Washington State University
BUSINESS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

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Purchasing Published Materials

Published materials include, but are not limited to, books, periodicals, maps, charts, government documents, and journal reprints.

Under most circumstances, departments use one of the following procedures to purchase published materials:

• Use a Department Order (DO) to purchase publications if the order is for less than $2500, including shipping charges and sales or compensatory tax. See 70.07.


• Use a Departmental Requisition to purchase publications from outside vendors if the order is for $2,500 or more, if the department is not authorized to use a DO, or if prepayment is required. See 70.10.

When required, departments use the following special procedures for ordering publications:

Certain professional organizations and governmental agencies require that a cash prepayment be sent with the order before they ship publications.

The Controller's Office makes a prepayment if a vendor's order form or other documentation from a vendor is submitted with the Departmental Requisition. The submitted documentation should substantiate the following:

• Prepayment is required,


• Vendor's address, and


• Current price for the item requested.

An order form, an advertisement, a page from a current catalog, a letter, or a current price list may be used for documentation.

Prepayment cannot be made simply to avoid postage or handling charges unless these charges exceed $50.00.

Use a Departmental Requisition to purchase subscriptions, renewals, and professional memberships.

Provide Purchasing with evidence of the current rate. Attach one of the following to the Departmental Requisition:

• Renewal notice,


• Invoice, or


• Copy of the newspaper/periodical masthead which shows the subscription rate and address.

In most cases, the department requests galley proofs directly from the vendor using the vendor's order form. Usually galley proofs must be returned immediately.

A Department Order (see 70.07) may be used to make a reprint purchase. Refer to the DO sample in the PDF version of page 70.26.4. Route the galley and the vendor's order form with the DO sent to the vendor.

If a Departmental Requisition is used, the galley may be returned with a copy of the vendor's order form indicating that the "Purchase Order will follow."

NOTE: See 70.10 for definitions of Organization Number and Departmental Requisition Number.

Include the following addresses on the vendor's order form which accompanies the galley proofs:

Washington State University
(Org No.) Central Receiving (DO or Dept. Req. No.)
Pullman, WA 99164-1120

This assures that the shipment will be properly recorded as received on campus and that a Receiving Report will accompany the delivery. This will expedite payment to the vendor.

NOTE: Do not use the departmental address, and NEVER use a home address.

Washington State University
(Org No.) Accounts Payable (DO or Dept. Req. No.)
Pullman, WA 99164-1025

Complete a Department Order (see 70.07) or a Departmental Requisition (see 70.10).

Include the manuscript (ms. #) or article number assigned by the publisher (if there is one), the title of the manuscript, the author(s), journal title, projected publication date (if known), estimated number of pages, whether covers are required, and the number of reprints ordered.

If a certain number of reprints are provided at no charge in addition to those ordered, include this information on the Department Order or Departmental Requisition.

Page charges (if appropriate) should also be included as a separate item on the order or requisition, indicating the estimated number of pages and amount charged per page.

If page charges and reprints are to be paid to separate vendors, prepare a separate order or requisition for each vendor.

Route a readable copy of the vendor's order form with the Department Order or the Departmental Requisition.

The University library system should be considered as an alternative for publications needed for brief reference.

To recommend that the library add a publication to its permanent collection, submit a completed Library Purchase Request form to a library reference desk. Copies of this form may be obtained from any University library reference desk.

Instead of recommending a library purchase, an individual may consider requesting the needed publication through an interlibrary loan. To request such a loan, submit a completed Interlibrary Loan/Material Request form and a completed IRI (see 70.05) to a library reference desk or to the Interlibrary Loan Office on the first floor of Holland Library. Copies of the request form may be obtained at a University library reference desk.