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Doing Business with UC Davis

Refer to Becoming a UC Davis Vendor if you haven't done business with UC Davis before.

UC Davis Contracting Services provides centralized purchasing services to the campus with limited delegation of purchasing authority extended to campus departments. Contracting Services is organized into four teams, each specializing in unique product and service areas. Campus departments may issue departmental purchase orders for delegated transactions of up to $4999 per vendor per day, or use an official campus Purchasing Card (limit $4999/transaction). Campus departments may exceed the delegated transaction threshold in limited instances when an order is placed against a campus agreement that permits higher transaction limits.

Vendors/suppliers shall not make sales to the university without a purchase order. UC Davis Contracting Services (Purchasing and Business Contracts) is the only office with legal authority to execute purchases exceeding the transaction thresholds described above.

For purchases with an estimated value of $50,000 or more, or those below $50,000 which are conducive to competition, formal solicitations are prepared and issued by UC Davis Contracting Services. The solicitations are provided to potential bidders as well as posted on the Purchasing Bid Advertisements page. Awards are made to the responsive, responsible bidder with the lowest overall cost to the university. Purchase orders are issued for officially authorized purchases under compliance with the State of California Public Contract Code and The Regents of the University of California Business and Finance Bulletin 43, which governs procurement for the University of California.

In addition to Contracting Services, several other UC Davis offices regularly handle contracts depending on the subject matter:

• Office of Research-Sponsored Programs;
• Office of Research-Technology Transfer;
• ORMP Real Estate Services;
• UC Davis Health System Contracts;
• Architects & Engineers;
• Facilities Operations & Maintenance.

UC Davis is generally not exempt from California state sales or use tax.

UC Davis Purchase orders include a delivery address and a billing address to which invoices should be submitted. Invoices should be submitted at or after the time goods or services are delivered and should include:

• the UC Davis purchase order number;
• a complete description of goods or services furnished;
• quantities;
• unit prices;
• total price;
• and payment terms.

Invoices should clearly indicate where payments are to be sent. Incomplete invoices may result in a delay of payment.

There are several things vendors can do to ensure a good working relationship with UC Davis:

• Keep us supplied with latest catalogs and price lists in electronic format.
• Keep us informed of situations that may delay order fulfillment (e.g., back order situations, plant closures, impending shortages or strikes).
• Do not offer gifts or gratuities that may influence or affect university purchasing decisions. Incentives should take the form of quality or price considerations.
• Inform us if specifications for a product can be improved to provide better quality/longer life and/or reduce its cost.
• Follow through on orders to ensure delivery as promised.