GUIDE TO THE PROCUREMENT OF CAPITAL （资本的采购指南）.doc

Guide to Purchasing Equipment Finance Division Purchasing Office 1. Statement of Need/Specification of Requirement 1.1 The need to acquire equipment should wherever possible be identified as early as possible and a Statement of Need (SON) / Specification of Requirement (SOR) prepared. Even when a need arises suddenly and funding is sought either from Chest, the Research Councils or other grant funding organisations, a thoroughly prepared SON or SOR stands the best chance of securing the funding required. A Statement of Need (SON) or Requirement (SOR) should set out: the benefits expected from the equipment. the total costs of ownership over the whole of its operational life, covering acquisition costs, running and disposal, and how the acquisition will promote the institution’s objectives. 1.3 Where the equipment to be purchased is valued in excess of ￡100,000.00 (both single and aggregated purchases), University Finance Regulations, Section 4 (Expenditure) paragraph 18.4 require that Head of Purchasing (Finance Division, Central Purchasing Office) must be contacted to provide consent and advice e.g. on any statutory procurement requirements such as the EU Procurement Directive or advice on Research Councils grant compliance requirements. 2. Specification of Requirement (SOR) 2.1 Good research depends on the right choice of equipment. A well-drafted specification of requirement not only sets the quality and performance standards for the equipment, but also provides the greatest scope for maximising value for money (VFM). 2.2 A good specification should be functional e.g. describing the equipment in terms of its intended function and the required level of performance, rather than by a generic description or brand name. It should be concise, but sufficiently detailed to enable bidders to take all costs into account, and also to offer alternative solutions. In particular it should: state the criteria for acceptance of the equipment abide by international an