We are not allowed to purchase chemicals on credit card either, but that comes from the policy of our Safety Office and that policy has been in place for as long as we have had government issued credit cards. They want to maintain control and knowledge over what chemicals come on Center. We now have a centralized hazardous materials management system that is supposed to follow the inventory of the chemical from order initiation through any waste disposal. There is a dedicated office with several personnel who are responsible for this system: placing orders, maintaining the SDSs, chemical inventory, etc. My experience is that it is easy to order chemicals and their arrival is conditioned more upon the response time of the supplier.
Previously, when these orders had to go through the regular purchasing department, more paperwork was required and ordering times could be ridiculous.
Once credit cards became part of the procurement process, all other orders less than $3000 were more or less mandated to be made by credit card to reduce procurement costs.
Since your institution is moving to a centralized stockroom, perhaps management could be convinced to permit the Stockroom Manager to purchase chemicals with approval for purchase of chemicals never previously ordered coming from some level in Safety or department Management.
Good luck!
Regina Cody
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
________________________________________
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] on behalf of Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety [secretary**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG]
Sent: Sunday, August 03, 2014 8:33 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Question about Chemical Orders

From: Tambasco, Aniello [mailto:aniello.tambasco**At_Symbol_Here**wilkes.edu]
Sent: Saturday, August 02, 2014 8:53 PM
Subject: Question for the discussion board....Chemical Orders

Hi all-

Our purchasing department is giving us a tough time about ordering chemicals on a pcard (University issued credit card). Does anybody have a policy that they can share with us. Procurement does not want to give up the power because they insist on POs for all orders. The funny thing is that they don't even know what the chemicals are for. We started to move into a centralized stockroom but procurement is on a power trip.
We are open for any suggestions and any sample policies that take place at other universities.

Thanks,
Aniello Tambasco MBA
Lab Tech. & Assistant
Wilkes University Chemistry Dept.
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766

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