Purchasing Thresholds

The information below provides the rules and methods to purchase by fund source and total dollar value.

Note: Requests shall not be divided in an attempt to keep them under a purchase threshold, to avoid the rules requiring the applicable method for competition.

 

Small Dollar Purchases

Purchase Requests with a total value that do not exceed $29,000 do not require competition.

Fund Source Type
(Foundation or Real Estate purchase requests do not follow University/State purchasing policy and procedures.)

1. State and Overhead
2. Auxiliary, Sales and Service Trust Funds
3. Contracts and Grants
4. Gift/Endowment (non-Foundation)

Rule to Purchase

1. Use State Term Contracts, if applicable.
2. Use University Contracts in AggieMart.
3. Use HUB vendors; preferably State certified.
4. Use Consortium Vendors (contact your procurement specialist for more information).
5. Any non-debarred vendor.
6. This applies to non-IT and IT purchases.
7. Each non-catalog request must be submitted with a current quotation (30-day period) if not found in an AggieMart catalog.
8. Purchases from gift and endowment income funds should be made prudently with the intent of the donor in mind and follow any restrictions set by the donor.

Method to Purchase 

1. Process a requisition in AggieMart. A purchase order must be submitted to the supplier prior to service or work delivered to the university, unless it is an emergency purchase.
2. If an approved allowable, use the PCard as long as the expenditure is within the cardholder’s single transaction limit. The cardholder cannot split the order to circumvent the purchasing threshold.

If not an approved allowable, the user may ask for an exception to this requirement, and it may be granted by the Chief Procurement Officer or his or her designee for special circumstances. Such exceptions must be documented in writing.

Procurement Services Processing Time (Average)
4-24 hours

 

Informal Dollar Purchases

Purchases requests with a total value over $29,000 that do not exceed $500,000 may require competition.  

Fund Source Type

1. State and Overhead
2. Auxiliary, Sales and Service Trust Funds
3. Contracts and Grants
4. Gift/Endowment

Rule to Purchase

1. Use a State Term Contract/Consortium or University Contract, if applicable. If the item or service is not on an approved contract a formal bid process may be required.
2. If the request is to use a specific supplier, the user must complete and attach a “Waiver of Competition” form (P101 Form) with the requisition.
3. The Procurement Services Office will use the information presented to determine whether competition is required.
4. If the request is an emergency, the emergency must meet one of the situations on the P101 form.

Method to Purchase

1. Process a requisition in AggieMart for the budgeted amount. A purchase order must be submitted to the supplier prior to service or work delivered to the university, unless it is an emergency purchase.
2. If the request is for an emergency, a requisition should be in AggieMart within 24 business hours after the emergency has taken place.

Procurement Services Processing Time (Average)
15-25 days

 

Formal Dollar Purchases

Purchases requests with a total value over $500,000 may require competition.  

Fund Source Type

1. State and Overhead
2. Auxiliary, Sales and Service Trust Funds
3. Contracts and Grants
4. Gift/Endowment

Rule to Purchase

1. Use a State Term Contract/Consortium or University Contract, if applicable. If the item or service is not on an approved contract an informal bid process may be required.
2. If the request is to use a specific supplier, the user must complete and attach a “Waiver of Competition” form (P101 Form) with the requisition.
3. Procurement Services Office will use the information presented to determine whether competition is required.
4. If the request is an emergency, the emergency must meet one of the situations on the P101 form.
5. The request may require additional approval from the State Purchase, UNC System, and University Legal Offices.

Method to Purchase

1. Process a requisition in AggieMart for the budgeted amount. A purchase order must be submitted to supplier prior to service or work delivered to the university, unless it is an emergency purchase.
2. If the request is for an emergency the requisition should be in AggieMart within 48 hours (business) after the emergency has taken place.

Procurement Services Processing Time (Average)
25 - 45 days

 

Other Pertinent Information

1. Solicitations for purchases in excess of $1,000,000 must be reviewed by the University Office of Legal Affairs and may include the North Carolina Attorney General Office (depending on the total contract dollar value), and UNC Purchasing Office for IT purchases.
2. The University Procurement Services Office shall encourage and promote the use of historically underutilized businesses as defined in G.S. 143-128.4 in purchasing Goods and Services.
3. The procurement of goods and services shall be processed in the same manner.

 

---