2.1 Mission, Responsibility and Authority

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A. Purpose

This policy establishes the mission statement of the Purchasing Department as well as outline the specific responsibility and authority of the department.

B. Mission

The primary purpose of the Purchasing Department is to assist our University community, with the identification, selection and acquisition of required materials and services. We strive to accomplish this as economically as possible, within acceptable standards of quality and service, while utilizing professional ethics and our best business practices throughout this process.

C. Responsibility and Authority

The Purchasing department plays a central role in the major category of commitments to external entities. It has the primary purchasing authority for the University, including responsibility for managing procurement, developing efficient tools for use on a University-wide basis and developing strategies to facilitate commitments to buy goods and services. Over time, purchasing authority has been delegated to select administrative departments having significant expertise in a specialized area. Refer to page 7 of the Transaction Authority Report for a list of categories of delegated commodities. The Purchasing Department is maintained within the University to fulfill the Purchasing function. Authority and responsibility for the organization of this area is delegated from the Vice President for Finance & Administration and the Treasurer.

D. References

• Signature Authority
• Transaction Authority Policy