Buying goods

Purchases for goods below the value of $5,000 can be made on a UVic ccard unless the goods are listed on the restricted item list. 

Many goods can be acquired through existing supply contracts or specific departments on campus. Certain purchases on the restricted item list must also be approved by the appropriate department. Take a look at the options below and see if you need to consult with another department, and/or whether you can get what you need without going through a new procurement process.

Next, either you or the department assisting you will need to find a vendor. Your options for doing so are set by UVic's Purchasing Policy and depend on the value of the goods you're looking to buy.

Most services require a Services Agreement - Non-Academic. It does not matter how small the contract amount is, the deciding factor is the level of risk involved. If you are not sure if the service that you require needs a contract, please e-mail purchase@uvic.ca before you enter into any agreement with your selected vendor.

• Under $15,000 - you can find and select a single vendor to buy from, or optionally you can work with Purchasing Services to run a competitive procurement process. Note you will need a written invoice from your chosen vendor.
• Above $15,000 - you will need to collect and submit three quotes from different vendors before deciding between them. Alternatively, you can work with us to run a competitive procurement, or fill out the Direct Award form to document your justification for selecting a single source. Note that this form must be approved by Purchasing Services before you can move ahead.

Why should I talk to Purchasing Services?

You or another member of your department may have privileges allowing you to make purchases up to a certain dollar value - for example, you can buy almost anything you need under $5,000 using a CCard. However, we strongly recommend that you speak to us before committing to a purchase. Why?

Buying goods does not require a service agreement, but it's important to understand that any purchase does create a legal contract between UVic and the vendor. The terms of this agreement may be as simple as the price, list of goods and date of delivery, but even UVic Purchase Orders have a set of standard Terms & Conditions (T&Cs) that apply to every purchase.

The problem is that vendor quotes and especially invoices often include T&Cs that don't protect you or UVic to the degree required by university policy and provincial law. If we pay an invoice with these terms without submitting a counter-proposal, we may be bound by those terms, just as if we had signed a contract by hand.

Purchasing Services staff are trained to recognize these issues and to negotiate with vendors to draft T&Cs that satisfy both UVic and the vendor's requirements, so you and the university are protected from legal and financial liability when you use the goods you buy. Sending us your quote before you commit to a purchase is the best way to ensure that the purchase is safe and avoid delays in getting what you need.

How do I pay the vendor?

In most cases, you will need a Purchasing Services Buyer to create a Purchase Order or an Agreement (AGR) document in Banner. To get one, you'll need to submit a Web Requisition in the FAST application. The Web Requisition should include the following:

• Quote(s) and/or Direct Award form
• Approval by the Account Holder & a Signing Authority for your department
• Approval from Research Accounting if necessary

Buying something from an international supplier?

Make sure to review the Import/Export page and contact Purchasing Services if necessary to avoid any delays, excessive fees or misplaced packages during the importing process.