To welcome the arrival of 1998, the Purchasing Division has taken a few steps back to review the activities achieved last year. We've recently tackled those tough questions like "What have we accomplished?" and "How valuable are these accomplishments to our overall operation?" During this introspective process, the staff realized the importance of the accomplishments made during 1997. Let us share just some of our successes...
Relocation of Central Office:
- Moved nearly 30 staff members from the east wing of the State Capitol Building to 2019 Washington Street, East (P&G Building) in October.
Training:
- Conducted several training programs, including the first-ever Statewide Vendor Teleconference, the agency purchasing conference, the annual fleet seminar, and four regional travel management workshops. Our staff also participated in many other agencies' training programs and conferences.
Purchasing Card Program:
- Nearly 35,000 transactions, totalling one million dollars, were made using the Purchasing Card, as of October 31st. An estimated savings of $840,000 has been realized since the pilot program was introduced in October, 1996.
Surplus Property:
- Seven public auctions were conducted, generating $463,887.
- Thirty-nine (39) weekly sealed bid sales for property located at the Dunbar location were conducted, generating $279,837.
- Surplus Property staff negotiated 491 sales of state surplus property of which 126 were sales to state agencies, generating $338,818. In regard to federal surplus property, 1050 negotiated sales to eligible customers were conducted, of which 169 individual sales were to state agencies, generating $284,470.
- State agencies were reimbursed a total of approximately $575,000 for property sold.
Vendor Relations:
- Conducted on-site visits with West Virginia vendors. For the first three months of this project, the buying staff visited over 65 vendors.
- Approximately 9,000 vendors were registered with the Purchasing Division, with about $280,000 collected in vendor fees.
Consolidated Publishing Facility:
- Offset facility was reconfigured and equipment upgraded.
- Offset prepress was reconfigured from traditional methods to complete digital output to match pressroom and quick copy capabilities.
- The CPF Quick Copy Convenience Center System was relocated, with upgraded and reconfigured equipment.
Fleet Management Program:
- Nearly 150 vehicles (1997 models) were ordered and placed into service, replacing a like number of old, high mileage, high maintenance vehicles.
- New rates were established at the lowest level possible.
Travel Management Office:
- The Travel Management Office designed an informational card that will assist state travelers.
- A hotel directory has been designed and printed which details in-state hotel accommodations, amenities, and special rates.
Automation:
- Internet access and e-mail was established for all "central" Purchasing Division employees. Also, an Internet site for the Division was established, including all issues of the Buyers Network newsletter from February 1997 to the present; and an on-line version of the West Virginia Purchasing Bulletin (vendor registration/subscription required for access).
- An Intranet site specifically designed to provide Purchasing information was established for access from state employees.
- The implementation of the WVFIMS PO Encumbrance Module began.
- The interface between the TEAM purchasing system and WVFIMS fixed asset system was completed.
- The Statewide WVFIMS Fixed Assets System was completed and implemented.
The Purchasing Division is pleased with the progress made in continuing to improve our services to our customers — state agencies, political subdivisions, and vendors. We look forward to 1998 as another successful year in maintaining these high standards.
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State employees who are required to travel as part of their jobs will soon have all of the information they need right at their fingertips, according to Catherine Bryan, the State Travel Manager.
A hotel directory, which lists many in-state lodging facilities, has been published and will soon be distributed to state travelers. "The hotel directory will assist state travelers in choosing a hotel. Instate hotels are listed, with address and location information," Bryan said. "We've also listed their rates and, if available, any special discounts that state travelers can receive."
Other states have used similar hotel directories to assist their government employees who must travel on the job. Bryan was pleased with the response received from West Virginia hotels. "The directory will also provide valuable information on the amenities which each facility offers," she adds. This segment would include such features as weight room, pool, restaurants, and kitchen efficiencies.
Bryan also announces the new travel informational card that state employees may carry during their trips. These cards contain vital telephone numbers for such offices as National Travel Services, Inc., Diner's Club and the State Travel Management Office, along with helpful travel tips.
"My goal is to attempt to simplify the travel process for state travelers," Bryan said. "The information card is a handy 'cheat sheet' with answers to many frequently asked questions."
Bryan explains that many state employees are 'infrequent' travelers, making trips perhaps only once or twice a year. "Keeping these travelers in mind, the handy hints on the back of the card will be useful. They no longer have to remember if they should accept or decline the CDW insurance when renting a car, or mileage and meal reimbursement....it's all on the card!"
Bryan hopes that the hotel directory and the informational travel card will assist those state employees who are required to travel as part of their job. These projects provide valuable information to state employees so they may make smart travel decisions.
