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A new contract for IT Peripherals has been awarded to GovConnection and will
be in effect July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2013.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I place my order?
You can order online by going to the GovConnection website established for Auburn. If the site you are in does not have the AU Logo on it, then you are on the wrong site. Make sure you log in on
www.govconnection.com/Auburn, or you can link directly from the "Contracts" section of the Procurement & Payment Services web site.
Who is my contact at GovConnection?
Rob Mitchell is Auburn's Executive Account Manager. He can be reached at 888-294-0275 or by e-mailing rmitchell@govconnection.com.
I am a new employee. How do I get started?
For account set up, new employees can either contact our account representative listed above, Rob Mitchell, or go directly to www.govconnection.com/Auburn.
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.
What are IT Peripherals?
Printers, printer supplies (except toner/ink cartridges), cables, monitors, mice, keyboards, flash drives, consumer electronics, digital imaging and sound, cameras/video, drives and storage hardware, batteries, software, projectors, storage media and accessories, portable computing accessories and most items on GovConnection's site.
What computer related products CANNOT be bought off of this contract?
Desktops, laptops, and servers.
Can I still buy toner/ink cartridges from GovConnection?
Yes. The current contract expires October 31, 2009.
AFTER October 2009, will I be able to purchase toner/ink from GovConnection?
No, the only exception to purchase toner/ink cartridge is when you are buying a printer for the first time. If you are purchasing replacement toner/ink cartridges you must use Office Max.
Can I still buy remanufactured toner/ink?
Yes, you should still use Cartridge Solutions for refills of toner/ink. The current contract expires October 31, 2009. Remanufactured toner/ink should be purchased from OfficeMax beginning November 1, 2009.
Can I use my purchasing card for IT Peripherals?
Yes. Normal procurement thresholds apply to the purchase of IT Peripherals. You may use your Purchasing Card to order/pay for the IT Peripherals against this contract as long as the amount being purchased is < $2500. If the purchase will exceed $2500, prepare a purchase requisition and submit it to PPS for review. Please reference Bid #B0005564 when processing your requisition.
When I am in need of small dollar IT peripherals, I generally shop sales and get items from a vendor with the currently posted lowest price. 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 give 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.
Please contact Burnette Tolbert in PPS at tolbebn@auburn.edu or 844-7771, if you have any additional questions.
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