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Operating Policy and Procedure

HSC OP: 63.05, Shipping and Receiving

PURPOSE:The purpose of this Health Sciences Center Operating Policy and Procedure (HSC OP) is to establish guidelines for the receipt and shipment of items to and from Ļć½¶Ö±²„.

REVIEW: This HSC OP will be reviewed on September 1 of each odd-numbered year (ONY) by the Director of General Services-Lubbock, in coordination with the Campus Business Operations Officer (CBOO) at each campus, with recommendations for revisions forwarded to the Executive Vice President of Finance and Operations by September 15.

POLICY/PROCEDURE:

1. Central Shipping and Receiving. Centralized Shipping and Receiving departments are established at certain campuses throughout the institution. Contact Central Receiving, Distribution, Mail Service, or the Campus Business Operations Officer (CBOO) for your campus for help in determining the correct delivery point for your address. More information for each campus may be found on the Ļć½¶Ö±²„ General Services website. For the purpose of this OP, all established centralized Shipping and Receiving areas will be referred to collectively as Shipping and Receiving.

2. Department Responsibilities

A. Departmental Responsibility for Ensuring Proper Delivery. Departments are responsible for providing the complete proper delivery address at all times. Items without complete address information may never reach the intended destination.

When placing orders using a PCard, confirm the delivery address with the vendor. This is especially important since multiple departments may order from the same vendor.

Before you place an order using a purchase order, check your TechBuy profile. If the purchase order is correct and the vendor shipped to a different address, contact the vendor and let them know that the shipping address on every order MUST match the PO.

B. Radioactive Shipments or Receipts. ALL radioactive packages are to be addressed to Safety Services to be checked before delivery to labs. Upon completion of the radiation check, Safety Services delivers the package to its destination.

Amarillo ā€“ 1400 Wallace Blvd., Amarillo TX 79106

Lubbock ā€“ 3601 4th St Stop 9020, Lubbock TX 79430-9020

Any questions should be addressed with Safety Services prior to placing an order.

C. Special Items. The department should make arrangements directly with the vendor for delivery of items that may be more effectively handled by the department involved such as:

• Food products and kitchen supplies that were not purchased through TechBuy. Laundry and dry-cleaning items.
• Items to be picked up for repairs or cleaning and returned to the original location by a vendor.
• Items requiring installation by the vendor. Departments should notify Facilities & Safety Services of major equipment additions, changes, or modifications prior to scheduled delivery of equipment.
• Live animals.
• Compressed Gas Cylinder(s). Exception: Cylinders for use at the Lubbock main campus ā€“ 3601 4th Street are processed through Receiving.
• Personal items should not be delivered to the institution and will not be delivered to the individual. Employees are encouraged to review HSC OP 61.01, Use of Ļć½¶Ö±²„ Facilities, Equipment, Supplies and Services for Private Purposes Prohibited.

D. Merchandise Requisitioned on Purchase Orders. The requisitioning department is responsible for notifying Accounts Payable and/or Purchasing through TechBuy concerning merchandise or equipment purchased on a purchase order upon receipt and in the event of the following:

• Damaged goods
• Discrepancies in items or quantities received Returns
• Requests for contract services to install voluminous or heavy shipments Upon completion of installation/training

Contact Purchasing at purchasing@ttuhsc.edu for assistance.

E. Damaged Shipments. All shipments should be inspected promptly when received by the requisitioning department for concealed or unseen damage. If damage is found, contact the freight carrier for inspection. Do not move the carton. An inspection by the carrier of any damage must be requested by the department within three (3) days of delivery to Ļć½¶Ö±²„; otherwise, the carrier will not assume liability. The department must retain the damaged merchandise along with the shipping container and packing materials until an inspection is made by the carrier. After an inspection is made, the department should notify the vendor in writing, attaching the freight bill and inspection report to the correspondence so that the vendor can file a claim for damages.

F. Shortages on Shipments. If the requisitioning department receives a shipment with a discrepancy in the number of boxes received, the department should allow two working days for a follow-up shipment that would cover the shortage. If there is a shortage inside of the packages received on any shipment, the requisitioning department should notify the vendor immediately. Shipping and Receiving does not open packages or verify contents against a Purchase Order or a packing list.

G. Duplicate Shipments. If the department is notified in advance that a duplicate shipment is expected, it is the departmentā€™s responsibility to notify Shipping and Receiving in writing. Email notification is acceptable; however, it is the departmentā€™s responsibility to require an acknowledgment. If the correspondence is received in time, the shipment will be refused. Otherwise, the requisitioning department must accept delivery from Shipping and Receiving until arrangements can be coordinated with the vendor for return or other disposition of the merchandise.

H. Opening of items by Departments. Items should only be opened by the intended recipientā€™s department.

I. Ownership. The ownership of items addressed to this institution or to an individual by name or title at the address of this institution rests with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Do not send personal items to the institution.

3. Central Shipping and Receiving Responsibilities. Shipping and Receiving is responsible for receiving supplies and equipment ordered by Ļć½¶Ö±²„ departments for official State business for approved addresses (see item 1 above). The incoming freight will be delivered to the designated location of the respective department.  Shipping and Receiving will not separate items for an individual in lieu of delivery to the appropriate location. The recipient department from this point on is responsible for internal distribution and/or opening of items. 

A. Incoming. The Shipping and Receiving staff are responsible for checking for visible damage and ensuring the correct number of cartons match the carrier's count before accepting a shipment.