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By Dave Tincher
Purchasing Director
When was the last time you went to shop at the Surplus Property warehouses? Perhaps it's time for you to make another trip.
With limited dollars available to accommodate the variety of needs, many agencies are turning more to the new and used discounted merchandise at the Dunbar warehouse facilities.
Surplus Property operates a state and federal surplus property program. Organizations must complete an Application for Eligibility prior to purchasing surplus property. They may visit the warehouses from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Why participate in the Surplus Property Program? First, it is very simple. Secondly, it is very economical, and finally, the program offers a variety of items.
The popularity of the Surplus Property Program can be attributed to the reasons previously mentioned. But for some customers, they just simply enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. As many visitors comment, "You just never know what you'll find at Surplus.".
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The State Capitol Complex shuttle will begin operating Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., beginning December 1, 1997 through March 20, 1998.
The morning shuttle departs Laidley Field, starting at 7:00 a.m. and serving each of the stops listed below at approximately every 10 to 15 minutes. The last evening shuttle leaves the Department of Highways Building 5 at 6:00 p.m.
Please note that the State Capitol Complex Shuttle will not operate from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. to allow the driver a lunch break.
SHUTTLE STOPS
Department of Highways
(Building 5 - Piedmont Road)
East Wing Entrance
(California Avenue)
Main Building Entrance
(California Avenue)
Governor's Driveway
(Greenbrier Street)
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Aside from the fact that a good requisition should accurately, concisely, and clearly state your needs, it should also be presentable — with a good format that is neat and easy to read.
As we give considerable thought to our personal appearance and relationships with others, we must do the same with our requisitions that requests someone to furnish us with our needs. A sloppy document will more than likely be shunned or, at the very least, be misinterpreted by a prospective bidder. This certainly does little to encourage competition from bidders. Bidders, for the most part, are busy people like us with very little tolerance for an ill-prepared request for quotation/proposal.
Take time to look over your requisition. As you look at the finished product, ask yourself if the requisition is accurate, clear and concise. And...is it presentable? Always be aware of the appearance of your requisitions. They reflect the professionalism of the public purchaser who created the document.
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The 1998 new vehicle orders have been finalized, according to Ken Miller, State Fleet Manager. "We have ordered 167 units, totalling $3.25 million," he said. These vehicles will be assigned to those agencies who receive their vehicles through the Central Fleet Program. In accordance to a federal mandate, 35 of the units are bi-fuel natural gas vehicles.
Dil's Motors, a vendor who was on the motor vehicle and police cruiser statewide contracts, recently announced that they sold their new car franchise to Astorg Motors. Buyer Supervisor Ron Price requests that agencies do not place orders with Dil's until the Purchasing Division attempts to award the items on their contract to the next lowest responsible bidder.
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The 1997 State Capitol Telephone Directory, which includes agency information as well as individual state employee telephone numbers, is now available for purchase at the Central Stockroom.
Information Services & Communications Division has revised the directory and the Consolidated Publishing Facility provided all of the printing services required.
The cost of the directory for all state agencies is $8.00 and for non-state agencies, the cost is $10.00. State employees wanting their own personal copy may purchase the directory at $8.00. State agencies, located in the Charleston area, should bring a completed WV-9 form to the Central Stockroom at 617 Broad Street to pick up their telephone books. Please call 558-3636 to check availability before bringing your order.
For state agencies not located in the Charleston area, please send your completed WV-9 form to 617 Broad Street, Charleston, WV 25301 and your books will be forwarded to you.
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The Consolidated Publishing Facility (CPF) is connected digitally to the State Capitol mainframe backbone, since their Quick Copy Convenience Center moved to 311 Jefferson Street. Meaning? They can resume accepting documents to be printed electronically... resulting in a paperless print job. For additional information, contact Barry Gunnoe, CPF's Job Scheduler, at 558-2136.
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New tax rates are not officially announced until late January or February. But using the inflation data on which rates are based, publisher DDH Inc., of Riverwoods Ill, calculates that the personal and dependent exemptions will grow by $50 to $2,700 in 1998.
The standard deduction are also expected to increase. For married couples filing jointly, it should rise to $7,100 from $6,900. For singles, it may rise up to $4,250, an increase of $100.
Taxpayers will be able to earn a little more next year without landing in a higher tax bracket, according to estimates by James C. Young of George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. The 15 percent bracket should apply to singles with incomes of up to $25,350, and couples with incomes up to $42,350.
The top 39.6 bracket is expected to start at $278,451 in 1998.
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West Virginia vendors have been the target of an initiative developed at enhancing vendor relations between the Purchasing Division and in-state businesses.
