The Buyers Network is Published Monthly by
the Purchasing Division of the West
Virginia Department of Administration to Promote Better Value in Public Purchasing
Welcome to the October 2003 Issue of the The Buyers Network!
Articles in this Issue:
WVARF04 Contract Encompasses Broad Needs of Agencies
Ideas Generated for Upcoming Conference
Director's Comments:
Doing More Than What Our Name Implies
Memorandum Issued Addressing Alterations to Capitol Complex
Surplus Property Goes on the Road to Hinton for Auction
First Architectural and Engineering 5G Conference to be Conducted
Another Training Opportunity Available Online
WV Chapter of NIGP Sponsors a Valuable Three-Day Seminar
MONEYWISE...Tips for the Thrifty
Discussion Necessary Before Sole Source Determination on Software
Vendor Spotlight...Meet Some of Our Valuable Business Partners!
Purchasing Staff Honored During Public Service Recognition Week
Ann Mollohan Joins the Purchasing Division to Coordinate Various Credit Card Services
The Travel Bag: News and Tips from the Travel Management Office
A Familiar Face to the West Virginia Purchasing Division Honored by NIGP
What's State Government Buying?
Current Statewide Contract Update
Ranging from Condiments
to Wiping Cloths to Presort Mail
WVARF04 Contract Encompasses Broad Needs of Agencies
According to
Acquisitions and Contract Administration Director Karen Byrd, clarification has proven
necessary regarding the issue of sole source purchases from sheltered workshops. She
emphasizes that purchases made from sheltered workshops are only considered sole
source when the commodity or service has been approved by the appropriate parties and
included on the State Use list.
The State Use list is an agreement approved by the Committee for the Purchase of Commodities and Services from the Handicapped and the Purchasing Division. Prior to its approval, the committee reviews the products and services to be included and ensures that fair market value has been determined. After this determination has been made, a purchase order is executed by the Purchasing Division, on behalf of all state agencies, to the West Virginia Association of Rehabilitation Facilities.
State law provides for the award of specific
products and services to be produced and offered for sale by non-profit workshops. WVARF
works directly with the workshops in coordinating the work.
Byrd explains that once the contract has been issued, it is WVARF's responsibility to assign the various products and services to the appropriate sheltered workshops.
This is the first year that a master (statewide) contract, WVARF04, has been developed to encompass all existing statewide contracts with WVARF, Byrd said. Pricing updates and minimum changes in scope were included. As new contracts are developed by the individual sheltered workshops and WVARF and approved by the Committee and the Purchasing Division, additions may be made through the change order process to the master contracts. State law also requires that any new commodities and/or services are to be approved by the Committee and the Purchasing Division.
Effective October 1, 2003, this master contract includes many products and services which previously were covered on separate contracts. This master contract, which replaces all of these separate contracts, include the following products and services:
¨
Absorbent ProductsAdditionally, this contract covers janitorial services, courier services, interstate rest area services and grounds maintenance. WVARF will custom design these services to meet the individual needs of the state agencies.
In the past, WVARF issued an annual list of commodities and services approved by the Committee and the Purchasing Division, but there was no formal process by which to approve changes or additions to the list during the fiscal year.
Agency contracts with WVARF are not affected by this master contract and remain separate. If a particular product or service is not on the State Use List, the agency must competitively bid the contract and not directly use the sheltered workshops.
Ideas Generated for Upcoming Conference
The Purchasing Division is gearing up for the 2004 Agency and Vendor Purchasing Conference & Product Expo, set for April 18-23 at Mountaineer Race Park and Gaming Center in Chester, WV. Last month, we asked for your input regarding topics to be addressed at this conference. Please forward any ideas you may have to Diane Holley at (304) 558-0661 or via e-mail at dholley@gwmail.state.wv.us.
Back to the Top
By Dave Tincher
State Purchasing Director
When people hear the name "The Purchasing Division," they often assume
that our division just handles the ‘purchasing’ for state government. After
learning that we also maintain the state’s inventory of fixed assets, manage the
state’s fleet and travel services, coordinate records management, overview parking at
the state capitol, administer the state and federal surplus property programs and work
with new businesses wishing to do business with state government, their reaction is most
often one of surprise.
