Working With Vendors

Due to the size and complexity of the district and the programs offered, we require a wide range of products and services. Depending upon your job, you may have limited or fairly regular contact with vendors in order to obtain price quotes and other information.

Vendors must register with MCCD by completing a Vendor Registration Form and forwarding it to the Purchasing Department. Vendor Registration forms can be downloaded from the Employee Resource page of the Purchasing web site, or call Purchasing or your Fiscal Agent to obtain copies. Purchasing then enters the vendor into our online requisitioning system (CFS). There are thousands of vendors currently registered, with more vendors added daily. Please allow at least 24 hours from the time Purchasing receives the completed form until the vendor is in the system.

A link to an online Vendor Guide is available on the Vendor Resource Page of the Purchasing web site. The guide describes what a vendor needs to know in order to do business with Maricopa Community Colleges.

When working with vendors, there are a number of other points to remember:

1. Do not place an order with a vendor yourself without the proper documents such as an approved Limited Purchase Order issued by your campus Fiscal Agent. (The Purchasing Department places orders for purchases over $2,500 by creating a Purchase Order and sending it to the vendor.)

2. Do not promise an order to a vendor. All purchases must be approved as well as coordinated by a Fiscal Agent or the Purchasing Department.

3. Do not request or expect a supplier to provide layouts or design services without charge or obligation. Projects of this scope need to be competitively bid and there is no guarantee that the vendor providing the services will be the low bidder.

4. Do not accept equipment as a "loaner" or "on evaluation." Only after the vendor receives a Purchase Order from the Purchasing Department marked "FOR EVALUATION PURPOSES ONLY" can equipment or software be brought in for evaluation purposes. All costs associated with the delivery, installation, evaluation and return of the equipment is borne by the vendor. Also, all risk of loss or damage remains with the vendor.

5. Be wary of unethical tactics by phone solicitors stating that they can offer you a deal on overstocked items or that it is time to re-order supplies for your office equipment or copier. All such calls should be immediately referred to the Purchasing Department.