The procurement standards included in Subpart D, Section 200.317-200.327, of the Uniform Guidance apply to the procurement of goods and services directly charged to a federal award. The standards strongly emphasize procurement methodology to achieve the goals of increased accountability and competition.
In reviewing the general procurement standards (§200.318 and §200.319), here are some key items that must be followed:
- Necessary purchases -A nonfederal entity must avoid unnecessary or duplicative purchases. To this end, an entity should consider the most efficient and effective approach to purchases, e.g., bulk purchasing, lease versus purchase, agreements for the use of common or shared goods and services, use of federal excess and surplus property as opposed to purchasing new equipment, etc.
- Records - A nonfederal entity must maintain documentation to support the procurement history, i.e., the rationalization for the method used, contractor selection or rejection , basis for the contract price, etc.
To ensure compliance with Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200, noted above, this Memorandum serves as a reminder for the UAH Research community to ensure that your department participates in the university inventory events by working on your surveys and providing the information requested by Asset Management.
It is essential to comply with this requirement because if we fail to locate the equipment, we may lose the ability as a university to receive federally sponsored research dollars. So again, your assistance with the equipment survey is vital and needed.
In addition, when you are contacted or entering information concerning the percentage of usage, it is incumbent on you, to be honest by providing the true and correct percentage of use. Your cooperation in these matters is greatly appreciated.
