Purchasing

Administrative Procedure 2.401

Related Administrative Procedures

The Business Services Manual and all forms noted in the procedure can be located on Elgin Community College’s employee portal under Business Services.

I. General

  1. Elgin Community College will let all contracts following the Illinois Public Community College Act (110 ILCS 805/3-27.1). This procedure shall be in compliance with the Act above, but to the extent that any inconsistency exists, the Illinois Public Community College Act (110 ILCS 805/3-27-1) will supersede this Administrative Procedure 2.401.
  2. All college funds, regardless of their source of origin, are considered public funds, and expenditures must be 1) in accordance with college and state policies, 2) reasonable and necessary, and 3) part of a bona fide business function of the college.
  3. Within the business services department of Elgin Community College is the central purchasing agency for the college, which has sole authority to procure services, supplies, materials, and equipment and obligate the college on a contractual basis in compliance with federal, state and local laws as well as college policies and procedures. A PO/BPO must be in place before any goods or services are rendered or ordered.  Any person ordering goods or services in the college's name without an approved purchase order may be held personally responsible for the payment of that purchase.
  4. Because the purchasing department is responsible for obtaining the maximum value for each dollar spent, the college purchasing officer may initiate the request for proposal process for any purchase regardless of value or product type.
  5. The college Managing Director of Business Services and Purchasing may pursue cooperative purchasing arrangements with other public entities and the State of Illinois Department of Central Management Services, in accordance with Paragraph 3-27.2, Joint Purchases, of the Illinois Public Community College Act. The board secretary is authorized to sign the appropriate resolution for these agreements.
  6. The board treasurer will prepare a complete list of vendors from whom the college purchased $10,000 or more in goods or services during the previous fiscal year. The list will be presented for public viewing at the regularly scheduled August board meeting. 

II. Unallowable Expenses

This list does not include all scenarios. If an item is not specifically listed, it is the employee’s responsibility to seek clarification and approval from purchasing; otherwise, they may be responsible for payment.

  1. Purchases NOT allowed include:
    1. Employee/college representative travel not conducted for college
    2. Non-employee travel that is not conducted for college business. Family members are not allowed to travel on the college's behalf, nor will they be reimbursed for expenses.
    3. Non-business meals and/or
    4. Expenses and/or reimbursement for the purchase of alcoholic beverages.
    5. Personal charges include tipping baggage handlers, valet service, bellman, housekeeper service, recreation or entertainment not considered college-related, trip insurance, in-room movies, minibar, room safes, gifts, souvenirs, and personal purchases.
    6. Expenses that are inherently personal in nature, such as childcare, dog kennels, clothing, and personal toiletries and sundries.
    7. Club memberships, including airline, auto, discount warehouses,
    8. Theft or loss of personal belongings or
    9. Gifts to individuals in place of payments for
    10. The cost of repairs to personal vehicles, regardless of whether the costs result from business travel or from acts of the traveler or another
    11. Used equipment without prior approval from the Purchasing
    12. For social events, e., new employees, birthdays, retirements*, special events such as baby and wedding showers, and graduations*.*Note: The college provides a college-wide retirement party twice yearly for retiring employees and hosts convocation and commencement twice yearly.
    13. Greeting cards, holiday cards, and flowers for employees for funerals, celebrations, etc., by a department. The college President’s office will purchase appropriate bereavement flowers and holiday and birthday cards. Anyone wishing to send out holiday cards must go through the college’s marketing department.
    14. Undocumented Expenses.
    15. Additional items may not be listed Refer to Administrative Procedure 2.601.

III. Purchasing Methods

A. Goods and services can be purchased through a Purchase Order, Check Request, or Purchasing Card. Employee reimbursements are made by Check Request or Travel Claim Form. Reimbursements under $25 will use the Petty Cash Request Form found on the employee portal under Spaces/Finance/Forms.

    1. Employees may use their money to pay for travel or registrations; however, they will not be reimbursed before the trip or event.

Purchasing Instructions:

B. Purchase Orders / Blanket Purchase Orders - All purchases shall utilize this method unless specifically excluded below.

    1. A purchase requisition shall be submitted to the purchasing department through Colleague workflow for review. All backups (i.e., quotes, etc.) must be forwarded to purchasing. The purchasing department reviews and approves authorizing the procurement of goods and services on the college’s behalf or may reject any quotes that appear to circumvent these procedures or that are not in the college's best interest.
    2. Upon approval, purchasing will issue a purchase order or blanket purchase order to an approved vendor.
    3. All deliveries of goods must be received through the college’s designated receiving location. Receiving personnel will inspect for damage, ensure the delivery matches the purchase order, and receive the goods in the procurement system. Suppose delivery is made in any other manner (i.e., an employee picks up the goods from a vendor). In that case, the employee receiving the goods must immediately bring the goods, original packaging, and packing list to the receiving department for receiving and inspection.
    4. College departments should forward “approved” invoices to accounts payable for payment.

IV. Purchasing Requirements:

Purchasing will maintain the authority to determine if a good or service meets the criteria to be exempt from the bidding process. Any deviation from the policy levels below would be allowed in a declared state of emergency signed by the College President per the Campus Emergency Plan.

