Purchasing Procedures & Forms

The following outlines the required procedures for purchasing materials and services for your project.  Students should use good judgment in identifying the need and selection of these materials and services and consult with their advisor(s) in this decision process. Any engineering drawings that need to be submitted to the vendor need to be approved by the advisor.

General Guidelines

When putting together your shopping list, always try to use the approved vendors’ list (see below). This will help obtain items in a timely manner because we already have tax-exempt accounts with these companies.  This does not mean you are limited to these sources!  You are welcome to find a different source that has your product.  Just a disclaimer that the lead time on your product may be longer than usual since Professor Rhoads will need to make a special account with them (OSU requires that orders are tax-exempt). This process is easy with some companies, while with others it can take weeks.

The following items cannot be purchased::

• Advertising
• Alcoholic beverages
• Animals
• Cell phones/Mobile devices
• Consultant Agreements
• Gas Cylinders
• Gift Cards
• Guns & ammunition
• Items from Ebay or payments made through PayPal or similar type of account
• Items requiring an MTA, license or certification
• Items where a University animal or human subject protocol is in place
• Meals
• Memberships & subscriptions in an individual’s name
• Monthly usage/internet charges for cell phones, mobile devices or computers
• Ohio Board of Regents funded purchases on action/ investment funds
• Purchased services that require ancillary agreements such as:
  • Rental agreements
  • Repair/maintenance agreements
  • Ancillary agreements
  • Software license
  • Radioactive materials
  • Renovation and construction
  • Travel expenses (airline tickets, hotels, cars)

For items not on the above list, follow the procedures listed below.

Procedures for Online and In-Store Purchases

To request a purchase, complete the Purchase Request Form found on Carmen under Modules > Purchasing. This form must be used for any online/in-store purchases.  Download and complete the form.

Once the form is entirely filled out, email Professor Rhoads with the completed form attached.

Vendors approved for purchasing are listed below.

*Home Depot and Lowe’s

Purchases through Home Depot and Lowe’s  (especially Lowe’s) tend to be difficult. Before you submit a purchase request from Home Depot or Lowe’s, double check other vendors (even those not on the approved list) to see if you can find your items elsewhere. On the other hand, if you need something like 12 ft lumber, follow through with the purchase request for Home Depot or Lowe’s. We will have these items delivered to campus.

If you cannot find your items elsewhere, these purchases will likely need to be picked up in person by Professor Rhoads. To avoid multiple trips (other teams may also have requests from these stores), please carefully consider any future purchases from Home Depot or Lowe’s. Try to consolidate these purchases into a single request. Be prepared to add at least 1 week to your lead time for in-store pickup. There may also be a “cheap” (<$50?) option for shipping. Note this in the Qualtrics survey and purchase request form.

**McMaster Carr

McMaster is highlighted in green because it’s your best friend! Always look here first. Ordering is quick and item delivery is fast (your items will usually be delivered the next morning). Returns are easy.

Procedures for Purchase of Materials and/or Services from Ohio State Facilities

When purchasing materials and services from OSU facilities, an Internal Order will need to be generated.  These services include machining, 3-D printing, etc. Typically, the raw materials will need to be purchased in advance and given to the respective shop that will be performing the service.

Procedure:

1. Visit the respective facility to obtain a quote to perform the requested service
2. Follow the same procedures outlined above for purchasing and attach the quote from the OSU vendor with your form in the Qualtrics survey.
3. Professor Rhoads will use the Purchase Request Form to create an internal order that will be sent directly to the OSU facility completing the work
4. When the work is complete, pick up the part and any final invoice/receipt/paperwork
5. E-mail any final invoice/receipt/paperwork to Prof. Rhoads.

Procedure for Reimbursements

Purchasing items from your personal funds is highly discouraged. The process for reimbursement has a long lead time. In addition, you will need to file for reimbursement within 30 days of the purchase or mileage travel date. OSU will not reimburse sales tax.

For all reimbursements (purchase and/or mileage), please e-mail Professor Rhoads. For purchase reimbursements, please attach a scanned copy of your receipt(s). For mileage reimbursements, you must e-mail Professor Rhoads at least 7 days prior to your day of travel. This allows enough lead time to start the mileage reimbursement process. Please review purchasing procedure document on Carmen.

Purchasing Best Practices

The purchasing process can sometimes be a headache. Plan accordingly! Don’t wait until late in the spring semester to start placing orders. Create contingency plans in the event that a purchase request cannot be fulfilled. Always double check that items are in stock. And, as noted above, always check McMaster-Carr!

Please reach out to Professor Rhoads  if you have any questions about the procedures or the status or your orders.