About Your Department

How Much Can We Spend?

As determined by your department administrator or Manager, the following methods may be used to acquire goods and services to be paid on University budgets (dollar limitations as noted).

Departments may place orders up to $3,000 total per order, before tax and shipping, in accordance with the Guidelines for Confirming Requisitions. This $3,000 is established in Washington state law for purchases by public agencies (43.19 RCW). Your department head or administrator will let you know who in your department is authorized to place confirming orders for the budgets in your department.

Purchases of Any Amount
eProcurement at UW Stores No Limit	eProcurement is a web-based system which offers: An intuitive, user-friendly ordering process. Stores stock catalog and outside vendor catalogs with UW specific pricing (eg. Dell, VWR, Office Depot) Enhanced functionality - budget splitting, robust search capabilities, workflow routing for departmental review and approval, order history, order status, and standard reports.

 

Purchases $3000 or Less
UW Stores No limit	UW Stores eProcurement orders will be processed with contract vendors at discounted prices.
Petty Cash Up to $200	Up to $200 per receipt for Purchasing central fund window. For reimbursements, no single receipt or purchase may exceed $200 total. Note: Departments may have their own revolving fund accounts; limit is up to $700 per receipt
Payments to Individuals using Check Requests Up to $3000	Payments to individuals, using forms UoW 1570 or UoW 1571, must be for $3,000 or less. If you use a check request form to pay an individual, neither a purchase order nor an invoice voucher is necessary. Payments for more than this amount must be submitted on a Purchase Order.
Department Confirming Purchases Up to $3000	To place a confirming order directly with the vendor you must first get a requisition number from your department's authorized person. Enter confirming requisitions online in PAS immediately so that the supplier can be paid promptly.

Purchases Over $3000
UW Stores No limit	UW Stores eProcurement orders will be processed with contract vendors at discounted prices.
Non-Confirming Large Dollar Purchases and Contracts No Limit	Use PAS to submit your purchase requests for goods and services greater than $3000. Buyers specialize in commodities (eg. Computer, scientific, furniture) will work with you on the best method to competitively select suppliers, or to document a sole source purchase, and to negotiate terms and conditions as needed for the type of funds and the nature of what is being acquired.