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FAQ

General

If you require a modification to your purchase order please submit your request through the following link.

To check the status of your change order, please click here to see your Ticket Requests.

 

In iBuy, click orders in the task bar and hit search. Click All Orders or you can narrow your search by clicking: Requisitions, Purchase Orders, or Invoices. NOTE: By default, your search results will include orders with a create date in the last 90 days.

Per the Illinois Procurement Code:

(30 ILCS 500/20-80) https://ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/003005000K20-80.htm

(d) Timely execution of contracts. Except as set forth in subsection (b) of this Section, no voucher shall be submitted to the Comptroller for a warrant to be drawn for the payment of money from the State treasury or from other funds held by the State Treasurer on account of any contract unless the contract is reduced to writing before the services are performed and filed with the Comptroller.

When emailing the vendor, email out both the purchase order and attachments associated with the purchase (all documents with a Document Type of “VENDOR” in BDM). This will ensure the vendor receives the purchase order as well as any associated documents pertaining to the purchase.

Email PO Documentation

A Delegate from the Purchasing Office will sign on behalf of the Comptroller. The signed quote will be part of the completed Purchase Order.

It is recommended you consult with Risk Management and refer to Section 6 of the OBFS policy regarding insurance at this link: https://www.obfs.uillinois.edu/bfpp/section-6-insurance/

The Description of Operations/Locations/Vehicles box located just above the Certificate Holder box should state: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois is additional insured.
If the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois is listed as the Certificate Holder, be sure to include: Certificate Holder is included as additional insured in the Description of Operations/Locations/Vehicles box.

You cannot change the Vendor ID once a purchase order has been completed. If the original Vendor ID has been terminated, you should submit a service desk ticket for a Vendor ID Change.  In the ticket, you will need to provide the correct vendor id number and a brief explanation of what has happened requiring the number to be changed.

If you chose the incorrect Vendor ID on the original requisition (Vendor ID was not terminated), please submit a cancel/replace requisition in Banner using the correct Vendor ID.

When making a partial deposit payment, please make sure there is a separate line item for the deposit on the requisition. If a deposit is required, you do not need to change the payment terms of the purchase order. Payables will pay the deposit if a line item is included on the purchase order with a special payment request form submitted from the department.

As with any iBuy requisition, email quote, and other supporting documents to UIUC Purchasing. Include RUSH in the subject line, a written justification for the transaction, as well as a brief description for the rush in the email.

First, ask yourself – is it really an emergency? The State defines an emergency as “A situation involving public health, public safety, or cases where immediate expenditure is necessary for repairs to State property to protect against further loss or damage, to prevent or minimize serious disruption in State services, or to ensure the integrity of State records” Emergency conditions may result from fires, explosions, adverse weather conditions, or epidemic conditions. They may also result from untimely breakdown, damage, or loss of equipment vital to the maintenance of health or safety standards. In true emergency situations, the Illinois Procurement Code provides that purchasing procedures, including bidding requirements, may be waived if it becomes important for an emergency transaction to be completed within a certain time. If you need to make a purchase that is truly an emergency, you may submit your requisition after the service is performed or the purchase is made. Emergencies are not non-conforming, as long as you notify Purchasing no later than five business days after an emergency purchase has been made.

For more information on non-conforming orders, please see here.

Departments should always obtain a Purchase Order for Goods or Services prior to receiving such. Obtaining Goods and Services without the issuance of an official Purchase Order may place the University/Department in direct violation of State Procurement Laws.

Multiple quotes are required for purchases of $10,000 or more. Three quotes are needed. In some cases where it is not possible to obtain multiple quotes, justification must be provided within the iBuy form or a small purchase quote waiver for Banner requisitions may be submitted.  Obtaining multiple quotes is the preferred process.

No. Each new requisition for a printing purchase requires that the vendor complete & sign a new set of statements. Statements cannot be reused from past purchases with the vendor.

Please submit at least 3 total quotes, including selected vendor quote. This means Purchasing needs a quote from the selected vendor, plus two additional vendor quotes.