Our division does a little bit of everything. Although our purchasing function may be the most noticed, our other programs are equally important to the operation of state government.
To learn more about these programs, I encourage you to visit our website at www.state.wv.us/admin/purchase. Most of these programs and other services we provide to state agencies, the vendor community and the public, are detailed thoroughly online.
Our goal is to get the word out about what we do and how we can assist our customers.
Our staff works hard to meet the expectations of our customers. Please let us know how we can better serve you!
Memorandum
Issued Addressing Alerations to Capitol Complex
Commissioner Nancy
Herholdt of the Division of Culture and History issued a memorandum on August 27, 2003
regarding rules for Capitol Complex alterations. In this correspondence, she stated that
the Capitol Building Commission has been established by the State Legislature to review
and approve, modify or reject, any substantial physical or aesthetic changes that alter
the Capitol Building or surrounding complex.
The commission's approval is mandatory before a contract may be allowed for work which constitutes a substantial change, or before changes are started if the work is not done under a contract.
Substantial physical changes refer to permanent physical changes that alter the structural integrity or aesthetic beauty of the public areas of the Capitol building and surrounding complex, but does not include renovations or repairs needed to maintain this area. Changes such as painting, paneling, partitions and drop ceilings do not need the Commission's approval; however, the proposed plans and information should be relayed to the Commission.
Pursuant to the West Virginia Code, §4-8-5, any contract or purchase order relating to renovations to any building within the Capitol Complex shall not be bid or executed until approval has been obtained by the Capitol Building Commission.
Plans for approval before beginning such projects must be submitted to Commissioner Herholdt, who serves as Commission Chairperson. The commission is required to act upon the proposals within 90 days of receipt.
"Our Capitol building, designed by Cass Gilbert, is one of the most beautiful capitols in America," Herholdt said. "It is the intent of the commission to preserve and protect it with the utmost dignity."
The Historic Preservation Section of the Division of Culture and History is offering consulting services to any agency who may have questions about the appropriateness of renovation projects. For more information, please contact 558-0220.
Back to the TopThe West Virginia State Agency for Surplus Property will be heading south for its next auction on October 4. The location of this public sale will be at the Hinton Armory.
Periodically, public auctions are conducted at other areas of the state to offer those state residents an opportunity to acquire good, usable items at low discounted prices.
To find out what items will be available at this sale, please contact Surplus Property at 766-2626 for more details. You may also visit its website at www.state.wv.us/admin/purchase/surplus and view the auction notice electronically.
First Architectural and Engineering 5G
Conference To Be Conducted
On September 30-October 1, the Purchasing Division welcomed representatives from various public agencies as well as from architectural and engineering (A&E) firms to discuss issues relating to §5G of the West Virginia Code.
This section of the code relates to the procurement of architect-engineer services by the state and its political subdivisions. Due to the usage of this law by various units of government in West Virginia, the purpose of this conference is to generate discussion regarding the interpretations and applications of 5G.
Over 100 participants were registered for this first-time event. General sessions were offered on the engineering of §5G, quality-based selection and a mock interview between an A&E firm and a state agency. Break-out workshop sessions were offered for public agencies and A&E firms on such topics as interpretations and applications; project management; preparation of the response for the interview; development of an expression of interest; future projects and funding issues; and a group representation session conducted by the American Institute of Architects and American Council of Engineering Companies of WV and the WV Board of Engineers.
More details and photographs will be included in the November issue of The Buyers Network.
New NIGP Webinar: Another
Training Opportunity Available Online
The National Institute on Governmental Purchasing, Inc. (NIGP) recently announced a new webinar on "Shortcuts on the Road to RFP Excellence."
Webinars are seminars offered electronically to interested students.
Michael Asner will be the instructor of this 90-minute session. He will identify and discuss the ten best websites which can assist purchasers in developing requests for proposals.
