UCSD offers a variety of ways to purchase goods and services. Use the guidelines below to help you select the right method.

Purchase Order

Purchase orders consist of department orders and high value purchase orders:

• Authorized department buyers use Department Orders (LVPOs) to buy most routine, low-cost supplies and services. Department Orders are limited to $2,500, including tax, freight, and handling and not used for Express Order suppliers.

  Note: Because the cost of creating each Department Order can be as high as $150, this is the least desirable buying method. Use it only when you cannot use Express Order or Express Card.

  You cannot use Department Order, Express Card, or Express Order to purchase inventorial equipment, certain restricted items, or orders over $2,500 (Department Order) or $5,000 (Express Order and Express Card).

• High Value Purchase Order:

  Professional buyers in Procurement & Contracts issue High Value Purchase Orders (HVPOs), required for inventorial equipment, items restricted from Department Order or Express Card, and purchase prices that are above the limits for other methods.

  Use a High Value Purchase Requisition to request that a professional buyer place an order for your department.

Express Card

Express Card, UCSD's procurement card, provides departments a way to purchase and pay for routine, low-cost products and services from suppliers that are not part of the Express Order program. Advantages of using the Express Card are:

• Transaction limit of $4,999, making it more flexible than a Department Order
• Electronic billing and payment, saving processing time and money

Express Order

Express Order is an electronic purchasing arrangement between UCSD and a limited number of suppliers. Procurement & Contracts recommends this method if you're buying from an approved supplier because of the low transaction cost. Express Order allows:

• Placing orders by phone or on supplier Web sites using an index number
• Electronic billing and payment, saving time and money in processing these purchases

Marketplace

In March 2009, UCSD began rolling out a new Marketplace. This next-generation, one-stop shopping site features many improvements, such as availability of products from hundreds of suppliers, including STORE (UCSD's original Marketplace Preview site) and CORE (Core Bio Services).

On-Campus Retailers

Recharge is used to buy items from on-campus retailers. Because of the low cost per transaction, recharge is the preferred method for purchasing from UCSD departments. Recharge allows for:

• Simple purchasing using an index number
• Automatic posting charges to the ledger
• Quick delivery and easy returns

STORE (formerly Marketplace Preview), UCSD Bookstore, and Imprints offer their products and services through recharge. See a complete list of recharge departments.

Surplus Sales

UCSD departments, staff, and the general public can purchase surplus items at Surplus Sales. UCSD Surplus Sales also serves as an outlet to dispose of used, excess UCSD property.

Auctions

Online or live auctions offer a way of buying equipment and supplies for the University. Each auction vendor has specific requirements for participation that do not always correspond with University regulations. For this reason, requests to participate in auctions are handled on a case-by-case basis.

Questions? Contact Procurement & Contracts, (858) 534-3084.