Purchases in an amount up to $4,999

  1. A requisition, accompanied by a vendor quote, should be completed in the purchasing system. Incomplete requisitions will not be processed until information is provided by the requesting department.

Purchases in an amount between $5,000 and $9,999

  1. Three (3) written quotes are required. The requesting department or purchasing may obtain these. Purchases shall not be separated into multiple orders to avoid the quote process. If the requesting department obtains quotes, the department must provide identical written specifications to each vendor solicited and forward all quotes and vendor correspondence to the purchasing department for review.

Purchases between $10,000 and $25,000 and/or purchases up to $50,000 solely for construction

  1. The purchasing department must obtain three (3) written quotes. Purchases shall not be separated into multiple orders to avoid the formal quote process.
  2. The requesting department shall complete a “Request for Equipment and Services” form on my.Elgin.edu in its entirety and forward it to business services at least five (5) weeks (eight (8) weeks for construction) before the date the good or service is needed. Allow additional time for more complex purchases. Submit approved form to business.services@elgin.edu.
  3. The purchasing department will prepare a Request for Quote (RFQ) and review quotes, and contact the vendors

Purchases that exceed $25,000 (for goods and services excluding construction); and exceed $50,000 (for construction)

  1. Three (3) formal bids are required, except as noted Purchases shall not be separated into multiple orders to avoid the board approval process.
  2. The requesting department shall complete the “Request for Equipment and Services” form in its entirety and forward it to purchasing at least five (5) weeks (eight (8) weeks for construction) before the upcoming board An additional two (2) to four (4) weeks will be required for more complex purchases.
  3. At least 10 days before the bid opening date, one public bid notice will be advertised in the district. The request for bid will be forwarded to known vendors who provide the goods or services being requested.
  4. Sealed bids or bids opened virtually/electronically via an approved vendor will be opened by at least two (2) college employees, including at least one member of the purchasing department, at a public bid opening at which the contents of the bids must be Bids will be reviewed to ensure that bid specifications are being met.
  5. The Purchasing and the requesting departments will prepare the Board Report for board approval of the purchase. The requesting department will provide purchasing with a narrative for the board report, and Purchasing will complete and submit the board report. Upon purchase approval by the board of trustees, the purchasing department will coordinate with the requesting department to issue the purchase requisition. Purchasing will issue the purchase order.

Request for Proposal

  1. A formal request for proposal process shall be utilized whenever possible to procure professional services, consulting contracts, or other specialized services.

Board Approval

  1. The board of trustees must approve purchases that exceed $25,000 for goods and services and must approve purchases that exceed $50,000 for construction, excluding purchases for:
    1. Bookstore textbook inventory and library books and online services
    2. Perishable food for the cafeteria, culinary arts, catering services, Events Center, or Bookstore
    3. Performing Arts touring groups
    4. Featured speakers
    5. Ongoing software license and maintenance agreements
    6. Insurance providers
    7. Retirement plan providers
    8. Payroll deductions
    9. Legal fees
    10. Recruitment advertising
    11. Temporary staffing
    12. Utilities 

Per the Illinois Administrative Code, Chapter 110 of the Illinois School Code, Public Community College Act (110 ILCS 805/3-27.1) states, all contracts for the purchase of supplies, materials, or work involving an expenditure in excess of $25,000 (and in excess of $50,000 for construction) shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder considering conformity with specifications, terms of delivery, quality, and serviceability; after due advertisement. Code exceptions can be accessed at http://www.ilga.gov. 

Check Request Form

  1. For the payment of dues, professional memberships, association fees, employee reimbursements, and other situations where payment is required and no delivery will take place, a Check Request Form should be submitted to the purchasing department. The Check Request Form is on the college’s employee portal under Spaces/Finance/Forms. 

a. The employee initiating the request must complete the form in its entirety. 

b. The employee and the approving budget officer’s signatures are required. 

c. Completed registration forms, completed application forms, original receipts, proof of payment, etc., should be attached to the Check Request Form. 

d. The budget officer is responsible for ensuring that all requirements have been met before approving and forwarding the request to the Purchasing department. 

    2. Check Request forms that have not been completed correctly or do not have the appropriate documentation will be returned to the budget officer for resolution. 

Check Request Usage:

  1. Do not use the Check Request Form for the following:

    1. Travel reimbursement (see the “Travel Claim Form” on the college’s employee portal under Spaces/Finance/Forms).

    2. Tuition and professional development reimbursement (see Spaces/Benefits/Forms/Professional Development located on the employee portal)

    3. Tuition reimbursement, Administrative development, Support Staff development, Professional expense (faculty)

    4. Reimbursements under $25.00 (see “Petty Cash Request Form” on the college’s employee portal located under Spaces/Finance/Forms)

    5. A Vendor that does not accept purchase orders (contact purchasing to discuss alternate purchasing methods or vendors before purchase) 

Office Supplies Purchasing 

  1. Office supplies for college business are purchased via the approved vendor’s website. For detailed directions on purchasing office supplies online, please get in touch with Purchasing or see the employee portal.

Purchasing Card Program 

  1. See Administrative Procedure 2.404 – Purchasing Card Program

This policy was last reviewed on 04/07/2025.

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