Deliveries between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids to be delayed

I-380 is closing from Iowa City to Cedar Rapids at 6:00pm today, June 13, 2008. This will have a major disruption to delivery service. FedEx is stopping deliveries and making sweeps on all pickup customers now and will bring our drivers back, hopefully no later than 4:00pm they will hit 380.

MPZ will need alternative routes for their inbound and outbound.

If able, there is a road that wiggles around in between both rivers that may allow them to service ONLY the EAST side of Iowa City, but if this is under water, they will be completely cutoff from Iowa City. Due to the nature of this flood, all drivers will be pulled by 4:00pm today and hopefully this weekend will allow the waters to recede.
 
Saturday service and service next week to this area are in question until further notice.

Lithium Battery Recall

Security Alert - Office Supply/Toner Scams

Be wary of phone calls from anyone who is claiming to your “regular supplier” for office supplies. It could be an office supply scam. The scam artist is generally trying to obtain information so that they will be able to bill the department for phony orders or misrepresented orders. The scam artist may actually send merchandise, however the quality is usually less than desirable and the price is inflated. If you believe you are the victim of an office supply scam, contact our department as soon as possible. For more information about office supply scams, please visit the following link: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/supplies.shtm

UPDATED 6/18/08 - Rescheduled due to flooding and yearend

Timetable and Reminders for Closing Fiscal Year 2008

As we approach the end of the fiscal year, careful planning will be required in order to prevent overdrafts in State Appropriated expense accounts and to close all accounts for the fiscal year on a timely and efficient basis.

Purchasing

• Orders to vendors outside the University to be charged to FY 07-08 budgets must be received at the Purchasing Department by 4:30 p.m., June 25, 2008.  Requisitions received after that date may be held and charged to the budget for FY 08-09.
  
  Adherence to these procedures is necessary to allow sufficient time before the close of the fiscal year on June 30 to complete the following purchasing functions:  Secure quotations or bids, determine the best source of supply and process the purchase orders for items to be encumbered to current fiscal year budgets.  Efforts to submit requisitions >$10,000 well in advance of June 16 will be extremely helpful in assuring that those requisitions are processed before the end of the fiscal year.  All requisitions received after June 25 should identify the fiscal year to be charged, and those requisitions identified as FY 07-08 will be processed and encumbered, time permitting.  Those requisitions identified as FY 08-09 will be held until after July 3, 2008 for processing.  Notation on PReqs should be made on the Internal Comments section.
  
• Departments using the PReqs application should be aware that any requisition entered and approved under $3,000 will be encumbered if received and approved on or before July 3, 2008. To prevent this, the final departmental approval must occur after July 3, 2008.

Encumbrances

• All encumbrances listed on your June 2008 Statement of Account (SA3 or TDS) should be reviewed for possible errors or discrepancies.  Errors identified prior to July 3 should be forwarded to the Purchasing Agent to correct the purchase order.  Errors identified after July 3rd and by noon on July 14, 2008 , should be forwarded to your Accounting Services Org contact to make a correcting journal entry for the fiscal year being closed.  The errors must also be forwarded to the Purchasing agent to remove the error from the purchase order and eliminate the error from re-occurring in the next fiscal year.  The list of Purchasing Agents is at  www.uiowa.edu/~purchase/purchase/AllStaff.htm
  
• For state appropriated accounts, funds carried forward for the prior year’s encumbrances are subject to reversion if not expended for those items ordered.

• Accounting Services will remove encumbrance amounts for blanket orders from your accounting statements for fiscal year-end reporting.

Notice to Vendors regarding Purchase Order Emailing

The University of Iowa Purchasing Department is implementing a new email process for University purchase orders. In order to convert your company from fax to email transmissions, Purchasing requires a specific email address for the new purchase orders. The email address should be one that is monitored regularly to prevent orders from being delayed and have sufficient storage space to prevent our email from being rejected. Please see: Vendor Email Setup

The following information will be needed:

• Vendor Name
• “Order to” Address
• University of Iowa Vendor number (ten digits beginning 0000)
• A recent PO number
• General email address where Purchase Orders can be received
• Contact and phone

If you have any questions, please contact Julie Bergeon at julie-bergeon@uiowa.edu or 319-335-1726

Office Supply Solicitations

From time to time various office supply vendors in our area attempt to market their products to campus end users by offering promotional discounts or other incentives that are in direct competition with the OfficeMax contract we currently have in place through General Stores. Office Depot has offered a discount card in the past and we have recently become aware of a possible email solicitation from Staples marketing a “Convenience Card” that can be used at their local store. If you receive this email please do not apply for this card. Firstly, the billing process they are proposing would have all cards on campus billed to one Corporate Account. Since the University has multiple sources of funding and multiple end users, this would not work for us. Secondly, we cannot support or promote a marketing effort that competes with our already established contract.  

