A new contract for IT products has been awarded to Connection and will be in effect 01/01/20 - 12/31/24. In addition to peripherals, this contract now includes desktops, laptops, tablets, and enterprise level solutions.
How do I place my order?
Orders must be placed through the TigerBuy punchout. All orders under or over $5,000 will be placed on the requestor’s PCard through TigerBuy.
You will no longer log in to the Connection checkout portal website and do not need to set up an account as all employees are set up in TigerBuy to use the punchout suppliers.
What if I cannot find what I need on TigerBuy?
Send an email to one of the Connection reprresentatives and they will provide you with a quote in TigerBuy.
Are we required to purchase from the Preferred Vendor contract?
Yes, you are required to purchase from the Preferred Vendor Contract. This vendor has been designated as the "Preferred Vendor" for AU for this particular commodity as the result of a competitive bid process. In general, making purchases outside the contract shouldn't be necessary. We understand from time to time there may be a justifiable reason to purchase off contract through a different vendor. If that need arises, since you are potentially violating the bid law, please attach a note of justification to the voucher/purchasing card recon. In some cases, PBS may follow up with you, in others cases, the Preferred Vendor may follow up with you.
What computer related products cannot be bought off of this contract?
Apple products. All Apple products should be purchased through the AU Bookstore.
Can I still buy toner/ink cartridges from Connection?
Yes, when purchased with a printer.
Can I use my purchasing card for IT Products?
All orders under or over $5,000 will be placed on the requestor’s PCard through TigerBuy.
When I am in need of small dollar IT products, I generally shop sales and get items from a vendor with the currently posted lowest price. Are we not allowed to shop for the best price anymore?
We negotiated the contracts with the best interests of AU as a whole in mind. While you may be able to find a particular item at a lower "fire sale" price at any given moment, use of the Preferred Vendor contracts leads to: compliance with the state bid law, increased financial incentives, higher volume discounts and rebates, and better data for negotiating larger discounts/cheaper prices in the future.
Please contact Christalyn Thomas in PBS at cmc0122@auburn.edu or 844-3711, if you have any additional questions.