These websites will help:
• research answers related to RFPs;
• offer new ideas; identify best practices; and,
• provide examples of excellence in terms of process, documentation and results.
For additional information or to register, visit NIGP's website at http://www.nigp.org/educate/WebinarShortcutRFP.htm.
Don’t forget to sign up for the three-day Intermediate Public Procurement seminar, sponsored by the West Virginia Chapter of the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, Inc. (NIGP) on October 29-31, at the Hampton Inn – Southridge Center in Charleston.
A follow-up to the General Public Procurement seminar, this seminar focuses on managing the purchasing function and includes discussion on inventory management and procedures.
Whether you are just getting started in the NIGP educational program or are using this course as an opportunity to prepare for testing for the Certified Professional Public Buyer or Certified Public Purchasing Officer, this is an excellent course to consider.
This seminar is limited to a maximum of 35 students; therefore, if interested, please register as soon as possible. For more details or to register, please contact Beverly Carte, CPPB, at (304) 558-3397 or e-mail at bcarte@dnr.state.wv.us.
Back to the TopSave $100 a Year on Lighting
If you use standard 100-watt light bulbs, try switching to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFBs). It will save you money. CFBs now have full-spectrum light, which eliminates some of the harshness they once had.
CFBs still cost between $5 to $10, but they will last up to ten times as long, which is especially convenient in hard-to-reach light fixtures.
Experts quoted in Readers Digest say that you can save up to $16 a year on every light bulb you replace. Replace six and you could save yourself about $100 each year.
Discussion Necessary Before Sole Source Determination on Software
Is software a sole source commodity? Some state agency purchasers believe so, but this assumption can be incorrect.
According to Acquisitions and Contract Administration Director Karen Byrd, problems occasionally arise when state agency purchasers assume that a particular software purchase is sole source. Although, at times, there are cases when software is determined sole source, this issue needs to be discussed with the Purchasing Division, simultaneously when the agency approaches the Governor's Office of Technology and the Information Services and Communications Division (IS&C) for approval. Byrd emphasizes that this discussion definitely needs to take place prior to contacting the Attorney General’s Office to negotiate software terms and conditions.
Byrd cautions agency purchasers to be sure that the sole source approval is possible before exerting the time, energy and effort in pursuing any further negotiations.
VENDOR SPOTLIGHT...Meet Some of Our Valuable Business Partners!
Each month, The Buyers Network familiarizes our readers with businesses who have attended our past vendor purchasing conferences. We appreciated their participation in these training events.
Introducing MPL Corporation of Buckhannon, WV
MPL Corporation of Buckhannon, West Virginia, provides Just-in-Time Lectures (JITL), using multimedia CD-ROM and web technologies. This technology provides a flexible and expandable set of materials for training and presentations.
Linda Kay Wellings of MPL Corp. indicated that by attending the Agency and Vendor Purchasing Conference this year, she was able to establish many positive relationships within state government. In addition, she made many new contacts and had an opportunity to demonstrate her training materials to a broad audience. "My experience with state government has been very positive," she said. "We have had a contract with one agency since 1985."
Wellings added that she considers her secret to successfully marketing to state agencies is to establish effective business relationships within the agencies.
For additional information regarding the services offered by MPL Corporation, please contact Linda Kay Wellings at (304) 472-9520 or by e-mail at linda-wellings@mail.MDL.com.
Planning a Long Weekend?
There are a few coming up, like the weekend of Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Purdue University says these tips help you make the most of your weekend dollars:
Back to the Top Purchasing Staff Honored During Public Service Recognition Week· Consider places that are close to home. Plan to make short, but more frequent trips.
· Check the mileage on websites, such as Mapquest.com.
· Forget the car. Go by train or bus.
· Check with your travel agent for special long-weekend offers.
· Carpool with friends or family who are heading in the same direction.
The Purchasing Division was pleased to see
several of our employees honored during Public Service Recognition Week in September.
