Is there a general website with information about the UVa Marketplace Project?

Yes, information about the project can be found at UVA Marketplace Project website. This link will also be prominently displayed on both the Procurement Services and the Integrated System - Finance Links websites , so it will always be easy to find. This new UVA Marketplace web space is still in the process of development, and your comments and suggestions will be welcomed.

When will the UVa Marketplace be available?

The go-live date is in December 2006.

Will all vendors offer catalogs in this new system?

No, we plan to go-live with approximately 50 of our current vendors. The selection was based on many different types of criteria, including transaction volume and the vendor’s ability to supply a catalog electronically.

Will all purchases have to be placed through the Marketplace? - What about non-catalog orders?

Yes, both catalog and non-catalog orders will be placed through the Marketplace. There is an easy-to-use form for non-catalog orders, and favorites can be saved and organized for quick selection when creating new orders. The Marketplace will also make the vendor's DMBE status, eVA status, and order delivery method highly visible to users when choosing the vendor and site.

How will an order be delivered to a non-catalog vendor?

The order may be delivered automatically by Sciquest via email or fax, if that is the vendor’s preference, or the user may be responsible for delivering it directly to the vendor. The correct order delivery method for each vendor will be determined by the system, and users will be able to see it when they select the vendor purchasing site in the Marketplace. They will also be notified of the delivery method when their order is approved.

Will only vendors with a catalog participate in the UVA Marketplace?

With few exceptions, all true suppliers of goods and services will be available for shopping in the market place. Students, employees, petty cash custodians and other in the vendor file who are not actually suppliers will not.

How will the UVA Marketplace affect out Supplier Diversity program?

Of the 50 catalogs comprising the debut of the UVA Marketplace, 10 will be DMBE certified woman- or minority-owned vendors, and all vendors will be visually tagged to indicate their DMBE status. The Marketplace will put our SWAM catalog vendors on an equal playing field with other catalog vendors, and make it much easier for departmental purchasers to locate SWAM vendors for the products they seek.

Will departmental users still be limited to $5,000 per year per vendor on orders?

Not for contract purchases in the Marketplace. Departmental users will be able to purchase up to $50,000 per order from contract vendors, and $5,000 from non-contract vendors, without further approval from Procurement Services. There may be some catalog vendors who are not contract vendors, and for those the order limit will still be $5,000. This should speed up delivery of goods and services from those vendors, as orders can go out immediately. The system will automatically route for approval based on these new rules.

Will I still use the Payment Voucher form? How will reimbursements be handled?

The Payment Voucher will still be used for processing demand payments for reimbursements, travel, research participation payments, etc. Most eVA-excluded purchases will also be allowed on the Payment Voucher. The Procurement Guide will be updated to specify exactly which commodities will be allowed on the Payment Voucher going forward.

Currently I save PO numbers for my lab's use at anytime. How will this change?

We understand that this is a big issue for many departments, and one of the most important to resolve carefully and thoughtfully. You will not be able to reserve purchase order numbers, but we are still working on the best way to meet your needs.

Will I have to type full line-item detail for all my Order?

Complete line item detail on every order will be required. However, catalog shopping in the new Marketplace will automatically supply line item detail for any item selected from a catalog, so no typing will be required for Marketplace catalog orders. The catalogs that have been chosen for the initial implementation should cover about 60% of the transactions departmental users currently submit. Eventually they will cover more.

The Marketplace also allows you to save favorites that you order frequently and organize them for quick selection on new orders, so that re-typing will not be necessary.

I don’t currently have any Oracle Purchasing responsibilities. Will I be able to shop in the new Marketplace?

A new responsibility called ‘Shopper’ was created to allow users with no existing Purchasing responsibilities, the ability to shop. The approval limit for the ‘Shopper’ is $1.00. All of these orders must route to an approver.

New users requiring approval limits greater than $1.00, will be required to attend the Oracle PO Requestor and PO Purchaser classes.

Does the ‘Shopper’ have to attend Oracle classes?

All users including the Shopper will have web based training.

Will I be able to use my P-Card for my purchases?

Currently, P-Card purchases are only allowed for eVA excluded items. We are planning to develop the Marketplace to allow users to charge their P-Card in a later phase.

Do I need to request any special access if I am currently a PO Purchaser or Requester?

No, these responsibilities will automatically have access to the Marketplace.