In iBuy, type the requisition number in the Search field in the top right-hand corner of the page and press enter. Click the requisition number to open it. Review the Status field under the General section. If it shows Pending and Purchasing Department, the requisition has been routed to the Purchasing Division. The assigned buyer’s name is in parentheses after Purchasing Department. If the Status field shows Pending and Purchasing Department but no buyer’s name, the requisition has not been assigned.

In Banner, FPIREQN go to the commodity page. Go to the tools gear icon in the upper right corner. Click on Commodity Supplemental Information, the assigned buyer will be shown.

The time it takes to process your requisition depends on the nature of the items/services you are procuring as well as the cost. Not all acquisitions of goods and services require identical procedural steps.

Contracts

Only the University Comptroller or his/her approved delegates have authority to sign contracts on behalf of the University of Illinois.

A contract can be required for a variety of reasons including but not limited to a multi-year term, level of risk, and amount of contract. Purchasing can help you determine when a contract is necessary to mitigate any risks to your department.

Using Federal Funding

The federal source selection form is required for purchases of $25,000 or more that are made using federal funds. The form is signed/dated by the department. It should be sent to Purchasing along with the other needed supporting documents.

Operations

It depends on the request. Times and dates vary based on the exception request. However, if you have an immediate need for payment, please reach out Marette Crosby, gmkelley@uillinois.edu, and be sure to list the urgency for the review of request and why.

Please send an email to Purchasing’s main email urbanapurchasing@uillinois.edu. with the purchase order number. An Operations staff member will be in touch to go over the receiving report process.

The Department needs to submit a UPS CampusShip New User Request via the service desk.

System Requirements

The department can generate a copy of the PO in iBuy by entering the PO number then selecting Print Fax Version in the upper right-hand menu for the PO. From there, you can save a PDF copy, as well as the attachments, and send it to the vendor directly.

If the vendor email on iBuy is incorrect or needs updating OR if the vendor did not receive the PO, the vendor may need to provide an updated vendor form to vendor maintenance to get that information corrected.

Requisitions need to be routed to purchasing if your request requires any of the items below:

  • Any Purchase requiring an Authorized Signature.
  • Any Vendor Terms and Conditions different from the U of I Terms and Conditions.
  • Rental Agreements.
  • Any Vendor Contract or Agreement that goes with the order that would need reviewed.
  • Any shipment that goes through Customs.
  • Telecommunications Equipment.
  • Weapons and Ammunition.
  • Furniture.
  • Charter Air or Bus Service.
  • Lab or Specialty Gases.
  • Laboratory or Office Moving (External Vendor).
  • Onsite Services.
  • High Power Lasers.
  • Non-Denatured Ethyl Alcohol.

Solicitations

A sole source justification form is utilized when the price of a supply or service exceeds the bid limit, $100,000, and only one vendor is capable of providing the specifications as requested.
A source selection & price justification form is needed when a supply or service funded by a federal grant, contract or cooperative agreement is of $25,000 or more.

Yes, when over $100,000. If you believe that only one Vendor can provide the needed goods or services, you will need to submit a complete Sole Source Justification Form and any supporting materials to the Purchasing and Contract Management Office. Please see the training videos for additional information.

A formal solicitation process means that Purchasing will need to conduct a competitive solicitation either in the form of an Invitation for Bids (IFB), Request for Proposals (RFP) or Sole Source process for the purchase of commodities and/or services that are $100,000 or more.

Glossary

All | # A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
There are currently 39 terms in this directory
After the Fact
After the Fact is completed in iBuy once a good or service has been received prior to purchase order issuance. After the Fact does not always mean it is non-conforming if there is an award, sole source, exemption, emergency, or existing contract in place.

Amendment/Change Order
A written modification to a contract or purchase order or other agreements.

Banner
A packaged Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software product that includes Student Administration, Human Resources, and Finance functionality. It forms the core of the UI-Integrate system.

Business Enterprise Program (BEP)
State of Illinois Program for businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities which is committed to fostering an inclusive and competitive business environment that will help business enterprises increase their capacity, grow revenue, and enhance credentials.

