Purchasing Options

There are five ways faculty or staff can request a purchase for the school. Unless you are a paid Buyer for the university with the title of Buyer, you may only request for a purchase. Listed below are the only five ways to request a purchase.

1.) Pro-Card - View the Pro-Card Help page. The Pro-Card (or university credit card) is available upon request from your supervisor, Program Coordinator, Department Chair or Division Head to every faculty and staff for small purchases if the purchase item meets the rules for the type of purchase and the card holder agrees to add your purchase to their expenses. Most office supplies are ordered this way. Your supervisor may email paul.detwiler@louisville.edu to grant you permission to use the Pro-Card for their budgeted fund. This is the fastest way to complete the purchase cycle for everyone involved. Just remember the purchase must be under the set limits and qualify as an approved purchase. WARNING: Any unapproved purchase will be brought before the Purchasing Director and Human Resources for what action the university will take with anyone purchasing unapproved goods or services.

2.) Reimbursement - (This is not recommended.) You can purchase the item by your means and then submit a paid invoice with a completed Reimbursement form. Remember not to pay sales tax and be sure it is an approved purchase. Keep a copy of the Tax Exemption Certificate available to stop a vendor from adding sales tax. All though travel expenses would be reimbursed through the Travel expense form.

3.) Travel - Travel is purchased through our travel agent - Expedia website. You may purchase on your own and have the plane, hotel, and other expenses reimbursed by your department's procedures and limits. The travel insurance of $200,000 is only available through the UofL Corporate Expedia purchase, so you may want to consider the university paying your flight through the Expedia method instead of spending your own dollars and wait for a reimbursement check through the mail.

4.) Services or outside labor - A Personal Services Contract is how you buy services or contract an individual (that is not a university employee) to work on a project. Complete this contract first, because the university must be aware of those working for them. Some purchases of this type is required by the State of Kentucky to have three bids before an award is granted for the contract. It is wise to ask questions with your Unit Business Manager (paul.detwiler@louisville.edu) before starting work of this nature. Fill out and sign the Personal Services Contract before submitting it to the Business Office for the other signatures to gain permission to proceed with the work.

5.) Purchase Order System - Purchasing material and items larger that $1000 through the Purchase Order system. Below is the cycle to purchase through the PO system. This is the standard purchasing route for most purchased items.

a.) Quote - Get a quote faxed in from the company you are wishing to purchase your items.
b.) Deliver signed quote to the Business Office -The standard quote forms in industry should have all the required information needed to enter a requisition. Be sure to have the Division Head or Area Coordinator sign the quote as to agree with the purchase.
c.) PO number - After entry of the information into the computer system a Purchase Order will be mailed to the company for the release of purchased items.
d.) Packing slip signed - As soon as you have receipt of your purchased goods, turn into the Business Office the packing slip or list of items received with your signature and state the condition of the items received.
e.) Receiver - The Business Office will take the condition of items received as stated on the packing slip and enter it into the purchasing system.
f.) Check - A check will be printed and mailed after all items are received in good order as stated on the packing slip or list.