Departmental Furniture Purchases

Purpose

To ensure compliance with Public Act 88-515, and to ensure proper management of funds and resources related to providing or procuring furnishings for the Urbana campus.

Scope

This policy applies to all furniture for the Urbana campus with a purchase price in excess of $500. The Urbana campus has a standardized style and quality of office furniture and systems to be used throughout the Urbana campus. These furnishings are available through Facilities & Services Stores. Units ordering office furniture should adhere to the Urbana campus standards and are encouraged to order through Facilities & Services Stores (but may also order through the Purchasing Division).

Authority

This policy is implemented under the authority of the Executive Director of Facilities & Services.

Policy

In accordance with Public Act 88-515, implemented on July 1, 1994, all furniture with a purchase price of $500 or greater requires an affidavit from the State Surplus Property Warehouse indicating there is no acceptable furniture in the State Surplus Warehouse. This approval must be obtained prior to processing any order for new furniture.

Departments are encouraged to select from this standardized style and/or order exceptions through Facilities & Services.

Processes/Procedures/Guidelines

Catalogs picturing and listing the furniture on which the Urbana campus has standards (Illinois Public Higher Education Cooperative contract) are available from the Purchasing Division and, subject to availability, may be checked out upon request.

For all requests to install panels/dividers in a University building, the Department is to provide a scaled layout showing the locations of the panels/dividers. Facilities & Services, Planning Division will review the layout to determine whether to approve or deny the request based on life safety codes.

A department wishing to purchase a furniture style other than the standardized items must send a letter of justification approved by the Dean or Director along with a completed Requisition. The Purchasing Division will then forward copies of these to the Facilities & Services Director of Planning for final review and approval.

Departments not ordering through Facilities & Services will be responsible for delivery, uncrating, setting in place, assembling, handling damage claims and repairs, replacement parts, and paperwork (i.e. Receiving Reports, invoices, and vendor contacts). (All of these services are offered by Facilities & Services when orders are processed through them.)

Wood office furniture may be purchased for the personal office of Deans and Directors reporting directly to the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor or equivalent. Departmentally controlled conference rooms and lounges may have wood furnishings if the rooms are secure. A requisition for the purchase of wood furniture for offices other than those mentioned above requires a letter of justification and final approval signed by the Dean or Director to accompany the Requisition. The Purchasing Division may grant approval if all items are correctly included with the Requisition or the Purchasing Division will forward copies of these to the Facilities & Services Director of Planning for final review and approval.

Exemptions

The University Housing Division is exempt from the wood furniture policy, provided they maintain licensed architects and licensed interior designers on staff.

Contact

Further questions concerning this policy statement should be directed to Facilities & Services Director of Planning, (217) 244-8817.