Lynne Thomas working with BHRSC on auction third-party vendor

The purchase order set-up for Hosea Baskin @04370115a is Order without Inventory.

• Requester (usually RBML or IHLC) submits an online firm order form that lists the lot(s) being bid on, and a rough estimate of the maximum that will be spent.
• If we have not bought from the auction house in the past year, we ask Dustin Reinhart to confirm the vendor is still valid in Banner
• Create POL for item, but do not "Order Now" nor add to a PO.

The requester will notify us of successful bids by forwarding a copy of the invoice to Acquisitions. 

At this time -

• Add line items for the bids that were won, with appropriate prices and funds.
• Put a line item called Buyer's Premium obtained from the vendor invoice if we win the bids, using the Template tab.
• DO NOT receive before adding Buyer's Premium line.
• DO NOT add shipping to PO.  See below regarding shipping.
• When the invoice is received, it should go to Dustin to be paid, UNLESS PAID BY CREDIT CARD

Delete failed bids.

Shipping - we pay this on post-600

When an auction house wants us to be responsible for shipping, first ask Tony Hynes if he has suggestions and look to see if the auction house has suggestions on their website (for example, Hindman).  If Tony Hynes has dealt with one before he will make a suggestion. Call shippers and they will talk you through what they need – make sure and say:

• we are tax exempt 
• offer to send info (Dustin has tax exempt pkg can send) 
• pay by credit card and process via Chrome River.

Signatures for Shipping – DO NOT sign anything. 

Call to make sure they take credit cards (i.e., Art Pack shipping for Julien's and don't sign anything–get tracking number/information email.) When explain it would take much longer to get something signed, most say it's ok not to sign–they just want to be paid.

• Some auction houses require payment for the items in full, then invoice separately for shipping. Shipping is still paid for by the library’s fund separate from the funds for the materials. However, shipping arranged by the auction house then paid by us is preferable, which almost all of them do except one or two (I forget which auction houses those are, but they’re small. At least one I had to arrange shipping and then notify the auction house).
• Some auction houses send an initial invoice, and the PO can be created from that. However, RBML often communicates "Please await the final invoice which will include shipping"

  If in doubt, ask RBML if they know. If they are uncertain, pay the invoice, as shipping can be paid later.

• We will have to try and get the payment through as quickly as we can after the invoice because the auction houses will not ship until then.

• After payment is received by the auction house, we then pay the shipping invoice. Use credit card to pay for shipping. For wire transfers, talk with Dustin.

• Last, but not least, where possible, we try and pay by credit card because it is so much faster than check. However:
  • Some auction houses will not take card payments (Swann's for instance)
  • Any amount over $4,999.00 cannot be paid by credit card
  • Auction houses payment method:
    Sotheby's = credit card on-line (for foreign currency, for p-card, do not convert foreign currency to dollars but put in notes which currency it is). Google Chrome worked over Firefox. 
  • For New York, Sometimes online does not work, especially when entering invoice/account number. Call phone number suggested and they will take credit card information over phone. For Sotheby's London, using tax exempt information letter from Sotheby's New York (email 2/8/19). Mr. Warren van der Mescht is the manager and Emily Power (post sales administrator).  Use www.sothebys.com/en/invoicepayment.html for online credit card payment; phone 9-011-44-20-7293-5220. May need to sign shipping agreement BUT check with Chad first.
    Bonham's = shipping on credit card; put amounts for shipping in Notes (i.e. shipping + damage) Post-600.  

    Bonhams will arrange and bill for shipping separately. P-Card payment is preferred and can be made over the phone.

    Christie's = At least for Christie's UK, shipping cannot be paid for by either Dustin or Ginger. We should contact with them until confirmation.

Who is our Customs Broker at Chicago, Springfield and Urbana? 

• The Customs Broker for the University of Illinois System is SEKO Logistics. For help with shipments going through customs, please contact: SEKO Logistics at ordimport@sekologistics.com.
• General information page: https://www.obfs.uillinois.edu/cms/One.aspx?portalId=77176&pageId=91454#broker

VAT and import fees

• If at all possible, obtaining auction house contact information in the event of questions as soon as possible after notification of a winning bid.
• Request these individually from the RBML designated acquisitions contact (currently Tony Hynes)
• Otherwise, when in doubt pay the invoice and seek reimbursement or clarification afterwards.
• Library Business Office has confirmed that we cannot assume VAT exemption, or exemption from other fees from either auction houses in general, nor from overseas vendors in general.
• If clarification is needed, or we wish to request if exemption from certain fees is possible, notify the  Acquisitions Librarian to determine if we should seek clarification from the Auction House on specific fees.

Urgency of payments

• Auction houses will often hold items until payment of invoice.  
• In some instances, failure to pay within a certain time frame may risk voiding a bid.
• For this reason, auction payments must be expedited as much as possible.