OU official informs faculty of changes in campus purchasing

An Ohio University official Monday evening informed Faculty Senate about the university's efforts to reduce the use of purchasing cards, and move toward an electronic, central system for purchasing.

Director of Procurement Services Laura Nowicki said the new system eventually will gradually replace the P-card system that OU faculty and staffers use to purchase necessities, though it won't go away entirely.

The program essentially will change the paper process of transactions to all electronic, automated E-Procurement and Payment to maximize savings, according Nowicki.

The new Bobcat Buy program aims to connect with other universities in Ohio and their suppliers in a more efficient way to procure items and stretch the money university employees have to spend.

"We are encouraging faculty to collaborate with other universities around the state to drive down the cost of supplies," Nowicki said. "We like to refer to this shift as 'not your father's purchase order' because it empowers you to have control over what you buy, and it doesn't involve paper."

The program has more flexibility than a P-card alone, she said, and Bobcat Buy initially will used in addition to P-cards as another "tool in the box." Additionally, she explained that the goal is for faculty to procure what they need while negotiating discounts for their departments with more informed decisions.

"We want to clarify the PCard will not be going away with Bobcat Buy, but it may decrease in use with the new program," Nowicki said.

Some faculty members expressed concerns about specific department needs and current relationships with suppliers.

Professor Ken Brown and other faculty members inquired about the freedom faculty currently have with purchases, but was reassured by Nowicki that there will be no extra hoops to jump through with Bobcat Buy.

"We understand that is essentially impossible to expect certain departments to switch from their niche suppliers and emergency orders," she said. "We just want to provide everyone with options to save money and connect with other universities. The current P-card is powerful, with a dark side like Darth Vader. There is a lack of oversight at the front end of the process, and we want to help improve that."

Faculty members expressed skepticism but said they're open to continued presentations and information.