Buying

How do I buy Goods under $5,000?

Office supplies and other goods from selected vendors can be bought on our CSUBuy platform.

Please note, CSUBuy does not allow for changing the shipping destination to any other location than the campus. Given that most of us are working remotely now, there is an option to have items shipped to your remote workplace/home. You can order via Staples Advantage and receive CSU contract pricing. Please see the CSU Employee Discount Program Flyer (PDF) for more information.

Any items shipped to locations other than the campus will need to be returned to campus when the campus reopens. End users are requested to make any items over $1,000 available for tagging at that time. Please review our Equipment and Purchasing Policy for items shipped to locations currently providing remote instruction and services as a result of the COVID-19 situation (PDF).

How do I buy Goods/Services up to $50,000?

Obtain a quote or proposal from supplier/vendor.

Check if a supplier exists in the Common Financial System (CFS), if not, have the supplier complete Vendor 204 form and send it to Fiscal Affairs.

Enter a requisition in CFS and attach all supporting documents (Technology Acquisition require a completed TAR ticket. For more information, please visit the TAR webpage of Information Technology Services).

Obtain a certificate of insurance from the vendor (commodity purchases are generally exempt). Please see our page Insurance for Buying for more information.

When needed (complex purchases, large orders, etc.) contact Procurement for pre-approval of requisition.

Please note that requisitions will be processed in order of receipt. During peak times and in cases that require further research and/ or contract term negotiations, processing time may be prolonged.

How do I buy Goods/Services over $50,000?

Please consult with Procurement.

Check competitively bid system-wide agreements, Master Enabling Agreements (MEA) and Consortiums (US Communities, Educational and Institutional Cooperative Service (E&I) , National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO)).

If there is no competitively bid agreement that covers SF State, a solicitation process is required. The University mostly conducts Requests for Proposals.