Making Purchases
All purchasing and procurement is managed in accordance with state purchasing regulations and UL Lafayette's institutional policy. However, purchases related to sponsored programs may have additional requirements imposed by the sponsor. In instances where the University's policies differ from sponsor requirements, sponsor requirements prevail if they are more restrictive.
Before making a purchase,
- Refer to the fully executed contract, any approved budget revisions, and account ledger to determine availability of funds.
- Confirm that a budget line item exists for the purchase.
Current University procedures and forms for purchasing supplies, equipment, and services, are located in the Purchasing Office. The general guidelines are as follows:
Use a Purchase Requisition for:
- Items less than $5,000. No vendor quotes are required.
- Items greater than $5,000 and less than $15,000. Written solicitations from at least three bona fide, prospective bidders are required, and should be attached to the Purchase Requisition.
- Items greater than $15,000. Must be processed as written solicitations by the Purchasing Office only to at least five bona fide, qualifed vendors. You should allow four to six weeks from the date the approved requisition is received in the Purchasing Office before a Purchase Order can be issued.
Use a Direct Charge Form for:
- Prepayment for books, subscriptions, etc.
- Reimbursement for items you purchased. Please limit these requests to no more than $500.
LaCarte Procurement Card
This card can be used to make low-dollar orders of $1,000 or less. No competitive bidding is required for purchases made with the LaCarte Card.
Remember: All requisitions, direct charges, and LaCarte card purchases charged to a sponsored program must be approved by SPFAC.
