Contract Performance

A vendor must provide supplies and services conforming to the solicitation and award.  Failure to perform according to the specifications within the stated time may cause contract cancellation and may create a liability for costs the College incurs in correcting deficiencies or obtaining replacement supplies and services.

Inspection

All supplies received are subject to inspection and testing.  If supplies are defective or fail to meet the bid specifications, the College shall have the right to reject the goods or to correct the defects.  The vendor shall pay the College for expenses incurred in correcting defects.

The College will refuse delivery or hold rejected supplies for forty-five days after delivery awaiting instructions from the vendor.  After the forty-five-day period, the College will dispose of the supplies without liability to the vendor.  The vendor is responsible for the costs of handling, packing and transportation incurred in returning or disposing of defective or nonconforming supplies.  If the inspection shows that the vendor is in default, the College may immediately cancel the contract or purchase order and hold the vendor responsible for any excess costs in purchasing a replacement.

Customer Complaints

The Purchasing Department will make contact with the vendor regarding problems in contract performance.  If the complaint remains unresolved, the Purchasing Department will send the vendor a formal letter of complaint.

The Purchasing Department may take any of the following actions when it finds the complaint is justified:

• Contract Cancellation:  The Purchasing Department may cancel the purchase order, assess the vendor for any damages and consider the vendor non-responsive and not eligible for participation in an award when the contract is rebid.
• Debarment:  After notice to the vendor and the opportunity for a hearing, the Purchasing Department may debar a vendor for cause from receiving and submitting bids and from award of College purchases.  The length of debarment depends on the vendor’s past performance, the number and seriousness of the current complaints, the likelihood of recurrence, the reason for the deficient performance and the cost to the College associated with correcting the problem.  The director is the only individual authorized to issue a debarment.

Vendor Complaints

If the requesting campus customer makes demands that exceed the terms and conditions of the Purchase Order, the vendor should contact the Purchasing Department.  Only the Purchasing Department may change contract terms, specifications, conditions, or prices.  Neither the requesting campus customer or project manager can alter the contract terms, specifications, conditions, or prices.  This will be accomplished through issuance of a Change Order to the Purchase Order.

Change Orders

If the requesting campus customer’s requirements change after award, the Purchasing Department has sole authority to approve mutually acceptable modifications.  The Purchasing Department may issue a Change Order reflecting a modification in a purchase order or contract.  If a vendor complies with a requesting campus customer’s request to alter a contract or purchase order without formal authorization from the Purchasing Department, the vendor may not be entitled to payment for the modified performance.

Only the Purchasing Department has authority to modify a purchase order.  If a change in price, performance, of terms is necessary, the Purchasing Department may issue a Change Order.  The requesting campus customer has no authority to approve changes.  A vendor rendering modified performance without a Change Order risks being found in default.

Payment Procedure

Vendor that provide supplies and services to the College are entitled to be paid promptly.  To initiate payment for supplies and services, the following documentation must be completed:

• Purchase Order
• Received Goods Form
• Vendor Invoice

Vendors should mail invoices to:

7110 - Accounting & Payroll
Lansing Community College
PO Box 40010
Lansing, MI 48901-7210

Invoices received without a Purchase Order/Blanket number will be delayed for payment until a number is identified.