University policy requires that all purchase orders with a total aggregate cost of $5,000 or more must be competitively bid. Purchases from Strategic Contract Suppliers and HopkinsSelect Suppliers, regardless of dollar value, are exempt from the University's competitive bidding requirement.

In the absence of competitive bids, a reasonable request to waive the competitive bidding process may be requested by the ordering department. It is the responsibility of the Supply Chain Service Center to exercise good judgment when reviewing and approving requests to waive the competitive bidding process.

Departments purchasing goods or services with an estimated cost of less than $2,500 may

• purchase needed supplies and services directly from HopkinsSelect eMarketplace suppliers. Purchase orders are sent electronically directly to HopkinsSelect eMarketplace suppliers.  It is not necessary to call a supplier with order information.
• purchase needed supplies, equipment, or service by using a JHU Procurement Card, or by issuing a Low Value Purchase Order (LVPO) number to a vendor.
  

  Note:  Splitting a single order greater than $2,500 in total value into multiple orders to evade the $2,500 Procurement Card and Low Value Purchase Order (LVPO) transaction limit is contrary to University policy and should not be done.  Such practices violate University competitive bidding policy, and unnecessarily increase administrative costs.

• submit a shopping cart by using the University’s SAP system to the Supply Chain Service Center for the order to be placed by Service Center personnel. A suggested vendor may be identified on the shopping cart if one is known, and/or a specific brand name product. Vendor price quotations, order forms, and any other related forms of agreement may be submitted with the shopping cart. Supply Chain Service Center personnel will award the purchase order for the procurement of the specified goods or services to the vendor most able to meet the University's requirements in an economical and timely manner.

Departments purchasing goods or services with an estimated cost greater than $2,500 and less than $5,000 may

• purchase needed supplies and services directly from HopkinsSelect eMarketplace suppliers. Purchase orders are sent electronically directly to HopkinsSelect eMarketplace suppliers.  It is not necessary to call a supplier with order information.
• submit a shopping cart by using the University’s SAP system to the Supply Chain Service Center for the order to be placed by Service Center personnel. A suggested vendor may be identified on the shopping cart if one is known, and/or a specific brand name product. Vendor price quotations, order forms, and any other related forms of agreement may be submitted with the shopping cart, or via fax (443-997-5699) or interdepartmental mail. Supply Chain Service Center personnel will award the purchase order for the procurement of the specified goods or services to the vendor most able to meet the University's requirements in an economical and timely manner. Competitive bidding is not required for orders under $5,000.

Departments purchasing goods or services with an estimated cost equal to, or greater than $5,000 may

• purchase needed supplies and services directly from HopkinsSelect eMarketplace suppliers. Purchase orders are sent electronically directly to HopkinsSelect eMarketplace suppliers.  It is not necessary to call a supplier with order information. To insure the University is in compliance with OMB Circular A-110 and the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), orders placed directly by departments with HopkinsSelect eMarketplace suppliers should not exceed $25,000. Orders with HopkinsSelect eMarketplace suppliers greater than $25,000 should be sent to Supply Chain Shared Services for review and processing.
• submit a shopping cart by using the University’s SAP system to the Supply Chain Service Center for the order to be placed by Service Center personnel. A suggested vendor may be identified on the shopping cart if one is known, and/or a specific brand name product. Vendor price quotations, order forms, and any other related forms of agreement may be submitted with the shopping cart, or via fax (443-997-5699) or interdepartmental mail. Supply Chain Service Center personnel will award the purchase order for the procurement of the specified goods or services to the vendor most able to meet the University's requirements in an economical and timely manner.
• the Supply Chain Service Center will award a purchase order to a vendor for the procurement of the goods or services specified on the basis of a competitive bid. Such competitive bidding will be conducted in the most appropriate and efficient means practical as determined by the Supply Chain Service Center, (i.e., by telephone, facsimile, or mail).

If a specific vendor or brand name product is specified on the shopping cart and the originating department requests to have the purchase order awarded on a basis other than a competitive one, sufficient documentation justifying why it is not possible or practical to award the order to any vendor other than the one specified must accompany the shopping cart.

Acceptable reasons why it may not be possible or practical to award a purchase order for competitive reasons may include

• custom fabricated equipment only available from one source
• new equipment to be purchased from same manufacturers as existing equipment to maintain compatibility, or facilitate the exchange/replacement of spare, and/or consumable parts and supplies
• new chemicals or other perishable media to be purchased from the same manufacturer to maintain the scientific integrity of an experiment
• time is of the essence - due to legitimate extenuating or emergency circumstances, replacement and/or additional equipment or supplies must be obtained as soon as possible