Procurement
Contracted Suppliers
Purchasing Methods
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
These FAQs address common questions related to purchasing goods and services, including requirements, tax considerations, and supplier compliance. If your question is more specific to a particular area, see below for additional guidance:
- Contract Services: Agreements and contract review and select non-purchase agreements (e.g., NDAs or Sales & Service Agreements)
- PALCard: UCI’s procurement credit card program
- Equipment Management: Capital equipment purchases and inventory
- Strategic Initiatives: Special programs such as small business first program and sustainability
- UCIBuy+: System used to place campus requisitions and purchase orders.
Forms & Requirements
The SSPR form is required for purchases over $100,000 (non-federal funds) and over $15,000 (federal) to justify supplier selection and pricing, unless using a competitively bid or strategically sourced agreement. Please visit UCOP's internal site for instructions and FAQs.
Please search the list of commodity codes to find the most applicable commodity code for the purchase in UCIBuy+. For additional assistance, contact Procurement Services.
When vendors are onboarded, a Certificate of Insurance is requested and managed through PaymentWorks.
Tax Considerations
Most purchases of tangible goods in California are taxable. Some items or transactions may be exempt depending on the type of purchase or funding source. Refer to the following resources for additional information:
- Accounting & Fiscal Services – Tax Compliance and Reporting
- Publication 61: Sales and Use Tax – Exemptions and Exclusions (list of nontaxable sales)
- California Department of Tax and Fee Administration – Sales and Use Tax in California
- California Franchise Tax Board – current guidance on taxable transactions
No, UC Irvine is generally not tax exempt. Limited exceptions may apply (e.g., certain government-funded purchases). Contact your Contracts & Grants staff or Accounting team for guidance.
Federal Compliance Requirements
These verifications are required for purchases using federal funds and depend on funding type and dollar thresholds:
- Debarment verification:
- Federal Grants/Cooperative Agreements: ≥ $15,000
- Federal Contracts: ≥ $35,000
- Anti-lobbying certification:
- Federal Grants: ≥ $100,000
- Federal Contracts: ≥ $150,000
Yes. These requirements apply to:
- Purchases using federal or flow-through funds
- Mixed funding purchases (if total ≥ $15,000)
- Purchases from contracted suppliers
- PALCard purchases (federal purchases over $15,000 are not allowed)
Flow-through funds are federal funds passed to UC Irvine through another institution. These purchases must follow federal requirements.