28.4 Responsibilities

28.4.1 All Employees accountable for Procurement

All employees who are related in procurement have the following responsibilities:

• Understand and comply with rules related to procurement;
• Formulate the Specification or its draft from the viewpoint of economic efficiency and fairness, while considering requirements for conducting business purpose;
• Provide necessary information or documents for Purchase Requests, Direct Orders from Requesting Units and its delivery schedule management;
• Inspect the deliverables and related documents with the member of the Logistics Team on delivery of goods and completion of services.

28.4.2 Staff in Charge

Staff in Charge of Requesting Units have the following responsibilities in addition to 28.4.1:

• Conduct Direct Orders or Purchase Requests appropriately based on the rules;
• Obtain approval from the Budget Holder specified by the rules prior to the procurement, regardless of content or amount of procurement, other than in the exception as stipulated in 28.3.2;
• Confirm the delivery schedule to prevent Undelivered (defined at 28.8) situations on the ordered goods or services.

28.4.3 Budget Holders

Budget Holders of Requesting Units have the following responsibilities -Final approvers of Purchase Requests have the same responsibilities:

• Be responsible for approval and appropriate execution of procurement and appropriate use of University’s funds. Especially, check the contents of procurement and budgetary requirements/limitations regarding the Direct Orders and Purchase Requests from Staff in Charge;
• Take accountability on discretion of specification formulation including selection of products/services;
• Approve the Direct Orders or Purchase Requests after checking if the requests are complying with the University’s rules for procurement;
• Select the best and most appropriate vendor for the requirements of the University for each Direct Order, while complying with the related laws and regulations;
• Cooperate with the Audits (defined at 28.8) on procurement approved by themselves;
• Take responsibility if they approve unauthorized acts and procurement is not for an approved business purpose.

28.4.4 Procurement Departments

Procurement Departments have the following responsibilities for received Purchase Requests from Requesting Units as well as for the University’s procurement activity, except in the cases of delegated Procurement Authority (See above 28.2.8.2):

• Provide information and be a resource to the University on procurement-related matters;
• Select the most appropriate method of procurement from the viewpoint of economic efficiency and fairness;
• Select the best and most appropriate vendor to meet the demands of the University, while complying with the related laws and regulations;
• Negotiate procurement terms and conditions, and conclude contracts with vendors based upon price and best value;
• Take necessary approval procedures for the execution of all procurement;
• Document procurement methods of the University and stipulate necessary procedures, in accordance with applicable regulations;
• Maintain and arrange for the latest procedural documentation;
• Notify the persons involved as necessary with the revisions of the policies or procedures regarding procurement;
• Maintain records of procurement transactions as required by law and by the University’s policy;
• Cooperate with the Audits on procurement conducted on the University’s behalf;
• The Procurement and Supplies Section conducts and manages appropriately the Supply Store as a resource of basic supplies in the University;
• The Procurement and Supplies Section conducts and manages the Logistics Center as a primal resource for confirmation regarding receipt of procured goods and services, and delivery of orders;
• Collect a document on behalf of the University from the vendors who have a certain transaction amount or more, pledging that they have no objection if the University imposes sanction including suspension of transactions when they are involved in misconduct.