C-Corp, LLC, and Incorporated) are considered a "business-to-business" relationship. To determine whether the vendor you wish to hire falls under either this process or the Contract for Services process, reach out to the vendor to inquire what type of business they file as. If they fall under one of the above four business classifications, follow the instructions below. If they fall under the "individual/sole-proprietor/single-member LLC" classification, follow the process outlined in the "Contract for Services" section above.

Form to use: Requisition Request Form (Open PO Version)

On the Requisition Request Form: enter a brief description of the service to be performed, a quantity of 1, and the total cost of the service under the unit price.

Provided backup: a Scope of Work, whenever possible.

Professional Services Process

1. Complete a Requisition Request Form to establish an Open PO. On the Requisition, be sure to include a description of the work to be performed by the vendor.
2. As with other Open PO Requisitions, PO's should be established for a rounded, whole amount. Round-up based on the estimated cost provided by the vendor.
3. A Scope of Work should be included with the Requisition, but is not required. A Scope of Work is a document that outlines the work that both parties agree will be performed by the vendor. Scope of Work documents will vary, and may be either provided by the vendor or created by the Requestor of the college. The Scope of Work document should include, but is not limited to, the following: (1) the names of both the vendor and the college, (2) an outline of the work to be performed by the vendor, (3) the overall cost of the work to be performed, (4) a general timeline of the work to be completed, and (5) the approval signatures of both the vendor and the Requestor.
4. If provided, attach the Scope of Work to the Requisition PDF before any signatures are applied to the Requisition Request Form (signing before adding attachments may prevent attachments from being added).
5. Submit your Requisition, with Scope of Work attached when applicable, to your immediate supervisor for approval.
6. Up to your Vice President's signature approval is required.
7. Once approved, submit the Requisition and relevant backup to the Business Office for review.
8. The Business Office will obtain signature approval from the Vice President of Administrative Services.
9. Once final approval has been obtained, the Business Office will enter the Requisition into Banner. A copy of the Requisition will then be provided to the names listed in the "Return Copy of Req to" field.
10. Upon Banner approval, the Business Office will forward the Requisition packet to the District Purchasing Office for processing.
11. Once the work has been performed and completed, contact the vendor to obtain a final invoice. Write "ok to pay," sign the invoice, date it, and include the PO number established by the District Purchasing Office. Invoices should only be signed and submitted for payment after all work has been completed as agreed upon.
12. Submit the signed invoice to the Business Office for processing.