University Contracts that have already been bid and awarded by the Office of Procurement for services that are routinely needed for the University’s operation can also be utilized by any department.  Departments may also utilize contracts that have been bid and awarded by DOAS (Statewide Contracts) for specific services.  Orders placed using University Contracts and Statewide Contracts are not subject to dollar limits.  The Office of Procurement can assist departments with determining whether University Contracts or Statewide Contracts are available resources for securing the service(s) needed. Please note that if a Contract is required by the Supplier in order to perform the service, then the Contracts Office must review and approve the proposed contract. If the desired service is being procured from a University Contract, a Board of Regents, or Statewide Contract, then additional review from the Contracts Office is not needed, unless customizations and/or modifications to the contracted service is required to successfully accomplish what is required for the University. A Contract Submission Form must be completed online prior to signing any contract. 

NOTE:  A Purchase Order is a contract, and a Terms and Conditions document is provided with each purchase order that is sent to a supplier.  When suppliers accept a purchase order, they are in effect accepting the University’s offer to purchase services and goods under the terms and conditions outlined therein, unless a separate contract is negotiated and executed by both parties and incorporated as part of the purchase order contract. 

It is important to involve the Office of Procurement early in the purchasing process to ensure that all requirements are addressed prior to the performance of services, as well as ensuring that the requesting department does not experience delay in delivery of the services needed.

Per the State Accounting Office (SAO) Statewide Purchase Order Policy, all purchases $2,500 or more require the use of a Purchase Order (PO). All purchases involving services totaling $2,500 or more requires a completed and notarized E-Verify Affidavit.

Generally, purchases up to $9,999.99 can be done by a college or department using the GeorgiaFIRST Marketplace or by submitting an ePro Special Request to obtain a purchase order for the item(s) needed. 

Purchases for $10,000 up to $24,999.99 must be procured by securing competitive quotes from at least three (3) suppliers.  Once you have the three quotes, submit an ePro Special Request so that the Office of Procurement can create a Purchase Order prior to ordering the good(s) from the selected supplier. 

Purchases over $25,000 must be competitively bid if the purchases are non-exempt and do not already fall under an existing University (Agency) or Statewide Contract. 

Goods or services may also be ordered utilizing University contracts that may have already been bid and awarded by the Office of Procurement for that particular category of items needed. 

You may also use contracts that have been bid and awarded by Department of Administrative Services (DOAS) Statewide Contracts, many of which are listed on the GeorgiaFIRST Marketplace. A complete list of State contracts can be found on the Team Georgia Marketplace. Please note that the User Name and Password are both “tgmguest" (all lowercase and without quotes).

Orders placed using University and Statewide contracts are not subject to any of the dollar limits mentioned above.  Please contact service.kennesaw.edu/ofs or call 470-578-6214 if you would like further guidance on using University or State contracts.

Office supplies can be purchased from Staples through the GeorgiaFIRST Marketplace located in PeopleSoft.  Department ePro Requesters can access the catalog via the eProcurement menu option in PeopleSoft.

To purchase ink cartridges from Staples, or other items that are listed as "Restricted" on the GA First Marketplace, please reach out to our Staples representative listed below either through the email address or phone number provided:

Live chat on staplesadvantage.com
Email: support@StaplesAdvantage.com
Call: 877-826-7755
Monday-Friday 8am – 8pm ET

The Staples representative will supply a quote for the items that you may either order via P-Card (if allowable) or through a Special Request Requisition.

KSU departments may also continue to use the UGA Print Shop to provide expanded printing/copying services.  The UGA Print Shop handles bulk mailing and is a resource for banners and some signs. 

Departments may contact the UGA Print Shop directly to discuss needs and obtain a quote. Contact information for UGA’s University Printing is located at http://www.printing.uga.edu/contactus.html. 

To have the design/artwork pre-approved through the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing, email requests to designapproval@kennesaw.edu prior to placing an order and/or making a purchasing.

General Information, Quotes and Questions please contact Laura Cropp, Printing Estimator, at: 
T: 706.542.3861
F: 706.542.7200
E: printing@uga.edu 

More complex questions and/or guidance may require contacting: 
Jeff Allen, UGA Print Shop Assistant Manager
T: 706.542-7195
E: hjallen@uga.edu  

Most forms of advertising are exempt from DOAS purchasing requirements for competitive bidding, and departments may follow “How do I Buy Services” guidelines.  In addition, printed materials that incorporate University logos, service marks, or other University-related design elements must comply with KSU’s Visual Identity Program.   To have the design/artwork pre-approved through the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing, email requests to designapproval@kennesaw.edu prior to placing an order and/or making a purchase.

Advertising is a service; therefore, E-verify compliance is required. Additional E-Verify FAQs are located on Procurement’s E-Verify FAQs webpage.

Stationary may be purchased through our University contract with More Business Solutions. This is the only type of purchase that uses the University’s name or logo that does not require Design Approval.

There are two ways to order business cards and stationery for your department. The first, and easiest way, is to use a Purchasing Card (P-Card). The second way, if your department does not have a P-Card, is to use a Purchase Order.

The More Business Solutions ordering portal, along with the Stationery Quick Start Guide and current pricing documentation, can be found under the "Documents and Links Referenced in This Section" towards the top of this page.

Generally, guidelines and procedures for other services apply to securing Printing Services. Please review the distinctions below.

An employee is a person hired through Kennesaw State University’s Department of Human Resources and paid via Payroll.  KSU controls and directs this person's activities, both in terms of what must be done and how it must be done.  An employee may be classified as a permanent full-time employee, part-time employee or as a temporary employee.  Generally, employees will always be paid through the payroll system even if the duties they perform are unrelated to their primary role. 

Some Examples of Characteristics of an Employee

• Performs duties dictated or controlled by others
• Is given training for work to be done
• Teaches a course from which students may receive academic credit
• Performs trade type duties, e.g., clerical, janitorial, grounds keeping services, lab technicians.

Please note that when KSU engages a temporary agency to provide trade type services, the agency, and not the individual, will be considered an independent contractor.

An independent contractor (also referred to as contractor, consultant, freelancer, etc.) may be an individual or sole proprietor that renders services to the general public.  An independent contractor is responsible for the means and methods for completing a task based on specifications in a contract with KSU.  An independent contractor generally has multiple clients, maintains a separate workplace, is not supervised or controlled by a KSU employee, and does not receive KSU benefits.

Examples of characteristics of an independent contractor:

• Operates under a business name
• May have his/her own employees
• Maintains a separate business bank account
• Advertises his/her business services
• Invoices for work completed
• Has own tools and sets own hours
• Keeps business records

Misclassification of an individual as an independent contractor may have a number of costly legal and financial consequences for the University.  Consequently, it is essential that proper characterization of an individual be determined before any agreements, contracts (oral or written) or payments are made.  The fundamental difference between an employee and independent contractor from a tax point of view is that an employer withholds employment taxes, and pays FICA taxes on its employees. 

If an independent contractor is discovered to meet the legal definition of an employee, the University may be liable for:

• Wages that should have been paid to them under the Fair Labor Standards Act, including overtime and minimum wage
• Back taxes and penalties for federal and state income taxes, Social Security, Medicare and unemployment
• Any misclassified injured employee's workers' compensation benefits
• Employee benefits, including holiday pay, health insurance, retirement, etc.