Beginning in September, the buying staff began making house calls. The six state buyers conducted 65 on-site visits for the first three months of this program. During these visits, businesses have an opportunity to talk about their products, introduce their staff, and ask questions.
Many vendors have questions about the bidding process or other issues relating to doing business with state government agencies; however, they may not take the time to ask or feel uncomfortable without having a special forum to have that two-way communication. We are now offering them that forum.
Vendors are also continuing to participate in the review of statewide contracts. Their input assists the buying staff in predicting market and product changes.
"We are involving the vendor community, especially those businesses in West Virginia, so that we may create a partnership between the buyer and seller. This equates to a more successful business relationship and level of satisfaction from both parties," according to Dave Tincher, Purchasing Director.
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Partnership in Purchasing ... The 1998 Spring Purchasing Conference theme symbolizes the cooperation necessary in public purchasing today.
Although many features of this upcoming conference will be similar to those of the past, there are some changes which participants will notice. The original date of the conference, May 4 through 7, has changed. The conference will be held May 18 through 20 at Canaan Valley State Resort & Conference Center. The conference has been shortened to three days, Monday through Wednesday.
This year, the conference will begin at noon with a group luncheon. Afternoon workshops will be conducted. The conference will conclude at noon on Wednesday to accommodate those who have to travel a distance home.
Tentative plans include small workshop sessions, though possibly more specific in topic; the presentation of the Procurement Officer of the Year; and, a newly revised Agency Purchasing Procedures Manual. The registration fee has not been determined at this time.
Registration packets should be distributed by mid-March. The nomination forms for the Procurement Officer of the Year award will be included in an upcoming issue of The Buyers Network and will also be sent to all agency procurement officers.
"We are looking forward to our Spring Purchasing Conference," Dave Tincher, Purchasing Director, said. "There are many issues which will be of importance to those individuals who have the responsibility for purchasing goods and service for the state."
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During the course of a normal work day, we all have a tendency to produce extra copies of documents. Senior Buyer Jim Jackson explains that every little thing we can do to save our resources is helpful.
Jackson offers a good example. For change orders to procurement documents, agencies often submit the original change order and three copies to the Purchasing Division. This is not a requirement.
"The agency's original change order with original supporting documentation is required...the copies are not," Jackson said. "During the change order process, the Purchasing Division issues an official change order and copies are provided to the vendor, State Auditor and the agency."
The moral of the story....recycling paper is a good economical goal to conserve our natural resources. Reducing unnecessary copies is a good start to achieving this goal.
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When performing our jobs, referenceguides are invaluable... how many times do you look up a word in a dictionary...a synonym in a thesaurus...
The Agency Purchasing Procedures Manual is no different when it comes to a clarification of a policy or procedure relating to the state purchasing process. The Purchasing Division is currently reviewing the most recent version (dated April 1996) of this manual.
Not only are certain Purchasing employees taking the time to review the material, but we have recruited a few from other state agencies. In order to get a different perspective, one from the user's standpoint, the existing manual is getting a true test for clarity, accuracy and completeness. The new manual should be available at the 1998 Spring Purchasing Conference on May 18 through 20 at Canaan Valley State Resort & Conference Center.
A special note of appreciation goes out to those agency procurement officers who assisted us during this review process: Ron Twohig, Department of Agriculture; Susie Teel, Department of Health & Human Resources; Bob Bragg, Division of Highways; Alberta Kincaid, Division of Motor Vehicles; Lendin Conway, Division of Environmental Protection; and Beverly Carte, Division of Natural Resources.
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By Dan Miller
Automation Manager
In the past, we have shown you some quick and easy ways to check on the status of your requisitions in the TEAM purchasing system. We've featured screens like:
- Requisition Approval Inquiry (RAI), which shows requisition status and approval history;
- PO Header Inquiry Menu (PHM), which automatically "walks" you through a series of standard inquiries; and,
- Split Requisition Inquiry (SRI), the only screen at the requisition level that also displays the purchase order number, when applicable.
Although our users were happy, some just did not have the time to login and check requisitions individually. They needed a way to view cross sections of what they had in the system — requisitions awaiting electronic signatures, approved requisitions waiting to be processed, or requisitions that were out to bid. They need the Requisition Inquiry Selection (RQI) screen!
The important thing to remember about the RQI screen is that there are different ways to use it. Some ways are better than others. Several combinations of search criteria are possible including: Buy Entity + Requester ID; Buy Entity + Requester ID + Requisition Status; Buy Entity + Item Number; or, Buy Entity + Item Number + Required Date.
