Procurement - Buying & Paying

Procurement is the process of sourcing, purchasing, and receiving goods and services for the University of California, Riverside (UCR). Complete required procurement training and coordinate with your System Access Administrator (SAA) to assign Procure-to-Pay roles 

Unauthorized Purchases

Unauthorized purchases occur when commitments are made to a supplier without using an approved procurement method. The following steps outline what departments must do to resolve an unauthorized purchase and ensure compliance.

Important Reminder  

Do not sign supplier quotes, agreements, or contracts. Provide the unsigned version with your request, and Business Operations will review and facilitate the execution of documents in collaboration with Central Procurement. – See below for more information.

Steps to Resolve an Unauthorized Purchase

When an unauthorized purchase occurs, departments must act promptly to rectify the commitment and restore compliance. The following steps outline the required process for submitting an after-the-fact justification, routing necessary administrative approvals, and preventing future policy violations.

• Complete the Unauthorized Purchase Form

  Complete the Unauthorized Purchase Form

  Departments accepting financial responsibility for an unauthorized purchase must submit:

  The Unauthorized Purchase Form

  A purchase requisition in Oracle or ServiceNow 
  (Both are required for Business Operations to initiate payment.)

• Requester Responsibilities

  Requester Responsibilities

  The requester must:

  Provide Required Details:  

  • Supplier name
  • Description of goods/services
  • Date of commitment
  • Total cost
  • Reason the unauthorized purchase occurred
  • Related quote or invoice

  Attach Supporting Documentation

  Submit all relevant documents, such as:

  • Invoices
  • Email correspondence
  • Quotes
  • Contracts
  • Receipts
• Obtain Required Signatures

  Obtain Required Signatures

  The individual responsible for the unauthorized purchase: The department’s Financial Officer

  These approvals confirm acknowledgment of the error and departmental acceptance of responsibility.

• Submit to Business Operations

  Submit to Business Operations

  Send the completed form and attachments to the School of Medicine Business Operations (BusOps) team.

  Once received, BusOps will:

  Review the submission for completeness

  Route the package for Business Office and Executive approvals

  Reminder for Section III 

  When completing Section III of the form, your explanation must include:

  • Specific, concrete steps your department will take to prevent recurrence
  • Actionable, measurable corrections
  • Do not include general or vague statements

  Examples of strong responses: 
  ✔ "Department will implement a pre‑purchase checklist…" 
  ✔ "All staff will complete procurement training…" 
  ✘ “We will be more careful next time.”

  Additional Guidance

  Visit the Resources for Suppliers page to learn more about unauthorized purchases and campus policies.

   

Suppliers

Use UC/UC Riverside punch‑out catalogs and contracted suppliers whenever possible—these meet policy, reduce risk, and speed processing. To learn more about UCR negotiated procurement supplier partnerships, please visit Procurement at UCR | Procurement 

• Oracle Supplier Registry (How to Check)

  In Oracle: Home ➜ Suppliers ➜ Search Supplier ➜ enter supplier name/ID. Review status, sites, and remit‑to details. Please view Search for a Supplier video for more guidance.  

• Punch‑Out Catalogs (Preferred Method)

  A punch-out catalog is an online shopping tool that links directly to Oracle, enabling users to shop on a supplier's website and return their cart to create a requisition. It features contract pricing, approved product lines, and real-time availability, ensuring compliance with UC-negotiated agreements. This method offers departments an efficient and compliant way to purchase commonly used goods and supplies. 

  Punch-Out Catalogs Available in Oracle  

  To locate a full list of our punchout catalogs, In Oracle Financials, navigate to Procure to Pay > Purchase Requisition > Shop by Category.   

• Campus Business Services (“Work Order System”)

  Many campus‑supported services (lab gases, ethanol, lab coats, printing, shredding, receiving, etc.) are available directly via the UCR Work Order System Portal. Using campus providers ensures compliance, safety integration, and streamlined billing. 

• Office Depot (Non‑Catalog)

  Office Depot is a UC‑contracted supplier for office supplies. Use a non‑catalog requisition and select Office Depot as supplier—or purchase through the Office Depot Business Portal with an authorized PCard holder, per university purchasing requirements.  

• Amazon

  Amazon may be used as a supplier when the needed goods are not available through UCR’s contracted or punch-out suppliers; however, it is not considered a preferred or primary purchasing source. Users should always attempt to purchase through the UC-contracted suppliers first to ensure compliance, negotiated pricing, and appropriate product standards. When Amazon must be used, purchases should follow UCR procurement guidelines, include proper documentation, and avoid restricted or hazardous items unless sourced through approved suppliers.

• UCR & UC Systemwide Agreements

  UCR Campus Agreements 
  To locate existing UC Riverside contracts, navigate in Oracle to: 
  Purchase Agreements → Manage Agreements

  UC Systemwide Agreements 
  For systemwide UC contracts, visit: 
  UCOP Procurement – Systemwide Contracts 

• New Suppliers

  When a needed good or service cannot be purchased through the UCR’s punch-out catalogs, UC contracted suppliers, or PCard, a new supplier must be onboarded before a PO can be issued. A Supplier Request may be initiated by the Business Operations team, or by the department. Departments should use the training resources listed below. Completing this process ensures that all suppliers meet UC Riverside’s procurement, compliance, and payment requirements prior to ordering. 

  Training resources

  For Supplier: UCR Supplier/Payee Portal Registration | Procurement – step by step instructions and guidance video.  

  For Department: UCR Procurement guidance for Requesting a Supplier. – step by step  

Specialized Services

Review "Before You Buy" section. UC/UCR have existing providers and required approvals for certain services. 

• Contracting Out for Covered Services

  The following “covered services” can be provided by our in house, UCR departments:  

  • cleaning
  • custodial, janitorial or housekeeping services
  • food services
  • laundry services
  • groundskeeping
  • building maintenance
  • transportation and parking services
  • security services
  • billing and coding services
  • sterile processing
  • hospital or nursing assistant services
  • medical imaging or other medical technician services.  

  If you require outsourcing for these services, the request must be made via Campus Human Resources to obtain a Concept Approval. This approval will help determine whether an HRMS Contract is needed.

  The required Concept Approval must be obtained before PO issuance.  For more information, please refer to the campus Procurement explanation of Contracting Out for Covered Services.

• Independent Contractors

  Services from an independent contractor (a supplier not under an umbrella company or LLC), must be made via the SOM Human Resources Department. Please submit your request via the SOM HR Service Now Portal. 

• Facility‑Related Services

  Furniture/moves, room/building modifications, items requiring installation/electrical, ergonomic requests—must be made via SOM Facilities & Space Planning (ServiceNow).