FAQ
General
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.
If the requisition has been approved, a purchase order number will be listed on the right hand side of the “summary” section located in “related fields”.
Please reach out to the buyer who is assigned the contract request in Contracts+.
Although PCMO does not allow a change order to correct a FOAPAL, a cancels and replaces requisition may be completed.
Please reach out to the buyer who completed the purchase order. If the original order did not route through PCMO, please reach out to urbanapurchasing@illinois.edu.
It is PCMO’s expectation that all invoices should be based on the quoted amounts provided prior to the commencement of work. Please ensure that any deviations from the quoted amounts are communicated and approved in advance by PCMO. Adhering to this practice will help maintain a smooth and efficient invoicing process. If you have additional questions, please reach out to the buyer who completed the purchase order. If the original order did not route through PCMO, please reach out to urbanapurchasing@illinois.edu.
A room block is an agreement requiring signature to hold a block of rooms which will be paid for by individuals, not the University. The Department should email all documents to urbanapurchasing@uillinois.edu and it will be assigned out accordingly. Please note to send the documents as an attachment and allow at least 5 business days to process.
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.
If your vendor did not receive a copy of the purchase order, you can request the purchase order to be resent through the service desk.
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.
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 – Insurance found here.
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.
If a TERMED Vendor or an incorrect Vendor ID selection has been made on the original requisition, it cannot be modified after the purchase order has been created. Please submit a cancel/replace requisition in iBuy using the correct Vendor ID. For more information on the process, please visit: https://www.uiucpurchasing.illinois.edu/news/cancels-and-replaces-update/.
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.
Please include your justification in the comments tab in the requisition based on the below parameters of what is considered a RUSH/urgent need. In addition, please check the priority as Urgent, instead of Normal, when creating your Requisition. This red flag will alert the PCMO operations staff that it is a priority.
“For Purchasing to prioritize the high volume of rush requests, please provide a written justification for this transaction to be expedited. The justification will help us communicate to other campus departments why delays have occurred to their respective requests or requisitions. Conditions for an emergency purchase exists when there is a threat to public health or public safety; immediate expenditure is needed for repairs to university property to protect against further loss or damage; preventing or minimizing serious disruption in critical university services which affect health, safety, or collection of substantial revenues, or ensuring the integrity of university records. Rushes due to failure of submitting in a timely manner do not constitute as a priority. Once the rush justification has been provided, the requisition will be assigned to a buyer who will determine whether the justification is enough to warrant a “Rush”, “Urgent” or “Emergency” classification.”
If it is an emergency requisition and services have already been received please visit the FAQ: “It’s an Emergency!?” What should I do?
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
Please submit a service request and select UIUC Close/Cancel iBuy on the form.
If you have multiple PO’s to close, you can submit all on a single Service Desk ticket. Be sure to list the PO numbers in a single column with no punctuation, additional information, or additional spaces where it asks for “Description of Issue”. In the area where is asks “PO Number” please write “Multiples” or “See Below”; You can always attach an Excel spreadsheet to the request using the same parameters just listed.
Example:
Description of Issue: P111000
P2220000
P3330000
Please submit a service request to re-open the purchase order.
New Ship to addresses can be added, deleted, or updated using the attached form. Once you submit this request the process may take up to 10 business days to update in the system.
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 to urbanapurchasing@uillinois.edu, and be sure to list the urgency for the review of request and why.
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.
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.
If the requisition has been approved, a purchase order number will be listed on the right hand side of the “summary” section located in “related fields”.
Please reach out to the buyer who is assigned the contract request in Contracts+.
Although PCMO does not allow a change order to correct a FOAPAL, a cancels and replaces requisition may be completed.
Please reach out to the buyer who completed the purchase order. If the original order did not route through PCMO, please reach out to urbanapurchasing@illinois.edu.
It is PCMO’s expectation that all invoices should be based on the quoted amounts provided prior to the commencement of work. Please ensure that any deviations from the quoted amounts are communicated and approved in advance by PCMO. Adhering to this practice will help maintain a smooth and efficient invoicing process. If you have additional questions, please reach out to the buyer who completed the purchase order. If the original order did not route through PCMO, please reach out to urbanapurchasing@illinois.edu.
A room block is an agreement requiring signature to hold a block of rooms which will be paid for by individuals, not the University. The Department should email all documents to urbanapurchasing@uillinois.edu and it will be assigned out accordingly. Please note to send the documents as an attachment and allow at least 5 business days to process.
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.
If your vendor did not receive a copy of the purchase order, you can request the purchase order to be resent through the service desk.
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.
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 – Insurance found here.
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.
If a TERMED Vendor or an incorrect Vendor ID selection has been made on the original requisition, it cannot be modified after the purchase order has been created. Please submit a cancel/replace requisition in iBuy using the correct Vendor ID. For more information on the process, please visit: https://www.uiucpurchasing.illinois.edu/news/cancels-and-replaces-update/.
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.
Please include your justification in the comments tab in the requisition based on the below parameters of what is considered a RUSH/urgent need. In addition, please check the priority as Urgent, instead of Normal, when creating your Requisition. This red flag will alert the PCMO operations staff that it is a priority.
“For Purchasing to prioritize the high volume of rush requests, please provide a written justification for this transaction to be expedited. The justification will help us communicate to other campus departments why delays have occurred to their respective requests or requisitions. Conditions for an emergency purchase exists when there is a threat to public health or public safety; immediate expenditure is needed for repairs to university property to protect against further loss or damage; preventing or minimizing serious disruption in critical university services which affect health, safety, or collection of substantial revenues, or ensuring the integrity of university records. Rushes due to failure of submitting in a timely manner do not constitute as a priority. Once the rush justification has been provided, the requisition will be assigned to a buyer who will determine whether the justification is enough to warrant a “Rush”, “Urgent” or “Emergency” classification.”
If it is an emergency requisition and services have already been received please visit the FAQ: “It’s an Emergency!?” What should I do?
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.
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.
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.
Please submit a service request and select UIUC Close/Cancel iBuy on the form.
If you have multiple PO’s to close, you can submit all on a single Service Desk ticket. Be sure to list the PO numbers in a single column with no punctuation, additional information, or additional spaces where it asks for “Description of Issue”. In the area where is asks “PO Number” please write “Multiples” or “See Below”; You can always attach an Excel spreadsheet to the request using the same parameters just listed.
Example:
Description of Issue: P111000
P2220000
P3330000
Please submit a service request to re-open the purchase order.
New Ship to addresses can be added, deleted, or updated using the attached form. Once you submit this request the process may take up to 10 business days to update in the system.
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 to urbanapurchasing@uillinois.edu, and be sure to list the urgency for the review of request and why.
The Department needs to submit a UPS CampusShip New User Request via the service desk.
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.
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.