Purchasing FAQs

Process a requisition for the exact amount of the purchase (including taxes, shipping, etc.). Purchasing will issue a purchase order and send it to Accounts Payable to issue payment. For any questions related to payments and their status, please email accts_pay@fso.arizona.edu.

Orders $25,000 and under should contain one quote and a justification for not utilizing a small business. When entering the vendor on your requisition, the business type will populate. If the vendor shows as a small business, no justification is needed. If the vendor shows as anything other than a small business variant, a justification is required. Additional documentation such as an ICON form, insurance, and agreement may be required.

For orders exceeding $25,000 but not exceeding $100,000, three quotes or a sole source is required unless you are purchasing from a contract vendor (click on the link to see contract vendor requirements). Additional documentation such as an ICON form, insurance, and an agreement may be required.

Orders exceeding $100,000 may require a formal solicitation. Please note, the $100,000 threshold for a formal solicitation is for a five-year period. For example, if you want to purchase software that is $25,000 a year and you want to sign a five-year agreement, the total would be $125,000 which exceeds the threshold for a formal solicitation.

The $25,000 solicitation requirement is for the total order regardless of the number of items. Please note that intentionally fragmenting/pyramiding orders to circumvent the solicitation requirement is a violation of University and ABOR Purchasing Policies, and applicable State Law, and may result in disciplinary action including civil or criminal charges.

A sole source exists when there is a need for a specific item or service that is only available from one source. A Sole Source Justification Form (pdf) must accompany the requisition.

You can also utilize the Sole Source Questionnaire to assist in formulating the justification. You will need to attach both the Sole Source Justification form and the Sole Source Questionnaire to the requisition.

If the PCard would not be practicable, a requisition may be used for the purchase. Please state the reason why the PCard is not being used in the notepad of the requisition and submit to Purchasing.

Purchase Order issuance times can vary depending on the complexity of the purchase.

The University does not have a Bid list, Vendors should visit the Vendor Resources page for information on how to do business with the University.

If a Contracted Vendor does not meet your needs, justification must be submitted with the requisition. Purchasing will review the justification and if appropriate, will process the order in accordance with University Policies and Procedures.

Unless you have been delegated signature authority by the University President, do not sign quotes or agreements. If you have signature authority, you will have a letter which explains the types of agreements you can sign and up to a specified amount (ex: $500,000).

If you will be submitting a requisition for the agreement, please attach the agreement in the notes on the requisition.

If you will be utilizing a PCard, Disbursement Voucher or there is no cost associated with the agreement, please submit to contracting contracting@fso.arizona.edu.

Purchases through Amazon should be made on the University PCard under the Business Account we have established. For information on enrolling in this program, please contact pcard@fso.arizona.edu

If you have been working with a specific individual or representative at a company, the best way to ensure that your purchase order makes it to that individual is to include their email address in the notes and attachments. Not all vendors include email addresses on their quotes, so often the buyer will have to send to a generic email address or fax. Buyers prefer to email as a first attempt and will often cc the requestor if there is a valid email address.