Purchase Orders
Some purchases must go through UNC Purchasing before you agree to buy anything or a company performs a service. To do this, we must create a requisition, which will become a purchase order.
Purchase orders are required for the following:
- All orders over $5000*
- Any time a company wants a signature
- Radioactive items
- Paying a company before work begins or a product is shipped.
All purchase orders must go through Robin Whitley.
* Exception: Some Buy Carolina vendors allow charges up to $25,000. The list is available on the Buy Carolina site. Also, all subcontracts are processed as vouchers.
Documentation
- Quote from the company – always required
- Waiver of competition – required if the quote is over $25,000**. The justification is now on the form itself, but if you need more space you can use an accompanying memo. See sole source writing guidelines
- If necessary, there is an informal bidding process we can use instead of a waiver for purchases between $25,000.01 and $100,000.
- University Data Assistance – required if purchasing new software, contracting IT services with a vendor, or sending/receiving data from outside UNC – this includes laboratory analysis. You can find a more comprehensive list of situations at the site, as well as guidance on which ticket option to choose.
**Exception: Vendors with a state contract, which includes epro vendors. The contract has to be referenced. If the quote is over $100,000, you must do a waiver regardless.
Special Considerations
Logo Design – All logos must either be designed by UNC Creative or be approved by UNC Creative/Branding. If you want an outside vendor to design a logo, you must get written approval from UNC Creative and include it with the documentation. See “Custom Logos” at https://identity.unc.edu/brand/other-marks/.
Material Transfer Agreements – If your request requires you to sign an MTA, please make sure to submit it through the Office of Technology Commercialization first. See https://otc.unc.edu/inventors/mta-cda/ for details.
Unauthorized Purchases – If you did not follow procedure and get a PO beforehand, you will have to fill out Disposition of Unauthorized Commitment Form 1227.1.1f and supply it with the rest of the documentation.
Forms, Policies, and Guides
Data Governance FAQs
Data Governance Request Guide
Purchase Order Attachment Checklist
UNC Branding Logo Guide
UNC Creative Request Form
Waiver of Competition Form
Waiver of Competition Policy
Waiver of Competition Writing Guidelines
