To: Katalin Voros, Operations Manager
Subject: 2008
Year-End Report
As the Procurement
Manager for the Microlab, my responsibilities include:
Other
duties include:
The
following report summarizes activities in these areas.
During fiscal year 2007/2008, an
average of 195 orders per month was placed with an average monthly expenditure
of $126K. This represents a 12% decrease in dollar volume purchased over the
same period in fiscal year 2006/2007. Inventory purchases and purchasing in
support of equipment and facilities upgrades and repairs were the focus of our
activity.
Projects/equipment
included:
·
Significant equipment development/repair of the following:
asml, gcaws6, heatpulse3/4, svgdev6.
·
Facilitated e-beam lithography tool in 197 Cory,
·
Repaired and upgraded sink3 KOH and TMAH heated immersion
baths,
·
Purchases in support of Marvell Lab startup including
orbital welder, telephone line installation, hydra equipment control system,
·
EE143 teaching laboratory – general purchasing and
equipment maintenance support; relocated lab equipment to allow for install of
jeol e-beam writer in 218 Cory.
The purchasing team carefully
monitors inventory levels and evaluates alternate sources whenever possible to
hold costs down. E-Bay continues to be an excellent source for both new and
used parts and has introduced us, through their listings, to several used
equipment and parts vendors. This year we purchased power supplies, equipment
meters and gauges, vacuum pumps and parts, mass flow controllers and computer
parts from E-Bay sources.
During fiscal year 2007/08 there
was a decrease in expenditures for vacuum pump and mechanical compressor
repairs. A total of $84,899.88 was spent compared to $182,186.35 in FY 06/07.
Technical staff continues to evaluate pump refurbishers to establish the best
vendors to handle our repairs.
UCB Procurement Strategic Sourcing
Team established a new 3 year bulk liquid nitrogen contract with Matheson
Tri-Gas, our current supplier, starting July 1, 2008. The new contract price, $0.359/100
cubic feet (down from $0.365), reflects a 1.6% reduction for the first year.
Per the contract, any price increase is capped at 3% annually for years 2 and
3. Our price is a delivered price - no additional transportation charges are
allowed through the period of the contract. This protects us in the event that
fuel costs continue to fluctuate.
The purchasing staff saw some
increases in chemical and specialty gas prices due to increases in the cost of
raw materials, increased demand by the solar industry causing a market shortage
of some commodities and increased transportation costs.
In addition to purchasing, I
assisted professors, graduate students, other universities and industrial
members in sourcing specialized items and in specifying the logistics and
arranging for the transport of high value equipment.
Effective September 12, 2008 I was promoted to
Campus Buyer II with the delegated authority for execution of purchase
contracts, subcontracts, and standard purchase orders for materials, goods and
services, according to all University policies and procedures, not to exceed
$10,000.00 per order.
The
database of cleanroom items, chemicals and technical staff supplies currently
contains 1700 items in 60 categories. Lab materials and chemicals, frequently
accessed hardware and plumbing parts, and equipment repair parts with long lead-times,
are stocked on-site. The majority of equipment repair parts are ordered on a
just-in-time basis. Periodically we evaluate our current sources and items; we
add items required for new equipment processes and repairs, and research better
pricing for existing items.
Student
staff does periodic inventory counting to ensure correct inventory quantities,
while the purchasing staff expedites reorders of depleted inventory items. Stock reorder levels are adjusted as changing
needs require and budgetary limitations dictate.
Microlab student employees
and administrative staff members assist 325 graduate/post graduate researchers
and industrial researchers with a variety of questions related to Microlab
policy and operating procedures, with inventory checkouts, equipment and safety
tests and new account setup. Adrienne and I provide supervision and guidance to
2 Microlab student employees who perform the receptionist/customer service
position 30 hours/week. Adrienne performs these duties in their absence. I
maintain a close proximity to our reception staff where I can monitor and
advise regarding information provided to lab members.
In addition to my customer service duties, I was responsible for the
administrative support of 8 student employees.
I facilitated
several donations to the Microlab and future Marvell Lab. Donated items were a
helium leak detector, microscope, 26 pieces of stainless steel laboratory
furniture and a coat/develop track from a Japanese manufacturer.
Adrienne
Ruff is responsible for ordering Microlab inventoried items (chemicals, lab
materials, cleanroom garments, hardware and fittings) which appear on our daily
Low Inventory Report. In addition, she purchases office supplies, and items
requested by technical staff and acts as backup to Machine Shop purchasing when
Nancy Peshette is out. Adrienne is responsible for inventory in 3 storage
locations and supervises the counting and organization of those areas. She
interfaces with other campus units for which she prepares travel and
entertainment reimbursements, telecommunications requests and printed
stationary and business card requests. Adrienne processes accounting
adjustments requested by lab members, uses the CADSWeb Gift Management Module
and Cashier Deposit System for Berkeley Microlab Affiliate membership payments
and coordinates the monthly orientation course registration. Adrienne also acts
as my backup when I am away from the office.
Nancy
Peshette works for both the Machine Shop and the Microlab. I provide guidance with
her purchasing duties for the Machine Shop where she is responsible for
ordering and storekeeping inventoried items and procuring materials for
specific jobs.
Staff Development
In 2009 I will participate in a
Buyer Internship/Mentorship Program for Campus Buyers sponsored by Procurement
Services. A series of 13 classes designed to further develop my purchasing knowledge
and skills, and understanding of University policies and procedures relevant to
procurement, will be offered from January through June.
Adrienne has reviewed campus
course offerings for 2009 and plans to take several classes to refresh and
update her knowledge of campus policies and procedures.
Procurement
in 2007/08 focused on support of Microlab operations, equipment and facilities.
Purchasing volume was down due to fewer high value repairs however procurement
activity was steady. Our challenge next year will be to maintain Microlab procurement
and inventory while providing procurement services for the startup and
development of the Marvell Nanofabrication Laboratory. We will continue to
evaluate ways of cutting costs, reviewing vendor bids from multiple sources,
while maintaining the high quality parts and supplies necessary for supporting
a semiconductor laboratory. This will be especially important in making new lab
funds stretch to support all Marvell Lab installations.