(1) Delivery. All mail and packages will be delivered to the dedicated delivery area agreed upon by the department and Shipping and Receiving. If a dedicated delivery area needs to be changed, or a new location established, it is the departmentā€™s responsibility to notify Shipping and Receiving in writing. Email notification is acceptable. Shipping and Receiving supervisor must approve the new location to ensure the suggested location is accessible to Shipping and Receiving staff. 

(2) Unidentified Delivery Point. An item is considered unidentified if it does not have any of the following information in the address or the information is not valid: 

(a) Stop (Lubbock only) or Building/Room Number (All other campuses)
(b) Department Name
(c) Intended Recipientā€™s Name as listed in TTUS online directory.

(3) Undeliverable items will be returned to sender in most cases. Shipping and Receivingā€™s management team and their delegates are authorized to open to search for packing slips. Undeliverable items that are marked "Personal" and/or "Confidential", or the intended recipient is unknown, will be returned unopened to the sender. By opening undeliverable items, Shipping and Receiving is not assuming responsibility for verifying content. If a delivered item is addressed to an individual who is no longer a student or employee, it is the responsibility of the department that managed the employee or student to decide if an item is to be disposed of or forwarded. The responsible department will be responsible for assuming any and all costs associated with forwarding or returning items that are otherwise undeliverable. 

(4) Attempted Delivery. A department representative must sign for packages, freight, and accountable mail. If no one is available to sign, the item(s) will be returned to Shipping and Receiving and an attempt to contact the department by phone or email will be made. After three attempts, the packages may be returned to the sender.

(5) Refused Items. A department representative may refuse items. For documentation purposes, they must sign for the item as ā€œrefusedā€. The refused items will be returned to the sender. Amazon cannot pick up returned items; therefore, departments will need to accept the item and make other arrangements for Amazon returns. If an item is refused and needs to be returned, the department that refused an item will need to make arrangements with the sender to pay for the costs of the return or assume any return costs themselves. 

(6) Item Pick-up. If a department representative wishes to pick up an item in leu of delivery, they must contact Shipping and Receiving. The carrierā€™s tracking number is essential to ensure the correct item is identified and held. 

(7) Incoming Freight. Distribution will deliver all shrink-wrapped or otherwise secured, palletized freight to the department intact, unless other arrangements are made in advance. It is the departmentā€™s responsibility for internal distribution of the palletized freight. If Distribution cannot reach designated drop area, the delivery person will drop the freight as near as can be determined to the area. 

(8) Uncrating Items. Shipping and Receiving will not uncrate large items. It is the departmentā€™s responsibility to go to Shipping and Receiving, uncrate items, inspect for damages, remove all crating materials, and arrange for delivery. 

(9) Damaged Shipments. If a shipment arrives with visible damage, Shipping and Receiving will make a notation of such damages on the freight bill or with the delivery driver, and will contact the department. Shipping and Receiving does not open packages. A department representative should come to the freight dock to view and accept or reject the shipment. If a departmental representative cannot be reached, or the damage is concealed or goes unnoticed by the Receiving personnel, please follow the concealed damage instructions (see item 2E).

(10) Medical Specimens.  Medical specimens and/or items requiring refrigeration will be given a priority delivery status.  Shipping and Receiving personnel will not handle any container that leaks and will report the leakage to Safety Services immediately. 

(11) Radioactive Shipments or Receipts. ALL radioactive packages are to be addressed to Safety Services to be checked before delivery to labs. The packages are isolated from other freight and Safety Services is notified to pick up the package/s; signature is required to collect the freight from Shipping and Receiving.   

(12) Compressed Gas Cylinder(s). Shipping and Receiving is not allowed to transport compressed gas cylinders in a vehicle. Departments should arrange to have gas cylinders delivered directly to the address where they will be used. To facilitate returns, the correct cap must be tightly secured on the tank, and all hoses and valves disconnected. Shipping and Receiving staff cannot remove any connections from a Compressed Air Tank.

(13) Third Party Deliveries: If a shipment of palletized freight is to be delivered by a third party carrier such as Fed Ex Freight, Old Dominion, SMT Freight, or a similar third party freight delivery service,  it is recommended that  the department ordering the shipment notify Shipping and Receiving  as soon as possible with estimated delivery date(s), shipment description and carrier so the item can be received and delivered appropriately. 

B. Outgoing Shipments. Transportation charges are the responsibility of the requesting department. If a call tag is issued by the vendor, departments are responsible for contacting the vendor to arrange the call tag and pickup location.

Departments utilizing express vendors (FedEx, UPS, USPS, etc.) for their shipments are responsible for completing the appropriate form and attaching it to the shipment. Shipping and Receiving personnel will not pick up the shipment without a completed form and a valid FOP.

All outgoing shipments to be paid by a third party must include a valid FOP on the paperwork. In the event the third party does not pay, the requesting department will be charged.

C. Returns. All returns should be coordinated with the vendor and proper paperwork must accompany all return shipments. If an item was requisitioned on a purchase order, the department is responsible for notifying Purchasing and Accounts Payable through the TechBuy system. For vendor specific return policies and procedures, contact the vendor.

Staples returns are handled by a third party. A Staples return must be delivered to Shipping and Receiving within 3 days of the return request being made, otherwise a new return request must be processed through Staples.

For Amazon returns, see item 3. (5) Refused items.

D. Equipment. Shipping and Receiving equipment (flatbed carts, pallet jacks, etc.) may be loaned out to a department if Shipping and Receiving deems it not required for the dayā€™s activities. Equipment will not be loaned to contractors, vendors, or other third parties. Equipment is to be returned the same day, and in the same condition.