Items Requiring Special Approval

Investigators needing to purchase animals should submit an Animal Order Form (countersigned by the facility’s Animal Care supervisor) indicating any special husbandry needs (i.e. barriers, one animal per cage, etc.) to University Laboratory Animal Resources (ULAR).

This is not required if a PO is issued to purchase the animals.

Purchase Requisitions for equipment needing a unique power source or having other conditions that require the involvement of Facilities Management should be submitted to Facilities Management first for approval and verification that all special requirements can be met prior to sending to University Procurement.

If the original location for the requested equipment is not suitable, Facilities Management or University Procurement will advise the person or department of possible alternative locations. This process requires extra time, so good planning by the requesting department is essential.

Some purchases, especially contracts, may require a review by the University's General Counsel. This process could take two to six weeks depending upon the complexities involved; therefore, good planning by the requesting department is needed.

Review the University’s Contract Protocol Policy.

In-house printing requests, such as for brochures or business cards, should be made through Printing and Mailing Services directly.

Receipt, possession, storage, and use of radioactive material are regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. These agencies require that the acquisition of radioactive material be controlled by the University to assure permitted type and quantity as well as accountability. The following procedure is intended to provide these controls.

Procedure
For radioactive materials, a Purchase Request must be submitted to the Radiation Safety Office for review and approval. In addition to the normal information, requisitions for radioactive materials must also include the following:

• Radioisotope (e.g., P-32, C-14, tritium)
• Amount of radioactivity in units of activity (dpm, microcuries, millicuries)
• Chemical compound or physical form (dATP)
• Specific activity if it is not indicated by the catalog number
• Name of authorized user (faculty member approved by the Radiation Safety Committee)
• Location where the radioactive material will be used
• Signature of the authorized user or designee

Approved requisitions are signed by the Radiation Safety Office and then forwarded to University Procurement to place the order.

The Radiation Safety Office receives the radioactive material, conducts appropriate check-in surveys, and delivers the material to the laboratory.

Please note: University Procurement must receive Purchase Requests for next-day delivery of radioactive materials by 3PM; requests must be approved by the Radiation Safety Office first.

Government grants require that the purchasing guidelines of the University be strictly followed.
Submit a Research Authorization Form [PDF] to the Office of Research Compliance and Administration (ORCA) for approval prior to purchasing the following items for research projects (with a fund number in the 200000 range):

• Travel
• Subcontracts, consulting, and service agreements
• Equipment
• Computers and computing supplies
• Dues and subscriptions
• Any order over $1,000.00

If purchases are being made with a PCard, attach the approved Research Authorization Form to the receipt for the order.
If submitting a Purchase Request, attach the approved Research Authorization Form to the request and send both documents to University Procurement.