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Reflections on life in Corporate America when Fridays were Fridays, loyalty mattered, and bosses still cared.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Five Reasons to Take All of Your Vacation This Year
You still have vacation days to take. For some of you this might be just a couple of days – for others it might be weeks. But there are only four weeks left in 2010 and time is running out.
According to a recent Rasmussen report, only 46% of workers plan to take all of their vacation this year. That means that 54% of employees are leaving vacation days unused. Are you one of them? If so, here are five great reasons why you should take all your vacation:
1. You earned it. It's a benefit. It's worth money. You might be surprised that last year Expedia estimated there would be 436 million unused vacation days in 2009 and valued that at $63.33 billion. (I'll do the math for you – that's at an hourly rate of $18. Your vacation days may be worth far more than that.)
2. It won't change your annual appraisal. I have news for you – most management teams complete their performance discussions before the holidays (because they plan to be on vacation). Unless you are in sales and need to make quota for the quarter, or you discover a technology that solves world hunger, chances are your bottom line won't change because you took some time off over the holidays.
3. Your boss won't notice. The truth is, unless you've specifically been asked to provide coverage, no one will notice. And consider this – if you are the only one working, then you're also the only one to blame when something goes wrong. You might be a martyr, but you won't be a hero.
4. It costs the company money. If you happen to work in a company that still allows vacation days to be carried over from one year to the next, this costs the company money. Whatever days you defer have to be carried as a liability, and when you do "cash them in" they will cost more than they do today.
5. You need a break. If you can't take a sabbatical, at least take your vacation!
Oh – and when you do take that break, resist the urge to spend all day on your laptop, your blackberry, your cell phone… you get the idea.
So what do you say? Are you planning to take all your vacation this year? If not, why not?
Photo by Harry Yudenfriend
8 comments:
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- November 29, 2010 at 9:10 AM
- Kenneth H. Lee said...
If I had vacation days to take, I would definitely take them regardless of the attitude I may get from my manager/supervisor.
I once took nearly three straight weeks off and received a less than enthusiastic response from my manager when I requested it.
Business was still running when I returned.. Nothing had burned down. I got more attitude when I returned.. Oh how I wanted to reach through the phone and throttle him.
I despise managers who begrudgingly allow employees to take time off. They act as if it were coming out of their own pocket. They have no problems taking vacation time, when they want to... but when their employees want to take time off, the excuses start flying..
As far as I am concerned, the vacation time belongs to me and I will take it when and how I see fit. I refuse to compromise on the quality of my vacation, especially if I will be traveling a long distance.
- November 29, 2010 at 2:26 PM
- Colette said...
Kenneth, you're right -- you earned it, and you deserve to take it!
- November 29, 2010 at 2:47 PM
- Carol Kilgore said...
Great post for those who actually get vacation instead of those of us who work for ourselves and are terrible bosses :)
- November 29, 2010 at 4:27 PM
- Steveinpok said...
This year I am planning to take my full 365 days of vacation. [Ret.]
Reason 6: Because YOUR employees need a break from you!
- December 2, 2010 at 5:24 PM
- Colette said...
SteveinPok -- All 365 days -- good idea!
- December 4, 2010 at 10:29 AM
this post is very usefull thx!
- December 4, 2010 at 6:39 PM
- Colette said...
Anonymous, glad you found it useful!
- December 7, 2010 at 10:17 AM


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Established in 2001, Upstaging Ltd is one of the East Midlands leading staging and crewing companies. Based in the beautiful Vale of Belvoir, Upstaging Ltd is proud to supply exceptional staging and crewing services to support the events industry not only locally and nationally but across Europe and beyond.
Stage supply:
Upstaging stock 1500m2 of staging. The system is flexible and adaptable, with a host of extra components such as roofs, ramps, towers and stairs. You can hire a stage for indoor or outdoor use with production ramps or accessible ramps that are flexible to any angle required. Front of House towers are available from a small single level Front of House tower to a multi-level tower.
Any structure that you can conceive, we can achieve.
Crew supply:
We supply fully qualified and experienced production and staging crew, as far as Europe and occasionally further afield.
Contact us for a quote for any crew requirements that you have. From a small team of stage crew for a one off show, to a large team of touring crew for a full tour. All crew are experienced in general crew work and include, climbers, steel hands, spot ops, wardrobe assistants, stage hands, fork operators to name but a few . Most are multi-skilled and perform many tasks above and beyond general requirements. Upstaging is proud to recruit and supply crew who are repeatedly requested because of their professionalism, attention to detail and work ethic.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hon'ble Chief Minister Uttar Pradesh
Hon'ble Minister MSME & Export Promotion Uttar firstname.lastname@example.com
SecretaryMSME & Export Promotion Uttar Pradesh
Commissioner & Director Directorate of Industries Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
Welcome to Directorate of Industries
Directorate of Industries is an executive arm of the Department of Industries, engaged in implementation of government policies for all-round development of industries in the state and to make Uttar Pradesh a front runner state in terms of entrepreneur development, providing a conducive environment for industrial production and investment.
Directorate of Industries plays an important role in promoting industrial development and generating employment by implementing programmes and schemes of Government of India and State Government.
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Date : 04/01/2019
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To view more activities of Directorate of Industries, Uttar Pradesh please click on the link given below


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Grundfos lends its industry expertise to BlueTechValley a state-of-the-art water and energy test facility whose purpose is to spur innovation in the management of finite resources.
Grundfos first got involved with BlueTechValley during the early stages of planning for the Water Technology Center. The center's manager, Henrik Skov Laursen, began networking with the local community in Fresno, Calif., where the Water Technology Center is now located.
Regional Challenges and Opportunities
It turned out Grundfos wasn't the only company that understood the unique potential of Fresno and the surrounding San Joaquin Valley. The area's water scarcity, fluctuating water prices and high water consumption for agriculture and food processing made it the ideal place to test new technology.
"If you can make it work right here, it can work pretty much anywhere," said Laursen, who chairs the BlueTechValley committee.
In addition to Grundfos, other big players in the water industry – like Fresno State University and the Central Valley Business Incubator – have committed to the challenge of harnessing the San Joaquin Valley's assets and resources. Industrial companies like Lakos Seperators, Puresense and Jain Irrigation are part of the committee, as well.
Kirk Nagamine, CEO of the Central Valley Business Incubator, said the San Joaquin Valley faced major issues with efficiently sourcing, moving, storing and cleansing water – not to mention the high energy demands and high unemployment that afflict the region.
"Problems also represent opportunities," Nagamine said. "We know our problems are experienced by many around the world. If we can create and attract companies that can solve our issues, this can lead to change across the globe."
Strength in Numbers
BlueTechValley works to drive the region to new economic strengths and global recognition.
"We can't do this all by ourselves," Laursen said, emphasizing the necessity of a network in leveraging these opportunities.
He said support for BlueTechValley was an important part of Grundfos' ambition to move towards setting the trend in water technology, a journey which is only possible through strong innovation and strong partnerships – the BlueTechValley is one of those cornerstones.
"It's important for us to be a trendsetter in water technology," Laursen said. "We need to accelerate new things within the company in ways we have not seen before."
As a stakeholder in BlueTechValley, Grundfos will benefit from publicity and recognition as a leader in innovation, as well as from early-stage access to new technologies.
Helle Petersen, General Manager of the Water, Energy and Technology Center of the Central Valley Business Incubator, said the involvement of Grundfos and other companies in the private sector was key to the BlueTechValley effort.
As the interest and need for innovative water technology gains momentum, the San Joaquin Valley has a great opportunity, said Petersen. The region's economy is driven by farming and food processing, both of which require a lot of water. Dwindling resources mean the area has a big stake in water innovation.
"BlueTechValley is an opportunity to align and leverage the resources we have," Petersen said. "By increasing the awareness of the unique ecosystem for supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, we hope to be able to attract and grow companies."
A Worldwide Water Hub
She said "brain drain" has been a problem for the area but hopes that BlueTechValley will be able to reverse the cycle by creating new and better paying jobs.
"We might not have the capital as they do in Silicon Valley, but we have the research institutions, the testing capabilities, the industry leaders and, most importantly, the end users," Petersen said.
Nagamine said the best possibly outcome of the collaboration was for the region to become a Mecca for water, energy and ag technology innovators and inventors.
Laursen echoed Nagamine's high hopes.
"My personal ambition is for BlueTechValley to be to water what Silicon Valley is to IT," Laursen said.


