<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)">  <style>  </style>  </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple id="role_body"> <div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>As an employee our first responsibility is to the people who sign our checks.  I’ve set up accounts with the suppliers in the school’s name so they can buy direct.  I have a school credit card that I use for these purchases.  This keeps me and my personal cash flow out of the mix and I have no ethical decisions to worry about.  When I was a contractor/vendor it was different.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>dave<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>David M. Porritt, RPT<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><a href="dporritt@smu.edu"><span style='color:blue'>dporritt@smu.edu</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <div> <div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'> <p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>McNeilTom@aol.com<br> <b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, June 11, 2008 12:15 PM<br> <b>To:</b> caut@ptg.org<br> <b>Subject:</b> Re: [CAUT] Parts Mark up<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> </div> <p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>Dear Steve, and Colleagues -<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>Staff technicians, whether full-time or part-time <u>employees</u>, should consider it part of their responsibility to obtain parts and materials for the employing institution at the lowest cost to the institution.  Then the institution purchases the parts directly from the supplier, and the tech is then serving as (or assisting) the institution's purchasing agent.  And that's the cleanest way to do things.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>If the tech is working as a <u>vendor</u> to the institution, he is selling both his time/expertise <em><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>and</span></em> the parts and materials.  He should 'mark-up' the supplies as is the usual practice in his or her business.  Remember that supplying parts is one of several 'profit centers' in the business.  (When you get your car serviced, you usually pay a mark-up on the oil filter, part of the garage's profit.  If the garage sells the parts to you at their cost - which a very few very small shops still do - it has to increase the labor charge accordingly to achieve its profit target.)  My preference is to be uniform in my mark-up practices, same mark-up for all clients.  Too hard for me to keep track of various levels of preferred customers.  And besides, almost all of my clients would rate as 'preferred' in one way or another!<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>An ethical dilemma, or conflict of interest, occurs only when the tech is an <u>employee</u> <em><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>and</span></em> a <u>vendor</u>.  Most government institutions (e.g., state universities) and larger private institutions have regulations prohibiting or limiting this duality.  In such cases the tech should engage in supplying such parts only under a separate contract or purchase order within the applicable rules of the institution.  If in doubt about this, seek guidance from the purchasing department.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>~ Tom McNeil ~<br> Vermont Piano Restorations<br> VermontPiano.com<br> <br> 346 Camp Street<br> Barre, VT 05641<br> (802) 476-7072 <o:p></o:p></span></p> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>In a message dated 6/11/2008 12:11:06 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, shsnyder1@verizon.net writes:<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt; margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Dear Fellow CAUT"S<br> <br> <br> I was wondering what  you do regarding  parts mark up<br> for the institutions you work for.  This has always<br> been a fuzzy area for me.   I'm not sure if we can<br> discuss this or not, but any input would be<br> appreciated.  Just want to be sure I'm doing the<br> equitable and ethical thing.<br> <br> Regards,<br> steve<br> <br> <o:p></o:p></span></p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><br> <br> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-top:7.5pt;text-align:center'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center> </span></div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:7.5pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Vote for your city's best dining and nightlife. <a href="http://citysbest.aol.com?ncid=aolacg00050000000102" target="_blank" title="http://citysbest.aol.com?ncid=aolacg00050000000102">City's Best 2008</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> </div> </body> </html>