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.

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 but may have flaws. Avoid purchasing items with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative certification.

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. 

Equipment For Use at a Stanford Location

Equipment costing in excess of $5,000 is considered capital equipment. Needs for non-capital equipment (less than $5,000) and appliances should be coordinated with the department’s facilities manager. All appliance purchases should be Energy Star certified, when available. For appliances that use refrigerants, like refrigerators, freezers, and ice machines, the Energy Star Product Finder tool provides the ability to filter by refrigerants that have a “lower impact on global warming.” 

Employees are encouraged to review Environmental Health & Safety’s Computer Workstation Ergonomic Matching Fund Program for information on funding available to reduce the department’s cost of ergonomic equipment. The site also provides information on ergonomic items including task chairs, sit-to-stand solutions, etc. The EH&S  Pre-Approved Computer Ergonomics Product List, found on the Office Ergonomics page, explains how to request a quote for a chair, desk or sit-to-stand solution. 

Non-ergonomic related accessories, such as external hard drives, power cords/adapters, chargers, wires and network equipment are typically purchased through Amazon Business. Refer to UIT’s Equipment Recommendations page for docking stations, power adaptors, monitors, standard keyboards and mice, laptop locks and other workstation accessories.

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.

Office supplies

Many office supplies (e.g., binders, pens, staplers, etc.) are disposed of before reaching the end of their useful life. To support responsible purchasing and financial stewardship, departments can first check to see if pre-owned office supplies are available rather than purchasing brand new items. Stanford employees can join the Stanford Reuse Slack channel, which provides updates about the availability of pre-owned supplies across campus,

Breakroom supplies

Reusable breakroom supplies and service ware, such as cups, plates and utensils, are the most responsible purchasing option. If disposable service ware is required, departments can consider BPA certified compostable items, which compost in forty five (45) days.  

If there are no office or breakroom supplies available for reuse, departments should consider purchasing products that are recyclable or compostable and made with recycled material. Office supplies are typically ordered through the university’s catalog methods, which include Amazon Business and SmartMart Catalog Suppliers. Departments can consider Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper products, (both office and janitorial) made from 100 percent recycled content.  

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

Some schools and units use UIT’s Stanford University Hardware Program to purchase and manage work computers and accessories. To ask general questions about this program, submit a UIT support request. For other schools and units, Stanford UIT provides hardware configuration recommendations and links to order through SmartMart Catalog Suppliers, which provides Stanford-negotiated prices and terms. Schools and units should consult with their local IT group to determine which option is being used and the procedures for ordering such items.  Refer to UIT’s Hardware Recommendations for more information. UIT recommends purchasing all computers and laptops through SmartMart Catalog Suppliers to take advantage of Stanford-negotiated prices and ensure our preferred configurations and security features. 

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.

To support responsible purchasing, purchasers can check the following Stanford programs and resources for pre-owned or surplus lab and research supplies before purchasing new:

• Stanford's Surplus Chemical Inventory. Through this program, Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) delivers free chemicals to labs within twenty four (24) hours. Purchasers and lab managers must inventory hazardous substances in Stanford’s Chemical Inventory Management and Tracking System, ChemTracker. When using ChemTracker, there is an option to indicate chemicals as Surplus and make them visible to others, which enables easier chemical sharing directly between labs.
• The Stanford ReUse Slack channel, which allows employees to post or or request pre-owned lab and research supplies.

If purchasing new items is required, preferred purchasing methods are provided by the categories below:

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

Chemicals must be purchased through SmartMart Catalog Suppliers or a purchase order via a Non-Catalog Requisition. Linde Gas & Equipment Inc. (formerly known as Praxair) is the recommended vendor for compressed gases. Chemicals cannot be purchased with a Purchasing Card or with personal funds. Refer to EH&S Chemical Safety or Controlled Substances Program pages for more information.

Lab and Life Sciences Materials

When purchasing new lab/life sciences materials, explore reusable options as they are becoming more available and are often less expensive. For example, instead of purchasing new pipette tip boxes every time, departments can reuse the boxes and purchase refillable tip racks, which are up to 70 percent cheaper. If disposables are required, look for supplies made from recycled content and that are recyclable at Stanford, such as pipette tips and tubes. Refer to the Sustainable Stanford website for more information on lab waste and the Waste Wise waste sorting tool. Also look for the ACT Label. Finally, to reduce shipping emissions, consider purchasing directly from the Fisher Store in the Lorry Lokey Chemistry Building on campus.

Several vendors in SmartMart Catalog Suppliers provide lab and life Sciences reusable and disposable options items used in Stanford research. These range from laboratory consumables like gloves or pipette tips to biological products like antibodies and custom DNA Oligos. Through SmartMart, users may search across Catalog Suppliers or, if items needed are not found or require customization, a punch-out to a supplier is available. SmartMart Catalog Suppliers  includes hosted catalogs and a punch-out to the supplier website to customize an item or shop for other supplies. 

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.

Research Alcohol

Research Alcohol must be purchased through Gold Shield Distributors from SmartMart Catalog Suppliers . There must be an approver on the order who is authorized to buy research alcohol. If the department needs to appoint an alcohol approver, complete the Alcohol Purchase Authorization Form, obtain the approval of the Department Chair and submit it per form instructions.  

The university encourages the use of Stanford-branded merchandise for employee service or recognition gifts. It may also be appropriate for promotional efforts. The Stanford Trademark Licensing office provides details in the Stanford Identity Guide on how to get Stanford-branded Swag produced, including a list of licensed vendors. Schools and departments may also have branding guidelines that must be considered before ordering items. To support responsible purchasing, consider items that support reuse or can be used by the recipient multiple times.