Approvals List and Responsibilities

Purchases must comply with a range of University of Oregon (UO) policies, which are managed by multiple UO departments. Purchasing and Contracting Services will not proceed with signing contracts until all necessary approvals have been received. 

Departments are responsible for ensuring they have the necessary approvals under UO policies. Those with contracting authority must gather all necessary approvals for the contracts they sign and purchases they make. 

This list provides a quick reference for when approval is needed and whom to contact for those approvals. 

Note: this list is not exhaustive, and departments are responsible for compliance with relevant UO policies. Approval requests must include a summary of the purchase and any contract documents or terms and conditions. Maintain documentation of all the approvals gathered for your purchases and contracts.

Accounts Payable, Foreign Vendors

If the agreement is with a foreign person or entity:

  1. Must directly submit the agreement to Joy Germack and copy Account Payable (AP) prior to signing the agreement.
    • Submit approval request to Joy Germack, and copy Carmela Kortum for an initial review. Joy Germack and/or AP will respond with approval to proceed signing the contract.
  2. If the vendor for which you have a signed agreement has not been set up in Banner, they must be set up before payment can be made to the vendor. Review the Vendor Set-up section of the Business Affairs (BA) website for details on the vendor set-up process. The process for setting up a foreign vendor includes obtaining a current IRS W-8 from the vendor. If you have questions about the W-8 forms, please email Joy Germack.
  3. If you still have questions after you review the BA website, please email Business Affairs Accounts Payable.

Accounts Payable, Vendor Set-Up

  1. If the agreement is with a contractor that has not been set up in Banner, the contractor must be set up in Banner before payment is made to the contractor.
  2. Refer to the instructions on the AP Website for details on the vendor set-up process which includes obtaining a UO Substitute W-9 from the contractor.

Business Affairs/Travel

  1. Travel
    • If creating a multi-month or multi-year Hotel Price Agreement, contact Brooke Montgomery, Travel Manager, 6-3445, prior to proceeding with the negotiation of the price agreement.
    • Please Note: this requirement is not applicable to the processing of hotel agreements for one-time events or hotel stays. These standard hotel agreements should continue to be processed by Purchasing and Contracting Services.
  2. Credit Card Processing/PCI Compliance
    • All Agreements that call for vendors to provide credit card processing must be sent to Mark McCulloch for approval.

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Catering Services

  1. All catering services on property owned or controlled by UO must be performed by University Catering unless a waiver is obtained from University Catering.
    • This policy does not pertain to the sale of food or beverages through vending machines or by businesses that occupy leased retail spaces in University owned or leased facilities.
  2. Must directly contact University Catering to determine if University Catering is able to provide service or if a waiver will be granted prior to negotiating or signing an agreement.
  3. Submit University Catering Waiver Form to University Catering.

Chief Information Officer

  1. Any enterprise-wide technology purchase regardless of dollar value.
  2. Any agreement that will involve any access to UO networks/ systems (e.g. web development) regardless of dollar value.
  3. Any agreement that will involve Web hosting by a third party where the Website to be hosted will have a uoregon.edu address.
  4. Any other purchase of software over $5,000.
  5. Must directly obtain Chief Information Officer (CIO) approval prior to signing the agreement.
  6. Send approval request to CIO and include security and accessibility reports (HECVAT, SOC2, VPAT) vendor when available. If the vendor does not have SOC1/2, ISO, VPAT, be sure to include that information in your approval request.

Clery Act Coordinator

  1. Must notify (not get approval from) the Clery Act Coordinator if the contract:
    • is for use of any non-campus space,
    • for greater than two hours, and
    • involves University students.
  2. Sent notification and copy of the draft or final contract to Clery Act Coordinator.

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Contract with Current or Former Employees

  1. Current UO Employees. Contracts with current employees are not allowed. Contact the Human Resource's Talent Acquisition team, they are able to advise you on employment options.
  2. Former UO Employees. PCS must review and process any proposed agreement with a former UO employee. Submit these matters through the UO Purchasing Portal.

Design and Construction

  1. Anything involving construction projects, installation, BOLI, or any purchase of items related to a Design & Construction project should be sent to Rob Basto and copy Wil Young for approval.
    • If approval is received and PCS will complete the contract/purchase, make sure to clarify with Design & Construction if BOLI language needs to be included in the agreement.

