The Ball State Purchasing Services Office provides an extensive set of services to the University. The primary goal of our office is to regulate responsible purchasing practices to assure the successful acquisition of goods and services. Our staff provides a responsible, helpful business environment providing timely results while adhering to the National Association of Educational Procurement code of ethics. 

At Ball State, our approach to purchasing is to provide the most appropriate resources for vendors, employees, and the public concerning our purchasing processes. 

Purchasing Services now offers pocket sized reference guides to the campus community, highlighting the services we offer. To obtain your free copy, please stop by the Purchasing Services office or download a printable version here.

Surplus items available for sale can be obtained at yearly auctions or at GovDeals.com. 

All Purchase Orders are governed by the Ball State University Purchase Order Terms and Conditions. Forms can be found at the link provided and faxed to: (765) 285-5505. All current Public Works projects are listed at the link (below) and can viewed and bid upon within the dates given in the "Notice to Bidder" document. Bid Document Forms (Bid Docs) can be submitted via fax or by email. When requesting documentation related to current projects; documents are provided electronically via the provided download link. All online documents require Adobe Reader.

If you have questions about submitting a W9 to become a vendor, please contact Yvonne Peters. If you are needing a W9, please click here.

 

 Bid Policy
  • For orders under $1,000 generated by individual Ball State University departments, no bids are required.
  • For departmental Purchase Orders ranging from $1,000 to $14,999, competitive bids may be issued.
  • For competitive bids greater than $15,000, competitive bids are required (with the exception of a sole source justification).
  • All bids will include a minimum of two small business vendors when feasible.
  • Construction Projects over $25,000
  • Advertised Construction Projects over $150,000

BID BY INVITATION

  • Formal Bid (generally no negotiation and best/lowest bid wins)
  • RFP (Request for Proposal)
  • RFS (Request for Services)
  • RFQ (Request for Quote)
  • For assistance in getting registered to bid, contact Purchasing Services at: (765) 285-1532
  • Always complete the electronic bid document in its entirety (you can always attach additional information to your bid).
  • Provide references from other large companies or universities if this is your first time bidding with Ball State University.
  • If responding to an RFP, RFS, or an RFQ, be sure to answer all requests outlined in the document. 
  • Bids received after the closing date cannot be considered.
  • Consider the size and scope of the job to ensure it fits your business plan and you are capable of meeting the requirements.
To access a blank W-9 click here

State of Indiana Department of Revenue, in compliance with legislative changes in HEA 1811, requires all state colleges and universities in Indiana to submit for review by the state all contractual vendors of supplies and services.

  • The contracts are subject to the tax clearance process regardless of the dollar amount of the contract or purchase order. A clearance will not be issued if the supplier is delinquent in paying any sales tax liability or if the entity is not registered as a retail merchant.

  • If the supplier is delinquent, the college or university will be notified and is prohibited from continuing to purchase items from the supplier until the IDR issues a tax clearance. If the supplier is in compliance, the IDR will provide no notice.

  • If the supplier is not registered as a retail merchant they must register with the IDR to collect sales tax.  If they are an out of state vendor with no nexus in Indiana, they must still register, but the $25.00 one-time registration fee will be waived. The supplier will be required to collect the sales tax on any other transactions that are subject to the sales tax.

  • When the supplier pays any delinquency or registers with the IDR, the IDR will issue a tax clearance to the supplier, and the college or university will be notified of the clearance.

  • The University is compelled to adhere to this requirement and plays no other role other than to report purchases to the IDR.

All supplier questions should be directed to Indiana Department of Revenue.

Ball State University Purchasing Services will provide a list of non-compliant suppliers in our attempt to comply with the state law and the directives of the Indiana Department of Revenue.  As suppliers are cleared by the Department of Revenue this non-compliance supplier list will be updated and reposted on a monthly basis.

If you have any questions, please call or email the Director of Purchasing Services.

The Ball State University Purchasing Department administers a purchasing card program that allows departments to make simplified purchases. The Purchasing Card is a limited-dollar purchasing resource that is issued to the person(s) responsible for university budget-accounts.

Sci-Quest  E-Procurement

Sci-Quest is an online catalog and ordering system. Users can utilize showcased suppliers or utilize non-catalog items that need to be purchased. Sci-Quest also allows users to complete a form for specific purposes such as requesting equipment, a new supplier, move requests and even a courier request.

 

SciQuest Access Request Procedures

Please note that if you need access to perform the duties outlined in the above procedures, complete a request through the HelpDesk website:

  • go to www.bsu.edu/helpdesk
  • go to ‘Request Services’
  • go to ‘Security Access’
  • go to ‘SciQuest-Security Access’
  • complete form; select role that is needed.
  • Click “Submit”

 

Ball State University trademarks are any marks, letters, nicknames, or words associated with Ball State University. These trademarks are used to identify the University, its athletic programs, documents, publications, and products. Any producer of products bearing any Ball State University marks must have a license before offering those goods for sale. For more information on Trademarks and Licensing, please visit here.