Procurement and Contract Services
Receiving
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Contact Us
Physical Address: USM Property Control Division 2601 West 4th Street Hattiesburg, MS 39401
Mailing Address: USM Property Control Division 118 College Drive# 5086 Hattiesburg, MS 39406
Fax: 601.266.6137
Michael%20Keene - Receiving and Warehouse Supervisor 601.266.5431
Gavin%20Clinton - Distribution Specialist 601.266.5431
Dezzion%20Smith - Distribution Specialist 601.266.5431
Charles%20Carter - Part-Time Distribution Specialist 601.266.5431
Receiving
The Receiving Station is the point of entry for all shipments of freight to the University. Freight is delivered on a daily basis between normal working hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
A Trackpad label is completed for each delivery with purchase order number (if available), department name (printed on the purchase order), and number of delivery packages related to the purchase order, vendor, and freight carrier.
Delivery of Freight
Deliveries are made to the department address indicated on the purchase order. Large or heavy pieces of freight may be delivered by the freight carrier directly to the appropriate department upon approval by Receiving. It is the responsibility of each department to have an employee available during normal working hours to inspect, take delivery, sign the electronic ticket of shipment, and do so in a timely manner. Should no one be available to take receipt of shipments, Receiving will make two more attempts at delivery. Following a third unsuccessful attempt at delivery, the department will be responsible for making arrangements to pick up their shipments from the Receiving Station.
Receipt of Freight
Upon receipt of materials from Receiving, departments are urged to immediately examine the contents of shipments for conformity to their outstanding purchase order. Receiving should be notified immediately if a shortage occurs or if a shipment is damaged. Procurement should be notified if an overage occurs or if an incorrect item is received. Shipments that are to be returned or rejected must be coordinated with Receiving.
Misdelivery of Shipment
Departments should contact Receiving immediately upon discovery that a shipment was delivered in error. Receiving personnel will pick up the shipment and deliver to the appropriate department.
Non-Receipt of Freight
Freight shipped to campus should be identified with purchase order number, department name, or the recipient's full name. This identification should be clearly noted on the outside of the package to enable delivery to the appropriate department. Freight that is delivered to the Receiving Station without proper identification may be returned to the vendor within 24 hours. Departments should advise vendors of the need to put this information on the outside of the package. This occurrence is particularly problematic regarding procurement card purchases.
Damaged Shipments
Freight delivered to Receiving will only be opened to inspect for damage when the damage is apparent. In such cases, if Receiving personnel determine that the damage is severe, the shipment will be refused. If the damage is minor or uncertain, it will be noted on the freight bill. The department who made the purchase will then be responsible for determining whether the merchandise is acceptable or needs to be returned.
Returning Merchandise
Before an item is returned to a vendor, a Return Request must be submitted to and approved by Purchasing. Purchasing will then relay the approved Return Request to Receiving in order to arrange pick-up. This Return Request is needed for any University property that is being returned, replaced, or sent for repair. The department initiating the return is responsible for all appropriate shipping charges and arranging the return with the vendor. Some vendors will not accept a return without a Returned Material Authorization (RMA) number.
Tagging Equipment for Inventory
Each package shipped to Receiving will be evaluated as to whether the contents are considered equipment for inventory purposes. If the shipment is equipment, it will be given a University property number before being delivered by Receiving personnel.
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