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Taiwan's Diminishing Media Freedom
More In Taiwan
Given its location in a region marked by repressive regimes and tight media controls, it might seem to be splitting hairs to parse media freedoms in Taiwan. According to Freedom House's most recent Freedom of the Press report released earlier this week, Taiwan remained a 'free' country, rated well above fellow so-called Asian tigers South Korea, which was rated 'partly free,' and Singapore, rated 'not free.'
It's noteworthy nevertheless that Taiwan, despite doing better than its neighbors, has slid in the Freedom House rankings during each of Ma Ying-jeou's three-years as president, falling from 32nd in 2008 to its current position at 48. Due to the relative infancy of media freedom in Taiwan, the roots of which extend to the late 1980s, and the close attention paid to the lack of those rights in China, many of the events the report calls attention to have led to widespread concern around Taiwan.
Freedom House, a U.S.-based democracy advocacy group founded in the 1940s, praised Taiwan's media environment as "one of the freest in Asia," but noted "a growing trend of marketing disguised as news reports, a proposed legal amendment that would limit descriptions of crime and violence in the media, and licensing obstacles" as concerns that led to the lower rating.
In a review of the report, Commonwealth Magazine noted that Taiwan has been hit with a "negative point" in the economic environment category each year since 2008, indicating growing concern over the effect commercial interests have had on the independence of Taiwanese media. The report cited the December resignation of a senior reporter, Dennis Huang, at the China Times following what he said was an "invasion of regular news pages by advertorials."
The practice of placing "embedded marketing" or articles paid for by commercial interests without identifying them as advertisements within newspapers has been a concern in Taiwan for years, but Mr. Huang's resignation catapulted it into the public spotlight. The government amended the Budget Law in January to prohibit the use public funds in paying for advertisements (something it did when promoting the Floral Expo last year), but Freedom House says concerns remain about the buying of news by the mainland Chinese government.
The report also pointed to worrying signs that Taiwanese media may be subject to commercially-motivated censorship stemming from the island's relationship with mainland China, singling out a column that ran in the China Times on June 4, the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. The column listed historically important events on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, but did not bring up the crackdown. As Freedom House notes, China Times is owned by Tsai Eng-meng, a businessman with extensive interests in China.
"As commercial ties between Taiwan and mainland China deepened in 2010 with the signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, press freedom advocates raised concerns that media owners and some journalists were whitewashing news about China to protect their own financial interests," the report said.
The report also brought up growing concerns about an increasing political polarization of Taiwan's media sources, subjective reasoning for the repeated rejection of an application by Next Media to start a cable television channel, and a new un-passed law designed to limit depictions of violence, drug use and lewdness in media.
The government may have a lot of work to do to improve Taiwan's standing in next year's rankings, but many of the island's media problems come from within the journalism profession itself, says Dennis Peng, associate professor of journalism at National Taiwan University. Beyond the advertorials and limits on lewdness, Taiwanese media is plagued by exaggerated stories and rigged scenes, according to Mr. Peng.
"Competition in TV news is fierce and most media have already given up their guard of ethics," he says. "The only bottom line left is the legal one."
Mr. Peng said he had little hope this race to the bottom would end anytime soon, but a strong reaction around Taiwan to exaggerated coverage of the Japan earthquake – one local station broadcast a clip of a tsunami from Deep Impact striking New York ahead of the local news – demonstrates people in Taiwan are growing increasingly weary of the hyperbole. Whether or not the trends in Taiwanese media can be reversed remains unclear, but the action taken against the paid ads at least demonstrates that some on the island are willing to make the effort.
-- Paul Mozur, with contributions from Aries Poon.
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The technology: Push
The scoop: The Weather Channel is pushing weather updates to users over Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 and BackWeb, and will soon launch a channel on Netscape Netcaster. Users can select which cities they're interested in, and weather updates are sent automatically up to every 15 minutes. When users click on the Weather Channel icon on their desktop, they can read the conditions off-line or link to the Web site.
Where to find it: www.weather.com, www.microsoft.com, www.backweb.com


