Finding Number: 2022-005 - Procurement Compliance Institutional Response: Lander University acknowledges this one sample procurement lacked adequate competitive quotes to support the reasonableness of price. It is believed the procurement was rushed in an effort to have authorized and appropriate PPE available to incoming students. With the purchase equating to $2.03 per compliant cloth mask under the CDC guidance at the time, this purchase was reasonable. The observation is correct that the supporting documentation did not present two additional quotes. This procurement was initiated by the campus bookstore staff, who typically are exempt from state procurement under Section 11-35-710 when purchasing items for resale. While this purchase was not for resale, the staff in the bookstore followed their typically acceptable purchasing structure, not realizing the source of funding placed the procurement back under state requirements. This effort was in support of the institution, but it bypassed the more stringent process of purchases passing through the procurement office. While debarment information is shared via standardized terms and conditions documents associated with purchase orders and solicitations, the department is left to check various websites created for state and federal purposes, listing those vendors the university is not to do business with. Such searches were not documented in the procurement files. Doing so is not a necessary step, but the University is aware it needs to ensure prospective vendors are first reviewed against debarment lists. Corrective Action: Lander University will strive to improve controls. Bookstore employees will be trained on state procurement procedures when using non-exempt funds, although such procurements are extremely rare. The procurement department will engage the staff to make sure they understand which funds and purchases are exempt from state procurement and which are not. The Office of Procurement will create a written procedure on debarments, detailing out how to verify a vendor is clear to do business with Lander University. Lander University will add a section to the procurement requisition form to acknowledge the vendor was thoroughly reviewed against active lists. Responsible department for corrective action: Office of Procurement and the Office of Finance and Administration