Doing Business with UND
Vendor Information
Purchases Under $10,000
There are a number of ways for the University to procure items. For those purchases under $10,000 you may receive a quotation request.
Purchases Above $10,000
For purchase above $10,000 we have five main options:
- Cooperative agreement/State contracts
- Bid
- Request for Proposal (RFP)
- Alternate Procurement
- Exempt Purchase (NDCC 54-44.4-02)
Bid
A bid can be awarded to one vendor or multiple vendors as defined in the bid. It is awarded to the responsible bidder with the lowest cost that meets specifications.
RFP
A request for proposal (RFP) is typically awarded to one vendor and is based on the award criteria outlined in the RFP. Typically the scoring has two parts: technical and cost. The technical score is based on the proposal team member's evaluations. The cost score is typically mathematical with the lowest cost proposal receiving the maximum points and the remaining proposals are awarded a percentage of the points based on the lowest cost proposal. For example, if a cost proposal is twice the cost of the lowest cost proposal then they will receive half of the points.
Alternate Procurement
An Alternate Procurement occurs when circumstances exist that a procurement cannot follow the entire competitive procurement process. This exists for sole source, limited competition and emergency purchases. A sole source means that the product or service is unique and that the vendor, to the best of the requestor's knowledge, based on the thorough research of the requestor, is the only vendor able to furnish the product or service. Limited procurement means requirements are restricted to some limited competition. For example, when products or services are exclusive to particular individuals or business entities are required and competition for the proprietary product or service exists or when circumstances require that commodities or services be provided by bidders or offerors within a specific geographic area. The University follows SBHE policy 803.1 for non-competitive purchases.
Our Office specifically handles purchases greater than $10,000. Individual departments typically handle purchases under $10,000 and you may see a quote request from them.
Bid/RFP Opportunities
UND Vendor List
UND maintains a vendor list, send an email to UND.pps@UND.edu to be added to our list. Provide the following:
- Company name
- Contact name
- Phone number
- Overview of products and services
North Dakota OMB Vendor List
The North Dakota OMB Procurement Office also maintains a vendor list. Vendors on the Bidders List receive notice of state bidding opportunities issued on the State Procurement online system. Please visit the Office of Management and Budget website to find the Bidders List Application and instructions. Vendors must also comply with North Dakota Secretary of State registration requirements.
Contact the Vendor Registry Help Desk at 701.328.2773 or infospo@nd.gov if you have any questions about the Bidders List Application.
Department Vendor Lists
Also, departments provide bidders with their bid/RFP requests. At times UND may use a combination of bidders lists.
How are solicitations sent?
From our office, bids and RFPs are either emailed or posted on the ND State Procurement Office (SPO) website. At $50,000 we are advised to use the State Procurement Office's website to post solicitations.
Required Vendor Documentation
This list does cover a lot of the required documentation but there may be cases that additional documentation may be requested.
- W-9
- W-8BEN - Foreign Individuals
- W-8BEN-E- Foreign Entities
- SAM Registration
- PO Terms - Applicable if no signed agreement
- Tax Exempt Certificates
- Taxes - Foreign 30% Tax withholding
- IT/Software - We may require additional software documentation to include:
- Learfield Licensing - We require vendors who are printing our logo and trademarks to be registered with Learfield. Contact our licensing office or our office for any questions.
- Export Controls - Foreign vendors and any export control restricted items are vetted by our export controls office. As such, vendors may be required to provide additional information and documentation.
- PCI - UND requires vendors to show proof of compliance with PCI standards whenever processing credit cards on behalf of UND. In addition, we may require approval from the Bank of North Dakota. For any questions contact UND Treasury.
- NRTL Requirements - Most electrical equipment needs to be NRTL listed per North Dakota Electrical Board. Any questions please contact our office.
ND Secretary of State Registration
- State registration may or may not be required
- If registration required, fees may apply. Proceed to State Registration select “Start a Business.” Create a username and password. Contact the Secretary of State, Business Services at 701.328.2904 or sosbir@nd.gov for assistance.
- See vendor registration guidance for additional information.
Contract/Addendum to Terms
Typically we require a contract for all purchases over $10,000. You can review our contract terms on our forms page under "contracts". Keep in mind that UND is an institution of the State of North Dakota, as such there are State laws that need to be adhered to and at times may conflict with a vendor's terms and conditions.
Vendor Insurance Requirements
Typically we require proof of insurance. In general, we require general liability limits of $1,000,000 and listed as additional insured. Our standard insurance language can be found in our contract templates. Also, we utilize the ND Risk Management guidance to determine the appropriate insurance language. Lastly, for ND, WY, WA, OH vendors we typically require proof of employers liability/stop gap insurance. If there are any questions, you may contact our office or our risk management office.
How Vendors Get Paid by UND
- Purchase Order - standard practice is you will receive a PO for purchases greater than $10,000. Please reference the PO number on your invoices.
- Invoices can be sent to und.invoices@trustflowds.com
- Payment Methods
- PCard - we prefer to pay with a purchase card when possible.
- ACH
- Wire
- Check
Additional Information
- UND W9
- UND Policy
- SBHE Policy
- North Dakota Century Code
- Uniform Guidance
- Reciprocal Preference Law - for bids and RFPs we may need to apply reciprocal preference laws. For more information, contact a procurement officer.
- Construction/Architect/Engineering - for these services we follow two separate North Dakota Century Codes. We also typically utilize AIA contracts. Please contact Sam Bales for any questions.
- Printing - North Dakota has a preference law for printed stock. Typically these services are awarded to a North Dakota vendor. Any questions contact Tom Scrivener.
- FOIA Requests