Bren School Purchasing Services

 

Policy

The Bren School Financial Team would like to make purchasing your supplies and equipment easy and quick. In order for us to successfully meet your delivery request, we ask that you review the following information and let us know if you have any questions or need further clarification on this process. The Bren School Financial Team can be reached at purchasing@bren.ucsb.edu or (805) 893-6114.

Detailed information about UCSB Purchasing Policy and Procedures can be found here.

University of California Purchasing Policy and Procedure is covered in UC Business and Financial Bulletin BUS-43 – Material Management.

 

Purchasing Timeline

  • Purchaser (a.k.a. Faculty/Student/Staff) researches items to be purchased.
  • Purchaser submits a purchasing request to the Bren Financial Team, using the online purchase order form.
  • Bren Financial Team places the order with the appropriate vendor and sends an order confirmation e-mail to the purchaser.
  • Once the order has been received, a notification e-mail is sent to the purchaser with instruction to pick up the ordered items.
  • The Bren Financial Team receives an invoice from the vendor and subsequently pays the vendor directly through the UCSB accounts payable system.

 

Submitting Purchase Orders

All purchasing must be processed through the Bren School Financial Office. This is done by using the Bren online purchase order form. We request that you provide ample time for shipping and delivery so you are not expending additional funds on overnight shipments. The online purchase order form requires the following information:

  • Which Project Code to charge, (i.e. ESD19); List the project code in the “Budget Number” section in the Online Purchase Order Form.

  • The date needed (not ASAP when a required delivery date is important)

  • The vendor name

  • The vendor phone number

  • The vendor address

  • The quantity you require, part number, description, and pricing

  • Any addition information can be added to the “Notes” section of the Online Order Form. This section has no character limit.

Purchases can also be coordinated with the Bren School Financial Team by e-mailing purchasing@bren.ucsb.edu.

Please do not contact thevendor without first contacting the Bren School Financial Team regarding any orders that have been placed.

 

Low Value and HighValue Purchase Orders

UCSB has two classifications of purchases, based on the total cost of an order including sales/use tax but excluding freight and shipping.

  • Low Value Purchases – Purchased items with a total dollar amount under the preset UCSB purchasing threshold. The authority for Low Value purchases has been given to the Bren School, except for several restricted items. Information on UCSB’s Low Value purchasing policy, including the low/high value threshold, the list of restricted items, and foreign purchases, can be found here.
  • High Value Purchases – Purchased items with a total dollar amount above the preset UCSB purchasing threshold and any restricted items from the low value restricted list. The authority for these purchases has been retained by UCSB’s Purchasing Department. Information on UCSB’s High Value purchasing policy including the low/high value threshold can be found here.
  • Note: High Value Purchases may take longer than Low Value Purchases due to the involvement of the Purchasing Department. Please plan accordingly.

 

Reimbursements

University policy allows for reimbursements for purchases made on behalf of UCSB. However, this should be used as a second option to submitting a purchase order request as outlined above.

To submit reimbursement requests, sign and turn in the original receipt to a member of the financial team, and provide the following information:

  • Which Project Code to charge, (i.e. ESD19)
  • Purchaser’ Name
  • Purchaser’s Address
  • Business-related reason for the purchase

Reimbursement checks will be mailed to the address provided with the receipt or direct-deposited if direct deposit has previously been established.

The Bren School has the ability to place orders in almost any manner, including online and over the phone, so most orders should be placed by the Bren School Financial Team. However, in some circumstances it may benefit the University to have an individual purchase items and subsequently receive reimbursement. Such occasions might include a discount for students that the University is not eligible to receive. Purchases made in this manner should be coordinated with the Bren School Financial Team. Likewise, because of its size and buying power, the University may be eligible for discounts, such as those available at FedEx Kinko’s, for which individuals do not qualify. Purchasers should consult with the Bren Financial Team at purchasing@bren.ucsb.edu or (805) 893-6114 prior to making purchases to ensure discounts are being taken advantage of.

Note: It is possible that purchases made without prior authorization from the Bren School Financial Team may not be reimbursed. Reimbursement requests for purchases that do not conform to UCSB policy will not be reimbursed and the purchaser will be personally responsible for the charges incurred.

 

Insurance

University property is automatically covered by insurance against theft with set deductibles for forced and unforced entry. Additional insurance can be purchased if desired. Details on the UC insurance program are avaiable here.