Sole Source Purchasing

Definition

A sole source exists when goods or services, because of unique characteristics or other reasons, are only available from a single source. Sole source justifications are reviewed and approved by Procurement Services Contracts staff prior to an order being placed.  The sole source justification should document the steps taken to determine the sole source:

  • Describe the required specifications
  • List the alternate companies that were contacted
  • Describe why alternative companies are not acceptable (do not use price)

When is a Sole Source Justification Required

A sole source justification is required for every purchase over the Direct Buy Limit ($10,000 including shipping and handling, excluding tax) unless: 

Note: Contracts are being added to Workday on an ongoing basis, if you are looking for an available contract and cannot find one, check with Contracts Staff to assist.

Sole Source in Workday

Workday does not prompt the user to provide a sole source justification when a requisition or supplier invoice request is over the direct buy limit ($10,000).  Campus should attach the Procurement Sole Source Justification web form to the requisition or SIR prior to submitting to Procurement. Any requests without the form may be returned. 

Note: Do not put the sole source in the Memo to Suppliers field or in the line item memo field as those fields are visible to suppliers.

Sole Source Justification Criteria

The following list of criteria may be used in determining if a sole source situation exists:

  1. Only one manufacturer makes the item meeting required specifications; that manufacturer only sells direct or exclusively through one regional/national distributor; The department should verify whether the manufacturer has distributors or only sells direct. If the manufacturer has multiple distributors, competition should be sought, contact Contract staff to manage the competitive solicitation or identify an available contract.
  2. Item must be identical to equipment already in use to ensure compatibility, and that item is only available from one source. Provide a previous Workday po number or equipment inventory tag number in your sole source justification.
  3. Named in award: Supplier is specifically named by the funding source award documents, inter-agency agreement, or clinical trials agreement. Proposal and/or budget documents are not considered an "award document" and might not be accepted.
  4. Maintenance or repair by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and the manufacturer does not have agents to perform these services.
  5. Replacement or spare parts from the OEM, and the OEM does not have distributors for those parts.
  6. Patented items or copyrighted materials that are only available from the patent or copyright holder.
  7. A decision by a medical/dental professional, where a specific brand is required for patient care, and the manufacturer has no distributors for the product.
  8. Professional Services: Describe how it was determined that the chosen Supplier has unique expertise which may depend primarily on the individual's invention, imagination, or talent or their background in a recognized field of endeavor.

Note: 

  • Sole source cannot be based on preference
  • Sole Source cannot be provided/written by the Supplier
  • Sole source cannot be based on price as it indicates the existence of a competitive marketplace, reach out to Contracts staff for assistance with a competitive solicitation.

Things to Remember:

  • Describe the required specifications
  • List the alternate companies that were contacted
  • Describe why alternative companies are not acceptable (do not use price)

Federally Funded Purchases 

Continuity of research is not an allowable justification on federally funded sole source purchases. Instead sole source purchases are limited to the following categories:

  • The item is available only from a single source - describe the steps taken to determine there are no other suppliers
  • The public exigency or emergency for the requirement will not permit a delay resulting from competitive solicitation
  • After solicitation of a number of sources, competition is deemed inadequate
  • The awarding agency specifically authorizes a non-competitive procurement after a written request from the department

State-Funded Sole Source Purchases

Sole source purchases over the direct buy limit and made with more than 50% state-appropriated funds (GOF, worktag RS100000) require advance approval by the State of Washington Department of Enterprise Services (DES). This approval process is in addition to the UW's approval process. 

  • DES requires a minimum of 10 days to review and approve a sole source purchase. (cannot be expedited)
  • State funded sole source purchases must be publicly advertised on the UW website for 15 days, and on the State's WEBS website for 10 days

DES may require documentation that Market Research was conducted:

Washington State Market Research Template

Washington State Sole Source Justification template