Purchasing.

The preferred method of ordering and payment at Boston University is an invoice through Ariba Guided BUying.

There are four methods of purchase on Ariba:

• Guided BUying Catalog Order: Requisitions created to purchase through catalogs in Guided BUying.
• Non-Catalog Request (Amount Based): Requisitions created when you are unsure the final amount to be spent.
• Non-Catalog Request (Standard): Requisitions created when you cannot find what you need in Guided BUying.
• Blanket Purchase Order (BPO): Process used to purchase products/ services off a contract, which suppliers can invoice directly against. Note: BPOs do not encumber funds and are only set up by Sourcing & Procurement.

Important Note: Amount Based and Standard PRs (Non-Catalog Requests) for less than $10,000 do not route to S&P and will be automatically transmitted to the supplier. If you attach a contract to a PR less than $10,000, it will not be reviewed by Sourcing & Procurement; a Contract Request Form must be completed to have your contract reviewed. Please review the SPH Vendor Engagement and Contract Review process for School specific policy, Section VII.1 of this Handbook.

Non-Catalog Requests are used to create PRs for one-off purchases for services or products that are not in a supplier catalog in Guided BUying. Suppliers must be assigned to a PR before submitting the PR.

Supporting Documentation: for non-catalog requests please provide all supporting documentation available to show the necessity of a non-catalog purchase. You may be asked to provide a Sole Source Justification form. Other documentation we recommend you attach include quotes, proposals, or descriptions of services.

For detailed information on How to Place Orders, please see https://www.bu.edu/sourcing/h2po/.

Important Note: Invoices must be submitted by the supplier directly through Ariba. When your purchase is made with a registered supplier, they will receive an email notification with instructions on how to attach the necessary documentation. Please remind your Vendors to include a Purchase Order number to their submission. Invoices without a valid Boston University Purchase Order number referenced will not be processed.

Helpful Links
SPH Vendor Engagement and Contract Review Policy
Boston University Sourcing and Procurement
Boston University Sourcing and Procurement FAQs
BU Sourcing Suppliers

The Boston University Purchasing Card (“PCard”) Program is designed to provide an efficient means of making routine purchases by reducing paperwork, allowing control and responsibility at the school or department level, and streamlining the purchasing cycle for low dollar purchases.

Typical purchases made by cardholders

• Low dollar material or supply items not available through SAP SRM
• Photocopy expenses
• Employment advertising, job postings in newspapers, journals, internet,
• Books, newspapers, magazines, journal, research or online service subscriptions
• Express mail shipping charges, couriers, and postal meters
• Dues and memberships (e.g., business-related associations, )

Restrictions and limitations

• Purchase of items for personal use
• Local and non-local travel expenses (including off-campus meals, fuel/gasoline, car rentals, etc.)
• Purchases that are subject to special regulations or require detailed documentation or special authorization
• Furniture, drapes, and carpeting; equipment leases; consulting services; mortgages, rents, and real estate taxes; translations and interpretation services; radioactive and controlled substances; service and maintenance contracts; legal fees; employee relocation services; donations
• Payments subject to reporting on IRS Form 1099-MISC: PCard payments that would require 1099-MISC reporting to the Internal Revenue Service are prohibited, including
  • Human subjects
  • Independent Contractors providing services such as attorneys, health care or medical services, performers, space/facilities, guest speakers/lectures, honorarium, physicians, royalties

Gift cards are expressly prohibited from being charged on any university funds for employees as they constitute reportable taxable income. Should departments opt to purchase gift cards for employees for events such as an employee giving birth, etc., they may do so using personal – not school – funds.

Full-time faculty and staff (paid through the University payroll system) are eligible PCard users.

Note: Student employees are not eligible to hold PCards. Lending or sharing a PCard is strictly prohibited. Staff should work with their managers to request a PCard, if required for their position.

Helpful Links
When to use the Travel Card vs. PCard
PCard Policy
Applying for a PCard
Boston University Card Services

The University Travel Card is a corporate-liability Visa card, meaning that it is directly billed to and paid for by the University. It helps eliminate the need for cash advances and reduces the financial burden on the traveler.

Typical purchases made by cardholders

• Travel transportation (airfare, car rental, train, taxi, etc.)
• Accommodations
• Meals, including business meals
• Incidentals
• Conference registration fees and related travel transportation/accommodations
• Passport/visa fees

Restrictions and limitations

• Purchase of items for personal use (the only exception is for “ancillary” personal expenses)*
• Purchases that are subject to special regulations or require detailed documentation or special authorization
• Furniture, drapes, and carpeting; equipment leases; consulting services; mortgages, rents, and real estate taxes; translations and interpretation services; radioactive and controlled substances; service and maintenance contracts; legal fees; employee relocation services; donations
• Payments subject to reporting on IRS Form 1099-MISC: Travel Card payments that would require 1099-MISC reporting to the Internal Revenue Service are prohibited, including
• Human subjects
• Independent Contractors providing services such as attorneys, health care or medical services, performers, space/facilities, guest speakers/lectures, honorarium, physicians, royalties

Additional expenses that are prohibited with the Travel Card: Amazon purchases, charter buses (without prior approval from Sourcing & Procurement), gift cards, personal auto repairs, lost/stolen property replacement, trip protection/trip cancellation insurance, in-flight movie purchases, airline upgrade fees (unless administratively burdensome to use a personal card), cell phone charges/bills, newspapers and magazine not related to the business purpose of travel, frequent flyer mileage fees, personal EZ pass, taxi voucher booklets, toiletries, additional domestic car rental insurance, hotel entertainment (including fitness room fees, non-ancillary personal purchases.