A recent incident occurred when Patterson Office Supplies located in Illinois solicited a $25 Mastercard as a promotion to ordering supplies.  Please be aware that accepting this is in violation with the Iowa Gift Law.  For more information see:  www.uiowa.edu/~purchase/purchase/Policy/gift_law.htm

If you have questions regarding pricing for any office supply item, please contact the OffficeMax representative at General Stores @ 4-3908. Many items, even those not shown in the catalog, can be obtained through OfficeMax at considerable savings.

GE recalls wall, microwave ovens for fire risk

General Electric recalled 92,000 combination wall and microwave ovens after at least 35 incidents of fire that damaged property, the company and the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday.

The door switch in the microwave oven can overheat and ignite plastic components in the appliance, the company said.

The lower thermal oven does not pose a hazard and no injuries have been reported, according to the commission.

Department and appliance stores sold the ovens between January 2000 and December 2003.

The ovens were built by GE Consumer & Industrial of Louisville, Ky., and sold under the Kenmore, GE and GE Profile brands.

GE said consumers should stop using the microwave oven immediately and call the company, or Sears for Kenmore ovens. The oven, which is built into a wall, may be serviced at no cost at the customer’s home, said Kim Freeman, a GE spokeswoman.

The ovens were sold in white, black, bisque, and stainless steel. Consumers can call GE’s Recall Hotline, (888)240-2745; Sears’ Recall Hotline, (888)679-0282; or the CRSC Recall Hotline, (800)638-2772.

For further information, copy/paste or control/click the link below: http://cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08110.html

Technology Allowance Policy Effective October 1, 2007

The University of Iowa has implemented a new Technology Allowance Policy.

• Operations Policy
• Campus Announcement
• Request for Technology Allowance Form
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Verizon Announcement

Questions about this policy can be directed to Debby Zumbach at deborah-zumbach@uiowa.edu or 319-335-3815

DEA LIST 1 CHEMICALS

In order to purchase DEA List I chemicals, vendors will require documentation and authorization of the purchaser. BioChemStores and Chemistry Stores both have experience with this type of paperwork. To consolidate documentation of these purchases, please order List I chemicals through them. Examples of List I chemicals include (but not limited to):

• Piperidine
• Chemicals containing >2.2% Iodine
• Benzaldehyde
  

PReqs Application

UIHC and the Purchasing Department will be implementing the new PeopleSoft 8.8 Inventory and Purchasing modules at UIHC.  With this implementation, the PReqs (Purchasing Requisition System) application will provide enhanced functionality as well as strengthened security. 

UIHC staff: Currently, supplies are ordered via multiple methods: By faxing or taking a written list to Stores; by using the on-line item master; and by calling in orders. The PReqs application replaces all of these systems including the Item Master System. All orders will need to be requested through the PReqs application.

PReqs Security Change: 

1. Currently, a user is defined as any employee who signs into the PReqs application.  In the updated PReqs application, users must either be a Requester or an initiator assigned to a specific requester(s) in order to be able to initiate transactions in PReqs.  If a user signs in and is not a Requester or assigned to a requester(s), they will not be able initiate a requisition.
2. All Requesters must complete the new PReqs Access form and submit it by email by September 20, 2007. 

• On this form, requesters are required to enter a default MFK.  This default MFK will be used for populating the requisition form only.
• Requesters should  list initiators who are allowed to order with their Requester Code. 
  • UIHC and College of Dentistry requesters  accessing the Catalog Order form please click on the link specified for Hospital and Dentistry users.   www.uiowa.edu/~purchase/purchase/P_Forms/RequesterFormHospDent.pdf
  • All other Requesters accessing the Purchase Requisition form only and not the Catalog Order form click this link to access the PReqs Access form:  www.uiowa.edu/~purchase/purchase/P_Forms/RequesterForm.pdf
3. When the system goes into production all Requesters that currently have a Requester Code will have PReqs access to “Create a Req”.  All other initiators will not have PReqs access until the Requester has completed the PReqs Access Form and submitted it to Chris Leichty at 202 PCO, Purchasing with a required supervisor signature by September 20, 2007.     
4. An on-line PReqs Access/Requester form will be available in the PReqs system after implementation for users to complete and route via workflow.

