Am I able to issue a blanket purchase order if I use GL-71d as my authority?

   Answer: Yes, for purchases under GL-71D the CoreCT system will allow you to create an online PO with the PO type GL or blanket. Please use the following link to view Contract Type/PO Type/Purchasing Authority Job Aid http://www.core-ct.state.ct.us/user/finjobaids/pps/cntrct_typ_po_typ_prchsng_athrty

In the “Review” section of General Letter 71 it states that agencies “shall submit annual reports to the Commissioner of Administrative Services on its purchase orders issued under this authority (GL71). Do we still need to do this?

   Answer: Yes. Pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes Section 4a-52a(e), each agency that uses General Letter #71 is required to submit an annual report on its purchases to the Department of Administrative Services. This report should be sent to DAS no later than September 1 for the previous fiscal year. DAS has prescribed a format for such through a standard report query CoreCT (e-mail). The query is entitled CT_CORE_FIN_PO_GL71_REPORTING

General Letter 71(g) purchasing authority indicates this delegated authority does NOT apply to purchases made from GSA contracts and that such purchases require approval from DAS Procurement Services (CGS 4a-66b). If the purchase is for a product or service that DOIT is responsible for, do we need to get approval from DOIT or DAS?

   Answer: The statutes indicate that, through the Commissioner of Administrative Services, the state may purchase from a person who has a contract to sell such property to a department, agency or instrumentality of the United States government in accordance with the terms and conditions of said contract. DAS and DOIT require that agencies seek approval from DAS and DOIT on all GSA contracts prior to commencing such a purchase.

My agency issues requests for proposals (RFP's) for consulting services that result in Personal Service Agreements (PSA's). As stated in the invitation section of General Letter 71, is it necessary to request written authority from DAS to issue an RFP that will result in a PSA?

   Answer: Pursuant to General Letter #71, agencies may not issue RFP's to make purchases unless previously so authorized in writing by DAS or DOIT for each particular purchase. The intent of this section applies only to purchases of products/services delegated under General Letter #71. As DAS/DOIT does not have the authority for PSA's, this approval requirement does not apply.

General Letter #71(d) excludes software licenses from non-competitive purchases. Why?

   Answer: DOIT Contracts & Purchasing staff is expert in the legal requirements and approved language to protect the state through these software license agreements and require that such agreements be administered through their office. Questions surrounding software license agreements may be directed to DOIT Contracts & Purchasing at 860-622-2537.

General Letter #71 (c) requires that agencies obtain three written quotes from responsible and qualified sources of supply. Through the use of the State Contracting Portal (SCP) our agency does not always receive three written responses by the bid/quote due date, accordingly, Auditors have cited us on such. Since the SCP was intended to keep procurements open and public, and eliminate the need to selectively send out requests for quotes, how do we avoid such situations?

   Answer: Similar to General Letter #71 (b), DAS has revising/clarifying the language in General Letter #71(c) to include the words "when possible" in reference to obtaining three written quotes. While we cannot rule out the possibility that there will be instances when you may not receive three written responses as a result of posting your solicitation on the SCP, we can validate that there are over 17,000 registered suppliers utilizing the SCP (which leads to increased competition) and those instances should be rare and limited to unusual circumstances

When my agency needs employee training services, we issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) that results in a Personal Service Agreement (PSA). Can I use GL 71D to pay for the training services instead of the PSA process?

   Answer: Individual employee training and certification is covered under GL-71d (example, Skillpath seminars, American Mgmt Assoc training seminars; career certification programs). Typically these are sole sources due to association requirements, geographic locations of the seminars, timing of courses, etc.
However, various training "programs" geared for groups of individuals in an agency on a programmatic basis (i.e., diversity training, sexual harassment training, workplace safety programs, etc) that may not always be a sole source should continue to be sourced through the competitive process and contractually administered through a PSA.