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UH and the WSCA contract


Introduction

The Western States Contracting Alliance (WSCA), a multi-state contracting consortium of state governments, recently awarded new contracts for computer equipment, software, peripherals and related services at volume dicounted prices. The State Procurement Office (SPO), on behalf of the University of Hawaii and other Hawaii purchasing jurisdictions, will participate in the WSCA computer contract and has issued SPO Vendors List No. 05-14.

Vendors

Although the SPO has released a Vendor List, University purchases should follow the procedures delineated in the OPRPM Circular No. 05-006 and OPRPM Circular No. 06-010.  Vendor contact information can be found on the WSCA Vendors page..

NOTE: In an effort to standardize personal computer hardware within the UH system, ITS recommends purchasing Dell computers from the WSCA contract. (For more information, please visit: UH Dell Information.) However, departments are not precluded from purchasing computers from the other manufacturers.

FAQ

Q: Due to the potentially high dollar amount of the purchases, are departments still required to solicit multiple quotations although they are purchasing from the WSCA contract?
A: Multiple quotations are not required for purchases in any dollar amount under the WSCA contract.

Q:
My fiscal officer (FO) requires that I fill in a sole source form as I haven't gotten any other competitive pricing for the computers. My understanding was that we didn't need it. Why is my FO requiring it?

A: University procedures do not require a sole source justification for purchases of any dollar amount from the WSCA contract. However, based on internal departmental procedures, fiscal officers may impose additional procurement requirements, e.g., the sole brand form. Furthermore, any WSCA purchase of $2,500 or more requires completion of FORM 95 "Determination of Cost or Price Reasonableness".

Q: Why is a Form 95, Determination of Cost or Price Reasonableness, required for WSCA purchases of $2,500 or more?

A: Unlike other University requirements contracts which were awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidders, the WSCA contract was awarded on the basis of a request for proposals in which price was just one of several evaluation factors. As a result, the final awards were made to the vendors who scored highest on all of the evaluation factors but not necessarily the vendors who offered the lowest prices. Therefore, in the absence of multiple quotations and to ensure that the purchase price is being evaluated and has been determined to be fair and reasonable, the Form 95 is required.

Q: If I use Superquote to get quotes on computer hardware and software and I find cheaper quotes from WSCA am I bound to purchase from the vendors who submitted quotes through Superquote?

A: No. If the WSCA quote is less than any of the SuperQuote quotes you receive, you may proceed to award to the WSCA contract vendor and not make any award under the SuperQuote solicitation

Q: Dell and Apple both offer Higher Education prices. If the Higher Education quote is cheaper than the WSCA quote am I bound to purchase using the WSCA quote?

A: No. You may proceed to purchase using the non-WSCA quote. Normal University purchasing procedures will apply since you are not purchasing through WSCA.

ref: http://www.hawaii.edu/its/micro/pc/uhwsca.html

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Article ID: 635
Created: Fri, 11 Aug 2006 1:40pm
Modified: Mon, 12 May 2008 3:41pm