Furnishing and Move Policies and Procedures

Policy Number: #400

Responsible Executive(s):

  • Senior Vice President and CFO

Responsible Office(s):

  • Physical Plant

Date Adopted: 10-18-2017

Date Revised: 01-25-2021

A. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to streamline and improve the process for purchasing furniture, furnishing all University departments with uniformity, while meeting style, architectural ADA, fire and safety codes.

B. Scope

The Physical Plant Department will coordinate and execute all departmental requests for furniture purchases. Request for Classrooms or Common Space Auxiliary Business Services will oversee furnishing selection.

Definitions

Exceptions: All exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Associate Vice President of Plant Services and/or The Facilities and Technology Committee.

  1. Furniture Purchasing Process
    • University Departments cannot purchase furniture without the review and approval of Physical Plant
    • All Departments must submit a Furnishings/Capital Request for review by the Facilities and Technology Committee.
    • An Individual may not bring in their own personal private furnishings to campus; all furnishings must be provided by the University.
    • If department request furnishings from Surplus, it must be approved by the requesting department head, along with Plant Services Supervisor/Project Manager. The requesting department will be required to absorb the costs of the relocation, if contracted services are used.
    • When new positions and offices are created, Physical Plant will provide the standard furniture options for new staff and faculty based on the position and available office space of the new hire. The department requesting the furnishings will be responsible for the cost associated with the purchase.
  2. Furnishing Standards
    • Furnishing Standards are created by Physical Plant per user type, style, architectural design and intent of the building, maintenance, and compliance with ADA, fire and safety codes.
  3. Storage of unwanted Furniture
    • Furniture will be stored in a surplus furniture unit on a case by case basis. This furniture will be stored or recycled upon the discretion of the Plant Services Supervisor/Project Manager.
      • Surplus furniture includes items such as bookcases and chairs. On occasion, high end office furniture maybe stored at the surplus unit at the discretion of the Plant Services Supervisor.
    • If a department decides it no longer needs a piece of furniture, it may be moved to surplus at their expense, if the Plant Services Supervisor does not have the resources to move it. If furniture is placed in surplus, it can be used elsewhere on campus and no longer belongs to that department. Departmental or School furniture located in offices not actively occupied may be reallocated at the discretion of The Facilities and Technology Committee. It is important to stress that unwanted furnishing must be communicated to the Plant for disposal. Moving furnishing into hallways without approval will result in a charge back to affected department.
  4. ADA Compliance key points

3.1. Routes to all areas within the office where staff, faculty, or students meet with members of the public are at least 36 inches wide to allow for passage by an individual in a wheelchair.

3.2. Conference tables in public meeting areas are at least 27 inches high to allow for knee clearance or individuals in wheelchairs.

3.3. Objects that protrude more than four inches into a passageway (such as shelves) are detectable by a blind person using a white cane; the leading edge is fewer than 27 inches above the floor.

  1. Individual and Departmental Moves
    • If an individual desires to move or a department wants an individual to move from one office to another the furnishings in the office are to remain in place, and the individual is to use furnishings in the office in which they are relocated. If the individual requires additional furniture, then the department is responsible for the costs of the move and/or the additional furniture expenses. Individual moves and departmental moves must be authorized by the department head through the furnishing capital request process.
    • If an individual has a medical condition that requires the move or purchase of furniture to assist in relief, the department or individual must submit a written letter from a medical professional to The Department of Human Resources. Human Resources will then give written approval for Physical Plant to assist in this request. Funding for this request is borne on the department.

 C. Policy

The department that is requesting furnishings will be required to submit a Furnishings/Capital Request form to be reviewed by the Facilities and Technology Committee for formal approval. If approved, the department will be responsible for funding or submit a request for the University to fund the request. If funds are not available, then the request will be put into a funding priority reviewed and assessed each year annually for an FY funding approval. To allow proper funding review all furnishing purchases from the University will be submitted before December 15th of the future prior FY year.

Physical Plant will assign a project manager, if a department requests complex furniture replacement after the committee approves the initial request. The project manager is responsible for setting up and coordinating all furniture with an approved sales vendor to work with the department to develop a design/layout, recommend a style/model of furniture/furnishing, and provide a price quote. Quotes must be signed and reviewed by the department before being submitted for review.  The department responsible for all costs associated with the removal and install of office furniture.

All furniture purchases, regardless of the funding source, must be processed through and approved by the Facilities and Technology Committee. All requests will be processed in the order of receipt. All furniture that is purchased using university funds is considered university property.

Furnishings Standard concept shall be in accordance with the following:

  1. Timeless appeal in style and color.
  2. Appropriate selections for facilities space and user type.
  3. Incorporate furnishings that meet ADA, fire, and safety codes.
  4. Serviceability and maintenance for products.
  5. Selections shall coordinate with Interior Finishes and Architectural design intent of the building.

The project manager will then process a purchase request (P.O.). The vendor will obtain the items. (Note that furniture delivery may take up to twelve weeks after the vendor has received the purchase request.) Deliveries will be coordinated by the project manager, the vendor, and the department. Upon delivery and installation, the project manager will process the vendor’s invoice and ensure payment. If furniture is replacing old furniture the vendor delivering the furnishing will be required to dispose of the furniture at department cost.

 Once the furniture is installed, the department should inspect and note any issues to the project manager within 2 weeks. The project manager will follow up on any issues, including warranty claims to the manufacturers if needed.

All projects will be run by a project manager from the Physical Plant Department that will guide the department through the selection process and will order the furniture as part of the project.

Once the furnishings are installed, the Project Manager, through the guidance of the Financial Affairs Office, will install inventory asset tags to all office furniture.