Purchase Goods

Capital Equipment is stand-alone equipment, costing $5,000 or greater, with a useful life longer than one year. The complete definition, and what is included in its acquisition cost, can be found in the Property Management Manual. It does not include real property, (land), software costing less than $1 million or library holdings. 

To support responsible purchasing and financial stewardship, departments can check with their department property administrator (DPA) for capital equipment that can possibly be shared with another department.

If purchasing capital equipment is required, it is typically through SmartMart Catalog Suppliers, or through a Non-Catalog Requisition for equipment not available through SmartMart Catalog Suppliers (selecting the Standard Capital Equipment requisition type). The use of a Purchasing Card (PCard) or expense reimbursement is not allowed for capital equipment purchase. See the Categories of Purchases page for information on leases.

Additional approvals are required from the Department Property Administrator (DPA) and the Property Management Office (PMO). More information on Capital Equipment and the role of the PMO is provided by the Office of the Dean of Research.

Capital equipment must be received in order for the vendor to be paid and it must be tracked in Sunflower to ensure control over the asset. See Purchase and Manage Capital Equipment for more information.

Equipment fabrications

An equipment fabrication is a unique individual piece of equipment or scientific instrument built by Stanford personnel not by a vendor or subcontractor. The completed fabricated product must meet the criteria listed for capital equipment and the fabrication criteria listed in the Property Management Manual 2.6 Fabrication.

Each fabrication requires a unique PTA to track the costs. The preferred purchasing method is through iProcurement (SmartMart Catalog Suppliers or a non-catalog requisition). A PCard cannot be used for a sponsor-owned fabrication, but if PMO is notified ahead of time it may be used for a Stanford-owned fabrication.  Reimbursement or Petty Cash cannot be used for costs of fabrications.

Capital projects

Capital projects for construction are typically managed by Land, Buildings & Real Estate (LBRE), Residential & Dining Enterprises (RD&E) or the School of Medicine. Capital projects for IT systems and software are managed by University Information Technology (UIT). All capital projects receive accounting oversight by Capital Accounting. For more information see the Topic Overview: Capital Projects.

Before purchasing new appliances (e.g., refrigerators and freezers) departments should check the Stanford ReUse Slack channel or Reuse website to post or request appliances available for reuse.

When purchasing new appliances is necessary, departments should:

• Coordinate the purchase with their facilities manager who can determine whether the appliance is considered capital equipment (costs in excess of $5,000). 
• Consider using the university’s catalog methods (Amazon Business and SmartMart Catalog Suppliers). If the item is not available through catalog methods, departments can purchase through a Non-Catalog Request.
• Select Energy Star certified, when available. 
  • Use the Energy Star Product Finder tool for appliances that use refrigerants, like refrigerators, freezers, and ice machines, to filter by refrigerants that have a “lower impact on global warming.” 

Explore pre-owned furniture before purchasing new

As furniture is often disposed of before reaching the end of its useful life, before purchasing new furniture, consider the following reuse options that support a positive environmental impact and financial stewardship:

• Prioritize reusing existing furniture through repair, refurbishment, or reupholstery. When moving to a new space or remodeling a current space, consider storing existing furniture while the project is underway and ask vendors to incorporate existing furniture into the new space. If existing furniture cannot be incorporated, departments can ask vendors if they can reuse the furniture elsewhere or recycle it.
  • If replacement furniture is necessary, departments can check whether pre-owned furniture, typically offered free of charge, is available from the university community through:
  • The Stanford ReUse website, administered by the Property Management Office, which allows all employees with a SUNet to donate or obtain unwanted furniture/equipment.
  • The Stanford ReUse Slack channel, which allows employees to post or claim and/or request pre-owned furniture and office equipment, and other supplies.
  • The Furniture reutilization program, which can facilitate furniture reuse.
• If pre-owned furniture options are not available within the Stanford community, consider working with third party pre-owned furniture dealers to reduce both cost and environmental impact.

Guidance for new furniture purchases

If purchasing new furniture is required, departments should:

• Coordinate the purchase with their facilities manager who can utilize the university’s catalog options (Amazon Business and SmartMart Catalog Suppliers), which include suppliers that have been previously established through a competitive process and have tools to support responsible purchasing. If the furniture item is not available through catalog options, departments can purchase through a Non-Catalog Requisition.
• Partner with their facilities managers to purchase non-toxic furniture and look for BIFMA and FSC as the most credible sustainability certifications. Cradle to Cradle, Post-Consumer Recycled Content, Indoor Air Quality Certified, Greenguard, EcoLabel, and Pre-Consumer Recycled Content are also valid certifications/labels.

Stanford University’s Ergonomics Program promotes employee health by limiting ergonomic risk factors. The program provides training, evaluations and product guidance to reduce risk. Employees are expected to complete the required and appropriate office ergonomic training and self-assessments to support ergonomic health whether working at a Stanford location or from their home or other location. 

