Survey School Form
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Purchasing Survey for Government Unit (City and County) for Furniture Contact Person-Harry Watt, NC State University, 704-880-5034, [email protected]
Survey Contact Information and Government Unit Statistics
1-Government Unit (city or county) 2-Contact person name/title 3-Department 4-Mailing address 5-Phone number 6-Contact Email address 7-Government unit website 8-Are you a member of a professional purchasing society or association? If so, please list 9-Number of current employees 10-Total # of facility buildings
11-# of new buildings in last 4 years 12-Number of purchase orders in last four years for furniture products 13-$ Total for last four years for furniture products
Wooden Furniture
14-What is your preference for wooden furniture relative to metal and plastic without looking at price? (Please circle one).
Lower Same Higher 1 2 3 4 5
15-What is your preference for wooden furniture relative to metal and plastic when looking at price? (Pease circle one.
Lower Same Higher 1 2 3 4 5
16-Do you have a positive, negative or no preference of the following wood species for furniture for use in government facilities?
1 Wood species Positive Negative No preference Oak Cherry Maple Yellow poplar Pine Birch Beech Sweet gum
17-What is your preference of painted furniture versus stained or clear finish wooden furniture? (Please circle one).
Less Same More 1 2 3 4 5
18-What is your preference of domestic versus imported made wooden furniture? (Please circle one).
Less Same More 1 2 3 4 5
19-Where in government offices and facilities do you think wooden furniture should be preferred versus metal and plastic furniture? (Please check all that apply).
Staff offices Conference rooms Assembly rooms Dining halls Mail rooms Storage rooms
20-Would it be helpful for wooden furniture manufacturers to support their products with the following elements? (Please check all that apply).
Posters of forestry and trees Government logos and designs on furniture pieces Use local wood species Identify the type of wood on each piece of furniture Innovative designs Use strips alternating dark and light wood for desk tops
21-Do you have a positive or negative preference for the following wooden furniture construction?
Positive or Negative Wood Construction Type Solid Lumber Melamine paper over particleboard Veneer over particleboard Veneer over veneer core Plastic laminate (like Formica) over particleboard
22-What can wooden furniture manufacturers provide that you would find helpful when purchasing furniture?
2 23-What is your opinion of wood as compared to metal and plastic in terms of being “Green” and “Sustainable”? (Please circle one).
Less Same More 1 2 3 4 5
Purchasing Policies
24-Please describe the process of how you buy furniture for new facilities-
25-Please describe the process of how you buy replacement furniture for existing facilities-
26-Are there $ limits or thresholds that adjust how you buy furniture? If so, what are the limits?
27-Does your department’s purchasing policy encourage or require consideration of or have preferences for specific groups or goals. (Please check all that apply):
Diversity; small/minority-owned/women-owned Sustainability/“green” businesses considerations “Buy local” considerations In-state preferences Utilization of state correctional/prison industries Other-please list 28-Please describe state statutes, regulations and policies that significantly impact your procurement practices.
3 29-Who (what position) in your organization starts the process of buying furniture? ______
30-Who on the government unit’s staff are included in the process of buying furniture? (Please check all that apply).
Users like staff employees Facility personnel Finance personnel Managers Upper level administrators Others-
31-Do any outside professionals assist in the selection of furniture, if so, who are they? ______
32-Does your purchasing department offer online information on bids, like Request-To-Bid?
□ Yes □ No
33-Please feel free to describe other institutional or system policies that significantly impact your procurement practices and ability to contain costs.
34-Over the last four years, how has the expenditures for furniture been split between furnishing new buildings and replacements?
New construction-% Replacements-%
Vendor Relations
35-Does your purchasing department maintain a prospective bidders list for various types of goods and services that is different from the state approved bidders list? □ Yes □ No
36-If yes, then how is your prospective bidders list created? (Check all that apply.)
Use vendors who have bid in the past Vendors ask to be placed on the list Use lists from other governments Use bidders in trade associations Use state approved vendors Other-
37-Are you limited to the state approved bidders list unless for custom items? □ Yes □ No
38-Does your unit have a manual for vendors that explain the policies and practices used to procure goods and services? □ Yes □ No
4 General Procurement Practices
39-Does your purchasing department maintain a purchasing calendar (a listing of upcoming purchasing events)?
□ Yes □ No
40-Does your purchasing dept. buy furniture from the state’s prison industries? □ Yes □ No
41-Please indicate which procurement method you use most frequently for the following goods and services. (Check one method per product category. Please leave blank if you do not procure an item.)
State County/City Cooperatively Competitive No Bidding = Product Category Contracts* Contracts Bid Contracts Bidding/RFP Negotiation Chairs and Tables Office Furniture Computer Furniture Dining Furniture Storage Furniture Specialty Furniture and Accessories Furniture Services *Includes preferred source commodities and services from Industries for the Blind, etc.
42-What do you think of the benefits of the state central purchasing department? (Please circle answer).
Benefits Not at all Slight Level Moderate Level Great Level Provide lower prices or better value 1 2 3 4 Save time and administrative costs of bidding 1 2 3 4 More choices in vendors and products 1 2 3 4 Provide better quality goods and services 1 2 3 4 Other - - please describe- 1 2 3 4
Electronic procurement
43-Does the purchasing department have a website that includes information about how it procures goods and services? □ Yes □ No
44-What type of information and functions are available for vendors on your website if your unit has one? (Please check all that apply).
5 Purchasing policies information Contacts in the purchasing dept. On line vendor registration Requests to Bid Bid documents for downloading Notices of awards Information on invoicing and payment Other-
45-Please indicate the tasks the procurement staff perform using the Internet or an internal network in procuring goods and services for your unit. (Please check all that apply).
Research products and prices Make small $ furniture purchases Research vendors specifications Accept bids and proposals online Communicate with other gov’t buyers Other-
46-What is the principal means that departments use to requisition goods and services in your unit? (Please check one.)
Paper forms Electronic purchase order system Phone call Fax Emails Other-
47-Can vendors submit bids electronically? □ Yes □ No
48-What is the average time from the publication of the contract notice to the award of the contract?
49-How are the winning bid vendor evaluated?
50-How can bidders get information on the evaluation of bids?
51-How many days is the Request to Bid open?
52-When/how will the final choice be communicated?
53-Is it possible to receive e-mail alerts for notices of future bids?
54-Is there a standard policy for vendor certification and qualification before bids are awarded? □ Yes □ No
55-Is vendor bonding required before bids are awarded? □ Yes □ No
Purchasing Government Furniture Problems and Solutions Recommendations
56-What problems have you experienced in purchasing furniture that you feel should be addressed as a long term reoccurring problem and what is the solution you recommend? 6 Problem Recommended Solution
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. Your assistance in providing this information will help us present an accurate picture of procurement practices in your governmental unit. If you have additional comments please list them below:
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