The recommended search criterion is Buy Entity + Requester ID + Requisition Status. There are six status codes associated with requisitions: [1] unapproved; [2] approved, but not yet a purchase order; [3] split or between levels; [4] special status used to delete requisitions on another screen; [5] RFQ pending; and [6] closed, completed, or "turned into a purchase order".
By using the Buy Entity + Requester ID + Requisition Status combination on the RQI screen, you can usually display exactly (and only) what you want. In our example above, only those requisitions are displayed that are currently out to bid for the Division of Public Transit. To accomplish this, the Buy Entity "PUR" + Requester ID "PTR" + Requisition Status "5" was used. The trick is knowing the status and where to use them. Give it a try!
Please direct any questions concerning TEAM to our Automation Manager Dan Miller at 304-558-2314 or send e-mail to team@gwmail.state.wv.us.
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Information and dates (as of December 16, 1997) included in this Current Statewide Contract Update are subject to change. If you need additional information, please contact the appropriate state buyer.
Contracts Awarded
Contract: SAFETY
Description: Safety Equipment
File: 22
Effective Date: 11/01/97
Vendor: Discount Industrial Supply - Gastonia Fire & Safety - Jendco Safety -
Safety Supply
Contract: FLOORPAD
Description: Floor Buffing Pads
File: 22
Effective Date: 01/01/98
Vendor: Unisource
Contract: SAN-PAP
Description: Sanitary Paper Supplies
File: 22
Effective Date: 03/01/98
Vendor: Phillips Supply
Contract: EVAC
Description: Evacuation Chairs
File: 22
Effective Date: 11/01/97
Vendor: Evacuation & Chair Service
Contract: THERM
Description: Electronic Thermometers
File: 31
Effective Date: 01/01/98
Vendor: Diagnostic
Contract: IV/SOL
Description: I.V. Solutions & Accessories
File: 31
Effective Date: 12/01/97
Vendor: Baxter Healthcare Corp.
Contract: C-PIPE
Description: Corrugated Pipe
File: 33
Effective Date: 08/01/97
Vendor: Contech Construction Products - Lane Enterprises - Stelling
Contract: MV
Description: Motor Vehicles
File: 33
Effective Date: 10/01/98
Vendor: Bert Wolfe - Country Club Chrysler - General Truck - Matheny -
R.H. Peters - Royal Olds
Contracts to be Bid or Under Evaluation
Contract: HOUSE
Description: Housekeeping Supplies
File: 22
Bid Opening: 01/14/98
Under Evaluation: To Be Opened
Contract: LWN-MTN
Description: Lawn Maintenance Equipment
File: 22
Bid Opening: 05/07/98
Under Evaluation: To Be Opened
Contracts Renewed
Contract: DISKETTE
Description: Computer Diskettes
File: 21
Effective Date: 11/01/97
Vendor: G.I. Tech
Contract: VIDEOTP
Description: Videotapes & Accessories
File: 21
Effective Date: 02/01/98
Contract: ALCOHOL
Description: Ethyl Alcohol
File: 22
Effective Date: 10/15/97
Vendor: Aaper Alcohol
Contract: A/E FILTER
Description: Oil, Air, and Fuel Filters
File: 33
Effective Date: 12/15/97
Vendor: White Napa
Contract: PAINT
Description: Paint & Paint Supplies
File: 42
Effective Date: 10/10/97
Vendor: Sherwin Williams
Contracts to be Reviewed
JANUARY
DATA
Key Punch Services
DFS
Disposable Food Service
FLR-MAC
Floor Machines
FASTEN
Fasteners and Accessories
THERM
Electronic Thermometer
FUEL
Motor & Heating Fuels
FEBRUARY
SWC2000
Year 2000 Readiness
S-SVC
Security Guard Services
LWN-MTN
Lawn Maintenance
PLS-BGS
Plastic Can Liners
X-RAY
X-Ray Film & Supplies
DEBT
Debt Collection Service
NEED/SYR
Needles & Syringes
DUP
Digital Duplicators
CLRM
Classroom/Meeting Room Furniture
Purchasing Division Buying Staff
For questions concerning these contracts listed, please contact the appropriate buyer:
File 21
Pam Jones
(558-0067)
File 22
Jim Jackson
(558-0468)
File 31
Charlyn Miller
(558-2596)
File 33
Ron Price
(558-0492)
File 41
Evan Williams
(558-2316)
File 42
Dick Estill
(558-2744)
Are you unsure of certain purchasing procedures? ... Do you need to know what printing
services Consolidated Publishing Facility provides? ... Do you have a question regarding
travel requests? ... Would you want to know what surplus proeprty is available? ... If you
need information concerning any function within the Purchasing Division, complete the form
below: