Purchasing
The Purchasing Department is responsible for the administration of procuring goods and services on behalf of Trent University. Our objective is to ensure ethical, efficient and accountable sourcing and contracting and that all purchases be acquired in an open, fair and transparent process.
Trent University adheres to Code of Ethics as outlined in the Broader Public Sector Procurement Directive. The BPSD outlines procurement rules regarding the acquisition of goods and services pertaining to public funds under the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act, 2010. The Directive is based on key principles to achieve value for money while following a procurement process including:
- Accountability
- Transparency
- Value for Money
- Quality Service Delivery
- Process Standardization
Please contact the Purchasing Department for assistance with your procurement acquisition needs.
Notice to Suppliers: Worldwide Fraudulent Scam Potentially Using Trent University Name
A message from the Trent University Purchasing Department:
Trent University has been notified of a potential worldwide fraudulent scam that may be using the University’s name. Suppliers may be contacted through email requesting RFQ detail, followed by a confirmation purchase order, and identifying urgent delivery of goods to an address that is not a Trent University delivery address. The emails in question are not using the Trent University standard email @trentu.ca domain and are not using a Trent University phone number or staff contact. Please do not reply to these emails if received and contact us directly if you have questions about an RFQ or purchase order.
For reference, Trent University seeks sourcing processes (i.e. RFQ, RFP, etc.) on two bid solicitation platforms: Bonfire and MERX. Tender notices posted on MERX will contain a link to access the documents on Bonfire. Vendor electronic tender submissions are completed through the University's Bonfire Portal.
This scam has been reported by Trent University to law enforcement authorities. If you believe you are the victim of this type of fraudulent activity, we encourage you to report the incident to your local law enforcement as soon as possible. If you require additional assistance, please contact purchasing@trentu.ca or Ian Thomson, information Security Officer, Trent University at ithomson@trentu.ca.