Buyer
University staff knowledgeable in the procurement of goods and services.

Cancel and Replace
Cancel and replace purchase orders are required when a current or previous purchase order cannot be modified or re-opened due to a variety of reasons.

CFOAPAL
The Banner finance accounting string consisting of chart, fund, organization, account, program, activity, and location. Chart, fund, organization, account, and program are the required segments to record a financial transaction.

Chief Procurement Officer
Any of the four persons appointed or approved by a majority of the members of the Executive Ethics Commission. The Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) exercises independent procurement authority under the Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500). While retaining procurement authority, the CPO exercises this authority through independent State Purchasing Officers (SPOs) who report to the CPO.

Click-Through Terms/Agreements
Contracts may be part of the online installation process and often require the end-user to click an "OK," "Agree," or "Accept" button in order to move forward with the installation before the user can access the platform. They are commonly used in connection with software or web-based platform licenses.

Comptroller Delegate
The Comptroller may delegate contract execution authority. Delegates who sign contracts on behalf of the Comptroller must have express authority to do so. Comptroller delegates are responsible for ensuring all required approvals are received and appropriate legal review is complete, before affixing the Comptroller’s signature to a contract.

Contract
A written agreement, fully executed (signed by all parties), containing an offer and acceptance for consideration.

Contracts+
Contracts+ is the University of Illinois System's new contract drafting and management system. It replaces iCS and routing of contract approval routing forms (CARF’s) and serves as a single contract repository for all University of Illinois System contracts. It is a new, fully robust contracting system that is integrated with our other procure to pay systems and modules.

Data Use/Data Sharing Agreements
A type of material transfer contract that specifically deal with the transfer of information.

Delivery Terms
Conditions in a contract relating to freight charges, place of delivery, time of delivery or method of transportation.

Emergency Procurement
A purchase made following a special purchasing procedure in order to obtain goods or services quickly to meet an emergency. These items are defined as necessary to continue the instructional process and/or maintain a safe operational environment, the loss of which would create a situation which would adversely and unduly affect the safety, health, or comfort of building, occupants or otherwise cause a loss to the institution.

Encumbrance
A contracted obligation of available budget.

Financial Disclosures and Conflict of Interest Form
Vendor form required for purchases exceeding $100,000 and purchases that may have a potential conflict of interest.
Financial Disclosures and Conflicts of Interest Form
Financial Disclosures and Conflict of Interest Review Checklist

iBuy
Web-based ordering tool that provides the University of Illinois system with the most streamlined, cost effective way to place orders with suppliers. End-users have the ability to create requisitions for a range of items: from pens and keyboards to custom servers and furniture orders.

Invitation for Bid (IFB)
This term is used when you know the details, require a specific set of specifications and the estimated budget is $100,000 or greater. A formal method of solicitation whereby suppliers are requested to submit a bid for the provision of goods. Price is the main factor for award. An IFB must be “open” for a minimum of 14 days. It will be issued by Purchasing and posted on the Illinois Procurement Bulletin for Higher Education website. To start a solicitation please use the following form:
UIUC Solicitation Information Form

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
A memorandum of understanding is an agreement between two or more parties outlined in a formal document. It is not legally binding but signals the willingness of the parties to move forward with a contract. MOU's must follow the same process as other contracts and shall be signed by a Comptroller delegate.

No Fund Agreements
Could be any type of contract that involves no transfer of funds between the two parties.

Non-Conforming
A Non-Conforming order is one in which the request for the contract and/or Purchase Order is submitted to Purchasing after the receipt of goods or services by the end-user. As a state agency, the University must comply with the requirements of the Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500) and University procurement policies and procedures. Accordingly, these laws and policies require a fully executed contract and/or Purchase Order in advance of goods and services being provided. Non-conforming requests will always be considered After the Fact in iBuy. Vendor Release Form

Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)
Also known as Confidentiality Agreements, outline confidential material, knowledge, or information that two parties wish to share in order to conduct business with one another. An NDA creates a confidential relationship between the parties to protect any type of non-public business information from third-party access.

