Centralised Purchases Unit

Centralised Purchases Unit (CPU) – BITS Pilani

Division Contact Details
Contact Name
Prof. Ajay Kumar Sah
Designation
Chief
Phone
+91 – 1596 255 259 (Office)
Email
chiefpurchases@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in

Overview

Welcome to Centralised Purchases Unit

Centralised Purchases Unit (CPU) facilitates the operation of purchase and maintenance of equipments and consumables of the University.  It serves all the three campuses (BITS Pilani – PILANI, GOA and HYDERABAD) and Work Integrated Learning Division (WILP) of the Institute. The CPU function is to procure equipments, materials, supplies, services, machines and tools at the most favorable terms consistent with maintaining the desired standard of quality. It helps for the purchase of various Goods and Services for all the offices of the institute and Medical Centre (Equipments / Surgical related items etc.), both from Institute’s administrative accounts as well as from the projects funds, but excludes the purchases to be made by the Central Library (Books / Journals etc.) and the Institute routine maintenance works department. The purchases are made following a uniform, systematic, efficient and cost effective procedure, in accordance with the relevant rules and regulations of the Institute.

Centralised Purchases Unit (CPU) is Committed to

  • Providing considerate and timely service while operating under and upholding the University's Purchases Policy and Procedures;
  • Directingall relevantusers in following complete business practices with fiscal responsibility and maintaining effective and efficient purchase systems and processes
  • Effectively and efficiently interface the various recurring and nonrecurring item requirements, forwarded from various internal users and the prospective suppliers to establish market competitiveness and mutually beneficial purchasing agreements;
  • Keep track of each individual deal and ensures that the process remains transparent, prompt and simple. We also monitor the balance between the goods quality and economic bounds.
  • Continuing to identify opportunities for improvement so we can bring added value and services to our campus community.

Major Functions

  • Centralised Purchases of Equipments and Consumables.
  • Processing and Checking of Purchase requisition, Request for Quotations and Preparation of Comparative Statements
  • Negotiation
  • Firm Indent /Purchase Order
  • Material Receiving & Physical Verification of Goods
  • Bill/Invoice Verification and Processing
  • Imports of Goods
  • Controlling Custom House Agent, Transit Insurance of Goods.
  • Basic Inventory Management – Computer Stationary and Consumables
  • Issue of Custom Duty and GST Exemption Certificate
  • Payment Processing and Updating
  • Vendor Master Management, Item Master Management
  • Rate Contracts (Campus Level)
  • IT Infrastructure, Computer and Network Management, MPLS, Internet Leased Lines, ERP, Video Conferencing Facility, Software Licenses
  • Annual Maintenance Contracts of Equipments and Services
  • Keeping Track of Delayed or Deferred Supply and Concurrent Remedial Action
  • Providing Outsourcing of Manpower Services on Contract Basis for the Institute – Security, Housekeeping, Gardening Services, Electrical, Elevators, RO Water Purifying, AC Cooling Unit, STP etc.
  • Coordinating with Users, Vendors, Accounts & Finance Unit, General Administration Unit and Administration for fulfilling the purchase requirements.

While the description of this section may not answer all the queries regarding purchasing process at BITS Pilani, we hope it provides as an important resource that addresses most of the questions.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to our committed purchases and procurement services team should you have any enquiry/requirements.

Roles / Responsibilities

The buying team at BITS manages the complete buying process from the beginning to the end. They verify the purchase requests in the first place, request quotations from vendors, compare prices, and make the final orders. They aim to ensure that everything is purchased in the correct manner, at the correct price, and from authentic vendors.

When the goods arrive, the team thoroughly verifies them, reconciles the associated bills or invoices, and pays on time. They also deal with special situations such as imported goods, so that customs duty, GST exemption certificates, and transit insurance are aptly managed to prevent any inconvenience.

Apart from purchasing, the team maintains the day-to-day supply of office stationery and consumables that are used every day. They also coordinate contracts for daily services such as maintenance, security, housekeeping, air conditioning, and water purification to ensure everything works flawlessly on campus.

To keep everything organized and transparent, the team keeps proper records, chases outstanding supplies, and moves fast if issues are encountered. They handle all vendor and item databases, rate contracts, and IT infrastructure procurements. They work hand in hand with users, vendors, the finance team, and admin groups to ensure the purchase process is smooth and efficient. They continuously seek improvements and ways to deliver better services to the BITS community.