Institutional purchasing
Most equipment suppliers are built for a buyer with a credit card. Universities, colleges and public agencies do not buy that way, and being told to "just place the order online" wastes a week. This page is how the process actually runs here, written for the person who has to get it approved.
The short version
- We accept purchase orders from universities, colleges, school districts and government agencies. You do not need to pay up front and you do not need a card.
- The W-9 and the vendor pack are attached to the quote, not sent after three emails asking for them.
- Quotes go out the same business day and are valid for 90 days, which covers a normal requisition cycle.
- Net 30 terms for US institutions on an approved purchase order.
- Sole source letters on request, where the specification genuinely requires a named instrument.
- Tax exempt institutions send us the certificate and we handle it. See the sales and use tax policy.
How the purchase order process runs
- Tell us what you need to measure. Not a part number, unless you already have one. Describe the work and the accuracy the deliverable has to hold, and a specialist will specify it with you. If a cheaper instrument does the job we will say so.
- You get a formal quote the same business day. On My Surveying Direct LLC letterhead, itemized, with the W-9 and the vendor pack attached to the email. Nothing to chase.
- You raise the requisition. The quote carries everything purchasing normally asks for: our legal entity, address, state of formation, remit-to details and payment methods. If your office needs a form completing, send it and we will complete it.
- The quote holds for 90 days. Prices do not move underneath you while the requisition is in the approval queue. If it takes longer than 90 days, tell us and we will look at reissuing.
- You send the purchase order. Email it to support@mysurveyingdirect.com. We acknowledge it, confirm the order and tell you what happens next.
- Equipment ships direct from the manufacturer to your receiving dock, with tracking. We invoice against the purchase order on net 30 terms.
What we send with every quote
| Document | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Form W-9 | Vendor setup and 1099 reporting. Carries our legal name, address, entity type and taxpayer identification number. |
| Vendor pack | Everything a purchasing office normally requests to open a supplier record: legal entity, state of formation, remit-to, accepted payment methods and contact. |
| Itemized quote | Line by line, with manufacturer part numbers where they exist, so the requisition matches the order matches the invoice. |
| Sole source letter | On request. Written against the specification, stating why a named instrument meets a requirement that alternatives do not. We will not write one where it is not true. |
| Tax exemption handling | Send your certificate with the requisition and we apply it. See the tax policy. |
Payment methods
| Method | Notes |
|---|---|
| Purchase order | Universities, colleges, school districts and government agencies. Net 30 on approval. |
| ACH | Preferred for institutional payments. Details on the invoice. |
| Wire transfer | Accepted. Details on the invoice. |
| Card | Visa, Mastercard and American Express. |
| Affirm | Financing at the point of purchase for commercial buyers. See financing. |
Questions purchasing offices ask us
Are you the manufacturer or a reseller?
We are an authorized dealer. Equipment is new, in factory condition, and carries the manufacturer's warranty. We ship direct from the manufacturer, which is why the instrument arrives in original packaging with its full documentation.
Can you quote against our specification rather than your catalog?
Yes, and this is the part worth using us for. Send the specification and we will tell you which instruments meet it, which do not, and where the specification is asking for something that no instrument in that price band actually delivers. That last conversation saves more money than any discount.
Do you offer an educational discount?
No, and we would rather say so plainly than pretend. Our pricing is the same for everyone. What institutions get from us instead is the paperwork handled properly, a quote the same day, and someone who will specify the job with them. If a manufacturer runs an education program on a particular line, we will tell you and we will not mark it up.
Can we evaluate before committing?
Talk to us. Grant funded and committee approved purchases run on a different clock to commercial ones, and a return window designed for a consumer is not fit for a department that needs to field test an instrument before a purchasing committee signs off. Tell us the constraint you are working to and we will tell you honestly what we can do.
Who do we talk to about a fault after delivery?
Us first. Call the number below and we will tell you whether it is a settings problem, a warranty claim or a repair, and we will handle the manufacturer side. See contact us and we will pick it up.
What is the lead time?
It depends on the instrument and the manufacturer, and we will give you the real answer on the quote rather than a number invented for a web page. Ask, and we will tell you before you raise the requisition.
Our details, for your vendor record
If your purchasing system needs any of the above in a particular format, or needs us to register on a portal, email us and we will do it. That is a normal part of the job and it does not cost you anything.
Request a formal quote
Tell us what you are trying to measure and we will come back the same business day with a quote, the W-9 and the vendor pack. No obligation, and no sales sequence afterward.
Call +1 888 850 6533, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 Mountain Time
Email support@mysurveyingdirect.com
Useful to include if you have it: the application, the accuracy the deliverable has to hold, whether it is going through a purchase order, and any deadline you are working to.
Federal or state agency with NDAA requirements? See the NDAA compliant range. Not sure which instrument yet? Start with compare instruments. Equipping a teaching program rather than buying a single instrument? Call us, we quote departmental packages as one line on one purchase order.