Business Policies and Procedures Manual
Chapter 70: Purchasing

Purchasing Published Materials

BPPM 70.26

For more information contact:
   Purchasing Services
   509-335-3541


Definition

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

Standard Procedures

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

  • Process a purchasing card to purchase publications if the cost of the order, including shipping charges and sales or compensatory tax charged by the supplier, does not exceed the single transaction limit assigned to the card (see BPPM 70.08).
  • Process a Purchase Order in Workday to purchase publications if the cost of the order does not exceed $10,000, not including shipping and tax. (See the Workday Create and Change Purchase Order reference guide.)
  • Process a Requisition in Workday to purchase publications from outside suppliers if the cost of the order exceeds $10,000. (See BPPM 70.10 and the Workday Create Requisition reference guide.)

Special Procedures

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

Prepayment by Check Required

Certain professional organizations and governmental agencies do not accept purchasing card transactions and require that a check accompany each order.

The Controller’s Office makes a prepayment if a supplier’s order form or other documentation from a supplier is submitted with the Requisition in Workday. The submitted documentation should substantiate the following:

  • Prepayment is required
  • Vendor’s address
  • 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.

A department may not request prepayment simply to avoid postage or handling charges unless these charges exceed $50.00.

Subscriptions/Renewals/Memberships

If the publisher or association does not accept procurement card transactions, process a Requisition to purchase a subscription, renewal, and/or professional membership.

Provide Purchasing Services with evidence of the current rate. Attach one of the following to the Requisition in Workday:

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

Reprints and Page Charges

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

If the publisher or association does not accept procurement card transactions, the department may use a Purchase Order in Workday to make a reprint purchase. (See the Workday Create and Change Purchase Order reference guide.) Route the galley and the supplier’s order form with the Purchase Order sent to the supplier.

If the cost exceeds $10,000, the department must use a Requisition in Workday. The galley may be returned with a copy of the supplier’s order form indicating that the “Purchase Order to follow.” (See BPPM 70.10 and the Workday Create Requisition reference guide.)

Include the following shipping and billing addresses on the supplier’s order form which accompanies the galley proofs.

Shipping Address

The shipping address must include the following information:

  • Washington State University
  • Address of the campus central receiving department (see BPPM 70.14)
  • Department name
  • Department Order number or the number of the purchase order issued for a Requisition, or
  • If purchased with a procurement card, include the name of the recipient, building, and room number (see BPPM 70.08).

The information assists the campus receiving department with recording the shipment as received in Workday. This expedites payment to the supplier (see BPPM 70.14).

Note: Do not use a departmental address or a home address as the shipping address.

Billing Address

Enter one of the following billing addresses on the vendor’s order form:

Purchasing Card Purchase Washington State University
(Dept. Name)
(Department Address, City, State, Zip)
Workday Purchase Order / Requisition Washington State University
PO Box 641025
Pullman, WA 99164-1025
Attn: (DO or Dept. Req. No.)
Completing the Order

Use a procurement card (see BPPM 70.08), or complete a Purchase Order or Requisition in Workday. (See BPPM 70.10 and the Workday Create Requisition reference guide).

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 in the procurement card transaction notes, on the Purchase Order, or on the Requisition in Workday.

Include page charges (if appropriate) 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 suppliers, prepare a separate procurement card transaction, Purchase Order, or Requisition for each supplier.

Route a legible copy of the supplier’s order form with the Purchase Order or Requisition. If processing the order with a procurement card, route a legible copy of the supplier’s order form to the supplier with the procurement card information.

Library Materials

Departments are to consider using the University library system as an alternative for publications needed for brief reference.

Purchase

To recommend that the library add a publication to its permanent collection, submit a completed Library Purchase Request form.

Interlibrary Loan

Instead of recommending a library purchase, an individual may consider requesting the needed publication through an interlibrary loan.

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Revisions:  Jan. 2021 (Rev. 560); June 2012 (Rev. 398); Nov. 2011 (Rev. 390); Jan. 2011 (Rev. 374); Sept. 1988 (Rev. 130); May 1979 – new policy (Rev. 32).