PURCHASING

Purchasing Forms, Instructions & Information

Purchasing Summary

DEFINITIONS

Departmental Purchase Order: Department's document used to formalize a purchase transaction with a vendor for supply items. Current DPO maximum limit is $4,999 per vendor per day for supplies. (DPO may not be used to purchase equipment.)

Departmental Repair Order: Department's document used to formalize a purchase transaction with a vendor for equipment repairs. Current DRO maximum limit is $4,999 per vendor.

Independent Contractor Agreement: An independent contractor relationship exists when the University has the right to control only the result of the service, not the manner in which the service is performed. Services provided are generally infrequent, technical or unique functions. Examples of services provided under an Independent Contractor agreement are drafting, technical editing, translation, maintenance & housekeeping, and farm labor. (For information on Independent Consultant agreements, see the Business Contracts section.)

Equipment: Any freestanding item having an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more (including tax and shipping costs) and a normal life expectancy of one year or more.

Purchase Requisition/Request for Purchase Order: Department's document used to request the UCD Purchasing Department to purchase goods or services from vendors for: a) equipment; b) supply orders exceeding $4,999; c) orders for services and d) items excluded from the Departmental Purchasing Authorization.

Emergency Order: Any situation that requires immediate action or the placing of a purchase order because of critical equipment failure, public safety incidents, catastrophic events that pose a threat to life and/or property or significantly increase the risk exposure of the University.

Unauthorized Purchase: A commitment placed verbally or in writing to obtain goods or services prior to the formal issuance of a UC purchase document with proper authorizations.

SUMMARY OF POLICY

The UCD Purchasing Department has re-delegated to departments portions of their authority to issue official orders for University procurement action.
The department head is responsible for ensuring that requirements and restrictions governing direct purchase delegations are followed. Failure to comply with such requirements and restrictions may result in cancellation of a department's direct purchasing privileges.
Purchases of supplies up to $4,999per vendor per day (including tax and delivery charges) may be made at the departmental (county office) level with the exception of items on the "Theft Sensitive List" and "Excluded Items List" (see Purchasing Decision Chart).
Repair orders for services up to $4,999 may be made at the departmental (county office) level.
Purchase orders for supplies exceeding $4,999 and ALL equipment items (see Equipment definition above) must be placed by the UCD Purchasing Department only.
All purchases of goods or services which require an official signature for contract and/or insurance liability issues must be processed through the UCD Purchasing Department (i.e., bus charters, hotel contracts for meetings).
Departments may purchase office furniture up to $500 per vendor per day. Orders may not be artificially split to remain below $500. This delegation applies only to office furniture; lab, reception, or meeting room furniture is not included. See UCDBuy for all other office furniture purchases using the University agreements with HON and Steelcase.
University credit, purchasing power, and facilities may not be used to purchase goods or services for individuals or for non-University activities.
It is the policy of the University to separate an employee's University and private interest and to safeguard the University and its employees against charges of favoritism in the acquisition of goods and services. University employees who have a business relationship with or financial interest in (including that of a near relative) or who have received or anticipate receiving gifts, honorarium, or research grants from a vendor under consideration must disclose the conflict of interest and remove themselves from the decision-making process.

PROCEDURES

For supply orders under the $4,999 per vendor per day policy and items NOT on the "Excluded Items" List:

Complete a Departmental Purchase Order and obtain County Director's signature, and FAX, mail to, or telephone vendors.
When invoice is received, verify that goods have been received and that item prices, sales tax rate and shipping charges are correct.
Forward approved Departmental Purchase Order and invoice to the Regional Office for processing in DaFIS. Payment to the vendor will be generated by the UCD Accounting Office.
If using the UC petty cash checking account to pay the vendor directly, submit the approved invoice and copy of the Departmental Purchase order form with the Checking Account Reconciliation Form.

