Body
| Procedure Title |
Procurement Services Purpose and Governance |
| Procedure Number |
04-1000 |
| Originating Department |
Financial Services |
| Board Policy |
6Hx6:1.02; 6Hx6:4.01 |
| Florida Statute |
287; 1001.02; 1010.04 |
| Florida Administrative Code |
6A-14.0734 |
| Effective Date |
7/1/2026 |
| Date(s) Reviewed/Revised |
4/30/2026 |
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this College Operating Procedure 04-1000 (“COP”) is to define the institutional role, authority, and purpose of Procurement Services ("Procurement") in supporting the College’s mission through responsible stewardship of financial resources. This procedure establishes Procurement as the centralized department responsible for promoting fair competition, ensuring regulatory compliance, safeguarding public funds, and providing oversight of purchasing activities across the College.
This COP is intended to articulate the philosophy and governance framework of procurement at the College. Operational requirements relating to encumbrance, requisitions, purchase orders, competitive solicitation, and contract administration are addressed in separate College Operating Procedures.
Guidelines
The College is entrusted with public and institutional funds derived from state appropriations, tuition and fees, grants, auxiliary enterprises, and its support organizations. As a publicly funded institution, the College must ensure that all expenditures are conducted in a manner that is lawful, transparent, fiscally prudent, and aligned with its educational mission.
Procurement serves as the College’s steward of purchasing governance. Its purpose is not merely transactional, but advisory and regulatory. Procurement is responsible for: Ensuring compliance with Florida Statutes, State Board of Education Rules, Board of Trustees policies, College Operating Procedures, and applicable federal regulations; Promoting open and fair competition where required; Ensuring ethical conduct in vendor selection and contracting; Protecting the College from financial, operational, and reputational risk; and Supporting departments in acquiring goods and services efficiently and effectively.
Procurement operates under the principle that public purchasing must withstand audit scrutiny and public transparency requirements. Accordingly, consistency in documentation, fairness in process, and consistency in application of rules are foundational to Procurement’s role.
Procedures
I. The College’s procurement philosophy is grounded in the following principles:
A. Stewardship of Public Funds. All purchasing decisions must demonstrate prudent use of resources and defensibility under public scrutiny.
B. Compliance and Risk Mitigation. Procurement activities must comply with applicable laws and reduce exposure to contractual, financial, and operational risk.
C. Fair and Open Competition. When required, procurement opportunities shall be conducted in a manner that promotes impartiality and equal opportunity among qualified vendors.
D. Transparency and Accountability. Procurement records are public records and must be maintained in a manner that clearly documents decision-making processes.
E. Separation of Duties. Procurement governance requires appropriate separation between operational need identification, purchasing authorization, evaluation, and contract execution functions.
F. Ethical Conduct. All participants in the procurement process must avoid conflicts of interest and maintain independence from vendor influence.
II. Institutional Role of Procurement
A. Procurement is the department responsible for oversight of purchasing and solicitation activities conducted on behalf of the College. While departments initiate requests based on operational needs, Procurement provides leadership, direction, and oversight.
B. Procurement's institutional responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
1. Advising departments on appropriate purchasing methods and compliance requirements;
2. Reviewing and approving procurement methods prior to execution;
3. Facilitating competitive solicitations in accordance with statutory thresholds and College Operating Procedures;
4. Ensuring proper documentation of procurement decisions;
5. Maintaining ethical vendor relationships and promoting equal treatment of suppliers;
6. Interpreting procurement-related statutes, administrative rules, and Board policies for operational application; and
7. Serving as liaison between departments, vendors, legal counsel, and executive leadership during the procurement process.
C. Procurement is authorized to review, question, and, when necessary, suspend or redirect purchasing actions that do not comply with statutory requirements, Board policy, or College Operating Procedures.
D. Where monetary thresholds, competitive requirements, or contract terms require higher-level approval, Procurement shall coordinate review and submission to executive leadership or the Board of Trustees as required.
III. Departmental Role in Procurement Processes
A. All expenditures must be reasonably anticipated and included within a department’s approved budget, regardless of the purchasing method used. See Budget Development COP 04-0402 and Procurement and Financial Encumbrance COP 04-1003. College personnel are expected to communicate and obtain preliminary awareness and support from their supervisory chain before initiating a purchasing process. Procurement Services does not supplant departmental authority to identify their own operational needs.
B. Once a purchasing need and use of department funds is confirmed, College departments are expected to engage Procurement Services as early as practicable in purchases or contracts, other than Procurement Card purchases. Early consultation ensures that a College department has an appropriate procurement strategy, develops a reasonable timeline for purchase, and complies with applicable thresholds and other College procedures. Procurement Services functions as an advisory partner and compliance resource and should be consulted prior to vendor engagement.
C. No employee may obligate the College to a contractual commitment unless a specific delegation of delegated authority has been granted by the President. Procurement retains oversight responsibility to ensure that contractual commitments are properly authorized in accordance with established governance procedures.
IV. Relationship with Other College Operating Procedures
A. This COP establishes the overarching purpose and governance role of Procurement . Detailed procedures for the following topics are addressed in separate College Operating Procedures:
1. Encumbrance, requisitions, and purchase order issuance
2. Competitive solicitation processes
3. Contract management and execution
4. Budget development and transfers
5. Emergency procurement and other statutory exceptions
B. The preceding separation ensures clarity between governance principles and operational procedures.