Ways to Buy Goods and Services

Choose the best way to purchase goods and services for your department.

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

Marketplace

Marketplace, UCSD's one-stop shopping site, is the preferred method of managing your buy-to-pay needs. Marketplace brings your department:

• A key tool for cost savings based on more efficient processes and strategically sourced contracts (Excel)  that include environmentally preferable purchasing practices, small business and designated California suppliers
• Availability of more than 10 million items from hundreds of suppliers, including STORE and CORE (Core Bio Services), and expanding daily. See a list of suppliers (PDF).
• A supplier list that includes UC and UCSD contracted suppliers with pricing determined by total cost of ownership (PDF).

Advantages over other purchasing methods include:

• Shopping is a simple way to find items offered by all suppliers available in Marketplace and place them in your cart.
• Approving incorporates automatic routing, tracking, full control and accountability.
• Ordering supports automatic transmission of purchase orders to suppliers, and access to order status.
• Payment allows index assignment, split-funding, and automatic invoice settlement.
• Invoice review provides a view of invoices and electronic processing of out-of-tolerance invoices and those exceeding $10,000.

Other methods

If Marketplace doesn't offer the product or service you're looking for, use one of the following methods:

Express Card

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

On-campus retailers

Use the recharge process 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

See a complete list of departments that offer goods and services through recharge.

Express Order

Express Order is an electronic purchasing arrangement between UCSD and suppliers of linen and temporary employment services. 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 websites using an index number
• Electronic billing and payment, saving time and money in processing these purchases

Purchase order

Purchase orders consist of Department Orders and High Value Purchase Orders. They are used for items not yet available through Marketplace.

• Department Order:

  Authorized department buyers use Department Orders (LVPOs) to buy most routine, low-cost supplies and services not available through Marketplace. Department Orders are limited to $2,500, including tax, freight, and handling. Do not use a Department Order 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 Marketplace, on-campus retailers, Express Card or Express Order.

  Effective December 18, 2009, you must place Department Orders through WebIFIS. Paper Department Orders will no longer be accepted.

• 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.

Note: 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).

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.

Buy & Pay

Buy & Pay

• Buying Goods
• Contracting for Services
• Ways to Buy
  • Purchase Orders
  • Express Card
  • Express Order
  • Marketplace
  • On-Campus Retailers
  • STORE
  • Surplus Sales
  • Auctions
• Payments
• Payment Methods
• Working with Suppliers
• Responsible Buying