Vendor Information

General Information
The University of Alabama in Huntsville considers all vendors to be valuable assets in fulfilling its education, health, research, and service missions.  As such, vendors should conduct their business openly, fairly, and honestly.  All vendors are expected to fulfill their contractual commitments to the University in terms of cost, delivery, and quality of products and services.  University procurement contracts are a matter of public record, and they are based upon formal competitive bids or good faith negotiations between the University and the vendor.  Failure to fulfill contractual commitments can jeopardize a company's status as an acceptable University vendor.

The following statement is applicable to all Requests for Formal Bid and Contracts for Professional Services that are required on all taxable sales and leases into Alabama:

 Certification Pursuant To Act No. 2006-557

Alabama Law (Section 41-4-116, Code of Alabama 1975) provides that every bid submitted and contract executed shall contain a certification that the vendor, contractor, and all of its affiliates that make sales for delivery into Alabama or leases for use in Alabama are registered, collecting, and remitting Alabama state and local sales, use, and/or lease tax on all taxable sales and leases into Alabama.  By submitting this bid, the bidder is hereby certifying that they are in full compliance with Act No. 2006-557, they are not barred from bidding or entering into a contract pursuant to 41-4-116, and acknowledges that the awarding authority may declare the contract void if the certification is false.

Vendors should call for appointments with the buying staff prior to visiting the campus.  Calling ahead enables the Procurement Officers to schedule their time more efficiently and assures a vendor's representative that the Procurement Officer will be available when he or she visits the campus.

                                                  Normal business hours are:
                        8:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.    and from    12:45 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The University buying staff is organized into specialized procurement areas, which enables them to keep abreast of products and sources of supply in each marketplace.  The Procurement Officers are constantly seeking new sources of supply to enhance competition and ensure the best value per expenditure of institutional funds.  Contact Procurement Services for more information on becoming a University of Alabama in Huntsville vendor.  Please refer to the Procurement Officer Commodity List to identify the Procurement Officer responsible for the procurement of your company's products or services.  The staff members of Procurement Services are prohibited from accepting any personal gifts or gratuities. We appreciate our vendor's cooperation in supporting this policy.

As part of the overall Purchasing objectives, the University seeks to provide maximum opportunity for minority, disadvantaged and small business enterprises to quality as contractor and suppliers of good and services to the University.  Their participation in business activities reflects the University commitment to support the economic development of all segments of the business community.

Bid Information
In the case of competitive bidding, award of a Purchase Order will be made to the bidder who submits the lowest and best bid which conforms to specifications, terms, and conditions of the invitation to bid.  Consideration will also be given to the bidder's potential ability to meet the invitation's terms and conditions as well as the bidder's integrity and performance record.  Bids are accepted on the University's bid form only.

All bid openings are conducted at 1:30 p.m. (CST), unless the vendors are notified of a change in writing.  All bids are open to the public.  Interested bidders may request that a specific bid be read aloud by appearing in person at the bid opening site when bids are scheduled to open.  No information or opinions concerning the ultimate contract award will be given at the bid opening or during the evaluation process.  Late or faxed bids will not be accepted.

After the public opening of bids, bidders not attending the opening will not receive the results until after an award is made.  Bid results and tabulations will not be made available by telephone, fax, mail, or email.  Information pertaining to complete files may be secured by visiting Procurement Services during normal working hours.  Once the Bid is awarded, the award information and tabulations will be posted to the website.

Vendor's representatives may provide demonstrators or loaner equipment for purposes of exploration/examination.  This is done entirely at the option of the vendor and with no commitment by the University.  Vendors are cautioned in these cases to secure a signed receipt from the authorized individual and must advise Procurement Services.         

Accounting Information
The University of Alabama in Huntsville is an instrumentality of the State of Alabama and is tax exempt, State Certificate #EX-742, Federal Tax Exempt #63-0520830.  Institutional purchasing policies have been established to insure compliance with all state procurement statutes and to obtain the best value per acquisition.

Vendors should submit all invoices in triplicate (one marked original) to:
          The University of Alabama in Huntsville
          Accounts Payable Department
          Huntsville, AL 35899

Invoices must contain proper quantities, item description, and unit cost with total price.  All invoices must reference the Purchase Order number.  Inquiries regarding the status of vendor invoices may be made to Accounts Payable at 256-824-2251.  Procurement Services will assist vendors in resolving problems with payment should they arise.