Purchasing/Stores Glossary of Terms

Glossary Terms Beginning with "B"

BAR
Budget Activity Report - Item by item monthly report from FAS regarding a month's activity on any given budget by object (sub-object) code.

BAR
Budget Activity Report is an item by item monthly report from FAS, the Financial Accounting System (also known as FIN, Financial System) regarding a month's activity on any given budget.

BRL
Board of Regents Limitation, See University of Washington Policies and Procedures, Purchasing Department, Procedure 2.1.

BSR
Budget Status Report - Accumulative summary of the BAR from FAS.

BTA
Business Travel Account

Back Order
An ordered item becomes a back order when the warehouse is temporarily out of that item.

Back Order
That portion of an order which a Vendor cannot deliver at the scheduled time and which he has re-entered for shipment at a later date.

Bid Bond
A surety agreement in which a third party agrees to be liable to pay a certain amount of money in the event that a specific Bidder, if his/her bid is accepted, fails to sign the contract as bid.

Bid Book
Book located in Purchasing lobby containing a full copy of all currently open bids; Vendors may review and obtain copies for submittal.

Bid Opening
The process of publicly opening and reading bids, conducted at the time and place specified in the Invitation to bid and/or the advertisement, and in view of anyone who wishes to attend.

Bid Sample
A sample required by the Invitation to Bids to be furnished by Bidders as part of their bids to establish a quality level for the products being offered.

Bid
A statement of price, terms of sale, and description of goods or services offered by a Vendor, in competition with other offers on item/or items estimated to exceed direct buy limit in value at the U.W. See University of Washington Policies & Procedures, Purchasing Department Procedures, Procedures 2.1 and 7.3.7.

Bidder's List
A list maintained by each Buyer in the Purchasing Department setting out the names and addresses of suppliers of various goods and services from whom bids, proposals, and quotations can be solicited.

Biennium Closing
At the end of the second year of the biennium period, the University closes that biennium budget and begins a new biennium. See University of Washington Policies & Procedures, Purchasing Department, Procedure 7.1.2.

Biennium
A period of two years. The University as a state agency is given operating funds on a biennial basis running from July 1, of one year to June 30, two years hence.

Bill
A list of charges or costs presented by a Vendor to a Purchaser, enumerating the items furnished, their unit and total costs, and a statement of the terms of sale; an invoice.

Bill of Lading
A document evidencing the receipt of goods for shipment issued by a person engaged in the business of transporting or forwarding goods.

Billing Request
Request sent to Vendors when material or services have been received, but no billing has been received.

Blanket Order
A purchase agreement in which the Purchaser contracts with a Vendor to provide the Purchaser's requirements for an item(s) or a service, on an as-required basis. Such arrangements are long term, generally more than a year's time, and limit the amount of money which may be spent at one time or within a period of time.

Bond
An obligation in writing, binding one or more parties as surety for another. (e.g., bid bond, performance bond.)

Box Number
Internal designation assigned by Campus Mail Service to each department to enable more efficient mail delivery. This number always starts with the digits 35 and these are followed by four digits.

Brand Name Specification
A specification that cites a brand name, model number, or some other designation that identifies a specific product and its salient features as an example of the quality level desired. See Equal, Or equal.

Brand Name
A product name which serves to identify that product as having been made by a particular manufacturer. A trade name.

Breach of Contract
See Default.

Budget Number
A six-digit number assigned to each department for financial transactions at the University of Washington.

Budgets
Six digit (2-digits + 4-digits) numbers which are assigned by Payables Accounting Operations and Grant and Contract Accounting to distinguish which fund is to pay for the goods and services requested.

Buyer
A person to whom authority has been delegated to buy or contract for goods and services on behalf of the University. In our organization, this authority is vested in the Buyer series positions and with selected Program Coordinators.

Buyer's Documentation Form ("Doc Sheet")
A form used by the buying staff with purchases in excess of the direct buy limitation as a checklist for completing all necessary steps in the procurement. See University of Washington Policies & Procedures, Purchasing Department Procedures, Procedure 7.4.1.

Buyer's Market
Market conditions in which goods can easily be secured and economic forces of business tend to cause goods to be priced at the Purchaser's estimate of value.

Buyer's Stamp
A stamp the buying staff uses for requisition documentation when placing orders. See University of Washington Policies & Procedures, Purchasing Department, Procedure 7.4.1.