The following are the primary procurement methods employed by Illinois Tech. Any method beyond those listed below requires Procurement Services’ prior approval. All purchases must comply with the
- K.1 Procurement Policy
- J.3 Travel Policy
- Q.1 Authority for Negotiation and Approval of Contracts Policy
and all other related University policies.
Any questions regarding the types of items and the method through which they should be purchased should be directed to Procurement Services.
The Procurement Method Guiding Matrix
The Procurement Method Matrix below can be used as a high-level guideline on what procurement method to use for the type of purchase and total amounts.
Buy It eMarketplace Requisition / Purchase Order (PO)
A purchase order (PO) is the preferred purchasing method for all purchases regardless of dollar amount. It is done through a requisition process in Buy It eMarketplace, the University’s eProcurement system, which encumbers funding and routes in the system for departmental, budgetary approvals, before it is converted into a PO (PE) by Procurement Services and dispatched to the vendor. A PO will reference the University’s terms and conditions, and states that payment will not be remitted to any invoice that does not reference an Illinois Tech PO number.
Procurement Services strongly encourage departments to go through the requisition process and have a PO in place prior to receipt of goods or services from a vendor. After the fact POs / check requests, otherwise called retrofit orders in Buy It eMarketplace, issued solely for the purpose of paying an invoice for goods and services already received/performed is not a leading practice, and is therefore generally not permitted. Exceptions to the use of a PO is listed in the table below.
Procurement Card (P-Card)
The Procurement Card (P-Card) is a credit card issued to authorized employees to make allowable purchases up to $2,499.99 on behalf of the University. The P-Card is also used for authorized University business travel expenses by University staff and faculty.
As the P- Card is billed to and paid for by the University, P-Card holders are personally responsible for their assigned P-Cards, must not allow others to use their P- Cards, and should diligently secure the card at all times to guard against fraud and unauthorized use of the P-Card. P-Card holders must also complete the necessary receipt attachments, provide business expense description, and complete monthly reconciliation process in a timely fashion.
Request for Check
A check request for payment is only allowable for Illinois Tech student travel and expense reimbursements. All vendor invoice payments must go through the Buy It eMarketplace requisition process unless it is a special case and has received specific approval from the Director of Procurement Services.
Expense Reimbursements
Use of personal funds is allowed for the purchase of allowable goods when logistical or extenuating circumstances occur that preclude the use of a PO or P-Card. The purchase of allowable goods using personal funds in excess of $500 is prohibited unless it is the only viable alternative given the circumstances. Services may not be procured with personal funds, excluding travel-related services such as dining, ground transportation, etc.
Exceptions to the Buy It Requisition / PO Requirement
There are some specific exceptions when it comes to the requisition / PO process which are identified in the table below:
