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Office of Business Affairs
Information for Vendors

Doing Business with the University

In an effort to best meet the needs of the campus and those of the vendor community, the Office of Purchasing and Contracts maintains a vendor database of pertinent information on vendors seeking to do business with the University. If you would like to be added to the vendor database please complete the Vendor Registration Form.

Electronic Payments

The New York State Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) in conjunction with the Governor’s Office of Taxpayer Accountability has instituted a mandatory electronic payment program for all vendors doing business with the State of New York as part of an overall strategy to increase government efficiencies and cut costs.

Accordingly, all contracts and purchase orders executed after February 29, 2010 must contain a provision that requires vendors to accept electronic payments. As such, in fulfillment of this requirement, all vendors, in order to receive payment from the State, are required to complete and submit to OSC either an Electronic Payment Authorization Form for Individuals or an Electronic Payments Authorization Form for Government Entities, Vendors, Not-for-Profits.

The complete form is to be sent directly to OSC (do not send it to the University) at the following address:

NYS Office of the State Comptroller
Bureau of State Accounting Operations
Warrants & Payment Control Unit
110 State Street -9th Floor
Albany, NY 12236

Questions can be directed to OSC by either phone at (518) 474-6019 and (518) 402-4067 or e-mail helpdesk@sfs.ny.gov

Substitute Form W-9

Pursuant to the NYS Office of the State Comptroller mandate, it is the responsibility of the University to collect from each vendor which we do business with a Substitute Form W-9. Prior to any purchase order being issued or any contract being finalized a Substitute Form W-9 must be on file with the Office of Purchasing and Contracts. Soleproprietors who are not U.S. citizens and businesses organized/incorporated outside of the United States are required to complete and submit an IRS Form W-8 in addition to the Substitute Form W-9.

Small Business Development Office

The University has many resources to help small businesses including the Small Business Development Office.

Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises

Vendors who are interested in becoming certified as a minority or women-owned business enterprise can get information from the Division of Minority and Women-Owned Business Development of Empire State Development.

New York State Contract Reporter

The University is required to publish bids of $50,000 or more in the New York State Contract Reporter. This newspaper is published hard copy and electronically by Empire State Development and contains solicitations from most State Government Agencies. On a quarterly basis the University publishes a list of possible procurements and a vendor form is printed in order for suppliers to be added to our vendor file for possible future bids. The electronic version can be accessed via the New York State Contract Reporter.

Vendor Responsibility – Office of the State Comptroller

Section 163 of the NYS Finance Law requires that all contract awards be made only to responsive and responsible vendors. In order to determine responsibility, responders to any solicitation are required to complete a Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire, and to certify that all information is true and accurate. A finding of non-responsibility will result in the rejection of a vendor proposal, or the termination of a contract.

The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry recommends that vendors file the required Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire online via the New York State VendRep System.  To enroll in and use the New York State VendRep System, see the VendRep System Instructions available or go directly to the VendRep System.

Vendors must provide their New York State Vendor Identification Number when enrolling.  To request assignment of a Vendor ID or for VendRep System assistance, contact the Office of the State Comptroller’s Help Desk at 866-370-4672 or 518-408-4672 or by email at ciohelpdesk@osc.state.ny.us

Vendors opting to complete and submit a paper questionnaire can obtain the appropriate questionnaire from the VendRep website or may contact the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry or the Office of the State Comptroller’s Help Desk for a copy of the paper form.

Procurement Debriefing

It is the policy of the University to notify, in writing, every non-winning responder of his or her right to schedule a debriefing with the Purchasing Associate in charge of this procurement. The debriefing opportunity will be limited to the responder's evaluation results as they apply to their proposal and not as a comparison to the winning responder. To schedule a debriefing the non-winning responder may contact the Purchasing Associate in charge of this procurement within 5 business days of the date of the non-selection letter.

Bid Document Protest – University

A protest concerning a Bid Document must be received, in writing, in the Office of Purchasing and Contracts, at least 10 business days before the date for the receipt of bids or at least 48 hours before the date for the receipt of bids if there are less than 10 days between date of issuance of the bid and the date for the receipt of bids. The protest must contain a statement of all grounds for disagreement including a description of remedies sought. All supporting documentation must be included at the time of filing.

In consultation with the Director of Business Affairs, the Purchasing Manager shall conduct an extensive review of the records and ascertain whether or not the protest has merit. The Purchasing Manager will then deliver a recommendation to the protestor. A decision shall be sent to the protesting party within 30 business days of receipt of the protest. In the event of an unfavorable decision, the protester shall be given the right to appeal to the decision. The notice to appeal of the Purchasing Manager’s decision must be received by the Director of Business Affairs within 15 business days after the date of the decision.

