1. What should our agency do if we are required to use a statewide contract, but a new one has not yet been awarded?
2. A statewide contract has expired, but our agency still needs to process a payment. What are our options?
3. A solicitation for my agency just opened. Where can I find a copy of the bids?
4. My agency recently awarded a solicitation. How can I view a copy of the contract?
5. I would like to view a solicitation recently issued by my agency. Where can I get a copy of the bid documents?
6. When will responses to vendor-submitted questions be available?
7. How does our agency verify vendor compliance with the various requirements outlined in Section 5.3.2. of the Purchasing Division Procedures Handbook, including but not limited to Unemployment Insurance, Worker’s Compensation, and Secretary of State?
8. How do we check a vendor’s Purchasing Division registration status?
9. What should we do if a vendor includes alternate terms and conditions in their bid?
10. What is the delegated spending limit for state agencies under the West Virginia Purchasing Division’s authority?
11. What do you mean by aggregated total?
12. How can our agency determine if an item is on a statewide contract?
13. When is a wvOASIS award document required?
14. When is a Certification of Non-Conflict of Interest required?
15. When is an Asset Tag required?
16. Do I have to keep my backup documentation for all procurements?
17. What are the requirements for non-competitive or exempt purchases?

1. What should our agency do if we are required to use a statewide contract, but a new one has not yet been awarded?

• If the current contract has not expired, the agency should continue to use the current contract up to the expiration date and issue a delivery order for the goods or services needed.

• If the contract has expired, the agency may procure under its delegated purchasing authority, ensuring compliance with applicable bid thresholds.

2. A statewide contract has expired, but our agency still needs to process a payment. What are our options?

Only goods or services procured during the contract period may be paid under that contract; this means the delivery order must be dated within that timeframe.  Payment for a contract that is expired requires a Level 1 override in wvOASIS to validate and process the order.

3. A solicitation for my agency just opened. Where can I find a copy of the bids?

All bids received are published on the Purchasing Division’s website here.  Select the date of the bids opening to see the bids received for that day’s solicitations.

4. My agency recently awarded a solicitation. How can I view a copy of the contract?

The Purchasing Division publishes all purchase orders on its website here.

5. I would like to view a solicitation recently issued by my agency. Where can I get a copy of the bid documents?

All solicitation documents can be viewed in the Vendor Self Service here.  Select View Published Solicitations, enter your agency’s acronym into the keyword search field, and then click on the blue link for that solicitation.  Once you have opened the solicitation, click the Attachments tab and view or download the documents.

6. When will responses to vendor-submitted questions be available?

This time can vary.  Vendor questions that are received prior to the Question and Answer (Q&A) deadline, as outlined in the Schedule of Events within the Instructions to Vendors section of the solicitation, are forwarded from the assigned Purchasing Division buyer to the agency’s designated procurement officer (DPO) by that deadline.  The DPO should work expeditiously to answer the questions and return those responses to the buyer as soon as possible.  Upon receipt, the responses will be published as an Addendum to the solicitation within the Vendor Self Service.

7. How does our agency verify vendor compliance with the various requirements outlined in Section 5.3.2. of the Purchasing Division Procedures Handbook, including but not limited to Unemployment Insurance, Worker’s Compensation, and Secretary of State?

Most of these compliance verifications can be confirmed within the VCUST table within wvOASIS.  Type VCUST in the Jump To box, enter the vendor’s legal name in the search field, and then navigate to the Fee and Vendor Compliance Holds section.  If there is a flag in one of the fields, that means there is a Hold on the vendor for that requirement.  A “Hold” means they are not in compliance.

Flag = Not in compliance
No flag = In compliance

The Secretary of State compliance must be checked manually, outside of wvOASIS.  For that verification, go to http://apps.sos.wv.gov/business/corporations/.

More information on how to verify vendor compliance can be found here.  

8. How do we check a vendor’s Purchasing Division registration status?

In wvOASIS, enter VCUST in the Jump To box and search by the vendor’s legal name.  Locate the Headquarters-designated account for the vendor’s active tax identification number.  Under the Disbursement Options tab, review the “Prevent New Orders” status.  The vendor is considered compliant if the field is set to “Not Active.”

9. What should we do if a vendor includes alternate terms and conditions in their bid?

Request the vendor to sign the Agreement Addendum (WV-96) to affirm acceptance of the State’s standard terms and conditions.

10. What is the delegated spending limit for state agencies under the West Virginia Purchasing Division’s authority?

State agencies in West Virginia are delegated purchases of commodities and services up to $50,000.  If an agency wishes to request a higher spending threshold—up to $100,000—they must submit that request in writing and obtain approval from the Purchasing Director.

11. What do you mean by aggregated total?

Aggregated total refers to the total combined amount spent on same or similar commodities or services during a 12-month period.  This could include a commodity or service from multiple vendors or the same vendor.

12. How can our agency determine if an item is on a statewide contract?

To determine if an item is on an existing contract, go to the Statewide Contract website to view all available contracts.  Review the contract specifications or catalogs, if available.  If an item is available but doesn’t meet your exact needs, contact the Statewide Contracts buyer to request a waiver.  Retain both the waiver and any supporting documentation in your procurement file.

13. When is a wvOASIS award document required?

An wvOASIS procurement award document is required for purchases exceeding $5,000 regardless of payment method.  However, it is highly recommended that an agency award document should be executed regardless of purchase amount.

14. When is a Certification of Non-Conflict of Interest required?

This certification is required for all transactions processed through the Purchasing Division, as well as all agency delegated purchases exceeding $5,000.

15. When is an Asset Tag required?

An asset tag is required for all equipment valued at $1,000 or more with a useful life of more than one year.  However, all computers and peripherals with an acquisition cost of $500 or more also require an asset tag, as well as all firearms, regardless of cost.

16. Do I have to keep my backup documentation for all procurements?

The Purchasing Division recommends agencies keep all documentation associated with their procurements.  Documentation can be attached to the Header of the wvOASIS file for a specific transaction or maintained as a hard copy file.

17. What are the requirements for non-competitive or exempt purchases?

All regular procurement requirements, including vendor registration, apply based on the dollar amount.  However, the vendor registration fee is waived for these types of purchases.