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Business Office - Purchasing Information

Payment methods and procedures for various types of purchases. Please ask the Business Office if you have any questions.

Various payment methods are available to use for purchases less than $5,000. Please see the Business Office - Payment Methods for Less than \$5000.00 page to determine which method is appropriate for your needs.

If your purchase is $5,000 or more, see the Purchasing Table below for requirements.

Tax exempt Status: Purchases made while conducting official UW–Madison business may be exempt from payment of tax depending on their location and the circumstances of the purchase.  Any personal use of university’s tax exempt status is prohibited and is grounds for discipline. Please use the Tax Exempt Certificate when making business-related purchases in WI, or stop by the SoHE Business Office for a Wallet Tax Exempt Card. The University may deny reimbursement to individuals for sales tax expenses.

 Category  Purchasing Information
Payment Method/Procedure
 Office/Classroom Supplies  
  • ShopUW+
  • UW Bookstore
  • Other vendors
 
Computers, laptops, printers, technology, software
  • Provide a funding source (enter on Request Form) 
 Furniture
 Copying/Printing
  • For small copy/print job, use your assigned Copy Code at the 1st floor DoIT Print Center
  • For larger jobs you can send your order through the DoIT Print Center
  • Obtain a copy code by completing the Print Center's User Code Request Form
  • To obtain a new "D" number please provide the business office with the funding you would like to use, and they will set up a D number for you. 
 Postage
  • SoHE's postage meter is located in the receiving room in the lowest level - USPS only (No FedEx or UPS)
  • Purchasing postage outside of SoHE’s postage meter is allowed
 Memberships Annual membership fees to professional associations are allowable at annual increments. (not allowable on GPR (Fund 101) funding unless a justification is provided as to how the membership benefits the school and students)
 Subscriptions Subscriptions are allowable at annual increments. (not allowable on GPR (Fund 101) funding unless a justification is provided as to how the membership benefits the school and students)
Gift Cards for Prizes or Awards
(for IRB-related research participant payments see Business Office - Research Participant Payments)
  • Gift cards are purchased in amounts of $50 or less.
  • Only one gift card is given to each recipient during a calendar year.
  • Gift cards are not to be given to UW employees or Non-Resident Aliens.
  • Gift cards are not used for payment of services or other tax-reportable payments.
  • Pre-approval must be obtained from the Divisional Business Office via the Purchasing Card Gift Card Approval Form.
  • Purchases on Grant money must be pre-approved by Research and Sponsored Programs prior to submitting the form to the Divisional Business Office for final approval.
  • The Gift Card Recipient Log is used to document the name and contact information of each gift card recipient.
  • The individual making the gift card purchase is accountable for the safekeeping of the gift card(s) and accounting for any unused gift cards.
Services less than $5,000 provided by an individual (non-employee) 
  • Competitive procurement is not required.
  • UW and State Contracts
  • Contact three (3) vendors for quotes if no UW or State contract is available.

Payment to Individual (PIR) provide the following to a contact from the Business Office.

Goods or services less than $5000 provided by a business/vendor
  • Competitive procurement is not required.
  • UW and State Contracts
  • Contact three (3) vendors for quotes if no UW or State contract is available.


Pay with purchasing card if possible.

Direct Payment (DP) provide the following to a contact from the Business Office:
Goods or services, $5,000-$49,999
Includes following:
  • If all items purchased exceed $5,000 but no one item is $5,000 or more.
  • Separate purchases from the same vendor over any 12-month period total $5,000 or more.
  • Competitive procurement is required.
  • UW and State Contracts
  • If no contract is available, a formal request for bids must be completed to select a vendor by completing a Simplified Bid Form and attaching at least 3 bids. Please contact the SoHE Business Office for assistance.
  • If there is only one qualified vendor available or you choose not to complete a bid process, please follow the sole source procurement procedures noted below.

Once a vendor is selected, a requisition must be created using the Requisition Wizard in ShopUW+

  • Enter the UW/State contract number on the requisition or attach all supporting procurement documentation to the requisition. If you need assistance, please contact the SoHE Business Office.
Sole Source Procurement between $5,000 to $24,999: Goods or non-academic services. Non-Competitive Purchase Request Form, will need the following information:
  • A written price quotation from the vendor
  • A statement justifying how the procurement is in the best interests of the state and that the price is reasonable either on a fair market value or on a cost basis
  • A statement documenting attempts at locating additional vendors (including vendor names, first/last name of contact, phone number and address)
Create a requisition using the Requisition Wizard in ShopUW+
  • Enter the UW/State contract number on the requisition or attach all supporting procurement documentation to the requisition. If you need assistance, please contact the SoHE Business Office.

  • Attach the Non-Competitive Purchase Request Form and supporting documentation to the requisition and submit to the SoHE Business Office for processing.
Sole Source Procurement between $5,000 to $24,999 for Academic Services, defined as providers directly serving the University’s mission of academic instruction or research. This does not include sub-awards for grants. Purchase of Services Justification Form AND Contract Details Form will need the following information:
  • A description of services to be provided including dates of service.
  • Name and address of the provider.
  • Amount of contract, payment terms.
  • A statement regarding how it was determined that no other qualified vendors are available and what makes this provider unique.
Create a requisition using the Requisition Wizard in ShopUW+
  • Indicate that the requisition is being requested as non-competitive procurement. If you need assistance, please contact the SoHE Business Office.

  • Attach the Purchase of Services Justification Form, Contract Details Form, W-9 and other supporting documentation to the requisition and submit to the Business Office for processing.
 Sole Source Procurement over $25,000. Sole source procurements over $25,000 require approval from the State of Wisconsin Governor’s Office. Contact the SoHE Business Office for assistance.


Keywordsbusiness office, purchasing, procurement, sales tax exempt, office supplies, computers, copying, postage, memberships, subscriptions, requisitions, PO, vendors, w-9, purchasing card, pcard, p-card, e-reimbursement, contracts, simplified bid, goods, services, printing, classroom supplies, funding string, shop@uw, mds, gift cards, laptops, ipad, tablet, software   Doc ID104499
OwnerAngela O.GroupSchool of Human Ecology
Created2020-07-30 10:57:29Updated2024-09-05 13:05:40
SitesSchool of Human Ecology
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