Agency: ISF - Administrative Services

Line Item: ISF - Purchasing & General Services

Function

In 1997 the Legislature reorganized the Department of Administrative Services; which merged Central Copying, Central Mail, and Central Stores into the Division of Purchasing. The new division became the Division of Purchasing and General Services. The General Services functions of the division are budgeted as internal service funds. The procurement function that enables other agencies to contract for goods and services is budgeted separately in the appropriated fund section.

The programs in this line item include:

• Administration
• Central Mailing
• Electronic Purchasing
• Print Services

Statutory Authority

Utah Code (63A-2-103) directs the Division of Purchasing and General Services to operate and maintain:

• A central mailing service
• An electronic central store system for procuring goods and services

The director may establish microfilming, duplicating, printing, addressograph, and other central services.

Each state agency must subscribe to the division's central services unless the director delegates this authority as required by UCA 63A-2-104.

Regarding the ISF, UCA 63A-2-103(3) requires the director to:

• Establish a schedule of fees for services provided to any department or agency
• Submit proposed fees for services to the Rate Committee and obtain approval from the Legislature
• Ensure that fees are approximately equal to the cost of providing the service
• Conduct a market analysis of fees that compares division rates with fees of other public or private sector providers

Funding Detail

This budgetary line item contains four programs. However, the Administration program exists only to account for overhead costs of services provided to the other three programs.

Program: ISF - General Services Administration

Function

The administration program accounts for the indirect costs (administrative overhead) of delivering the services of the other three central services programs. This program manages the functions of divisional management, budgeting, accounting, and clerical support.

Funding Detail

All expenditures are passed through to the programs in proportion to their share of the total division budget.

Program: ISF - Central Mailing

Function

State Mail provides mail services for agencies throughout the state. The automation of mail functions in a centralized facility reduces the time that agencies spend on these functions and increases overall efficiency.

State Mail is established to provide services in a way that minimizes costs to state agencies. Bar coding and presorting of mail allows agencies to receive maximum postal discounts. Rates reflect postal discounts obtained through mail automation and consolidation. Mail Services also provides agencies with an effective way to process their outgoing mail stream. Collation, bursting, sorting, and inserting are all automated functions performed by the division.

Funding Detail

Program: ISF - Electronic Purchasing

Function

Prior to 1997, Central Stores was the state's outlet for office and specialty supplies. Supplies were furnished at a lower markup than that charged by wholesale/retail operations. Beginning in 1997 Central Stores became a stockless, vendor direct operation. Instead of warehousing supplies purchased in bulk, the program uses private sector vendors to make direct deliveries and invoicing to state agencies and institutions. Office supplies are delivered directly to agencies within 24 hours of order receipt. The division provides contract management services for these outsourced contracts.

The Purchasing Card or P-Card is a Visa card that is designed to supplement or eliminate a variety of processes including petty cash, local check writing, low-value authorizations, and small dollar purchase orders. It provides a more efficient, cost effective method of purchasing and paying for small dollar transactions.

The P-Card can be used for in-store purchases as well as electronic, mail, telephone, and fax orders. Each card carries pre-established transaction and monthly credit limits. Agencies may further limit transaction amounts and the number of daily transactions.

An audit conducted in the summer of 2006 concluded that the purchasing card is an efficient tool, but lacked sufficient oversight to prevent fraud or abuse. The auditors didn't find any evidence of fraud or abuse. The agency agreed with the findings and promised to take steps to improve oversight including the addition of one FTE in FY 2008 to monitor agency compliance with P-Card policies and procedures.

Funding Detail

Program: ISF - Print Services

Function

Print Services operates a self-service copier program and contracts with Xerox to operate service centers providing high speed copying and finishing services. The program seeks to offer high quality copy services at below market prices. Agencies are not required to use State Print Services if other options are more cost effective. The division hopes that contracting the service centers will result in approximately forty percent savings to customer agencies while eliminating negative retained earnings.

Funding Detail