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Responsible Officer:
Sponsoring Department:
Revision Date: 09 August 2017
Errors or changes to: firstname.lastname@example.com
- Procedure Objective
- Rationale
- Scope
- Related Statutes, Policies, Requirements or Standards
- Contacts
- Definitions
- Responsibilities
- Procedures
- Section I. Determining Best Value - General Guidelines
- Section II. Responsible Purchasing Practices
- Section III. Federal Funds
- Section IV. UT System Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) Accreditation Program
- Section V. Meeting Minimum Requirements for Open Market Procurements
- Section VI. Purchase of Items for Resale Only
- Section VII. Purchase Orders
- Section VIII. Purchases of Computing Equipment
- Section IX. Exclusive Acquisition Procedure (Sole Source Purchases)
- Section X. Emergency Purchases
- Section XI. Request for Qualifications (RFQ) - Used to Qualify Vendors
- Section XII. Request for Proposals
- Section XIII. Internal Repairs
- Section XIV. International Purchases
- Section XV. Independent Contractors
- Section XVI. Equipment Offered as Trade-in
- Section XVII. Assessment of Supplier Performance
- Section XVIII. Prohibited Purchases
- Section XIX. Exceptions to this Procedure
- Forms and Tools/Online Processes
- Appendices
- Website Address for This Procedure
Procedure Objective
This comprehensive procedure establishes effective guidelines for the procurement of all goods, supplies, equipment and services at specified quality and quantity levels required to achieve the mission of the University of Texas at Arlington by methods that are consistent with best value principles, applicable laws and regulations, and best industry practices. "Best Value" means the optimum combination of economy and quality that is the result of fair, efficient and practical procurement decision-making. The procurement methods described in this procedure include open market procurements, group purchasing contracts, term contract purchases, trade-ins, leases, rentals, and the purchase of goods and/or services when the ProCard cannot be used. This procedure also includes instructions for assessing supplier performance and for contracting with Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs).
It is the policy of the University of Texas at Arlington Office of Procurement Services to facilitate and expedite the purchasing function for all departments of the University with a staff of honest, ethical and qualified purchasing professionals. All personnel authorized to make procurements on behalf of the University are expected to identify the most appropriate and effective method of acquisition for each assigned requisition in order to obtain the maximum value for each dollar of expenditure. They are required to make all purchases, regardless of the source of funds, on a competitive basis unless otherwise authorized by law, UT System policy, or UTA policy. The University of Texas at Arlington requires honest and ethical conduct of all employees who are authorized to make purchases on behalf of the University. Demonstration of ethical behavior includes giving no special consideration to bidders, not accepting gifts or gratuities that might in any way result in an expectation or obligation to individuals or companies seeking business, and complying with this procedure and all related laws, rules, and regulations.
This procedure applies to Office of Procurement staff and all other employees involved in the procurement process or authorized to make purchases on behalf of the University, and employees with University delegated contracting authority. The Office of Procurement is under the supervision of the Senior Director of Procurement Services, who is accountable to the Associate Vice President for Business Affairs and Controller.
Related Statutes, Policies, Requirements or Standards
If you have any questions about this procedure, contact the following departments:
|Office Name
|Telephone Number
|All topics in Procedure
|Procurement Services
|Website access
|Administrative Information Management
Alliance (The University of Texas System Supply Chain Alliance):The collaboration and shared efforts of all University of Texas system institutions for contracts that provide reliable, sustainable solutions for the purchase and delivery of equipment, services and supplies to support the core missions of education, patient care and research.
DIR Contracts: State of Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) awards and manages cooperative contracts for information and communications technology.
E & I Contracts (E&I): A group purchasing organization also referred to as Educational and Institutional Cooperative that contracts with various suppliers for goods and services.
Group Purchasing Organization (GPO): An entity that is created to leverage the purchasing power of a group in order to obtain discounts from vendors.
Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs):Historically underutilized businesses (companies owned by women, minorities, or service disabled veterans) that are certified by the State of Texas. Employees are strongly encouraged to identify and use HUBs whenever they are available and competitive
Invitation to Bid (ITB): An invitation to bid (ITB) is a formal competitive solicitation, which is sometimes referred to as a "sealed bid". ITBs require an advertised public opening conducted at the time and date specified in the ITB. The responses are evaluated and awarded to the responsive, responsible bidder with the lowest price or best value. When using this solicitation, price as well as specification requests are primary considerations in the award process
Open Market Procurement: Markets where it is appropriate to apply RFQs, ITBs, RFPs, etc.
Payment Voucher (PO Voucher and non-PO Voucher):Used to generate payments for goods and services
Premier Health Alliance: A group purchasing organization utilized through the Alliance.
ProCard: The Purchasing Card (ProCard) Program is authorized by the State of Texas, Texas Procurement and Support Services (TPASS), through a contract with Citibank. The ProCard is a Citibank MasterCard. This program is designed to delegate authority and capability to purchase certain low-value items directly to the account manager. Use of the ProCard significantly reduces the requirements to obtain purchase order numbers, process invoices for payments and prepare large numbers of voucher/payment documents
Purchase Order: Written authorization for a supplier to ship products or provide a service at a specified price, which becomes a legally binding contract once the supplier accepts it
Resale-authorized Departments: The retail store in the University Center, the Fort Worth Maverick Market, and the Health Services Pharmacy are authorized to purchase items for resale
RFP (Request for Proposal): An invitation for suppliers, through a competitive sealed bidding process, to submit a proposal on a specific commodity or service. The request process brings structure to the procurement decision and allows the risks and benefits to be identified clearly upfront. The procedure allows changes to be made after the proposals are opened and contemplates that the nature of the proposals and/or prices offered can be negotiated prior to award. This process is lengthier than others but it ensures that the solution chosen will suit the University's requirements
RFQ (Request for Qualifications): Procurement method used when securing professional services. This solicitation method examines the qualifications of responding firms. Respondents are evaluated and ranked as to how each best meets advertised qualifications. After rankings are established the University begins negotiations with the most qualified supplier to come to an agreement on pricing.
Small Dollar Purchase Order: Small Dollar Purchase Order: Purchase Orders with a total value of less than $15,000 (including freight)
Solicitation: As defined in Regents' Rules and Regulations Rule 80103, Solicitation, solicitation means the sale, lease, rental or offer for sale, lease or rental of any property, product, merchandise, publication or service, whether for immediate or future delivery; an oral statement or the distribution or display of printed material, merchandise or products that is designed to encourage the purchase, use or rental of any property, product, merchandise, publication or service; the oral or written appeal or request to support or join an organization other than a registered student, faculty or staff organization; the receipt of or request for any gift or contribution; or the request to support or oppose or to vote for or against a candidate, issue or proposition appearing on the ballot at any election held pursuant to state or federal law or local ordinances
Term Contracts: State of Texas Contracts: Texas Procurement and Support Services (TPASS) awards and manages hundreds of statewide contracts on behalf of more than 200 state agencies and 1,700 local government agencies.
Texas Multiple Award Schedule (TXMAS) Contracts:TPASS has established contracts that have been competitively awarded by the federal government or any other government entity of any state
TIBH: TIBH Industries, Inc. helps provide employment, through the State's use of the Works Wonders Program, for Texans with blindness and other disabilities
Total Contract Period/Amount: The total potential contract/purchase order amount taking into consideration the estimated spend over the total potential contract period, including all possible renewal options.
UTAFlow form: Electronic approval document used to approve finance transactions and routed in ServiceNow
UTShare: The computerized finance system used at UTA.
Accounts Payable
- Processes and approves payments for goods and/or services after a purchase order or purchase order number is obtained
All Employees Involved in the Procurement Process
- Report any violation of purchasing ethics promptly to the Associate Vice President and Controller
- Determine the most appropriate and effective method of acquisition for each requisition
- Assume responsibility for purchases until the purchases are authorized by the Office of Procurement
- Notify the Office of Procurement Services of poor supplier performance
- Work with the University's HUB Coordinator to identify certified minority, women-owned, or service-disabled veteran businesses to bid on procurement opportunities
- Comply with this procedure and all related laws, rules, and regulations
Senior Director of Procurement Services
- Approves exceptions to this procedure: this responsibility may be delegated
- Approves processing of purchases prior to the issuance of a purchase order
- Establishes, implements, and maintains a training and certification plan for Procurement staff
- Approves justified purchases from non-TIBH sources
Department Heads
- Approve Requisition UTAFlow form in ServiceNow that will route to the Office of Procurement Services
Procurement Services
- Obligates institutional funds for purchases of supplies, materials, services and equipment
- Places purchase orders, issues purchase order numbers, releases purchases as authorized, and assists other departments in all matters involving purchase orders
- Assists departments and personnel who have been given delegated authority to make independent purchases
- Approves written procurement procedures used for the purchase of items for resale
- Specifies recycled/remanufactured goods whenever possible
- Obtains departmental requisitions, bids, and quotes, and reviews for accuracy and compliance with specifications
- Maintains an accurate file of all procurement transactions and related correspondence
- Interviews and conducts correspondence with suppliers on all matters related to procurement
- Receives and processes all requests for lease or rental of space or equipment
Chief Finaicial Officer and Vice President for Business Affairs
- Reports violations of purchasing ethics to the President and the UT System Executive Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs
Section I. Determining Best Value - General Guidelines
- When determining best value, personnel authorized to make procurements on behalf of the University shall consider:
- Purchase price
- Reputation of the supplier and of the supplier's goods or services
- Quality of the supplier's goods or services
- Extent to which the goods or services meet the University's needs
- Supplier's past relationship with the University
- Impact on the ability of the University to comply with the laws and rules relating to historically underutilized businesses
- Impact on the ability of the University to comply with the laws and rules relating to the procurement of goods and services from persons with disabilities
- Long term cost to the University of acquiring the supplier's goods or services
- Any relevant factor that a private business entity would consider in selecting a supplier
- If the procurement relates to the repair of real property, in determining best value the University shall consider the use of material to repair real property that is not proprietary to a single supplier unless the institution provides written justification in the procurement solicitation for use of the unique material specified
Section II. Responsible Purchasing Practices
As an agency of the State of Texas and as a public institution of higher education, UTA has a responsibility to support matters of public policy. Accordingly, when possible, buyers should give consideration in their award decisions to goods and services described in this section.
Recycled/remanufactured goods: Whenever possible, Procurement staff and delegated university departments shall specify the following recycled/remanufactured goods, or their use:
Products made of recycled, remanufactured, or environmentally sensitive materials, including:
recycled steel
100% post-consumer content office paper
30% to 100% PCC color-copy paper
Recycled paper products including, but not limited to, stationery, letterhead, and business cards
Energy-efficient products that contain the Energy Star rating, including:
other applicable office equipment
"Green" cleaning supplies and other applicable products, having Green Seal or Eco Logo Certification
Rubberized asphalt paving material
Recycled motor oil and lubricants
Products produced at facilities located on formerly contaminated property
Local Suppliers: When possible, buyers should give consideration to goods that are:
Supplies, materials, equipment, or services produced in Texas and/or offered by Texas bidders
Agricultural products produced or grown in Texas
Agricultural products and services offered by Texas bidders
USA produced supplies, material or equipment
Economically depressed and blighted areas: When possible, buyers should give consideration to the purchase of products and services from economically depressed or blighted areas.
Purchases from people with disabilities (TIBH): When the University purchases goods or services that are available from a TIBH source from a non-TIBH source, a written justification must be provided documenting why TIBH goods or services were unacceptable. Information about TIBH goods and services can be obtained at their website, http://www.tibh.org/index.php.
If a TIBH supplier is not chosen, prepare a written justification documenting the reason why TIBH goods or services were unacceptable. Reasons may include specifications regarding quality, quantity, delivery, life cycle costs, and prices.
Forward the written justification to the Senior Director of Procurement Services or designee with a request or review and approval.
- The Office of Procurement will review requisitions to determine if the requested good/service is available from one of the following:
University established contracts
Alliance/Premier Health Alliance contracts
Texas Procurement & Support Services (TPASS Contracts):
Term Contracts
Texas Multiple Award Schedule Contracts (TXMAS)
Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR)
UT System Approved GPO's (ref. Section IV)
Historically underutilized businesses (HUBs): The Texas Government Code encourages all state agencies to make a good faith effort to increase purchases and contract awards to certified historically underutilized businesses. See Contract with Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) (Procedure 4-28) for more information about UTA HUB policies.
Section III. Federal Funds
All procurements of supplies, equipment and services utilizing federal funds (e.g., federal grant or contract) shall be made in accordance with all applicable federal rules and regulations such as the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-102, Grants and Cooperative Agreements with State and Local Governments, and Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110, Uniform Administration Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Learning. Please refer to Contract and Grant Services procedures, http://www.uta.edu/research/administration/policies-procedures/, for instructions.
Section IV. UT System Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) Accreditation Program
The Board of Regents of The University of Texas System (UT System) approved plans to accredit qualifying group purchasing organizations (GPOs), including Texas state agencies performing GPO functions that are identified as potential suppliers of GPO contracts to UT System or its institutions. Organizations that fail to secure accreditation, or that decline to participate in the accreditation process, no longer will be used by UT System or its institutions for GPO contracts.
The University may only use the following GPO's for procurements > and or = $15,000:
The University of Texas System Supply Chain Alliance (Alliance)
Brazos Valley Council of Governments, dba Purchasing Solutions Alliance (PSA)
E&I Cooperative Services, Inc. (E&I)
Education Service Center Region 19 Allied State Cooperative
The Local Government Purchasing Cooperative, dba BuyBoard
Premier Health Alliance, LP (Premier Health Alliance)
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (Statewide Procurement Division)(TPASS/TXMAS)
Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR)
- There are specific guidelines that must be followed when using these GPO's.
Quotes specific to Alliance Contracts:
No bids are required in order to identify "best value".
If purchase exceeds $2 million, the Office of Procurement must submit to UT System administration, all documentation regarding the proposed purchase for review.
Quotes specific to Premier Alliance Health Contracts:
For purchases up to $2 million, one (1) supplier quote must be obtained from the identified category.
If purchase exceeds $2 million, a minimum of three (3) valid proposals/bids (or two (2) if there are only two firms in the category) must be taken from contracted suppliers, in order to identify "best value". Additionally, prior to contracting, the Office of Procurement must submit to UT System administration, all documentation regarding the proposed purchase for review.
Services will require the cooperation of the department to provide a Statement of Work (SOW) so that the Office of Procurement can bid out the service.
Quotes specific to all other GPO's:
Three (3) supplier quotes must be obtained from the identified category to identify "best value". This applies to the procurement of both goods and services.
If there are only two (2) suppliers in the category, quotes must be obtained from both vendors, this must be documented and purchase can proceed without further justification. This applies to the procurement of both goods and services.
If an award has been made to only a single supplier in a given category, it is not necessary to justify the purchase as an exclusive acquisition. This applies to the procurement of both goods and services.
Services will require the cooperation of the department to provide a Statement of Work (SOW), and the Office of Procurement will handle the bidding.
If a purchase exceeds $2 million, a minimum of three (3) valid proposals/bids (or two (2) if there are only two firms in the category) must be taken from contracted suppliers, in order to identify "best value". Additionally, prior to contracting, the Office of Procurement must submit to UT System administration, all documentation regarding the proposed purchase for review.
Section V. Meeting Minimum Requirements for Open Market Procurements
The following procedures outline minimum solicitation requirements for those orders processed on the open market (e.g., via RFQ, ITB, RFP, etc.). Minimum requirements do not negate the buyer's obligation to ensure that a competitive procurement occurs and best value is attained. It shall be the buyer's responsibility to determine the appropriate number of competitive suppliers from whom to solicit offers with consideration given to maximizing HUB participation and contract awards. The following dollar threshold and minimum solicitation requirements apply to both local and state funds:
Purchase of goods and/or services costing less than $15,000 including freight, may be placed without competitive bids. The State of Texas Purchasing Card (the "ProCard") is the preferred method of placing orders that are $4,000 or less, ref. Purchasing Card (ProCard) Program(Procedure 4-11). If the ProCard is not accepted by the supplier, or is not an allowable ProCard purchase, then the purchase will be made with a small dollar purchase order. Required steps are as follows:
Obtain the source of detailed pricing (i.e. fax or e-mail from supplier, copy of web site, catalog page, etc.) to support audit requirements.
Create a requisition in UT Share based upon above pricing confirmation.
Complete the Requisition UTAFlow approval form.
UTShare will run a process to convert the requisition into a purchase order (PO) and a PO ID will be assigned to the purchase.
e. When the purchase order is approved and has passed a budget check, the dispatch process will send the PO to the requester for dissemination to the supplier. NOTE: A PURCHASE ORDER MUST HAVE A STATUS OF "DISPATCHED" BEFORE THE PO ID IS GIVEN TO A SUPPLIER.
Acceptance/receipt - only applies to goods (not services). For purchase orders of less than $15,000 when receiving hasn't already taken place, departments can perform desktop receiving, but only by the creator of the associated requisition. See UTShare Financial Topics - Desktop Receiving for more information. If there is no requisition associated with the purchase order or another employee created the associated requisition the department will need to contact Property Management to request a receipt
Obtain an itemized invoice for voucher processing, create and submit a Payment Voucher in UTShare.
Required documentation for Accounts Payable review is to be attached to the:
Invoice: All items on the invoice must have been received (if required) and accepted by the requesting department prior to payment voucher processing. Invoices that have not been processed correctly will not be approved for payment. Additionally, invoices that are not itemized will not be approved for payment.
Purchases shall not be divided or split into bundles totaling less than $15,000 in order to evade procurement procedures for purchases over $15,000.
If the ProCard cannot be used and the purchases are for non-purchase order items or reimbursements see Reimbursements and Payments Other Than for Travel and Purchase Orders (Procedure 4-26).
Purchases Requiring Special Handling
Purchases for printing or printing services using State of Texas funding (Fund 21XX) require special handling by the Office of Procurement and may not be handled at the departmental level, regardless of dollar amount of purchase.
Purchases of $15,000 and up to $50,000 will require a minimum of three (3) quotes to be taken by the Office of Procurement or the department. At least two (2) quotes must be obtained from HUBs (companies owned by women or minorities, or service disabled veterans). All quotes must be valid for 30 days. Note: See Section IV if using a GPO
Purchases over $50,000 to $1 million will require formal written bids or proposals in response to a written solicitation issued by the Office of Procurement. At least two (2) bids or proposals must be obtained from HUBs (companies owned by women, minorities, or service-disabled veterans). Note: See Section IV if using a GPO
Purchases over $1 million will require formal written bids or proposals in response to a written solicitation issued by the Office of Procurement. At least two (2) bids or proposals must be obtained from HUBs (companies owned by women, minorities, or service-disabled veterans). Additionally, purchase is subject to Board of Regents Rule 10501.
The Office of Procurement Services will review exceptions to these procedures only when circumstances warrant deviation
Requisitions for Open Market Procurements
An official UTShare Requisition and appropriate UTAFlow approval form is completed for open market procurements $15,000 and over.
The department head must approve the UTAFlow form which will route to the Office of Procurement for processing.
Section VI. Purchase of Items for Resale Only
Auxiliary departments having authority to purchase items for resale only may do so without going through the Office of Procurement Services so long as such departments have appropriate written procurement procedures approved by the Office of Procurement Services and those procedures are followed for the resale. The retail store in the University Center, the Fort Worth Maverick Market, and the Health Services Pharmacy are authorized to purchase items for resale.
Section VII. Purchase Orders
Requirements for Purchase Orders
Except for credit card purchases and those purchases listed in VII.B, A PURCHASE ORDER OR A PURCHASE ORDER NUMBER MUST BE OBTAINED BEFORE A PURCHASE IS MADE. Accounts Payable will not process or approve payments for goods and/or services when purchases are made prior to a purchase order being issued or a purchase order number being obtained from Procurement unless approved by the Senior Director of Procurement Services or designee.
Departments will be sent an email when this situation occurs.
- Exception requests must be submitted as outlined in Section XIX.
The steps outlined in Section V A. 1. should be followed for all purchase orders regardless of the invoice dollar amount for materials and the payment of invoices, with the following two exceptions:
Purchases for $4,000 or less, including freight charges, that can be made with the ProCard and for which a suitable supplier can be identified (See Purchasing Card (ProCard) Program (Procedure 4-11).
Purchases that are for non-purchase order items or reimbursements (See Reimbursements and Payments Other Than for Travel and Purchase Orders(Procedure 4-26).
- Goods and Services Not Requiring a Purchase Order
Some purchases of goods and services may not require a purchase order because best value is obtained by procuring such goods or services by other means. Purchases of the following goods or services should not be processed using a purchase order but must be processed in accordance with Reimbursements and Payments Other Than for Travel and Purchase Orders (Procedure 4-26).
- Central Library procurements for books, subscriptions, journals, etc.
- Utilities - telephone, electric, gas and water
- Filing fees for work to be performed on buildings, e.g. Texas Department of Health
- Professional registration/license fees, e.g. University Health Services physicians, safety employees
- YWCA Child Development Center scholarships and reimbursements
- Postal Services - permits, bulk rate fees and meter charges
- Insurance premiums
- Interagency payments for services (non-encumbrance)
- Bus charters (for Athletics only)
- Registration fees for conferences, seminars, and workshops billed by the supplier
- Umpires/officials' fees for refereeing sporting events billed by supplier
- Memberships in the name of the University or University department
- Reimbursements to university employee(s)
- Overnight hotel lodging paid on behalf of official university guests
