An e-Auction is an electronic event, which is advertised and made available to the public via the Internet. UTMB uses e-Auctions as an added venue to move surplus property.

Public Bidding and Sale

If no UTMB department or other state agency has acquired the item(s) after the initial 30-day preview posting, the on-line auctioneer opens the items for bids from the public. Please visit our e-Auction web site at:

http://www.slapsale.com

A minimum bid is set by the auctioneer unless otherwise set by UTMB.  The bidding remains open for 10 business days.  Once the items on the site have been opened for public bidding they are no longer available to UTMB departments and other state agencies at no cost. (Unless they don’t sell, see Auctioned but not Sold Items below)

The item is sold to the highest bidder. The buyer pays the auctioneer for the item(s) purchased.  The auctioneer then sends an email to the buyer confirming the purchase of the item(s) and copies the same email to the Surplus Property Office that payment has been received.

Buyers have five business days to pick up the item(s).  Buyers must provide a picture ID and a copy of the email confirmation (proof of purchase) when coming to the surplus warehouse to pick up the item(s).  Buyers should call the surplus warehouse to set up a time to pick up the item(s).  If for some reason the buyer cannot come within five business days, it is the buyer’s responsibility to notify the surplus warehouse.  If the buyer is a “no show” or fails to contact the warehouse, the item can then be re-posted or sold at a live auction.  If this happens there is no refund.  The buyer forfeits their original payment to the auctioneer and thereby UTMB. This information is included in the email sent to the buyer at the receipt of payment.

When the buyer arrives at the warehouse to pick up the sold item(s), two copies are made of the “proof of purchase”. Our staff will remove the UTMB property tag and attach it to the “proof of purchase.”  If the item has no UTMB property tag, we will write “no tag” on the “proof of purchase”

The item is then released to the customer. The copy of the “proof of purchase” with the removed UTMB property tag on it (if there is one) is sent to Accounting and the other copy is filed in the surplus office by date of pick-up.

Auctioned but not Sold Items

If the item(s) do not sell after the initial ten-day of open bidding, a decision has to be made by the surplus warehouse attendants after consulting with the auctioneer to do any of the following:
•  Start the process over, from the beginning with the 30-day view only
•  Open it up for bidding at a later date
•  Hold the items for a live auction
•  Release to a UTMB department or state agency who wanted it after it had been     opened for public bidding
• Dispose of the item in accordance with Logistics Surplus Warehouse Guidelines.