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

Recharge

Recharge is used to buy items from on-campus departments. 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

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

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

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

Department Order

Also called Low Value Purchase Order or LVPO, Department Orders are used by authorized department buyers to buy most routine, low-cost supplies and services. Department Orders are:

• Limited to $2,500, including tax, freight, and handling
• Placed through FinancialLink
• 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.

• It contains all of the necessary information the buyer needs to make the purchase and commit the funds that will pay for the purchase.
• The professional buyer will use the information on the requisition to create a High Value Purchase Order. Complete the High Value Purchase Requisition through FinancialLink.

New Marketplace

By fall 2008, UCSD will have a new Marketplace. This next-generation, one-stop shopping site will feature many improvements, such as availability of products from hundreds of suppliers, including Core Bio Services and Storehouse (UCSD's original Marketplace Preview site).

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