Digital Accessibility Review

  1. Contracts for the delivery of products where the user interface is newly designed or where the vendor is only providing digital documents or media will not be reviewed by the ICT Accessibility Committee prior to execution of the contract, unless the vendor requires a significant, substantive deviation from the above standard Accessibility terms; or the contract is for over $250,000 for the life of the contract. Contracts should include the standard Accessibility terms in any deliverable specifications, and an acceptance process that affords UO an opportunity to confirm all deliverables meet the accessibility requirements prior to final acceptance.
    • If the vendor accepts the standard Accessibility terms, the Digital Accessibility Architect may work with the department to ensure deliverables conform to the standard Accessibility terms prior to UO’s acceptance of any deliverables provided under the contract.
    • If the vendor requires significant deviations from the standard Accessibility terms, then the contract will be sent to the Digital Accessibility Architect for review and approval prior to execution.
  2. Contracts for any other digital products or services are to be sent to the Digital Accessibility Architect for review.
  3. Public solicitations for digital products or services will include specifications that meet the standard Accessibility terms and will include a process for soliciting feedback from the Digital Accessibility Architect prior to award.
  4. For more information please refer to the Digital Accessibility website.
  5. Send approval requests to ICT Accessibility and include accessibility reporting (VPAT) from the vendor when available. If the vendor does not have VPAT, be sure to include that information in your approval request.

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Faculty Exchange Agreements

  1. Please contact PCS before negotiating any agreement with another institution of higher education/governmental entity when all the following applies:
    • UO faculty works at the other institution of higher education/governmental entity;
    • UO still pays UO faculty member while at other institution of higher education/governmental entity; and
    • The other institution of higher education/governmental entity reimburses UO the amount of a UO pays the UO faculty member while the UO faculty member is working for the other institution of higher education/governmental entity.
  2. Please contact PCS before negotiating any agreement with another institution of higher education where UO and the other institution of higher education agree to undertake faculty exchanges (where UO faculty may work at the other institution and other institution faculty may work at UO).
  3. Any agreement hiring an individual to provide instruction for UO credit must have Unclassified Personnel Services (UPS) approval. Submit requests for approval directly to Catherine Bonomini-Smith in UPS.

Furniture Purchases

  1. Prior to purchasing furniture, please consult the Furniture Purchase Guidelines webpage to determine the next step in initiating the purchase of furniture.
  2. Any furniture purchases that require delivery or installation may be subject to Bureau of Labor and Industry (BOLI) rates.
  3. Must contact Design & Construction to determine if BOLI rates apply to a proposed system's furniture purchase.
  4. Submit proposed furniture purchase according to the Furniture Purchase Matrix referenced above.

HIPAA Compliance Officer

  1. Any HIPAA-covered department at UO with matters that may require a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) contact.
  2. If the contract is for University Health Center send to Debra McLaughlin, 6-4452 prior to proceeding to sign the agreement.
  3. If the contract is for any other department send to PCS for processing with UO General Counsel prior to signing the agreement.

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International Affairs

  1. Any agreement involving the international movement of students, where the students will receive credits from attending the program.
    • Must directly submit to International Affairs prior to signing the agreement
    • Must have Foreign Study Program Committee approval
    • Submit approval request to Will Johnson.
  2. Any agreement involving the international movement of students, where the students will not receive credits from attending the program.
    • Must directly submit notice of agreement to International Affairs ii. Submit notice to Will Johnson.

Mailing Services

  1. Any agreement for mailing services must be approved by UO Mailing Services.
  2. Must directly submit a request to UO Mailing Services to determine if UO Mailing Services is able to provide the service prior to negotiating or signing the agreement.
  3. Submit request to Heather Nunn.

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Printing Services

  1. All printing services must be performed by UO Printing Services unless a waiver is obtained from UO Printing Services.
    • Must directly submit printing request to UO Printing Services to determine if UO Printing Services is able to provide the service prior to negotiating or signing the agreement.
  2. Any agreement for lease or purchase of a copy/scanner/fax/multifunction machine must be approved by UO Printing Services.
    • Must directly submit Production Copier/Printer Acquisition Form to UO Printing Services for approval prior to signing the agreement.
  3. Any agreement for purchase of interior or exterior signage for any UO-owned or controlled space.
  4. Submit request to April Nero.
  5. Visit UO Managed Print Services.