For orders of items on the "Excluded Items" Lists:

Complete a Request for Purchase Order form and obtain County Director's signature.
Forward approved Request for Purchase Order to Regional Office for processing through the UCD Purchasing Department.
When invoice is received, verify that goods have been received and that item prices, sales tax rate and shipping charges are correct by signing and dating the invoice or by completing your invoice approval stamp.
Forward invoice to the Regional Office for processing in DaFIS. Payment to the vendor will be generated by the UCD Accounting Office
DO NOT use the UC checking account or personal funds to pay vendors directly for these purchases. These orders must be processed through the DaFIS system as purchase orders in order to be recorded on the UC equipment inventory.

For repair orders up to $4,999:

Complete a Purchase Order Request form and obtain County Director's signature and forward to the Regional Office.
Regional Office prepares Departmental Repair Order in DaFIS and will FAX the order form to the vendor.
When invoice is received, verify that goods have been received and that item prices, sales tax rate and shipping charges are correct by signing and dating the invoice.
Forward approved invoice to the Regional Office for processing in DaFIS. Payment to the vendor will be generated by the UCD Accounting Office.

For Independent Contractor Orders: (all Independent Contractor requests are handled as below regardless of amount)

Complete a Request for Purchase Order form and obtain County Director's signature.
In addition, if the proposed Independent Contractor is an individual, complete the Independent Contractor (Individual) Determination Pre-hire Worksheet.
Forward the Request for Purchase Order and the Independent Contractor Determination Pre-hire Worksheet to the Regional Office with any other supporting or explanatory documentation.
The Regional Office will forward the Pre-hire Worksheet to ANR Staff Personnel Services for review. Once it has been determined that an independent contractor is appropriate for this activity, the Regional Office will submit a Purchase Requisition to UC Davis Purchasing.
UC Davis Purchasing will issue an official University Purchase Order for services from the proposed contractor.
Invoices for Independent Contractor services should be processed through the Regional Office for payment by the UC Davis Accounting Office. Do NOT pay using the UCCE checking account.

For orders for ALL equipment, supplies over $4,999, service orders, and Repair Orders over $4,999:

Complete a Request for Purchase Order form and obtain County Director's signature.
Forward approved Request for Purchase Order and any supporting documentation (quote, sole source justification) to Regional Office.
Regional Office will enter the request for purchase order information into DaFIS and FAX supporting documentation to the UCD Purchasing Department.
UCD Purchasing Department authorizes and places order with the vendor.
When invoice is received, verify that goods have been received and that item prices, sales tax rate and shipping charges are correct by signing and dating the invoice, or by completing your invoice approval stamp.
Forward the approved invoice to the Regional Office for processing in DaFIS. Payment to the vendor will be generated by the UCD Accounting Office

TIPS

Purchases must be invoiced to the University of California .
Refer to Purchasing Decision Chart for summary of delegations and exceptions.
If you have an "emergency" purchasing situation, contact the Regional Office to coordinate a request for an emergency purchase order from the UCD Purchasing Department.
The University has an furniture agreements with Steelcase and HON. Purchases may be made through the Purchasing Department or UCDBuy. Furniture Design Services are also available. Contact the Regional Office for assistance with design or ordering furniture.
Unauthorized purchases made without the required approvals and documents may result in the individual's responsibility for payment to the vendor. Unauthorized purchases do require a request for an exception to the purchasing policy which must be approved by the Regional Director and then forwarded to the UCD Associate Vice Chancellor of Business & Finance for Campus approval.
University policy prohibits the purchase of goods or services from any employee or near relative of an employee - unless there has been a specific determination by the Purchasing Department that such goods or services are not available from other commercial sources or from the University's own facilities.
See "Checking Accounts" section for description of items that may and may not be paid using the UC checking accounts.

REFERENCE/WEBSITE LINKS

https://supplychain.ucdavis.edu/procure-contract/how-to-buy

https://supplychain.ucdavis.edu/procure-contract