Procurement Policy Board
An agency of the State of Illinois with the authority and responsibility to review, comment upon and recommend, consistent with the Code, rules, and practices governing the procurement, management, control, and disposal of supplies, services, professional or artistic services, construction and real property and capital improvement leases procured by the University.

Proposal
An offer made by one party to another as a basis for negotiations for entering into a contract; the response to a Request for Proposal.

Purchase Order
A purchase order is a legal document used by the university, authorizing a supplier to provide a product or service to the institution. It is a type of contract. The document used to formalize a purchase transaction with a vendor. A purchase order, when given to a vendor, may contain statements as to the quantity, description, and price of the goods or services ordered; agreed terms as to payment, discounts, date of performance, transportation terms, and all other agreements pertinent to the purchase and its execution by the vendor.

Quotation
A statement of price, terms of sale, and description of goods or services offered by a vendor to a prospective purchaser.

Renewal
Orders renewed on an annual basis.

Request for Proposal (RFP)
This term is used when you have a concept with a set of specifications or needs for consideration. A formal method of solicitation where prospective suppliers are requested to submit a proposal for the provision of goods, works, or services, based on the specifications, scope of work, or terms of reference included in the solicitation documents. Normally used in cases where the requirements are complex; cannot be clearly or completely specified, where detailed technical evaluations are to be performed, and/or where pricing or cost may not be the sole basis of award. Price is not the main factor for award. It will be issued by Purchasing and posted on the Illinois Procurement Bulletin for Higher Education website. To start a solicitation fill out the following form:
UIUC Solicitation Information Form

Requisition
Formal requests submitted by departments for supplies, equipment, or services. It is not an order and is not valid off campus.

Requisitioner
University staff responsible for obtaining quote documentation and entering requisition in procurement system.

Small Purchase Threshold Limits
The small purchase limits for procurements under the authority of the CPO for Higher Education are set by statute as modified by 44 Ill. Admin. Code 4.2020: - Supplies & Services: not exceeding $100,000 - Construction: not exceeding $100,000 - Professional and Artistic Services: not exceeding $100,000 (term must not exceed one year and may not be renewed) - Architect / Engineering / Land Surveying: less than $25,000 - Real Property and Capital Improvement Leases: less than $100,000 (per year and must also be less than 10,000 sq. ft.)

Small Purchase Waiver
A requisition that is less than the small purchase limit but greater than or equal to $10,000, must include documentation demonstrating competition from multiple vendors. If the University of Illinois System does not receive multiple quotes, documentation demonstrating the reasons why must be submitted along with the purchase requisition for the purchase using the Small Purchase Waiver form.

Sole Source
Purchases when a requirement is available from only a single supplier or when only one supplier is deemed economically feasible.
Sole Source Form

Soybean Ink/Prevailing Wage Statement
In accordance with Section 45-15 (Soybean Oil Based Ink and Vegetable Oil-Based Ink) of the Illinois Procurement Code, offset printing services offered to the University shall specify the use of soybean oil-based ink unless a State Purchasing Officer determines that another type of ink is required to assure high quality and reasonable pricing of the printed product. In accordance with Section 25-60 (Prevailing Wage Requirements) of the Illinois Procurement Code, all printing services offered to the University shall be performed by employees receiving the prevailing wage rate and working under conditions prevalent in the locality where the contract is to be performed. Soybean Ink & Prevailing Wage Statement

Specifications
A description of a good or service to enable bidders to know precisely what is being purchased and to assist the end-user in defining or describing their requirements.

State Procurement Officer
Person appointed by any of the chief procurement officers to exercise the procurement authority created by the Illinois Procurement Code or by rule. The SPOs work in close conjunction with purchasing staff to meet the needs of the State agencies and universities.

Terms and Conditions
Standard boilerplate language that includes standard clauses and rules which apply to formally solicited bids and offers that may become incorporated into the final contract.

Vendor
An actual or potential supplier of goods and/or services.