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A new contract for office related products (including general office supplies, paper, & toner) has been awarded to OfficeMax. The contract will be in effect July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2014.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I place an order on the OfficeMax website?
You can link directly from the "Contracts" section of the Procurement & Payment Services web site, or go to the web site by typing the web address in as follows:
www.officemaxsolutions.com.
I am a new employee. How do I get started?
All new employees that will be placing orders, should contact Beth Owen at (334)844-3559 or send an e-mail to ejo0001@auburn.edu to get registered to place orders.
Who do I contact if I have a problem logging in to the web site or placing an order?
Call 1-800-817-8132 option 2 for Customer Service, or click on the Live On-Line Assistant located at the top right hand corner of the AU-OfficeMax site.
Who should I contact with general questions about the contract?
Call Beth Owen at 334-844-3559 or send an e-mail to
ejo0001@auburn.edu.
What can I order from OfficeMax?
You can order all office supplies including paper (effective July 1, 2009) and toner and ink jet/laser cartridges (effective November 2009). This contract does not include computer peripherals, printers or copiers.
How do I pay for my supplies?
You may use your AU Purchasing Card to order/pay for your supplies as long as the amount being purchased is less than $2500. If the purchase exceeds $2500, you will need to prepare a purchase requisition and submit it to PPS for review. Please reference bid # B0005539 on any purchase requisitions.
How do I get an invoice copy for my monthly reconciliation?
Once you have placed your order online, OfficeMax will e-mail you an acknowledgement of the order. You will also get a packing slip when your order arrives.
Can I change my "ship to" location on the OfficeMax website?
Not on your own. You need to notify Beth Owen of the change and she will contact OfficeMax to have this revised.
Who is my OfficeMax Business Relationship Manager?
Your Relationship Manager, or Sales Representative, is Scott Titshaw. His phone number is 800-829-0789, x-8326. His email address is scotttitshaw@officemax.com.
What is a Retail Connect Card and how do I get one?
This OfficeMax card ensures that AU receives proper discounts for in-store AU purchases. When it is necessary to make in-store purchases, you must present the Retail Connect Card, as well as, your AU purchasing card. If you need a Retail Connect Card, please contact Beth Owen.
What is OfficeMax Customer Perks and how do I join?
Customer Perks is a new discount program OfficeMax offers to AU employees for personal purchases. When you shop in-store, you will receive 10% off nearly all office supplies, furniture, ink and toner and OfficeMax ImPress services, as well as, 5% off nearly all technology items. Visit OfficeMax Customer Perks to complete an application. After the application is submitted, OfficeMax will send a confirmation email that includes the OfficeMax Customer Perks membership card. When making personal purchases, OfficeMax requires that AU employees present their Customer Perks membership card and proof of employment.
What training options do I have if I was unable to participate in the initial OfficeMax webinars?
A link to a self-guided webinar is available on the PPS contract web site. You can participate in that webinar at a time that's convenient for you.
Are we required to purchase from the Preferred Vendor contract?
Yes, you are required to purchase from the Preferred Vendor Contract. Once you see the pricing on these contracts, we think you're going to WANT to purchase from them due to their very competitive pricing! Beyond that though, these vendors have been designated as the "Preferred Vendors" for AU for these particular commodities as the result of a competitive bid process. In general, making purchases outside the contract shouldn't be necessary. We understand from time to time there may be a justifiable reason to purchase off contract through a different vendor. However, when the need arises, you are potentially violating the bid law, as all of our contracts have been competitively bid and awarded. In that situation, please attach a note of explanation to the voucher/purchasing card recon. In some cases, PPS may follow up with you…in others cases, the Preferred Vendor may follow up with you.
Are we prevented from making purchases at the AU Bookstore?
No. Office Max is AU's Preferred Vendor for office related products and as such provides AU with deeply discounted prices, financial incentives, and next day desktop delivery. However, AU departments are not prohibited from purchasing office related products from the AU Bookstore.
When I am in need of small office type supplies, I generally shop sales and get items from the lowest priced store. Are we not allowed to shop for the best price anymore?
We negotiated the contracts with the best interests of AU as a whole in mind. While you may be able to find a particular item at a lower "fire sale" price at any given moment, use of the Preferred Vendor contracts leads to: increased financial incentives, higher volume discounts and rebates, and better data for negotiating larger discounts/cheaper prices in the future.
In a few cases, I've not found what I'm looking for at our local Office Max but have found the right item at another vendor's store. Are other vendor's off limits now?
On-line shopping with OfficeMax should yield a much better selection than visiting the local store. Please let us know if there is an item that you can't locate at Office Max. The folks have been great to work with and very willing to assist us in any way needed.
Do we have special contract pricing with OfficeMax for all office supplies? If so, is the price list available to us?
While we have negotiated deep discounts on 400 core/contract items that are most purchased by AU, we receive great discounted rates on any purchases made through OfficeMax...general office supplies 65%, toner 45% - 50%, paper (including color) 60%, other items 30%. To receive a listing of only AU core/contract items, select "My Contract" on the left side of the order screen. The items that AU receives the deepest discounts on are indicated with a 'C' in an orange box on the item order listing.
If you can't find the item on our core list, click on "full catalog" to see additional discounted items.
Can I browse the website to check inventory and/or pricing without placing an order?
Yes, the browse feature is located on the left side of the web page indicated as "Browse."
I received my e-mailed invoice, but now can't find the e-mail to print and attach to the Purchasing Card reconciliation. How do I receive another copy?
Invoice copies will be stored in your Order History on the OfficeMax website for 90 days.
When and how are OfficeMax orders delivered?
Orders completed on the website by 3:45 p.m. CST will be delivered next day directly to the "ship to" location contained in your user profile. The orders will be delivered by DSI, the third party delivery company contracted by OfficeMax
Orders placed by outlying AU units throughout the state may be delivered via UPS and may take longer than one day for delivery, it will depend on the location.
Please contact Beth Owen in PPS at ejo0001@auburn.edu or 844-7771, if you have any additional questions.
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