- Fees for performers and entertainers billed by a company and any associated requirements in the performers/entertainers rider
- Meals in restaurants and catering expenses - pick-up or delivery
- Expenses related to hosting a conference (i.e., audio-visual equipment, room rental, booths, etc.)
- Guest lecturers
- Subscriptions to periodicals, including electronic versions
- Flowers
Professional, consulting and/or temporary services from individuals that by nature of the service does not allow UTA to receive a benefit from an open market procurement; however, such services must be processed in accordance with Payments for Professional Services (Procedure 1-19)
- Advertisements, e.g. newspapers, radio, TV, billboards, periodicals, etc, and associated services (requires submission of a copy of the ad or ad verbiage)
- Miscellaneous fees, e.g. assessments, accreditations, royalties, copyrights, appraisals, training costs, and others as approved by Procurement Services
- Publications and audio-visual materials (prepared materials only, not equipment, supplies, or printing)
- Leases for office space and associated facility improvements/renovations.
- Bottled water and/or soft drinks from Pepsi Bottling Group (Exclusive Pouring Rights Contract). Prior to placing an order, contact Procurement for the appropriate university account number.
- Medical services for student athletes paid by the Athletics Department
- Retreat facilities
- Books and supplies purchased through UTA Bookstore for scholarship recipients
- Division of Enterprise Development curriculum/course material development
- TMAC purchases mandated by customer contracts
Confirmation Purchase Orders
Confirmation purchases are those that are made before a written purchase order is issued by the Office of Procurement. The department must secure a purchase order number from the Office of Procurement prior to making the purchase.
- Departments requesting authority to make a purchase of this type shall first follow the solicitation requirements outlined in this procedure.
The requesting department MUST obtain a purchase order number from the Office of Procurement prior to ordering goods and/or services.
The requesting department will then place the order with the supplier.
When the requesting department is ready to submit the requisition for this purchase, the requester is to contact their designated buyer in the Office of Procurement to coordinate submittal in a manner that will ensure proper PO number assignment. NOTE: The University is not legally obligated until the Office of Procurement has authorized the purchase. Any individual making a purchase without proper authority first being given is assuming a personal obligation to the supplier for which he/she may be held personally liable.
After an order has been issued to the supplier, all cancellations and changes on that order must be handled by the Office of Procurement.
The requesting department will contact the appropriate buyer as soon as possible.
The requesting department will forward a memo describing the needed change or cancellation to the Office of Procurement. If a change or cancellation of a term contract purchase order is involved, the Office of Procurement will handle correspondence required to obtain the approval of Texas Procurement and Support Services (TPASS) and the supplier.
Managing Requisitions
Requisitions are entered into UTShare.
Departments who have access to UTShare may track their requisitions and/or purchase orders using the Manage Requisitions page and drilling down into the Requisition Lifespan. See UTShare Finance Topics - Manage Requisitions for more information.
Purchase Order Release Authority
No Office of Purchasing staff member may dispatch a purchase order to a supplier either verbally or in writing which exceeds his/her dispatch authority until such order is reviewed and approved by personnel who have authority at that level of commitment (preferably attached electronically to the transaction in UTShare). Documents to be attached include:
- Copy of purchase order
- Change order(s), if applicable
- Copy of requisition or request/authorization memorandum, if applicable
- Confirming quotation or written bid/RFP (including clarifications and revised bids/proposals)
- Award recommendation, if applicable
- Bid tabulation and justification for method of purchase
- Appropriate justification (e.g., emergency, sole-source), if applicable
- Department (user) review/approval letter or evaluation forms, if applicable
- Other-than-low-bid justification - approval memo, if applicable
- Bidders list, if applicable
- Copy of all submitted quotations or written bids/RFPs, if applicable
- HUB good faith effort documentation (orders greater than or equal to $100,000)
- TIBH justification, if applicable
- Any additional correspondence
Section VIII. Purchases of Computing Equipment
All purchases of laptop, desktop and tablet computing equipment must conform to hardware standards published by the Office of Information Technology or be approved by the Office of Information Technology unless such computer equipment is integral to the functioning of research equipment and will not be used for normal UTA business or academic purposes. For immediate requirements for sole computers please see Emergency Centralized Computer Distribution Program (Procedure 19-1).
Section IX. Exclusive Acquisition Procedure (Sole Source Purchases)
The competitive bidding process is the foundation of government purchasing. In rare situations though, due to the unique nature of some goods and services, competition may not be possible. It is the responsibility of Procurement to verify that competition is not required and that the acquisition will result in "best value" for the institution in compliance with Tex. Educ. Code 51.9335(b).
In order to make this determination, the Procurement Buyer must understand the unique characteristic(s) of the good or service, therefore, the following information must be provided:
- Special Use Requirements (equipment only)
To be compatible with existing equipment
For the repair, maintenance or modification of existing equipment
For use as spare or replacement equipment
- Required Features:
List the specific feature(s) or characteristic(s) that are required which are unique to the good or service provided by this supplier. Describe the importance of the unique feature(s) as it applies to the intended use and project goals. Describe how the selected supplier meets these requirements
- Evaluation of Other Sources
Identify other sources that were evaluated (including the names, manufacturers, model numbers, etc.) and the reason they were found to be unsatisfactory for the intended use or in meeting project goals.
NOTE: In doing this, the focus is on the unique or specialized nature of the goods/services to be procured. If there is, in fact, an alternative that would meet the institution's requirements, exclusive acquisition may not be justified, even if the alternative source received lower evaluation scores.
- Risk Elements:
Describe any substantial risks that could not be overcome if the product or service was procured from another supplier.
- Special Use Requirements (equipment only)
If the purchase of a good or service is $15,000 or more, and an equivalent good or service specified is not available, or is limited to one (1) provider of the good or service, then the Exclusive Acquisition Justification Form(Form 4-24) needs to be completed by the primary user of the goods and/or services being requested. Once complete and signed by the primary user, this form is to be forwarded to the department dean or department head for approval. The completed Exclusive Acquisition Justification Form(Form 4-24) then must to be attached to a requisition in UTShare to be routed to the Office of Procurement.
A buyer will review and approve or deny the Exclusive Acquisition Justification Form (Form 4-24). If the form is approved at the buyer level, the form will be forwarded to Procurement management for further review. Upon final approval, the procurement will proceed.
If the form is denied at any level, the denial will be communicated to the primary user and a competitive solicitation will be done by the Office of Procurement.
Section X. Emergency Purchases
Emergencies occur as the result of unforeseeable circumstances that suddenly and unexpectedly cause the University to need goods/services (for example, the issuance of a court order, new legislation or a natural disaster). Delay or negligence on the part of the University does not qualify as an emergency.
If an unforeseen situation arises in which compliance with normal procurement practice (including, normally applicable laws and university rules) is impracticable or contrary to the public interest, an emergency purchase may be warranted to prevent a hazard to life, health, safety, welfare, property or to avoid undue additional cost to the institution.
Notwithstanding the immediate nature of an emergency purchase, all procurements conducted as emergencies should be made as competitively as possible under the circumstances.
In addition, emergency purchases may not exceed the scope or duration of the emergency.
When the purchase of a good or service is $15,000 or more, and needs to be processed on an emergency basis, the Exclusive Acquisition Justification Form (Form 4-24) must be provided to the Office of Procurement. The justification must include the following information:
Risk Elements: State the financial or operational damage/risk that will occur if needs are not satisfied immediately.
Special Circumstances: State why the needs were not or could not be anticipated so that goods/services cannot be purchased following standard procedures.
Supplier Selection: State the reason and process used for selecting the supplier.
The Exclusive Acquisition Justification Form (Form 4-24) needs to be completed by the primary user of the goods and/or services being requested. Once complete and signed by the primary user, this form is to be forwarded to the department dean or department head for approval. The completed Exclusive Acquisition Justification Form (Form 4-24) then must to be attached to a requisition in UTShare to be routed to the Office of Procurement.
A buyer will review and approve or deny the Exclusive Acquisition Justification Form (Form 4-24). If the form is approved at the buyer level, the form will be forwarded to Procurement Management for further review and final approval. Upon final approval, the procurement will proceed. If the form is denied at any level, the denial will be communicated to the primary user and a competitive solicitation will be done by the Office of Procurement.
Section XI. Request for Qualifications (RFQ) - Used to Qualify Vendors
A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is used to identify a group of vendors who meet a set of minimum qualifications in order to submit proposals for a planned solicitation. Only qualified vendors are permitted to submit proposals to the solicitation. This process is required for architects, engineers, RNs, CPAs, physicians, land surveyors, and others as defined in Government Code 2254.002.
The decision to use the RFQ process is generally made through discussions between the requesting department and the Contract Management Office.
- The Contract Management Office and the department develop a general scope of work (SOW) along with a set of questions that will be asked of the vendors to determine their qualifications for the project.
- The department identifies a team of end users/subject matter experts to review vendor submissions and score the responses. The team develops a scoring methodology that will be used in the scoring process. Team members each sign a non-disclosure/conflict of interest statement provided by the contracting office.
- The RFQ is publicly posted.
- The evaluation team scores the responses and identifies those vendors who meet the minimum qualification requirements. Only qualified vendors are asked to participate in any subsequent solicitation.
- When the RFQ is concluded, the University may or may not issue a solicitation.
If a professional service cannot be pre-qualified, the Exclusive Acquisition Justification Form (Form 4-24) must be provided to the Office of Contract Management The justification must include the following information:
- Supplier Selection:
Criteria used to select a supplier for the requested services
- Reason for Selection:
Identify the specifications and qualifications of the selected supplier.
- Supplier Selection:
The Exclusive Acquisition Justification Form(Form 4-24) needs to be completed by the primary user of the service being requested. Once complete and signed by the primary user, this form is to be forwarded to the department dean or department head for approval. The completed Exclusive Acquisition Justification Form(Form 4-24) must to be sent to the Office of Contract Management - either electronically or hard copy.
A contract specialist will review and approve or deny the Exclusive Acquisition Justification Form (Form 4-24). If the form is approved by the Contract Management Office, the form will be forwarded to Procurement Management for further review. Upon final approval, the procurement will proceed. If the form is denied at any level, the denial will be communicated to the campus user(s) and a competitive Request for Qualification will be done by the Office of Contract Management.
Section XII. Request for Proposals
Standard Steps in the Request for Proposal Process
Prior to starting the process outlined below, requisitioning department ("department") should contact the Contract Management Office ("CMO") if they need help in determining whether their product, project or service is appropriate for the request for proposal "(RFP") process, or if it could be accomplished with a traditional Invitation For Bid (IFB) or other purchasing process.
Department submits "RFP" Initiation Form" 4-26 to the CMO.
In order to initiate the RFP process, the CMO will need:
A completed and signed "RFP Initiation Form" explaining the project and funding source; and
A list of any known or suggested vendors that may be able to fulfill the project requirements, including contact name, address, phone number and e-mail addresses.
Department and CMO identify key stakeholder(s) and subject matter experts (SME's). Once these key team members have been identified, the CMO will arrange a proposal "kick off meeting" to help establish key roles, responsibilities and timelines to complete the remaining steps in the process.
Key stakeholder(s) and SME's define project needs such as, but not limited to:
Scope of work (SOW)
RFP and overall project schedule
Pricing (or revenue) structure
HUB subcontracting opportunities: Any project valued (cost or revenue) at $100,000 or more requires the submission of a HUB Subcontracting Plan (HSP) by each proposing firm in order to be considered.
Create Scoring Criteria and Weights
The evaluation criteria used to score proposals should consist of the criteria that accurately reflect the areas of importance to the University in its selection decision. Through the evaluation and scoring of the criteria, the University is able to assess the similarities and differences and the strengths and weaknesses of competing proposals. A well-integrated evaluation scheme provides consistency, discipline, transparency, and rationality to the source selection process, as well as a solid set of backup documentation.
The key stakeholder(s) ultimately decide(s) how to weight each of the evaluation criteria categories (e.g. what percentage of the total score does each category receive in the evaluation scoring). Evaluation criteria must conform to the criteria established in Texas Education Code 51.9335(b). The following criteria must be used and any weights applied to each category must be disclosed in the RFP document. Additional "sub-criteria", bullet points, or specific questions/requirements may be added under each, but the following must be used:
The purchase price
The reputation of the vendor and the vendor's goods or services
The quality of the vendor's goods or services
The extent to which the goods or services meet the institution's needs.
The vendor's past relationship with the institution
The total long-term cost (or value) to the institution for acquiring the vendor's goods or services
Any other relevant factor that a private business entity would consider in selecting a vendor
Finalizing RFP content and posting the RFP: The contract specialist assigned to the RFP will work with the department to finalize the RFP content. The contract specialist will send the RFP to vendors/proposers identified by the department; those vendors/proposers identified through research; and potential "historically underutilized businesses (HUBs)" from the State's "Centralized Master Bidders List" (CMBL). Additionally, the contract specialist will publically advertise the RFP on the "Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD)" website for a minimum of 14 calendar days.
Pre-Proposal Meeting: A pre-proposal meeting is suggested if the SOW is complicated or if it is necessary for potential proposers to physically see or examine the facilities or any activities related to the goods and/or services in the solicitation.
There may be times when, due to the nature of the project, attendance by proposers will be mandatory. In those instances, only proposals from firms who attend the pre-proposal conference will be accepted.
If a HUB Subcontracting Plan (HSP) is required, the HUB Coordinator will also attend and make a presentation to ensure that all interested firms understand the requirements of the HSP submittal.
Evaluating the Proposals
Once proposals have been received, for proposals requiring a HSP the HUB Coordinator will review the HSPs submitted. Only proposals accompanied by an acceptable HSP will be evaluated and eligible for award.
When acceptable proposals have been identified, the contract specialist will arrange a kick-off meeting for the evaluation team and will distribute the following forms and instructions to the evaluation team ("Team"):
Non-conflict-of-interest statement (requires signature)
Non-disclosure memo (requires signature)
Evaluation team instructions
Evaluation briefing points
When the non-conflict and the non-disclosure forms have been signed and returned to the contract specialist, the compliant proposals will be distributed to the Team along with a scoring and comment sheet.
When the proposal evaluation is complete, the Team will identify finalists based on scoring/ranking and may request the contract specialist to invite them to make a presentation. If, during the presentations, additional information is gathered by the Team that would affect the scoring against the evaluation criteria, the Team may revise their scoring. An explanation for the scoring changes must accompany the revised score sheet
At this time, one or multiple proposers may be invited to submit a best and final offer (BAFQ) in an attempt to improve pricing or achieve additional concessions and/or considerations. This is an optional step and does not have to be performed if the Team believes the best overall value and contract position has already been achieved.
If, upon review of the returned "BAFQ"s, information is received that would affect the scoring against the evaluation criteria, the Team may again revise their scoring. However, an explanation for the scoring changes must accompany the revised score sheet.
Awarding and Executing the Contract
Once the Team has completed its evaluation, the contract specialist will review the documentation to ensure appropriate processes have been followed in consideration of all evaluation criteria and the justification for vendor selection. The contract specialist may request additional information, or clarification from the Team if needed.
The vendor whose proposal has the highest final score becomes the potential awardee for the contract and the University notifies all vendors (including those not selected) of its decision.
The contract specialist will prepare a draft version of the agreement, including any exceptions requested by the proposer for review by both the key stakeholder and The Office of University Compliance and Legal Affairs. The key stakeholder(s) should review to ensure correctness and completeness of scope, requirements, schedule deliverables, and any other technical, operational, or business aspect of the agreement. Legal Affairs will review the entire agreement, paying particular attention to any exceptions taken to the terms, conditions, and legal aspects.
Once all university priorities are in agreement, the draft contract is sent to the proposer for review and input. At this point, it may be necessary to arrange a meeting to negotiate and finalize certain points of the agreement. Some issues can be resolved easily and quickly, others may take more time and input from multiple parties. Regardless, once all parties are in agreement the University's legal representative will stamp the agreement showing approval and it can then be signed by the appropriate university representative. It is then forwarded to the proposing firm for their signature ("contract execution").
The contract specialist will schedule a project kickoff meeting with the end-user/department/key stakeholders to distribute key documents, including a checklist which will serve as a guide for the department's day-to-day administration and monitoring of the contract.
Other Considerations
It is not unusual for the RFP process to take from three (3) to six (6) months to achieve contract award and execution. Some projects have been known to take a year or more.
If the contract exceeds $1,000,000 over the life of the contract, the awarded vendor must complete and return a "Form 1295: Disclosure of Interested Parties" prior to contract execution.
In conjunction to Form 1295, "Nepotism Disclosure Forms" must be completed by all evaluation team members for contracts exceeding $1,000,000 over the life of the contract.
Once the agreement has been executed, the vendor must submit "proof of insurance" meeting or exceeding the requirements that were identified in the RFP. If workers will be on campus, the vendor must also provide a letter, signed by an authorized representative, certifying compliance with the "criminal background checks" requirements detailed in the RFP.
If the contract exceeds $1,000,000, approval of the purchase is required by the UT System Board of Regents.
Section XIII. Internal Repairs
An internal repair is a repair to university-owned equipment that cannot be reasonably defined prior to the actual repair and the extent of which cannot be determined until the equipment is disassembled. Internal repairs must contain labor and may also include parts. Competitive bids are not required for an internal repair.
Section XIV. International Purchases
For the convenience of the University, the Office of Procurement has an agreement for Customs Brokerage & International Freight Forwarding Services with DB Schenker to clear imported shipments through U.S. Customs. If the Office of Procurement issues a purchase order, DB Schenker will be the default provider unless the requesting department designates another company. All customs broker information will be accurately stated in the purchase order. The receiving of shipments from foreign countries by a customs broker entails many miscellaneous charges, which include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Customs duty
- Merchandise processing fee
- Airline terminal fee
- Document turnover fee
- Customs clearance fee
- Bonding
- Messenger fee
Please note that customs fees are generally 'in addition' to a vendor's normal shipping fee. The Office of Procurement will state on all purchase orders a "not to exceed shipping fee" (if applicable), but cannot provide an estimate on customs broker fees, as the extent of those charges is unknown until the transaction occurs. Additionally, DB Schenker can arrange for the final delivery of the good to the University, but there is an additional charge for this service also. The requesting department can designate another provider for this service if they desire to do so. Prior to finalizing a purchase order, the requesting department will be made aware of all ancillary charges (shipping, customs fees and final delivery) and will be required to document financial acceptance and responsibility. If the total of the customs fees or customs fees along with the final delivery charge does not exceed $4,000, the University's ProCard can be utilized for payment.
Section XV. Independent Contractors
When acquiring services from an individual, the primary user must consult with a buyer to determine whether the nature of the service allows UTA to receive a benefit from an open market procurement; If so, then a competitive solicitation will be done by the Office of Procurement. If not, follow the instructions in Payments for Professional Services (Procedure 1-19).
Section XVI. Equipment Offered as Trade-in
If a department of the University requests the purchase of new equipment and also offers a trade-in of old equipment of the same or a similar type, the used equipment must be fully described in the requisition as to age, condition, make, model and serial number if available, and the most realistic estimate of the value of the used equipment.
Trade-in of old equipment cannot be applied when purchasing any new equipment on State of Texas term contracts.
Section XVII. Assessment of Supplier Performance
To assist the Office of Procurement in identifying suppliers who perform poorly, departments will notify the Office of Procurement of poor supplier performance.
Departments should not approve invoices until completely satisfied with the goods and/or services invoiced. After completing Supplier Performance Form (Form 4-10) to document their assessment of vendor performance, departments should forward the completed form to the Office of Procurement.
The Office of Procurement will utilize these forms in determining whether or not the University will continue to use a particular vendor.
Section XVIII. Prohibited Purchases
Payments for the following goods and services are not authorized to be paid with university funds. Purchase of these items require written approval prior written approval of the CFO and the University Attorney, and should not be processed with a purchase order.
- Charitable donations
- Gifts over $100
- Gift certificates to non-UTA employees over $100: gift certificates for UTA employees may not be purchased regardless of the value.
- Tours, golf tickets, sporting events, or movies, or laundry, except when acquired by the Athletics Department
- Employee tuition
- Employee application fees
- Student tuition, application fees, or other student expenses
- University parking decal fees
- Internet provider services
- Traffic citations
Section XIX. Exceptions to this Procedure
- The following instructions should be followed to request an exception to these procedures:
- Each request must include detailed documentation as to why the exception should be granted and the benefit to the University if the exception is granted.
- The approval of the account administrator must be obtained.
- The approved request should be submitted using the Business Affairs (BA) Exception Request menu located in UTA Flow.
- Each request will be granted or denied based on the circumstances of the individual situation. The granting of a request does not alter the existing procedures.
- Documentation will be maintained on the Office of Business Affairs and Controller on-line Policy Exceptions file.
Forms and Tools/Online Processes
- List of UT System Supply Chain Alliance contracts
- List of Term Contracts from the Texas Procurement and Support Services (TPASS)
- List of TXMAS Contracts
- List of DIR Contracts
- Exclusive Acquisition Justification Form (Form 4-24)
- Requisition Processing
- Purchase Order Payment Voucher
- Volume Purchases Information (Standard Desktop and Laptop Models for Purchase at UT Arlington)


