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5/14/13

Fraud Alert

Fraud Alert: Someone has been using the university's credit references in an attempt to open accounts with several vendors across the country. The credit reference letter is generally an altered version of the one previously found on our website, and the person(s) refer to themselves as being from the "Regents of the University of California." If you have any suspicion about any contact you receive that indicates it is from UC Davis, please call (530) 752-0370 immediately to confirm.

Before You Buy

Before you make any type of purchase on behalf of the university, there are several things you should always consider:

Is the Purchase Appropriate?

University credit, purchasing power and facilities have been granted to you to make purchases for official business use only (PPM 350-10). Always ask if the purchase is necessary, appropriate for the need, and if there are existing supplies that would meet the need. The purchase of personal items with university funds is never appropriate.

Will the Purchase Support Sustainability?

When making a purchase, it is important to consider the effects on the environment. Can the purchase be avoided, by using existing items? Can an appropriate item be purchased as surplus from the Bargain Barn? When making a purchase, look for recycled content, energy-efficiency, and type of packaging. Learn more ...

Are There Funding Source Restrictions?

There may be restrictions on what can or cannot be purchased on certain types of accounts (i.e., federal, agency-funded). In general, if an account has more restrictive policies than the university, the more restrictive policy applies.

In addition, some funding sources may require that purchases are made from Certified Small Businesses or Certified Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises. See our information on selecting a vendor page for more on these programs.

Is The Item Available in UCD Buy or From a Campus Source?

UCD Buy and campus sources often provide items at the lowest overall cost. Lowest overall cost is more than just the price of the item - it includes the cost of time spent issuing the order, traveling to get the item, processing the invoice(s) for payment, etc.

Is There an Agreement Available?

University agreements have been competitively bid with outside vendors and generally offer favorable pricing and terms. Most agreements are optional, but there are several that must be used for a specified commodity.

Selecting a Vendor

If you can't find what you are looking for from a campus source, or from one of the vendors with which we have an agreement, you may need to choose an alternate vendor. More on selecting a vendor ...

Are There Insurance Requirements?

Any onsite service requires that the vendor has appropriate insurance. If this applies to your transaction, it pays to be prepared. Learn more ...

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The university is committed to complying with the ADA. With every purchase it is important to consider options that would accommodate the needs of individuals with disabilities. For example, videotapes, DVDs, or any other visual aid for classroom instruction that provides "closed captioning" for the deaf or hearing impaired should be purchased over those that do not have this option.

Get the Best Price

For every purchase you want to ensure that you are paying the best overall price for the item. In some cases, you may find a better price of an item, but the shipping fees make it overall more expensive than at another supplier. In general, you will get the best overall price using negotiated agreements. Several agreement vendors are available through UCD Buy, which also provides for automatic payment on your orders. If you cannot purchase from UCD Buy, or other agreement vendors, then be sure to provide a price justification for the purchase.

How to Buy It

Now that you have selected a vendor, and shopped for a good price, you have several options for how to make the purchase. Use our Purchasing Decision Chart to guide you.