The Department of Administration conducted a special ceremony to recognize employees who have 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of service. In addition, employees were honored who demonstrated superior attendance. These employees did not take any sick leave during 2002.
Our staff members who were recognized are as follows:
25 Years of Service
Dave Tincher and Janice Boggs.
20 Years of Service
Debbie Watkins and Ronnie Phipps.
Superior Attendance:
Willadean Fisher, Matt Hackworth, Bernard McClanahan, Oral Newsome, Janie Taylor and David
Wolfe.
Congratulations to our honored employees in the Purchasing Division!
Back to the Top Ann Mollohan Joins the Purchasing Division
The Purchasing Division
welcomes Ann Mollohan as our credit card coordinator. The division has consolidated all
charge card-related responsibilities for fleet (PHH Arval card); travel (United
Bank/MasterCard); and the P-Card program (BB&T/Visa).
With 23 years of government experience, Ann originally started at Information Services and Communications Division, but spent the last 11 years at DHHR. She began working at the Purchasing Division in August. "I’ve worn many hats, from data entry operator to secretary to purchasing coordinator," she said.
She said in this position she will be ensuring that all credit cards are appropriately assigned and to provide some training. "I will be meeting with coordinators for each of the cards we administer. I hope they will be able to give me some suggestions on how we can improve the card systems," she said. "I also will be working closely with the Auditor’s Office on the P-Card program."
Mollohan hopes that her role will assist the program managers. "I’m here to assist each manager with any aspect of the credit card issue that may arise, so that they have more time to spend on other projects relating to their units," she added. In her personal life, Mollohan is married and has two children and two grandchildren.
QUESTION
When does a vendor get put on hold status and cannot be issued purchase orders?
ANSWER
Vendors who are not exempt from paying the $45 annual fee or have not responded to the two renewal notifications will be placed on ‘hold status’ until payment of the fee is received.
Agencies can use the "Vendor Hold Feature" of our automated purchasing system to view which vendors are eligible to receive purchase orders. The "H" in the Order Hold field on the TEAM VOS screen indicates ineligibility. Vendors placed on ‘hold’ cannot receive purchase orders in excess of $1,000 (cumulative annual total). Sole source suppliers who do not participate in the competitive bid process may be exempt from paying the annual fee.
Agencies wishing to purchase competitive items from vendors on hold should notify those vendors of the appropriate registration procedures. Vendors will be removed from this status when the fee has been paid; or temporarily, when an agency must process an individual purchase order in TEAM under $1,000. An agency’s request to temporarily remove a vendor from hold must be made in writing to the Purchasing Division indicating the reason for this action.
Dick Cummings, CPPO, who served in the
1980’s as purchasing director in the state of West Virginia, was recently honored at
the 2003 Annual Forum and Products Exposition in Nashville. Receiving the Albert H. Hall
Memorial Award by the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, Cummings has spent
the last 33 years in the purchasing profession, including his initial work in the private
sector as well as extensive leadership in the public sector.
He has guided two very diverse procurement operations as the director of state purchasing in West Virginia and his current role as the director of purchasing for Broward County, Florida. He has also served two NIGP Chapters as a member of their governing boards. He provided leadership to the WV Chapter and was directly responsible for chartering the Southeast Florida Chapter after moving into the community. Congratulations to Mr. Cummings for this prestigious honor.
Back to the Top
What's State
Government Buying?
State Police
Request to provide and install video conferencing equipment at the troop 2 headquarters in Kearneysville.
All State Agencies
Request to provide disposable trash can liners to all state agencies.
Division of Motor Vehicles
Request to provide automated driver testing systems.
State Rail Authority
Request to provide a replacement of timber crossties on the West Virginia Railroad.
Division of Highways
Request to provide eleven-foot power reversible snowplows.
Information and dates (as of
September 30, 2003) 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: WATERTQuestions?...Just Ask!
Are you unsure of certain purchasing procedures? ... Do you have a
question regarding travel requests? ... Would you want to know what surplus property is
available? ... If you need information concerning any function within the Purchasing
Division, complete this form:
