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Purchasing Policy

Purchasing Policy

Welcome

The Procurement Services Department supports the mission of The College of New Jersey by:

  • Procuring goods and services in the most efficient and cost-effective manner, including strategic sourcing through all available means.
  • Delivering the highest quality of customer service to faculty and staff.
  • Ensuring compliance with the College’s Purchasing Policy and the State of New Jersey’s procurement laws, including the State College Contracts Law (N.J.S.A. 18A:64-52 et seq.).
  • Administering the bidding process, approving requisitions and change orders, and maintaining the vendor database.
  • Reviewing and executing all College contracts.

Purchasing Process

  • All goods, services, and construction contracts must be procured through a competitive process unless an approved exception applies.
  • Contracts for professional services must be requested through iContract prior to the engagement.
  • Multi-year contracts are evaluated based on their cumulative total. If the total exceeds the bid threshold, competitive bids or a Board Waiver are required.
  • A Sole Source Justification Form is required if competition is not feasible.
    • Subscriptions/memberships do not require sole source justification.
    • Independent contractors do not require the sole source form, but their qualifications must be documented in the Professional Services Contract.
  • After a contract is awarded, a requisition must be entered in Oracle.
  • All required documentation must be attached to each requisition.
  • Requesters must select the appropriate TCNJ Reference when entering a requisition.
  • The Department Chair/Director/Budget Manager/Principal Investigator is responsible for authorizing all purchases.
  • Once goods or services are received, requesters must:
    • Receive the order in Oracle Cloud.
    • Submit the invoice to apinvoice@tcnj.edu
  • Vendors must comply with the College’s Terms and Conditions (available on the Purchasing website).

Goods & Services Thresholds

Purchases under $5,000

  • Price competition recommended but not required.
  • Purchases may be made with a Procurement Card (P-Card).
  • Required State form:
    • W-9

Purchases $5,000 – $17,499

  • Minimum of three (3) written quotations required. Lowest responsible quote must be accepted unless documented justification supports an alternative.
  • Required State forms:
    • W-9
    • Certificate of Insurance

Purchases $17,500 – $119,799

  • Procured by the Purchasing Department through the competitive quote process, unless using a NJ State, GSA, or Cooperative Contract.
  • Sole Source Justification required if competition is not feasible.
  • Required State forms:
    • W-9
    • Chapter 51 & Executive Order 117
    • Certificate of Insurance
    • New Jersey Business Registration Certificate
    • Equal Employment Opportunity (N.J.S.A. 10:5-31, N.J.A.C. 17:27)

Purchases $119,800 and above (Bid Threshold)

  • Procured by the Purchasing Department through a publicly advertised bid, unless using a NJ State, GSA, or Cooperative Contract.
  • Required State forms:
    • W-9
    • Certificate of Insurance
    • Chapter 51 & Executive Order 117
    • New Jersey Business Registration Certificate
    • Equal Employment Opportunity (N.J.S.A. 10:5-31, N.J.A.C. 17:27)
    • Ownership Disclosure Form
    • Non-Collusion Statement
    • Source Disclosure Form
    • Vendor Qualification Form
    • Non-Involvement in Prohibited Activities in Russia or Belarus Form
    • Disclosure of Investment Activities in Iran Form

Construction & Prevailing Wage Thresholds

Purchases under $5,000

  • Price competition recommended but not required.
  • Projects over $2,000 must comply with Prevailing Wage Law, including certified payroll.
  • Contractors must be registered with the Department of Labor and hold a Public Works Contractor Certification.
  • Required State form:
    • W-9
    • Certificate of Insurance

Purchases $5,000 – $17,499

  • Minimum of three (3) written quotations required. Lowest responsible quote must be accepted unless documented justification supports an alternative.
  • Sole Source Justification required if competition is not feasible.
  • Required State forms:
    • W-9
    • Certificate of Insurance
    • New Jersey Business Registration Certificate

Purchases $17,500 – $42,599

  • Procured by the Purchasing Department through the competitive quote process, unless using a NJ State, GSA, or Cooperative Contract.
  • Sole Source Justification required if competition is not feasible.
  • Required State forms:
    • W-9
    • Chapter 51 & Executive Order 117
    • Certificate of Insurance
    • New Jersey Business Registration Certificate
    • Equal Employment Opportunity (N.J.S.A. 10:5-31, N.J.A.C. 17:27)

Purchases $42,600 and above (Bid Threshold)

  • Procured by the Purchasing Department through a publicly advertised bid, unless using a NJ State, GSA, or Cooperative Contract.
  • Required State forms:
    • Chapter 51 & Executive Order 117
    • New Jersey Business Registration Certificate
    • Equal Employment Opportunity (N.J.S.A. 10:5-31, N.J.A.C. 17:27)
    • Ownership Disclosure Form
    • Non-Collusion Statement
    • Source Disclosure Form
    • Vendor Qualification Form
    • Non-Involvement in Prohibited Activities in Russia or Belarus Form
    • Disclosure of Investment Activities in Iran Form

Board Waivers

Under the State College Contracts Law (N.J.S.A. 18A:64-56), the Board of Trustees may authorize contracts above the bid threshold without public bidding if they fall into one of 35 statutory exception categories.

Departments requesting a Board Waiver must:

  1. Submit a waiver request (in memo format) to the VP and Chief Financial Officer through their Cabinet Officer.
  2. Include:
    • Description of the service or item.
    • Rationale for the waiver.
    • Number of vendors contacted (minimum of three, if possible).
    • Justification if sole source.
  3. Provide competitive cost proposals where feasible.

TCNJ Board of Trustees meeting agendas and minutes are available at: https://trustees.tcnj.edu/meeting-agendas-minutes/


STATE AND FEDERAL CONTRACTS

Departments are authorized to purchase goods/services under contract awarded by the State of NJ or Federal government per the terms and conditions of those contracts:

State Contracts:

NJ Start (New) Browse By Category – Contract & Bid (Blanket) Search

The Federal Supply Schedules of the General Services Administration

http://www.gsaelibrary.gsa.gov/ElibMain/ElibHome

Nationally-recognized and accepted cooperative purchasing agreements

Departments are authorized to purchases goods/services through the use of a nationally-recognized and accepted cooperative purchasing agreement that has been developed utilizing a competitive bidding process by another contracting unit within the State of New Jersey, or within any other state, when available. Cooperative Purchasing is a collaborative effort to obtain benefits in pricing, product quality and contract process efficiencies. Please ensure NJ is eligible to use the contract; the contract is awarded by a lead public agency.

The College is now a member of several Nationally recognized Co-op’s; below is the up to date list:

E&I Cooperative Services (Membership ID# 881396)

Educational Services Commission of NJ (ESCNJ Co-op# 65 MCESCCPS)

Hunterdon County Educational Services Commission

National Association of State Procurement Officers (NASPO ValuePoint)

National Joint Power Alliance – Sourcewell (ID# 87456)

NJEdge – EdgeMarket Cooperative Pricing System by NJEdge

OMNIA Partners (includes contracts from National IPA & US Communities)

PEPPM National Cooperative (Reference PO “As Per PEPPM”)

The following documents are required from vendor for these contracts:

  • Vendor Qualification form
  • W-9
  • New Jersey Business Registration Certificate
  • Certificate of insurance
  • Quote from the vendor must reference cooperative contract number
  • New Jersey Chapter 51/EO117 Approval (at $17,500 and above)
  • AA / Certificate of Employment Information Report (at $50,000 and above)
  • The College of New Jersey’s Terms & Conditions signed by the supplier
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