Gift cards are expressly prohibited from being charged on any university funds for employees as they constitute reportable taxable income. Should departments opt to purchase gift cards for employees for events such as an employee giving birth, etc., they may do so using personal – not school – funds.

Please note alcoholic beverages must be separated on the expense report and charged to a non-sponsored cost center or discretionary account (automated in Concur)

Full-time faculty and staff (paid through the University payroll system) are eligible Travel Card users. Staff should work with their managers to request a Travel Card if required for their position. To obtain a Travel Card, please complete the online Travel Card application and Responsibility and Financial Liability agreement. Once the form is submitted, the Travel Department will be in contact with the employee to provide instructions to move forward.

Note: Student employees are not eligible to hold Travel Cards. Lending or sharing a Travel Card is strictly prohibited

*“Ancillary” personal expenses are personal expenses incurred when making a purchase that is primarily for Boston University business purposes, and when the personal portion of the expense cannot be easily separated from the business portion when incurring the expense. A personal side trip that is part of an airline ticket purchased to attend a conference or a rental car arrangement that includes some personal mileage are examples of ancillary personal expenses.

Helpful Links
When to use the Travel Card vs. PCard
Travel Card Policy
Applying for a Travel Card
Boston University Travel Services

Contracts are intended to enforce promises that were entered into voluntarily by two or more parties. Procurement contracts can cover anything from goods to services to equipment that the University intends to purchase.

Sourcing and Procurement is responsible for engaging suppliers in contract negotiations as well as providing them with the appropriate contract for their goods or services. Sourcing & Procurement is also responsible for negotiating any of the business terms of the contract. The Office of General Counsel assists Sourcing and Procurement by providing the contract templates as well as negotiating legal terms.

SPH deans, department chairs, faculty, staff, and students may not sign binding agreements, contracts, or memoranda of understanding. Binding agreements may only be signed by the Office of General Counsel and/or the Provost.

Bid Policy

Sponsored Research purchases of $10,000 or more and all purchases of $25,000 or more must go through a competitive bid process or justify having a sole source.

A competitive bid will include any, or all, of the following:

• An assessment of the market and the supplier base
• A written scope of work and award criteria
• A Request for Proposal (RFP) or Quotation (RFQ) drafted and distributed to suppliers
• An analysis of vendor responses to the RFP/Q.

See bu.edu/policies/competition-and-supplier-selection-for-products-and-services-policy/ for more information.

Non-competition Policy

All purchases that exceed $10,000 for sponsored research and $25,000 for all funding sources not obtained using the competitive bid process require the shopper to provide Sourcing and Procurement with a justification for non-competition. The Sole Source Justification form should be used when the selection of a supplier for the purchase of products and services cannot be achieved through a competitive process.

Helpful Links
Contracts
Competition and Supplier Selection Policy
Sole Source Justification Form
Independent Contractor vs. Employee Status for External Service Providers – Guidelines

An Internal Service Request (ISR) is used by departments to request goods or services from other Boston University departments.

Internal services include:

• University-owned service providers (e.g., Publications Production)
• Contracted suppliers located on campus (e.g., Dining Services/Aramark)
• SPH-BEDAC
• Dining – Catering on the Charles
• Marking & Communications – Design/Print Communications and BU Productions (Video Production)
• CFA School of Music
• BUMC Public Safety Services
• BUMC Parking Courtesy Coupons
• Kelly Services (temp workers)

Procedure

• Contact the provider to obtain pricing and delivery information for the specific goods or services to be provided
• Create an Internal Service Request with the above information and any special instructions included
• After the delivery of goods or services, a service provider will charge the requesting department directly via BUworks Central

Helpful Links
Internal Service Request (ISR) Provider List with Email Contact and GL Recovery CO

A Facilities Service Request (FSR) is used by departments to request services from the Facilities Management and Planning department at Boston University.

Facility Services include renovation requests, event set-up, classroom supplies and services, snow removal, security systems, telephone and data network services, parking, and towing.

There are three scenarios in which a user may need to request services from Facilities:

• Routine maintenance: e.g., replacing light bulbs, unclogging plumbing, repairing broken windows, etc.
• Non-routine maintenance: e.g., moving furniture, event set-ups, changing locks, and renovations
• Emergencies: fire, flood, power outage, roof or ceiling leak, too hot/too cold indoors, toilet stopped/overflowing, broken lock/lock-out, broken window or door, bodily fluids, chemical spills

To request services for your department, contact SPH Facilities and Building Operations at sphfacilities@bu.edu.

A disbursement request is a formal request to pay vendors and individuals for goods and services that do not require a Boston University purchase order

Typical Disbursement Requests include payment for:

• non-employee prizes and awards
• dues, fees, licenses, permits, and premiums
• rents and leases
• royalties
• honorarium
• entertainers
• subject payments
• event
• utilities
• stipend
• donations

Disbursement request forms are available on the Accounts Payable website. Payment documentation (e.g., invoice, course syllabus, flyer, performance contract) must be included, as well as vendor documentation (e.g., W-9, W-8, etc.).

Note: All disbursement requests must include an invoice number and supporting documentation for the payment. If supporting documentation does not have an invoice number, please use this chart to create one.

Helpful Links
Disbursement Request Form
Disbursements – Create an Invoice Number
Boston University Accounts Payable