PReqs New Functionality:

1. Order By Page:  When users click “Create Req” on the PReqs sidebar, the system will take the user to a new “Order By” page.  This page will list three options to order by:
   • Purchase Requisition:  This Requisition will be used to order by description only for Goods and Services, Equipment, Repairs, Non-Inventory Supplies and Blanket Orders that go to an outside vendor.
   • Catalog Order(s):  This function will be used for Items Sourcing from a Warehouse and Items Sourcing from a Vendor that have a PeopleSoft UI Item number.  With this new form the user will be able to place orders for items without needing to understand if they are stocked in the warehouse or purchased from an external vendor.  The system will make this determination and create multiple requisitions when necessary. UIHC and College of Dentistry users will be the only staff having access to this function initially.
   • Shopping Cart Favorites from Catalog Orders:  This function will be used for items sourced from a Warehouse and/or items sourcing from a Vendor, previously order through the catalog order function. UIHC and College of Dentistry users will be the only staff having access to this function initially.
2. Favorites:  Users will be able to add to their favorites directly from the PReq form now by clicking the “Add” button by the green arrow icon that selects the favorite.
3. Email: For orders going to outside vendors, an email will be sent to the Requester, Initiator, and Purchasing Agent on the requisition when the Purchase Order number is assigned.

PReqs Training: UIHC and College of Dentistry users PReqs application training on “How to create Catalog Orders” will soon be available.  A schedule will be sent out in the near future.  

If you have questions please contact:

• Chris Leichty chris-leichty@uiowa.edu or 5-0384
• Jim Jetter james-jetter@uiowa.edu 5-0383
• Jennifer Jark Jennifer-jark@uiowa.edu 5-0668
• email preqs@uiowa.edu

Inventory Project team contacts:

• Eric Briesemeister eric-briesemeister@uiowa.edu 4-7026
• Brent Jehle brent-jehle@uiowa.edu 4-7029
• Chris Leichty chris-leichty@uiowa.edu 5-0384
• Karen Housel Karen-housel@uiowa.edu 5-0409
• Steve Krumbholz  stephen-krumbholz@uiowa.edu 6-1935

IMPORTANT - PReq Workflow Form Types Changes

On February 12, 2007 the following changes will be made to PReq Workflow Form Types:

Purchase Requisitions

• Requisition – Under 2,000 will change to Requisition – Under 3,001
• Requisition – 2,000 to 25,000 will change to Requisition - 3,001 to 25,000
• Requisition – Over 25,000
  

Procedures:

1. Approvers will be transferred from the old workflow groups to the corresponding new ones.
2. PReqs that are less than $3001 are completed after the last person from the department approves the requisition. The Department is responsible for the approval and making sure these orders are filled out correctly.
3. PReqs $3001 and greater will be routed to Purchasing in Workflow to review.
4. Blanket Orders must have a minimum balance of $3001 so they route to Purchasing.

If you have any questions contact Chris Leichty at chris-leichty@uiowa.edu or 335-0384.

SECURITY ALERT – PayPal Email Scam

Be Aware of Phone Scams

There have been recent reports of phone scams reported throughout the hospital and campus.  The caller claimed that he had some clear 2 inch tape to sell the Pharmacy Department. The kind of tape you would use for shipping boxes. This gentleman identified himself as Dr. Peterson, and he was a retired veterinarian in Florida who is selling items that he had in his clinic. In the course of the conversation, he described talking with an individual and about Pharmacy purchasing the tape. The individual NEVER spoke with this “Dr. Peterson”. 

Please report any questionable calls or vendor salespersons to your supervisor before giving out information or accepting packages.

IMPORTANT: BANKING SCAMS - Never provide any banking information; including bank name, account or routing number to vendors. There have been recent attempts to solicit banking information from campus departments. Do not provide your UI PCard information to banks or vendors if they contact you directly.

Contact the Purchasing department, Jennifer Jark 335-0668, if you receive requests from vendors for bank or credit card information.

	A summary of the new transactions in their ORG or ORG/DEPT combo (by cardholder)
	A listing of “new" cards for the ORG or ORG/DEPT combo during the past 60 days
	A listing of delinquent vouchers for their ORG or ORG/DEPT combos
	Links to view cardholder’s transactions, vouchers, receipts, and card information for their ORG/DEPT combination.
	Reports of vendor spending, travel information, summary spend per cardholder, dept, and dollars spent
	Search function that allows you to search travel related transactions, and voucher/transactions within the users ORG or ORG/DEPT combo

top