Private Business Use/Real Property Lease

  1. If entering into a contract for the use of or lease of space of any portion of a university building or outdoor space for over one day over the entire term of the contract, and the third party will use the space for its business use (i.e. not for personal use)
  2. Any lease agreement for real property (building space, indoor, outdoor, ground leases) to Melinda Seeley; also add Melinda as a contact on PCS Portal matters.
  3. Facilities Use Agreements for indoor and outdoor space if for more than 30 days to Melinda Seeley; also add Melinda as a contact to PCS Portal matters.
  4. License agreements if leasing space (food vendors, rooftop leases, atm’s, etc.) to Melinda Seeley; also add Melinda as a contact to PCS Portal matters.

Property Control & Surplus Property

  1. Any agreement for which we transfer property (permanently or temporarily), through purchase, sale, lease, or loan.
  2. If selling or trading UO property, must contact BA Surplus Property prior to offering property for sale or trade – contact Aly Roper or Dylan DeRosa.
  3. If purchasing, leasing, or accepting a loan of property, must directly submit to Property Control after completing and signing the contract.
    • If property is being purchased or loaned at no cost send completed contract to Aly Roper, or Dylan DeRosa.
    • If property is being acquired under a paid lease or loan send completed contract to Jill Ritz.
  4. To loan out UO property, contact PCS prior to offering property for loan by completing an intake in the UO Purchasing Portal for a Property Loan Agreement.

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Safety and Risk Services

  1. Any questions regarding insurance or insurance waivers.
  2. Approval must be obtained prior to signing the agreement.
  3. Send questions to Safety and Risk Services and Deb Donning.

Search Firm Price Agreements

  1. When ordering services from an established search firm price agreement, a Purchase Order will typically be used to request a search.
  2. Before issuing a Purchase Order to a vendor, send a notification to the Human Resource's Talent Acquisition team.
  1. Any Purchase Order for equipment over $5,000 must be approved by Sponsored Projects Services (SPS) if using grant funds.
  2. Any other type of contract including Purchase Orders and Personal Services Contracts (PSC) of any dollar value if using ARRA grant funds
  3. To determine if grant funds are being used for a contract:
    • Any index starting with a“2”or a“3”(e.g.223001) signifying the use of grant funds.
    • Any index starting with any other number (usually a 4)–may require approval if using grant funds.
  4. Must obtain SPS approval prior to signing the agreement.
  5. Send approval request to SPS.

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Temporary Employment Agencies

  1. Must work with Human Resources for these types of appointments; see the UO Temporary Employment Agency Guidelines.
  2. Prior to engaging a temporary employee through an employment agency (such as Personnel Source), you must first confirm whether or not an Oregon Forward Entity is able to provide the staffing you need.
  3. For more information, please visit the HR Recruitment and Hiring webpage.

Ticket Sales

  1. If tickets for a University event (on campus or off campus) are being sold, must get approval from the UO Ticket Office prior to signing the contract.
  2. Contact UO Ticket Office, 6-4363.

University Advancement

  1. Any sponsorship agreement, submit approval request to Advancement.
  2. Any agreement involving a gift of funds or property to UO:
    • Gift agreements are processed by Advancement.
    • Submit to Advancement, attention Jesse Visser and Holly Brown for review.

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University Communications

  1. Any agreement involving Licensing or Branding request to Brad Hutchins.
  2. Any agreement involving Logos and Marks to Jett Nilprabhassorn.
  3. Any agreement involving Web Design to Jason Huebsch, Jett Nilprabhassorn, and Zack Barnett.
  4. Any agreement involving Photo/Video to Charlie Litchfield.
  5. Any agreement involving Advertising to Jett Nilprabhassorn and Brad Hutchins.
  6. Any agreement involving Writers, Graphic Designers, or third parties requesting the third party creates materials for mass distribution to the general public at large (e.g. websites, posters) to Charlie Litchfield.

UO Police Department (Concerts/Security)

  1. Any agreement which UOPD may want to know about (e.g. large concerts or particularly controversial speakers).
  2. Any agreement involving hiring of security personnel.
  3. Any agreement wherein the Vendor will be providing its own security detail.
  4. Must directly submit to UOPD prior to signing the agreement.
  5. Submit notification to Jason Wade and Don Morris.

Utilization of Foundation Funds

  1. Any agreement that will use funds originating from a Foundation account
  2. If the proposed use is allowed under state law and UO policy, transfer the funds from the Foundation to a UO index prior to proceeding with the agreement
  3. If the proposed use is not allowed under state law and UO policy, do not transfer the funds from the Foundation, contact PCS and PCS will work with the department and Foundation to complete the agreement and confirm payment procedures.
  4. Submit notice to: Janice Lutz, Donna Vanderpool, and Suzanne Wagner.

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