Yes. If you need to add a new vendor, please visit the section, “Information for Vendors” to learn more about the vendor registration process.

The time it takes to process your requisition depends on the nature of the items you are purchasing and how long it takes your department to work through the approval process in Banner. Final approval for requisitions above $5K will be approved by the fiscal officer from the originating department prior to reaching Procurement Services.  Depending on the complexity and dollar value of your request, a purchase order may be issued within 3-5 days after department approval. You can track the status of your requisition by visiting the Purchase Requisition Form in Treehouse.

Yes, a purchase order is the only method of acquiring goods and services for the university. Departments are required to have an approved purchase order prior to the date of service in when a vendor is engaged to provide goods or services. Placing a purchase order without a university purchase order constitutes an unauthorized purchase. Payment to the supplier may be refused and repeated violations by the same department will be referred to the Vice President for Finance and Administration for resolution.

What do I do if a vendor gives me an agreement to sign?

Do not sign any agreement. Departments do not have the authority to sign vendor agreements on behalf of the university. Agreements requiring signature must be forwarded to Procurement Services for review and signature; the corresponding requisition should also be included.

Do not resend the purchase order, as it may result in a duplicate order. Instead, please forward the original email sent by Procurement Services with a copy attachment of the purchase order.

Yes, University purchases are exempt from the payment of New Jersey sales and use tax. Contact Procurement Services if a vendor questions the University’s exemption policy.

Contact the vendor via phone or email to inquire about delivery status of the order. If there appears to be a problem with a vendor order, contact Procurement Services for further assistance.

The purchase order (PO) is used as a mechanism to authorize a vendor to provide good or services to the university. Managing changes to the PO requires a change order to modify the dollar amount, additional services, date extensions, or updates to FOAPs. For specifics on the process please visit “Initiate a Change Order” in the How To guides.

A FOAP represents the combination of the following elements: F-Fund Code, O-Organization Code, A-Account Code, and P-Program Code. The FOAP is used to record transactional activity including amounts budgeted, encumbered, and incurred.

Accounts are not specific to funds or organizations. Accounts are available for use by any fund or organization unless the account is for use by certain departments only (e.g., Procurement, Finance, Athletics, etc.).

A PO encumbrance in a budget means the amount of money set aside in a budget to pay for certain expenses in a specific GL account line. PO encumbrances are a product of the purchase order process. Most expenditures are required to be encumbered prior to making a commitment to a vendor for the delivery of a good or service.

Budget transfers are requests from departments to move from one account to another account or from one org. to another,  after the approved budget has been loaded into Banner. Departments may only move funds within their approved FOAPs. To learn how to enter a budget transfer in SSB, please visit the Quick Expert Guides in the Finance Training Center site.

There are many uses for payment requests. Please visit the section, “Types of Purchases” to learn when to process a payment request, and to learn more about the required documentation. For specifics on the process, please visit “Initiate a Payment Request” in the How To guides.

Procurement Services processes payment requests in 3 days, where all supporting documentation is correct.