Procurement - Buying & Paying

Before You Buy

Before you send a request to Business Operations or submit a requisition in Oracle, take the time to review the following checklist. This helps ensure compliance with UCR policy, prevents delays, and protects departmental budgets. 

• Confirm Method of Payment

  Determine if you should use PCard, Oracle, or ServiceNow.

  PCard (Procurement Card): For small, unrestricted purchases under $15,000, consider using your UCR PCard first.

  Purchase Orders (Oracle Financials): All authorized purchases for goods and services that cannot be paid via PCard must be processed as a Purchase Order (PO) within the Oracle Financials system.

  Web Recharge: If you require a Purchase Order, your department has two options for submitting the requisition:

  Option A: Self-Service (Directly in Oracle) If you have access, you can enter your requisition directly into Oracle Financials. This is the fastest route for routine purchases.

  Best For: Utilizing Oracle punch-out catalogs and contracted/agreement suppliers, which offer the best pricing, terms, and service.

  Resources: View campus guidance for [LINK: Searching for a Supplier] to find existing suppliers in Oracle. You can also check the [LINK: UCOP site for systemwide contracts].

  Option B: Full-Service (Via ServiceNow) If you do not have Oracle access, or if your purchase is complex, you can submit a ticket in ServiceNow. The Business Operations team will review your request and enter the requisition into Oracle on your department's behalf.

  Best For: Specialized goods/services, restricted items, or any purchase over $15,000.

  Need assistance with Unique Items Buying something highly specialized (e.g., complex research equipment)? Submit a Business Operations consultation request in ServiceNow prior to gathering quotes to agree on the best path for the purchase. 

• Check Agreements

  Check to see if a UCR/UCOP contracted supplier exists.

  Use Oracle punch‑out catalogs and contracted suppliers first; they offer the best pricing, terms, and service. Check Oracle for UCR agreements, and visit the UCOP site for systemwide contracts. View campus guidance for Searching for a Supplier for help with finding existing suppliers in Oracle Financials.  

• Verify Supplier

  Ensure the vendor is active in Oracle if using this payment method, or begin the onboarding process.  

  • Verify supplier is active in Oracle before submitting. 

    Log into Oracle: Home → Suppliers → Search Supplier → review status, sites, and remit‑to information.

  • If the supplier is not active, click here to review the Oracle supplier onboarding process.   
• Check for Additional Department Involvement

  Below are purchase types requiring additional departmental involvement. A Purchase Order cannot be issued until all required documentation and approvals are completed. Please see below for an overview of types of items that will require additional department involvement:  

  Purchases Including	Overseeing Department	Resources
  Equipment: All equipment moves, decommissions, or trade-ins. Also, any equipment purchases over $500 Do not sell or trade-in equipment without	Visit UCR Equipment Management | Accounting Office	Visit UCR Accounting Office to learn about Equipment Acquisitions Via Purchase Order
  Facilities: All furniture purchases or moves, Equipment (lab & medical), modifications to room/buildings, items that require installation and/or require electrical, and all ergonomic requests.	Visit SOM Facilities & Space Planning
  Contracting Out for Covered Services: “Covered services” include cleaning, custodial, janitorial or housekeeping services; food services; laundry services; groundskeeping; building maintenance; transportation and parking services; security services; billing and coding services; sterile processing; hospital or nursing assistant services; and medical imaging or other medical technician services.	Human Resources Concept Approval is required before PO issuance. Submit via HR Covered Services Concept Approval Request. Approval determines if HRMS is needed. HRMS number or Exception Email required before PO completion.	Concept Approval Request Guide HRMS Website Contracting Out Justification Application Request (QRG)
  IT Hardware or Software: All purchases in relation to computer software & hardware, audio visual, data transfer, UCR network use, online subscriptions, and professional memberships	SOM Office of Information Technology	For assistance with IT procurement requests, refer to this page.
  Branded Materials: Items that bear the UCR Health or School of Medicine logos.	Marketing/Strategic Initiatives: Logo use review is required prior to order.	Visit Promotional Products - Preferred suppliers (ID.me & Gorilla Marketing, etc.) Visit to learn more about Uniformed Apparel and Brand Identity
  Independent Contractors: Suppliers not under an umbrella company or LLC.	Visit SOM Human Resources	Visit the independent contractor workflow on our Human Resources appointments page.

