Office Supplies - Best Cost, or Staples contract ?

[lajackson]

Is that policy/guideline/suggestion published somewhere, or is it just something you heard from someone who works there?

Which one, specifically? We are speaking about several different things here, all of which have been outlined in the previous posts.

[Mikerowaved]

...using refilled or non-OEM cartridges voids the warranty.

Just to clear up some misconceptions, manufacturers are not allowed to void a warranty because you used other than OEM consumables in their products. With that said, the reason we use OEM supplies is because we are instructed to.

[aebrown]

Which one, specifically? We are speaking about several different things here, all of which have been outlined in the previous posts.

There's only one claim you made that I am asking about:

When the original contract buying with Corporate Express was released to local units, it was accompanied by a letter from the Presiding Bishopric urging local units to purchase through the contract even when local prices were lower because doing so helps reduce costs for Church units who do not have the benefit of large local outlets.

I believe that was the case many years ago, but AFAIK, is not longer in effect.

It is still true, but it is an encouragement, not a requirement.

I'm looking for an authority for your claim that "it is still true" -- an authority that is currently published. I hope it doesn't seem that I am trying to be difficult. I'm just trying to sort out whether there is a current policy, guideline, or even encouragement from an official source, as opposed to something from far in the past or that is hearsay.

[lajackson]

I'm looking for an authority for your claim that "it is still true" -- an authority that is currently published. . . . I'm just trying to sort out whether there is a current policy, guideline, or even encouragement from an official source, as opposed to something from far in the past or that is hearsay.

Ok, then. I have some of each.

At one time I had the original letter from the PBO. As far as I know, there has been no followup letter. And AFAIK, there has not been a change in their position. So that supplies the "far in the past" official part.

In February, an employee in the Church Purchasing Department told me what I said in post #7, that "The Church is able to get lower prices based on volume, and if more units buy through the contract, the prices should continue to come down." (That is my quote from the post, not a quote of the employee.) This is standard purchasing procedure in all areas of industry. So that supplies the hearsay part.

Which is why I also said, "It is still true, but it is an encouragement, not a requirement."

What is still true is that the Purchasing Department urges local units to purchase through the contract even when local prices were lower. That helps them fill their mandate to reduce overall costs to the Church.

And that it is an encouragement, not a requirement is what I added to make clear that it is still an option on the part of the local unit to wisely spend their budget money.

As far as "an authority that is currently published", you probably can't get the letter anymore. But it was never a requirement anyway, and even back then stake presidents told bishops to be wise in the use of budget funds and recommended the policy I mentioned earlier in #7 and #9.

For more hearsay on that, we still receive that direction from the area seventy to the stake president to the bishops.

Many things that are true are very old. Many things that are true were never requirements. And priesthood direction has always trumped Church department policy. Still, they send their letters and memos.

[funaddict]

Just to clear up some misconceptions, manufacturers are not allowed to void a warranty because you used other than OEM consumables in their products. With that said, the reason we use OEM supplies is because we are instructed to.

I wasn't aware of this requirement to use oem supplies. Where can I find this directive?

We have been using remanufactored toner cartridges and, formerly, inkjet cartridges. Heck, we have some liquid in a can that we periodically squirt on our stamp pad when we endorse donation checks.
Alan

[aebrown]

I wasn't aware of this requirement to use oem supplies. Where can I find this directive?

We have been using remanufactored toner cartridges.

Read the attachment to this post, which was created by LDS Copier Administration.

[reinaldo1979]

You get them locally whenever possible to cut costs. In store.lds.org, when looking for paper it says "White office paper for units that are not able to purchase it locally."..

[jdlessley]

In store.lds.org, when looking for paper it says "White office paper for units that are not able to purchase it locally."..

As quoted previously in post 5.

[aebrown]

You get them locally whenever possible to cut costs. In store.lds.org, when looking for paper it says "White office paper for units that are not able to purchase it locally."..

It would be prudent to read this whole thread before making generalizations. You are correct about purchasing paper, but there are additional considerations when purchasing toner and other copier/printer consumables.

[WalkerJA]

For Copier Issues: Supplies are ordered and paid for by stakes or wards. To order, contact the church-contracted vendors using 800-537-7192 and follow the voice menu prompts.

For Printer Toner: We did a comparsion of purchasing sites for a new high capacity toner cartridge for a Clerk's Xerox Phaser 3250 (part 106R01374) and found that you could get a 32% savings from store.lds.org using the Staples link. It is nice that it directly bills your unit budget and delivers to the Bishops home by default in usually less than two days.

Staples Clerk.pdf

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