Before purchasing onsite office equipment, departments should:

• Coordinate the equipment purchase with their department facilities manager who can determine whether the equipment is considered capital equipment (costs in excess of $5,000). 
• Refer to the EH&S Office Ergonomics page for office equipment recommendations.
• For non-ergonomic related accessories (e.g., external hard drives, power cords/adapters, chargers, wires and network equipment, refer to UIT’s Equipment Recommendations.
• Confirm with the department facilities manager on how to make the purchase (for example, through the university’s catalog methods (Amazon Business and SmartMart Catalog Suppliers). 

Equipment for use in a home office

Employees should consult with their manager or local Human Resources for specific procedures for home office equipment. Guidelines for home office equipment for employees with hybrid or remote work arrangements are outlined on Cardinal at Work.  Guidelines include:

• Hybrid Work Arrangements:  Reimbursement program of up to $250 for basic necessary ergonomic equipment for their telecommuting/home worksite only to the extent that such equipment is recommended by Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) following an ergonomic assessment.
• Remote Work Arrangements:  A one-time taxable payment of $750, included as part of the employee’s paycheck, for them to purchase basic home office equipment to ensure a productive and safe home work environment.  Such personal purchases may not be made through Stanford systems.

Before purchasing new office or breakroom supplies, and to support responsible purchasing, departments can:

• Check the Stanford ReUse Slack channel to post or request pre-owned office or breakroom supplies as these supplies are often disposed of before reaching the end of their useful life.
• Promote reusable serviceware in breakrooms such as cups, plates, water bottles, and utensils to eliminate waste, or encourage a departmental reusable dishware program.  

When purchasing new office or breakroom supplies is necessary, departments can consider:

• Recyclable or compostable products made with recycled materials
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper products, (both office and janitorial) made from 100 percent recycled content

Purchasing method

Office supplies are typically ordered through the university’s catalog methods, which include Amazon Business and SmartMart Catalog Suppliers. Amazon Business features a one-stop, curated list of sustainable products from renewable sources and recycled materials as well as reusable, compostable, or recyclable options.    

Stanford stationery and business cards can be printed directly or ordered from recommended vendors as explained at the Stanford Identity Guide. As noted in Research Policy Handbook Section 15.4, office supplies may not normally be charged to sponsored projects. 

Desktop computers and laptops

Departments should consult with their local IT support team as each school or unit may have specific hardware purchasing, configuration, and maintenance procedures. Some schools or units use UIT’s Stanford University Hardware Program to purchase and manage hardware. For other schools and units, UIT provides hardware configuration recommendations and links to order through SmartMart Catalog Suppliers, which provides Stanford-negotiated prices and terms.

Laptops and other personal computers must be protected, tracked, and managed due to their value and potentially sensitive data they may contain and to support business continuity. Schools and units are encouraged to record and track them in Sunflower Assets. It records the custodian (the person to whom the equipment is assigned) and purchase date, which can help determine replacement needs. See more information in the Property Management Manual. 

The university established a requirement to verifiably encrypt all Windows and Mac computers, as well as Apple and Android mobile devices that are used by employees for Stanford business. Refer to UIT’s Encryption at Stanford page for information about device compliance.

To support responsible purchasing considerations, all UIT Hardware Recommendations are EPEAT certified and most product recommendations include the carbon emissions footprint or quick comparisons. 

Printers

UIT offers the Cardinal Print program to modernize technology, achieve long-term sustainability goals, improve workflow efficiency, enhance security, and reduce costs. It allows those with a SUNet ID to print, copy, or scan from any Cardinal Print device. The program site includes links to the device catalog or to request an assessment. This program does not include Copy Centers, standalone special-purpose scanners, or specialty printing devices such as plotters, high resolution/publication printers, handheld printers, or other devices requiring non-standard supplies and servicing. Such printers should be purchased using iProcurement Non-catalog Requests. 

As defined in the Stanford University Print Policy, personal printers are discouraged and may not be connected to the Stanford network. Where special accommodations are necessary, and a personal print device is warranted, any department or individual user who needs to purchase and use a directly-attached, non-networked personal print device must have approval from a Senior Associate Dean, Dean, or Vice Provost/President. After obtaining the appropriate approval, a personal print device may be ordered via SmartMart Catalog Suppliers or Amazon Business.

Mobile devices

Depending on school, unit, or department policy, Stanford employees who qualify may be able to obtain a mobile phone or tablet, or hotspot device for business use. UIT has negotiated rates for hardware and related service through the three major cell carriers. Administrative Guide Policy 8.1.3 outlines the policy and process for these expenses in further detail and UIT maintains the process for selecting approved mobile equipment. Please refer to their Mobile Services page. Devices must be purchased through UIT if a Stanford service plan will be used.