• Confirm Funding, Eligibility, and Pre‑Approvals

  Receive department approval to utilize your funding account (COA/POETAF).  

  For restricted commodities (e.g., furniture, lab chemicals, specialized equipment/services), complete commodity‑specific guidelines and any required campus approvals (Facilities, EH&S, fire code, etc.) before submitting to BusOps. – link to campus restricted items list/page

  Funding & SSPR: Purchases made with federal funds over $10,000 or non-federal funds over 100,000 require the Sole Source Price Reasonableness form. 

• Quote & Document Collection

  When you submit your requisition in Oracle or your request to BusOps, be ready with:

  Quotes, Agreements, or Statement of Work (SOW) (if required)

  Business purpose and why the supplier was selected (especially if non‑contracted)

  Verify the supplier is onboarded in Oracle

  Approvals/authorizations (e.g., account funding confirmation) 

• Submit Request

  Log into the appropriate system to submit request:

  In Oracle: Enter Requisition details

  Via ServiceNow: Submit a “Procurement Commodity Request” or a “Procurement Service Request.”

  Do not commit to a supplier until a PO is issued.

  Do not sign contracts or supplier documents. Attach unsigned versions and BusOps will route them to Procurement Services.

Unauthorized Purchases

Unauthorized purchases occur when commitments are made to a supplier without using an approved procurement method. The following steps outline what departments must do to resolve an unauthorized purchase and ensure compliance.

Important Reminder  

Do not sign supplier quotes, agreements, or contracts. Provide the unsigned version with your request, and Business Operations will review and facilitate the execution of documents in collaboration with Central Procurement. – See below for more information.

Steps to Resolve an Unauthorized Purchase

When an unauthorized purchase occurs, departments must act promptly to rectify the commitment and restore compliance. The following steps outline the required process for submitting an after-the-fact justification, routing necessary administrative approvals, and preventing future policy violations.

• Complete the Unauthorized Purchase Form

  Complete the Unauthorized Purchase Form

  Departments accepting financial responsibility for an unauthorized purchase must submit:

  The Unauthorized Purchase Form

  A purchase requisition in Oracle or ServiceNow 
  (Both are required for Business Operations to initiate payment.)

• Requester Responsibilities

  Requester Responsibilities

  The requester must:

  Provide Required Details:  

  • Supplier name
  • Description of goods/services
  • Date of commitment
  • Total cost
  • Reason the unauthorized purchase occurred
  • Related quote or invoice

  Attach Supporting Documentation

  Submit all relevant documents, such as:

  • Invoices
  • Email correspondence
  • Quotes
  • Contracts
  • Receipts
• Obtain Required Signatures

  Obtain Required Signatures

  The individual responsible for the unauthorized purchase: The department’s Financial Officer

  These approvals confirm acknowledgment of the error and departmental acceptance of responsibility.

• Submit to Business Operations

  Submit to Business Operations

  Send the completed form and attachments to the School of Medicine Business Operations (BusOps) team.

  Once received, BusOps will:

  Review the submission for completeness

  Route the package for Business Office and Executive approvals

  Reminder for Section III 

  When completing Section III of the form, your explanation must include:

  • Specific, concrete steps your department will take to prevent recurrence
  • Actionable, measurable corrections
  • Do not include general or vague statements

  Examples of strong responses: 
  ✔ "Department will implement a pre‑purchase checklist…" 
  ✔ "All staff will complete procurement training…" 
  ✘ “We will be more careful next time.”

  Additional Guidance

  Visit the Resources for Suppliers page to learn more about unauthorized purchases and campus policies.