text:
"Drove off at 9 a.m.," Bjaaland wrote. "Dogs as if possessed, careered off like madmen. Going good and terrain flat and fine. Distance 15.6 miles from 9 a.m. to 1.30 p.m." [1] They were leaving the depot at 80°, six hundred miles from the Pole.
"The dogs were absolutely wild," wrote Amundsen. "We did our distance, 15 nautical miles, by 12 noon. Made camp. Wonderful weather. The Barrier was completely even over this stretch. The going was splendid." [2]
[1] Olav Bjaaland, diary, 26 October, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.429.
[2] Roald Amundsen, diary, 26 October, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.119.
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Indie+ is a community of role-playing game fans, some tabletop, some LARP, too. What's the indie part? From the very beginning of the tabletop RPG hobby, our fun was created by people like you and me, making games or modules for friends, drawing dungeons or playing to find out. Now, we've got online publishing and crowd funding and all kinds of tools to help us pursue the dream of making our own games for (or with) friends. That's indie.
What's the plus part? We are a growing community on Google Plus, which is linked to our YouTube account. We'd love to have you aboard. Games are happening all over the internet, and your first (or fifth!) step could be with us, if you're interested.
Want to learn more about these cool games? Watch our actual play videos- we have exhibition games run by the designer and community games run by and for community members.
Want to hear from the folks who made them? Check out our panels or talk shows- we talk technique on running and playing games along with important discussions on inclusivity and diversity.