Before purchasing books and periodicals, and to support responsible purchasing, departments can:

• Check the Stanford ReUse Slack channel to post or request books (non-library), periodicals, and magazines. 
• Setup up an internal book/periodical reshare area or shelf to promote reuse
• If needed for short-term use, leverage the university library system to identify if the book or periodical is available for check-out.

Purchasing Method

When purchasing new books or periodicals is necessary, departments can consider:

• The university’s catalog methods, which include Amazon Business and SmartMart Catalog Suppliers.
• Stanford Purchasing Card (PCard) if the item is not available through catalog methods, and when the cost is less than $4,999. 
• Non-Catalog Request when the cost exceeds $4,999. 
• For guidance on purchasing magazine subscriptions, see Other Reimbursable Business Expenses. 

Animals

The Veterinary Service Center (VSC) at Stanford University provides live laboratory animals and care for approved studies. The purchase of animals is managed through AnimalTrax. It provides real-time validation of protocols and PTA accounts as well as online views of monthly invoices. Only the VSC may order animals; charges are allocated via a monthly charge.

Chemicals and controlled substances

Before purchasing new chemicals and to support responsible purchasing, departments can:

• Check Stanford's Surplus Chemical Inventory for free surplus chemicals
• Use ChemTracker (the university's chemical inventory management database) to identify and share surplus chemicals between labs

When purchasing new chemicals is necessary, departments can use the DOZN tool to replace high emissions or unsafe chemicals with lower carbon, cost-effective substitutes that support the university's emission reduction goals.

Purchasing method

New chemicals must be purchased through SmartMart Catalog Suppliers or a Non-Catalog Request. For compressed gases, Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. (formerly Praxair) is the recommended vendor. Stanford purchasing cards or personal funds cannot be used. Purchasers and lab managers must record hazardous substances in ChemTracker.

For more information, refer to EH&S Chemical Safety or Controlled Substances Program pages.

Lab and life sciences materials

Before purchasing new lab supplies and to support responsible purchasing:

• Check the Stanford ReUse Slack channel to post or request pre-owned lab and research supplies. 
• Refer to the Sustainable Stanford website for more information on lab waste and the Waste Wise waste sorting tool.

When purchasing new lab supplies is necessary, departments can:

• Choose reusable options, which are becoming more available and less expensive (e.g., refillable tip racks are up to 70% cheaper than new pipette tip boxes)
• If disposables are required, select supplies made from recycled content that are recyclable at Stanford
• Look for the ACT EcoLabel for sustainable options
• When purchasing appliances, particularly low-temperature freezers and refrigerators, apply for Stanford rebates available when energy efficient models are selected.
• Purchase from the on-campus Fisher Store (Lorry Lokey Chemistry Building) to reduce shipping emissions

Purchasing method

SmartMart Catalog Suppliers offers reusable and disposable items for Stanford research. These range from laboratory consumables like gloves or pipette tips to biological products like antibodies and custom DNA oligos. Users can search across all catalog suppliers or punch out to supplier websites for customization and additional items not found in hosted catalogs.

Radioactive

A Controlled Radiation Authorization (CRA) number is required to purchase radioactive products. All radioactive products must be delivered to the Health Physics Inspection Station. Health Physics tracks purchases and will deliver the product after recording the physical receipt. Radioactive goods cannot be ordered or paid for via PCard. Most radioactive products are available in SmartMart Catalog Suppliers. When they are not available, departments must create a Standard Radioactive Non-Catalog Requisition.

Tax-exempt research alcohol

Tax-exempt (or tax-free) research alcohol can be purchased through Gold Shield Distributors from SmartMart Catalog Suppliers. All tax-exempt research alcohol purchases require an authorized department alcohol approver on the purchase requisition.

Selecting an alcohol approver

To determine which approver should be included on the purchase requisition, department can either: 

1. Search for an existing alcohol approver: Check the OBI: Finance Authority Dashboard > Financial Authority - Financial Approval View to search for grantees with the Tax-Exempt Approval Authority privilege. Note: Users must have Financial Reporting authority to run this report. 
2. Add a new approver (if none exist in the department), by completing the following steps:
   1. Complete the Alcohol Purchase Authorization Form
   2. Obtain Department Chair approval 
   3. Submit form per instructions 

The university encourages the use of Stanford-branded merchandise for employee service or recognition gifts. It may also be appropriate for promotional efforts. When purchasing Stanford-branded merchandise, and to support responsible purchasing, departments can:

• Avoid event-specific branding on the promotional item so that it can be reused at future events
• Consider reusable items (e.g., drinkware, bags, apparel) that can be used by the recipient multiple times. 
• Confirm demand before ordering
• Review any school- or unit-specific branding guidelines before ordering items
• Review the Stanford Identify Guide on how to get Stanford-branded swag, including a list of licensed vendors