Note: Use Department Order only if your department does not yet have access to Marketplace, UCSD’s new online buying site, or the supplier you wish to buy from is not available through Marketplace. Check the list of departments and representatives (Excel) to find out if your department has access.

Department Orders, also referred to as Low Value Purchase Orders (LVPOs), allow authorized department online buyers to order directly from vendors. These orders are limited to supplies and services that do not exceed $2,500 including tax, freight, and handling.

Note: Department Orders are routed through the hierarchy defined by your department. They must not be sent to a vendor until they have been completed and have received all of the required approvals.

You can use Department Orders to purchase supplies, printed material, rentals, and maintenance and repair services where no contract is required. See What You Can Buy on a Department Order for a list of examples.

Department Order restrictions
Certain restrictions and guidelines apply to Department Orders.

• Examples of items restricted from Department Orders include:
• Items defined as equipment
• Narcotics, controlled substances, and DEA controlled chemicals
• Firearms, explosives, and ammunition
• Animals
• Subcontracts, sub-awards, or agreements involving sponsored projects

See Items Restricted From Department Order for a complete list of items that may not be purchased using a Department Order, and alternative ways to obtain them. It is a violation of University policy to attempt to purchase restricted items on Department Orders by using incorrect commodity codes. Department Order activity is monitored by auditing software and violations may result in the loss of buyer code or other action.

• Other restrictions, no matter what the dollar value of the purchase, include purchases that:
  • Require split-funding, no matter what the value
  • May require future changes in accounting distribution, tax application, item quantity or description
  • Require signatures on written agreements or contracts
    (All contracts must be signed by a professional buyer in Procurement & Contracts.)

Note: Any attempt to avoid the use of a High Value Requisition by artificially dividing purchases into individual orders less than $2,500 is prohibited and subject to withdrawal of low value purchase authority.

To become an online buyer for your department and have access to FinancialLink to establish Department Orders, you must:

• Have a valid ACT user ID and password
• Receive Purchasing Online training by attending a class or receive instruction from an authorized department trainer
• Have a valid Buyer code
  
  For more information, see How to Become an Online Buyer for Your Department.

Buying from campus sources
Departments are encouraged to use campus sources of goods and services whenever possible. Campus sources include:

• Academic Computing & Media Services
• Bookstore
• Catering Services
• Chemistry and Biochemistry Stockroom
• CORE Bio
• Imprints
• Mail Services
• Marketplace
• STORE
• Media Center
  
  See Departments Offering Goods and Services Through Recharge for a more comprehensive list.

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