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In any civil court case, including family law cases, paperwork is an important part of achieving a successful outcome. The difference between a successful resolution and an unsuccessful one can be your ability to provide the correct documentation to the court to meet all of the procedural rules and to establish that you are entitled to the relief you're requesting. In a recent case from Broward County, the Fourth District Court of Appeal upheld a trial court's decision finding a due process violation, which the court declared was a result of a lack of written proof that a father received proper notice that his former mother-in-law was requesting a change in custody of the man's child.
Articles Posted in Temporary Custody By Extended Family Member
Mother and Child Reunion Put on Hold After Court Decides to Hear More Evidence Regarding Best Interest of Child
Child custody court cases involve many elements. One vital aspect is determining what is in the best interest of the child, an issue that many parents might feel capable addressing on their own. However, family law cases are still civil litigation matters, in many cases complete with multiple procedural layers. In one recent case, a trial court's decision to grant a grandmother's custody-related motion survived because, according to the 5th District Court of Appeal, the motion complied with the rules of procedure, so the trial court was within proper bounds to hear it and rule on it.
The case involved the custody of a son born to a Florida woman. In 1999, she granted legal temporary custody of the infant boy to the child's grandmother. More than a decade later, in 2010, the mother was drug-free, remarried, and caring for her younger children with her husband. The mother asked the court to grant her substantial visitation with the child. The grandmother asked that the court require supervision for the visits, and the court agreed.
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Miami Father Accused of Kidnapping, Hiding Daughter Released from Jail
Yesterday, a judge in Miami-Dade's Family Court lifted an emergency protection order that forbade a 22-year-old father from seeing his 3-year-old daughter. The father is currently engaged in a custody battle with the child's mother, a Venezuelan national who reportedly accused him of kidnapping their daughter in March 2011. She allegedly filed a missing persons report on the child before returning to Venezuela to give birth to another baby. It is currently unclear whether she ever intends to return to the United States.
In February, the father was reportedly arrested in Pensacola and returned to Miami-Dade on interfering with child custody charges. He was released from jail on Wednesday. His mother was also reportedly arrested for interfering with child custody after she brought the child to court last month in order to demonstrate she was not missing and was being well cared for. Last Monday, a Miami-Dade judge dismissed both interfering with custody charges.
According to the man's mother, she and her husband had custody of the child at the time the child's mother reported her missing. The child's mother allegedly accused the child's father of child abuse, child neglect, and domestic violence as well as kidnapping. A home study of the grandmother's residence reportedly revealed no environmental hazards, no evidence of abuse, and stated the child was happy. Following the home study, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman granted temporary custody of the child to the grandparents. Permanent custody of the child will not be resolved until the child's mother returns from Venezuela.
To many parents, the question of who will retain custody of your children following a separation or divorce is an emotional one. Since October 2008, child custody arrangements in Florida have been referred to as time-sharing schedules. A time-sharing agreement generally outlines the amount of time a child will spend with each parent, including overnights, weekends, school breaks, and holidays. If parents cannot come to an agreement regarding a time-sharing plan, one will be ordered by a family court. A Florida family court will normally examine the moral fitness of the parents, any evidence of abuse, and a variety of other statutory factors when creating a time-sharing schedule. Because a Florida parent who wishes to modify a time-sharing plan must show substantially changed circumstances, modifying a time-sharing plan can be difficult. If you are a Florida parent who would like to establish or modify your child's time-sharing plan, it is a good idea to contact a skilled family law lawyer to assist you.
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Miami-Dade Judge Transfers Child Custody Of Neglected Children
The Miami Herald is reporting that Circuit Judge Jeri Cohen has ruled that a Hialeah women will not have custody of her children pending an investigation by DCF. On Monday, Rebecca Garcia, 21, left her infant and five year old son alone in her vehicle while shopping. She was subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of child neglect. In addition, she tested positive for marijuana prior to Tuesday's hearing.
She told law enforcement that she was returning a previously made purchase and only left her children in the car for five minutes. Judge Cohen placed the daughter with the grandparents and father and the son with an aunt. While the parties are due to return to court on September 28, 2010, the court is permitting liberal time-sharing with the mother.
Garcia was previously investigated by DCF in 2005 when her daughter obtained a bone fracture.
Can An Extended Family Member Seek Temporary Child Custody In Fort Lauderdale?
An extended family member such as a relative in the third degree by blood or marriage to the parent of a stepparent of a child currently married to a parent may have a lawyer file an action under Florida law to seek temporary custody of a minor child in Broward. This is intended to provide a legal means for a statutorily defined family member to acquire the necessary legal documentation to permit them to provide for the minor child under for whom they are caring for by allowing them to consent to medical treatment, to obtain copies of school records and to enroll the minor child in school.
In a recent case from the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Mohorn v Thomas, the grandmother appealed an order entered by Broward marital and family Judge Marina Garcia-Wood. The trial court denied her petition for temporary custody. Judge Garcia-Wood found that the father's name on the birth certificate was insufficient to establish paternity and that the father was required to file a paternity action to establish or ratify paternity before temporary custody of an extended family member could be sought by an extended family member.
The minor child's birth certificate listed Sylenia Danielle Thomas as the mother and Ronnie Kennedy as the father. One year after the minor child was born, the mother and father executed a document that gave all rights and legal guardianship of the minor child to the paternal grandparents.


