Purchasing Procedures

The purchase of supplies, equipment and materials can be made directly or by using the eReq system created by the University at Buffalo Purchasing Department.

Direct Purchases

For those purchases made directly, the invoice should be processed for payment using a UB Foundation Disbursement Request (DR) form. The documentation required is outlined under General Documentation.

NOTE: Since UB Foundation is sales tax exempt, all expenditures are exempt from New York State sales tax. The necessary Exempt Organization Certificate is available online for UB Foundation Activities and UB Foundation Services.

• Upon receipt of a vendor invoice, the account holder completes and signs the disbursement request form, attaches the original invoice, and submits these to UB Foundation Accounts Payable.
• When ordering directly from a vendor, the vendor must be instructed carefully as to the delivery point since the University at Buffalo Receiving Department will have no knowledge of this transaction.

In circumstances where the vendor requires payment in advance, there are two alternatives:

• Prepare a DR and send it to UB Foundation to prepare an advance check. After receiving the merchandise, the original receipt should be forwarded to the Foundation to clear the advance. NOTE: If the vendor requires a purchase order number, the DR number can be used.
• The account holder pays for the item(s) via cash, check or charge and submits a DR and the original receipt to UB Foundation to receive reimbursement.

UB Purchasing Department

The services of the University at Buffalo Purchasing Department may be used to purchase supplies.

Purchasing Procedure

The eReq system is used to make purchases using a purchase order.  The eReq system is administered by State Purchasing.  The link to access the eReq system is as follows: https://myub.buffalo.edu/workflow/pw/scripts/client.cgi?process_type=ereq

For UB Foundation accounts, when using the eReq system, only individuals who are authorized as a signatory on the UB Foundation account can authorize the purchase.  This authorization can be accomplished in two ways:

1) The authorized account signatory actually creates and submits the eReq.

2) The authorized account signatory designates another individual to be able to create and submit the eReq. This individual creates the eReq and includes as an attachment the authorization of the account signatory for the specific purchase. This authorization by the account signatory MUST be attached or the UB Foundation accounts payable staff will return the purchase request.

The eReq system will automatically route the purchase request to the UB Foundation accounts payable department for approval.

Once the eReq is approved by accounts payable, a purchase order, available online through eReq will be available.

Upon receipt of the goods:

a) For purchase orders of $1500 or more, a written communication from the department indicating the item was received should be sent to UB Foundation accounts payable.

b) For purchase orders under $1500, UB Foundation accounts payable will match the invoice with the purchase order and process the invoice for payment. Departments must maintain the record of receipt of goods and services in their offices for these orders.

Note:  Departments should notify accounts payable ASAP after receipt of the purchase order or goods if they do not want a purchase order paid.