Bid Award Protest - University

Protests concerning a Proposed Bid Award must be received, in writing, in the Office of Purchasing and Contracts, within 10 business days of the date of the notice of award. The protest must contain a statement of all grounds for disagreement including a description of remedies sought. All supporting documentation must be included at the time of filing.

In consultation with the Director of Business Affairs, the Purchasing Manager shall conduct an extensive review of the records and ascertain whether or not the protest has merit. The Purchasing Manager will then deliver a recommendation to the protestor. A decision shall be sent to the protesting party within 30 business days of receipt of the protest. In the event of an unfavorable decision, the protester shall be given the right to appeal to the decision. The notice to appeal of the Purchasing Manager’s decision must be received by the Director of Business Affairs within 15 business days after the date of the decision.

Contract Protest Procedure

Once a contract has been awarded a vendor can file a Protest Directly with OSC if (1) the University has not provided notice of protest procedures in the solicitation document; or (2) the facts giving rise to the protest are not known or could not have been known by the date the protest was to be filed with the University.

This protest must contain the specific factual and/or legal allegations that the vendor is challenging in the awarding of the contract and it must be filed within 10 business days of notice of award. If notice of award is not known, the protest must be filed prior to the OSC Bureau of Contracts approval of the award. A copy of the protest shall be delivered to the University and to the successful bidder, if known. The successful bidder may file a response with OSC with copies being sent to the University and to the protesting party. OSC G-Bulletin 232 provides additional information.

University Protest Appeal – Office of the State Comptroller (OSC)

An Appeal of a Protest may be made to OSC if the protesting party files a protest directly with the University and the University determines the protest is without merit. The protesting party has 10 business days from the date of the University's determination to file an appeal with OSC. A copy of the appeal to OSC must be delivered to the University. OSC will evaluate the merits of the protest and the University’s determination in making its decision. They may obtain relevant information from outside sources. OSC G-Bulletin 232 provides additional information.

SPOTA Legislation

The University is required to

  • Collect and maintain payroll records for five years from the date of completion of the work.
  • Designate in writing an individual in their employ to be responsible to collect certified payrolls and review for facial validity. This person’s name must be posted in a conspicuous location at the project site. Contact your University project manager for the campus designee.

A contractor that willfully fails to file payroll records to the University shall be guilty of a Class E Felony and subject to a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per day.

The filing of payrolls to the University is a condition of payment.

Willful underpayments can be punished as a criminal offense ranging from a Class A Misdemeanor to a Class C Felony as follows:

  • An employer failing to pay prevailing wages in an amount less than $25,000 will be guilty of a Class A Misdemeanor.
  • An employer failing to pay prevailing wages in an amount greater than $25,000 will be guilty of a Class E Felony.
  • An employer failing to pay prevailing wages in an amount greater than $100,000 will be guilty of a Class D Felony.
  • An employer failing to pay prevailing wages in an amount greater than $500,000 will be guilty of a Class C Felony.
  • Second violators within a five year period would be required to surrender their profits and would forfeit their right to receive further payment on the project.

Any person who willfully fails to file the requested payroll records within ninety days of a demand by the fiscal officer shall be guilty of a Class A Misdemeanor, provided, however, that a person who violates this subdivision after having previously been convicted of violating this subdivision within the past five years shall be guilty of a Class E Felony.

Prevailing Wages

On each pay stub contractors and subcontractors are required to provide written notice to all laborers, workers or mechanics of the prevailing wage rate for their particular job classification. In the event that the required information will not fit on the pay stub, an accompanying sheet or attachment of the information will suffice. They are required to post a notice at the beginning of the performance of every public work contract on each job site that includes the telephone number and address for the Department of Labor and a statement informing laborers, workers or mechanics of their right to contact the Department of Labor if he/she is not receiving the proper prevailing rate of wages and/or supplements for his/her particular job classification. The required notification will be provided with each wage schedule, may be downloaded from the Department of Labor website or made available upon request by contacting the Bureau of Public Work at 518-457-5589.

This provision is an addition to the existing prevailing wage rate law, Labor Law Section 220, paragraph a of subdivision 3-a.

The prevailing wage bill passed the Assembly and the Senate in June of 2007 and became effective in February 2008.

Single Source Procurement

A single source procurement is defined as a purchase from a supplier, because of limiting circumstances, who is chosen without soliciting for the minimum number of bids and proposals, despite the fact that competition exists.

Paragraph 10b(ii) of Section 163 of the New York State Finance Law stipulates that state agencies shall, for all single source procurement contracts, make available for public inspection on the agency website, a summary of the circumstances and material and substantial reasons why a competitive procurement is not feasible.

Please feel free to view the latest listing of the University’s Single Source Procurements.