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Self Storage in Bluffton, SC
1110 Fording Island Rd
Bluffton, SC 29910
Self Storage in Bluffton, SC
1110 Fording Island Rd
Bluffton, SC 29910
Select the available unit size below that you would like to rent. Need help knowing what size you need?
Plantation Storage is your one stop shop for moving and self storage! Our professional storage staff are here Monday through Saturday 9 am – 6 pm to assist you. We offer climate-controlled units as well as non-climate units in sizes ranging from 3×3 lockers to 10×40 drive up units. We also have parking spaces for RV's and Boats, and even offer wine storage.
We are located on Bluffton's Highway 278 across from the Home Depot and just down the street from Target. Do you live on Hilton Head Island? We are just a short drive away! We make life easier for you by granting 24/7 gate access for all customers. For your convenience, Plantation carries a full line of locks, boxes, and moving supplies, and we offer free use of our move-in truck with every storage rental! We also offer online payments, reservations, monthly invoicing and an automated billing service. We can save you a trip to an office store by giving you full access to our WiFi, fax machines and copy services.
Current Customers: (843) 815-8000


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To the editor: I just wanted to send a note to thank you for the wonderful service you provided to United Way this past year. The Rutland Tribune has always been quick to respond to our requests for getting the word out about United Way activities. We really appreciate your continued outstanding support, not only this year, but in years past. It is always a pleasure to deal with the Rutland Tribune; once again we appreciate all of your support for United Way and our community through your fine publication. Thank you so much and I hope you have a wonderful 2008. Chuck Sharp
Executive Director
United Way of Rutland County


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Easter to me is not chocolate, Easter eggs and the Easter bunny, it is a whole lot more than that. When Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins, that was the time that we shall keep in our hearts even though we did not see it. I normally have a nice dinner with my family and have devotions to remember what it says in the bible.
In the bible it says that the lord Jesus Christ was placed upon the cross to die. He forgave our sins. Jesus had risen from the dead on the Sunday of Easter. This man named Joseph had beg the soldiers to put Jesus into his family tomb. Even though he was not related to him. In those days if you had no family you had to be put into a pit with other dead bodies. But this very kind man who believed in Jesus, put Jesus into his own family tomb.
In my family we cannot eat our hollow Easter egg until Sunday. This is because the tomb was Empty until Sunday so since the tomb and egg is hollow until it goes into the person stomach then it turns into something different. The ugly weird different. We don't have a lot of Easter eggs, but when we do, we eat it on Sunday.
This year I am not doing the sort of thing that I did last year. Since I am in intermediate I can go to a camp with my sisters, cousin and Aunty. What normally happens, is that my two other cousins, my brother, my younger sister, my mum, my dad and I stay home while everyone else goes to camp. I am very excited to go but not exited to miss the family dinner. Camp only goes from the 25th of March to the 28th of March.
There are a lot of activities from what I've heard. Also there is church so that's even better. Lots of churches coming and that means there are going to be a lot of people there. I'm going with my cousin's church (well cousin's old church) and I probably know 97% of people from her Church. I would post on my blog every day at camp but I cannot bring my Chromebook. I will try to post on my blog on Tuesday the 29th of March.
Our task was to write about what we do or what we believe what Easter is to us. I did a picture that represents the cross that Jesus died on. By the way, I still Easter eggs but don't believed the Easter bunny


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Customer Reviews
* FTC Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by contributors of the product reviews are their own and not necessarily those of Netrition.com. These reviews should not be taken as recommendations but rather customer opinions of the products that they may or may not have used. Furthermore, Netrition.com makes no warranty or representation, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information contributed by outside sources, and assumes no responsibility or liability regarding the use of such information. Netrition.com does not warrant the performance, effectiveness or applicability of any materials listed or linked to on Netrition.com.
December 18, 2018Reviewer: keith in New Hampshire* Nice to have something sweet without the low carb lifestyle guilt....and who can resist Hershey's?
October 03, 2018Reviewer: Jannette in California* One piece eaten with a sugar free marshmallow is a perfect treat.
July 27, 2018Reviewer: Kristin in Tennessee* I really enjoy these chocolate caramels as do my husband and young son. They taste like the real thing I just wish they had large bags available!
November 01, 2017Reviewer: Kathleen in Ohio* Definitely like one of these on those days in my low carb adventure that I just need a chocolate treat. Delicious!
September 10, 2016Reviewer: Lori in North Dakota* This candy is so habit forming!! I add it to my candy dish and friends have no clue they are eating candy that won't go to their hips or will increase their blood sugars. You are able to eat 5 pieces and actually 2 or 3 is sufficient!! I love to eat them with hot coffee and they literally melt in your mouth! Flavor is delicious! My sister was always saying that she can tell when candy is sugar free by the after taste left in her mouth, this is one that's a keeper for her!
March 19, 2015Reviewer: DOLORES in New Jersey* This Candy is terrific. It has absolutely no after taste or bitterness. I highly recommend it.This review is specific to Sugar Free Hershey's Caramel Filled Milk Chocolate


