Special Types of Purchases
The items explained in this section should be carefully reviewed by principal investigators as a number of restrictions and conditions may be involved in making various purchases.
- Services
- Ordering from University Service Centers
- Material Stock Requests for Ordering Supplies from Stores
- Cylinder Gas Orders
- Campus Meter Mail Facilities
- Telephone Service on Sponsored Projects
Services
For other types of purchased services, the vendor's bid or purchase order acknowledgement and the purchase order suffice as the contract. These are not normally considered subcontracted activities and should be budgeted as purchased services.
Following are several examples of purchased services:
- Laboratory analysis
- Clinical tests
- Photographic and video graphic duplication services
- Water treatment services
- Machining
- Personnel temporary services purchased from employment agencies
Ordering from University Service Centers
The Internal Order Form (100-W) is used for on campus purchases of materials and laboratory supplies from General and Laboratory Stores and all other university authorized cost centers and business operations.
Material Stock Requests for Ordering Supplies from Stores
Material Stock Requests (MSR's) - through the system. These requests will:
- Come to Research Foundation Purchasing via workflow.
- Be electronically sent to Ohio State Stores if approved by the Research Foundation.
- Not be committed to the project budget at the time the PO is processed [the same is true for 100Ws]. Charges are electronically posted to projects at the end of the month.
Form 100-W and Stores electronic Material Stock Requests (MSR's) may not be used for purchase of the following items:
- Equipment (use Form 1303)
- Building repairs and maintenance (use Form 1303)
- Renovations (use Form 1303 and 6540)
- Repairs for equipment items not used by the project
- Purchase of services from unauthorized university cost centers
- Purchases from University Laboratory Animal Resources (ULAR) (use Ohio State Animal Order Form 10238)
The university has several service centers that provide specialized services. These services may be obtained by submitting a Form 100-W directly to the appropriate service center providing that the service center has established university approved cost rates. This is a federal requirement for all purchases on federally sponsored projects. The university Resource Planning and Institutional Analysis Office establishes approved cost rates. Service centers with approved rates are listed in the University Schedule of Fees and Charges.
Cylinder Gas Orders
All compressed gases, regardless of type of cylinder, must be ordered from the university's Cylinder Stores Department rather from outside sources. Monthly demurrage charges are assessed to all rental cylinders and billed directly to the project.
In the event a rental cylinder is in the possession of the project after the project ends, any demurrage charges will be billed directly to the PI's department. Therefore, gas cylinders that are no longer needed should be promptly returned to Cylinder Stores. Upon request, Stores will also pick up empty lecture bottles and other non-rental gas cylinders for proper disposal.
Campus Meter Mail Facilities
University Mail Systems (UMS) provides the following services:
- Campus Mail: Regular delivery and pick-up of internal university mail for the Columbus and Regional campuses including the University Medical Center.
- Mail drop-off boxes are conveniently located on-campus for sending campus mail, meter mail and express items.
- Special pick-up arrangements may be made through University Mail Services for large multi-envelope deliveries
- Meter Mail: UMS applies United States Postal Services (USPS) pre-stamped postage that provides university customers' substantial discounts.
In addition to substantial discounts, the meter mail system offers accounting efficiencies for university customers.
Telephone Service on Sponsored Projects
Regular Telephone Service
Instrument and monthly service charges are not allowable as direct costs on a project unless the project is located in an off-campus location. Requests for new or additional regular telephone service should be submitted on a 1303 requisition form with a UNITS Microform attached. These are routed to the Research Foundation Procurement office for review and submission to UNITS. Download a UNITS Microform, or call UNITS Customer Service at 2-8648 to have a copy of the form faxed to you. UNITS charges will appear on monthly project statements.
The PI is responsible for contacting UNITS to cancel any recurring charges and have phones removed when the project ends.
Long-Distance Telephone Calls
Long-distance calls related to project business are allowable as direct charges to most projects. To assist a PI in making calls and tracking charges, a UNITS Authorization Code (Auth Code), a six-digit number commonly called a "PLUS number," may be obtained for making calls from campus telephones. Administrative Calling Cards may be obtained for making business calls when off campus.
Visit the UNITS web site for more information and to request a UNITS Auth Code or Administrative Calling Card.
UNITS will assign Auth Codes or Administrative Calling Cards specifically to the project requested by the PI. The use of the Auth Code or Calling Card enables UNITS to charge the calls directly to the project. Such charges will appear on the monthly project statement.
The PI is responsible for maintaining proper security of the assigned Auth Code and/or Calling Card numbers. The Auth Code and Calling Card numbers should be safeguarded at all times to prevent unauthorized use. The PI should not divulge the code or number to anyone not authorized to place long-distance telephone calls on the project. Use of the Auth Code or Calling Card number implies certification that the call is required for and properly chargeable to the project. The Auth Code and Calling Card should only be used for project business. In instances where long-distance calls are charged to department fund accounts in error or for occasional convenience purposes, it will be necessary to transfer the charges to the Research Foundation project account.