Procurement Services Policy

1. Introduction and purpose

Loyalist College is committed to ensuring that its procurement activities abide by the Ministry of Finance’s procurement directives. All publicly funded goods and services, including construction, consulting services, and information technology, are acquired through a process that is open, fair, transparent, sustainable, and ethical. The College also ensures that all suppliers and contractors who perform services for the College comply with all applicable municipal, provincial, and federal laws and regulations.
This policy sets out the rules for acquiring goods and services. These rules align with the applicable directive and legislation and ensure that the College’s procurement processes are always managed appropriately and consistently.

2. Application

This policy applies to the entire College community, including third-party buying groups who may acquire goods and services on the College’s behalf.

3. Policy Statement

Loyalist College abides by the Ministry of Finance’s Broader Public Sector Procurement Directive issued by the Management Board of Cabinet effective July 1, 2011, as provided under part 1 of the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act, 2010.
The College shall adopt leading procurement principles and practices, subject to applicable municipal, provincial, and federal laws. The College may also be subject to various trade agreements, including but not limited to the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT), the Ontario-Quebec Trade and Cooperation Agreement (Ontario-Quebec Agreement), Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), and Canadian European Trade Agreement (CETA).
The College is committed to incorporating sustainability, social procurement (using procurement activities to deliver social and economic outcomes beyond the traditional purchasing of goods and services), workforce development, social responsibility, and fair labour into its procurement practices as appropriate and gives favourable consideration in its evaluation process to those goods and services that reflect this commitment.
Before procuring any goods, non-consulting services, or consulting services, requestors must obtain approval for their procurement in accordance with the appropriate Approval Authority Schedule (AAS) and FIN 507 Signing Authority Policy.

4. Supply Chain Code of Ethics

• 4.1 Personal integrity and professionalism. Individuals involved with supply chain activities must act, and be seen to act, with integrity and professionalism. Honesty, care, and due diligence are integral to all supply chain activities within and between the College, its suppliers, and other stakeholders. All participants involved have to safeguard confidential information. Participants must not engage in any activity that may create, or appear to create, a conflict of interest, such as accepting gifts or favours, providing preferential treatment, or publicly endorsing suppliers or products.
• 4.2 Accountability and transparency. Supply chain activities must be open and accountable. In particular, contracting and purchasing activities must be fair, transparent, and conducted with a view to obtaining the best value for public money. All participants must ensure that publicly funded resources are used in a responsible, efficient, and effective manner.
• 4.3 Compliance and continuous improvement. Individuals involved with purchasing or other supply chain activities must comply with this Code of Ethics and all applicable laws. Individuals should continuously work to improve supply chain policies and procedures, to improve their supply chain knowledge and skill levels, and to share leading practices.
• 4.4 Segregation of duties. To maintain effective internal controls, the College shall segregate duties across the various procurement functions. That is, no one person will be permitted to control an entire purchasing transaction, which in this context includes issuing the procurement documents, selecting the winning proposal, finalizing the contract, receiving the goods or services, and payment.

5. Approval Authority Schedules

Procurement Approval Authority Schedule (AAS) for Goods and Non-consulting Services

Procurement Method	Procurement Value	Approval Authority
Commitment
Online or verbal quote	$0 – $2,500.00	Purchasing card — requestor’s department — see exceptions in FIN 200 Procurement Procedure and FIN 206 Purchasing Card Policy
One invitational quote (at the discretion of the requestor’s department and/or Procurement Services)	$0 – $9,999.99	Requestor’s department obtains quote and Procurement Department issues the purchase order
Invitational competitive procurement (minimum of 3 suppliers are invited to submit a bid)	$10,000.00 – $99,999.99	Procurement Department obtains quotes and issues the purchase order
Single or sole source request	$10,000.00 or more	Requestor’s department must complete a single/sole source justification for Procurement Services’ review and approval prior to proceeding with a purchase order
Open competitive — Merx	$100,000.00 or more	Procurement Services

Before a requestor begins the procurement process for consulting services, they must get approval in accordance with the Procurement Approval Authority for Consulting Services (see details below). Organizations must competitively procure consulting services regardless of the services’ value. Any exemptions must accord with the applicable trade agreements.

Procurement Approval Authority Schedule (AAS) for Consulting Services

Procurement Method	Procurement Value	Approval Authority
Invitational competitive	$0 – $99,999.99	AAS for goods and non-consulting services
Open competitive —MERX	≥ $100,000.00 (greater than or equal to)	AAS for goods and non-consulting services
Non-competitive with approved exemption	$0 – 999,999.99	President
	$1,000,000 or more	Board of Governors

6. Records Retention

All procurement documents and pertinent information — including suppliers’ confidential and commercially sensitive information for reporting and auditing purposes — must be maintained for a period of seven years and in a recoverable form if it is requested. See LIB 101 Records Retention Policy and Schedule.

7. Conflict of Interest

During their procurement activities College community members undertaking procurement must consider any conflicts of interest that are applicable to all employees, external consultants, or suppliers. The College requires any individual involved in supply-chain-related activities to declare all actual or potential conflicts of interest.

8. Confidentiality

All College employees should keep the prices, trade secrets, and all information pertaining to supply chain activities confidential, according to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Any inquiries related to any acquisitions should be directed to Procurement Services.

9. Accessibility and Procurement

In accordance with section 5 of the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), Loyalist College is committed to incorporating accessibility criteria or features when procuring goods, services, or facilities, except where it is not practicable to do so. Loyalist College recognizes that it might not always be possible to ensure that procured goods, services, or facilities are accessible. In these instances, Loyalist College will provide an explanation for why it was not practicable or possible, upon request.

10. Related Documents

• FIN 200 Procurement Procedure
• FIN 206 Purchasing Card Policy
• FIN 504 Business Expense Reimbursement Policy
• FIN 507 Signing Authority Policy
• LIB 101 Records Retention Policy

11. References

• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
• Broader Public Sector Accountability Act
• Broader Public Sector Procurement Directive
• Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
• Hazardous Product Act
• Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act