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I don't know about you, but there's a creeping malaise that tends to set in around this time every winter — the lack of sun leads to a vitamin D deficiency-induced lack of energy, the ritual of layering on sweaters and coats and scarves and hats has become excruciating, and the sheer effort of leaving the house in the morning wipes out a good three-quarters of your gumption for the day. (For those of you in the southern hemisphere, stop smirking: your time will come.)
So, really, what better time to get your nerd on? Escape the armpit of winter, wrap a blanket around those shoulders, and join us… for Cage Match 2015: Women Warriors!
This year, we've got a double whammy for you: all of our participating characters are female, and not a single one of them has ever been featured in a previous Cage Match. Given the current conversation surrounding gender in the sci-fi/fantasy realm, we wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some of our favorite fictional kickass ladies, from well-known to niche. These characters run the gamut from lovers to fighters, masterminds to enforcers, heroes to villains, team players to lone wolves. Some are human, some are… very much not. Some fight with a blade, some with a firearm, some not at all.
And more than a few of them know their fair share about dragons.
So, without further ado, here it is: your bracket!
Our number one seed this year is Alice Quinn, the talented magician-turned-vengeful niffin of Lev Grossman's The Magicians Trilogy (as you may remember, Grossman wrote last year's final match!) Joining her in the ranks of the elite are Anne Rice's Akasha, Patrick Rothfuss' Felurian, Bellatrix Lestrange of the Harry Potter series, and Death from Neil Gaiman/DC Comics' Sandman. But don't write off the competitors from Earthsea, Outlander, Discworld, Panem, and so many more!
Place your bets now in the comments – Round 1 matches go live Monday morning, March 2nd!


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You would have seen my post announcing my latest pregnancy about 4 weeks ago now. These for weeks have dragged so much.
I've kept busy, really busy infact as Emmy has had Chicken Pox and has been refusing to sleep at night – bedtimes have become 9.30/10pm (not through want of me putting her to bed) she just wouldn't sleep. At first it was fine as she was poorly, now it's just annoying. We have a battle on our hands as she won't go into her bed and just gets so upset screaming and crying for Mummy's bed! Not good – I think it's because she's in a Toddler bed and has limited space (she is a wriggler and a right fidget bum when asleep) – So much so I am about to buy her a single bed with a pull-out bed under to see if I can combat this problem.
The pregnancy has continued nicely except for the sickness – it got so bad I took a day off work to go to the doctors and was put on Anti-sickness tablets and I've also been having Acupuncture to help combat it.
Finally the day of my scan arrived and I'm not sure if it was a bug or nerves but I was rather poorly all day today however that wasn't going to stop me getting my long awaited scan.
Breath held, forms filled in, quick chat with the sonographer and it was time to hop up onto the bed and close my eyes firmly…..Yes I always do until I get the all clear to look – Paul was great and held my hand until I allowed him to let go – then I was able to enjoy the scan.
We listened to the babies heartbeat which was 161 beats per minute, all measurements were done – eventually, as baby is a naughty one already and kept kicking the lady scanning me, putting it's hands over it's face and turning around and around. Baby is measuring 6cm's and is perfect.
Here are some pics I would like to share – First is our 8 week scan, then two from today at 12 + 3 weeks:


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|Figure It Out
|Out Of The BlackE
|I Only Lie When I Love You
|Little Monster
|Lights Out
Apr 2018 1 song
Jun 2017 10 songs
Jun 2017 1 song
Brighton duo Royal Blood channeled the blues-rock dynamism of the likes of the White Stripes, the Black Keys, and Two Gallants, yet they amped up the ferocity and volume with scuzzy riffs and blustering energy. Comprising drummer Ben Thatcher and bassist/vocalist Mike Kerr, the two-piece formed at the beginning of 2013 when Kerr returned from a trip to Australia and Thatcher picked him up from the airport. They managed to play their first show the very next day and continued to ... Read more


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From the beginning, North Hollywood High girls basketball Coach Rich Allen treated Wednesday's game against Taft like a test drive, and substituted liberally.
The Huskies' basketball machine had plenty of horsepower, but after sputtering to a 49-39 win, it appears to need a tuneup before the playoffs begin.
North Hollywood (10-5, 8-1), which clinched the West Valley League championship, shot just 33%, committed 28 turnovers and often played with a visible lack of intensity while winning its sixth straight game. The Huskies led by 12 in the second quarter but almost let Taft (4-8, 2-6) back in the game in the fourth quarter.
"It wasn't smooth, but it got the job done," Allen said. "That's all that we wanted. They knew they had the league all wrapped up, and it was more important than anything else to stay healthy.


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PRAGUE, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Spain's Dani Pedrosa surged past Jorge Lorenzo in the final turn at the Czech MotoGP on Sunday, winning a dramatic finish in Brno to narrow his compatriot's lead in the riders' championship.
Pedrosa, fresh off victory last weekend at Indianapolis, overtook Lorenzo midway through the race but needed to pass the championship leader at the end after losing his lead in the middle of the last lap.
The Honda rider finished in a time of 42:51.570, just 0.178 seconds ahead of Lorenzo on his Yamaha.
Britain's Cal Crutchlow finished third to claim his first podium spot of the season, easily ahead of Yamaha teammate Andrea Dovizioso of Italy in fourth place.
The Spanish rivals led the pack from the start of the race, and Pedrosa said he knew he still had enough to get past Lorenzo even after trailing before the final two turns.
"We were head to head into the (final) corner, but I was able to get my line and win this race," Pedrosa said.
"It was amazing, and I am just so happy to win the race."
It was the third victory of the season for Pedrosa, who has never finished better than second overall since moving to MotoGP in 2006. He is now on 232 points, 13 points behind Lorenzo in the standings with six races remaining.
Honda rider Casey Stoner, the 2011 champion who was ruled out this weekend because he needs surgery on his damaged left ankle, is third overall and 59 points behind.
Lorenzo had started from pole after setting a lap record on the 5.4 km Brno track in qualifying on Saturday.
The 2010 champion and last year's runner-up controlled the first half of the race, which was run on a slightly wet track after heavy overnight rain. But Lorenzo took a wider line than he wanted to in the second-to-last turn.
"My line was so wide, so I released a little space for him to overtake me," he said. "I wanted to pass him in the last corner, which was impossible. He was in a faster line."
Italy's Valentino Rossi, a nine-times world champion across the classes but enduring a second tough season for Ducati, had held the previous lap record in Brno.
He finished seventh on Sunday behind Honda riders Stefan Bradl of Germany and Alvaro Bautista of Spain.
Ducati rider Karel Abraham had his best result on his home track, finishing ninth. Lorenzo's teammate, the American Ben Spies, crashed out with 14 laps remaining, while Spain's Ivan Silva also failed to finish.
Ducati's Nicky Hayden missed Sunday's race after suffering a hand injury last weekend.
In the other classes on Sunday, Spain's Marc Marquez won Moto2 and Germany's Jonas Folger took first in Moto3.
(Reporting by Jason Hovet via Prague newsroom; Editing by Tim Hart)


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Archive for April 26, 2017
3 Different Routes Your Package Could Take
When you order a package, do you consider where it is coming from and what journeys it has to go through in order to show up at your house? There are many different events that could happen on your new shoes or your new favorite bag's journey to your door step. To help you get a better idea, here's a list of three possible scenarios.
- Sea Freight Shipping
That's right, the first scenario is if you were to have your package come to you by sea. While yes, you do not get to make the decision, it is you who was the catalyst for this boat adventure. Imagine your package working with cargo companies in use and abroad to get to its destination.


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Winthrop residents watch the Patriots vs. Colts game yesterday evening. The Indianapolis Colts beat the New England Patriots 38-34 and will meet the Chicago Bears at Super Bowl XLI in Miami on Feb. 4.

Mohammad Khatami, former President of Iran, speaks at the John F. Kennedy Forum yesterday, on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Although Harvard has been slow to spend the $50 million, it has spent a significant amount of time surveying faculty and reviewing tenure appointments. Many professors say this is an important jumping off point for further change.
MIT student Shakeel Avadhany '09 performs at Saptaswara, a celebration of world music bringing together Indian, Gypsy, bluegrass, and western classical, during Arts First Weekend, on the Harvard Yard Stage.
Stefan A. Zebrowski-Rubin '08, along with residents from Leverett, Dunster, and Mather, paint a community mural to turn the construction project that runs the length of Cowperthwaite Street into a public art display. Stefan A. Zebrowski-Rubin '08 paints t


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Put everything you need to know about your vacation in the palm of your hand. Download The Official Universal Orlando® Resort App. It's free!It's the easy way to:· Check ride, show and attraction wait times at home, on the go or in the parks.· Explore the parks using detailed maps and photo navigation with the "Guide Me" feature.· Customize your park experience using filtered lists and the map to plan your day.· Create your own favorites list.· Share your Universal Orlando® Resort experience on Facebook and Twitter.· Stay up-to-date with in-park notifications and news about upcoming special events.· Set ride wait time and show time alerts to make the most of your time in the parks.· Guests with visual disabilities can access Voiceover support to better utilize the app and enhance their in-park experience.
NOTE:– Guide Me photo navigation features are only available when visiting Universal Orlando® Resort.– Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.