Preferred Suppliers

College Bookstore Wholesale Program

The College Wholesale Program leverages the Bookstore's buying power to provide savings to campus departments. The Bookstore has paid membership dues to two national buying groups which negotiate "chain store" or "big box" pricing from manufacturers and distributors. The new program will give departments direct access to buying group pricing, AT COST, on gift and apparel items imprinted with the College logo, seal, mascot, etc. Technology products (like flash drives, CDRs, DVDs, mice, keyboards, software, laser cartridges & ink cartridges, etc.) are also available, at wholesale pricing, through the Program. And departments can use the Wholesale Program to purchase regular supply items in bulk.

Home Depot (Corporate Credit Card)

Credit cards for Home Depot are available from the Business Office upon request. These must be returned within 2 days with the credit card receipt, signed and coded with the FOAPAL to be charged, and the register receipt(s). Contact Pat Hearty in the Business Office to borrow a card.

Office Basics

While each department may use its own preferred suppliers for the materials it needs, Swarthmore has made arrangements with Office Basics for ordering most common office supplies, using Office Basics printed order forms, without first having to secure a purchase order number and without needing to sign or code invoices. You may obtain the forms from Purchasing, located in Room 017 Pearson Hall. Catalogs should be available in department offices or can be ordered from the company. Prices listed in the catalogue are usually discounted significantly for the College.

To order, either fill out the order form and send two copies to Purchasing, or call in the order yourself, giving Office Basics the number printed at the top left of the order form you will be using. Complete the order form in full, filling in the number, units ordered, and description of each item, add your FOAPAL (7011 is the expense account code for supplies), send the original and first copy to Purchasing, and keep the last copy for your files. If you have made the order by phone/fax, write confirming at the top in large letters. You may order online at officebasics.com. Print out two copies of the online order form, write confirming across the top and send to Purchasing.

When your order arrives, an invoice will be included with it. Do not sign or code this invoice, but keep it in your files. You will receive a printout every month from Purchasing that will list all your Office Basics invoices. Compare the printout with your invoices; if your records do not agree with the printout, call Purchasing immediately with the correction. If the printout is correct, no action is necessary; after a few days Purchasing will pay the bill.

When returning items to Office Basics, just give them a call (Donna at 610-471-1000, ext. 149). They will give you a pickup number and will stop at your office to pick up the item to be returned.

Office Depot (Tax Exemption Card)

Tax exemption cards for Office Depot are available from the Business Office upon request. Contact Pat Hearty in the Business Office to borrow a card.

Park Avenue Travel

If you need tickets (airline, train) you can call Park Avenue Travel (610-328-6666) in Swarthmore and they will make the reservations for you. Give them your name, your department name, and your FOAPAL. They make all the reservations and put the tickets on our master corporate credit card. They deliver the tickets right to your office door. The bill comes directly to the Business Office, and is paid automatically. Purchasing will send you a copy of what is deducted from you budget.

Party City Discount Card (Discount Card)

Discount card is available in the Business Office. Receive a 10% discount on purchases of $25.00 or more on non-sale items, excluding soda. When checking out mention that the College is tax exempt and that we have a tax exemption form on file. Before you leave, check your receipt to make sure they did not add tax by mistake. To borrow the card, see Pat Hearty, Pearson Room 017 (8627).

Staples (Corporate Credit Card)

Credit cards for Staples are available from the Business Office upon request. These must be returned within 2 days with the credit card receipt, signed and coded with the FOAPAL to be charged, and the register receipt(s). Contact Pat Hearty in the Business Office to borrow a card.