Purchasing
Who can benefit
from this page?
EECS Faculty, Students, and Staff
Whether you make your own purchases or are assisted by
your support staff, please read this page.
FURTHER USEFUL LINKS:
-Our Reps at DELL, CDWG
-NU Purchasing Resource Services
FAQ
- About the EPPS Operator
- About POs -Purchase Orders
- About the SOF - Supply Order Form
- About Quotes, e-Quotes
- About University Checks
- About Corporate Charge Card
- About the P-Card
- What is the standard procedure for making purchases in the EECS Department?
- How do I place an order using my active grant account (CUFS)?
- When should I place an order with my own credit card?
- How can I avoid paying sales tax when I buy something at a local store?
- How do I order a computer and/or hardware or lab equipment ?
- How do I order software?
- How do I order desk/office supplies?
- About sales tax
- How do I get a copy of the NU Tax Exemption Letter?
- What is a "proper or valid receipt"?
- When my order arrives, should I keep the packing slip?
- How can I check on the status of an order?
EPPS Operator : The department staff member who acts as liaison between the Department, Accounts Payable, and the Vendor. EPPS stands for "Electronic Procurement and Payment System". Some documents refer to it as EPS. It is the NU accounting system.
When emailing your order to the EPPS Operator, always use this address: "orders @ eecs.northwestern.edu". Your email is received by Carol Surma and Deneen Bryce.
OR, you may print your SOF and QUOTE, paper-clip them securely together, and put them in the mailbox of Carol Surma in L359 Tech.
DO NOT SUBMIT BOTH PRINTED AND EMAILED ORDERS, or your item may be ordered twice.
SOF - Supply Order Form: The SOF accompanies all orders that are submitted through the EPPS Operator. Download the form in Excel
Quote / e-Quote: A printed or electronic (e-quote) document that shows the total cost including shipping. Orders cannot be placed by the EPPS Operator without one.
Return to FAQ
1. Get a Quote from the vendor
2. Complete the Supply Order Form
3.
Email both documents to the EPPS Operator
The EPPS Operator will determine if an account exists with your vendor, set one up if necessary, determine if all documents are valid, check your CUFS for available funds, and finally will place the order. You will receive an email indicating the assigned EECEPD#, which is used to track all purchases.
If your order is less than $100, ask your support staff about using the P-Card instead.
If your order exceeds $25,000, refer to the Bid Process and complete a Sole Source Justification Form.
Does NU already have an account with the vendor?
If YES: Follow the standard procedure, above.
If NO: see About Purchase Orders or About University Checks below.
If you aren't sure, ask the EPPS Operator.
A PO is the method of purchasing used when an account has been established between NU and the Vendor. If NU does not already have an account with your vendor, inquire whether they will accept a University Purchase Order. If the Vendor agrees, the EPPS Operator will set up the account.
If the vendor does not deal in Purchase Orders, use one of the alternate methods of payment.
A university check is also known as "prepayment". You may use this option when setting up university account (PO) isn't possible, or when you do not wish to charge the expense to a credit card.
The initial procedure is the same:
1. Obtain a quote for the precise amount, including any shipping/handling charges.
2. Prepare the SOF, indicating clearly on it that you are "requesting a check from Accounts Payable".
3.
Email the SOF and the quote to orders@eecs.northwestern.edu.
The EPPS Operator will request the check from Accounts Payable, and hold the order until the check is returned from Accounts Payable, and the order will be placed at this time. Your active grant CUFS account will be charged.
Please note that it may take up to three weeks for the check to be returned from Accounts Payable. In urgent cases this process may be expedited by arranging to pick up the check in person at Accounts Payable at 2020 Ridge, Evanston.
Return to FAQ
Obtain an NU American Experess Corporate Charge Card for no charge at the Bursar's Office.
If your order is $100* or less, ask your support staff to make the purchase using the P-Card that was issued to him or her.
*This is an arbitrary amount and thus is flexible, but there is a low monthly limit on charges to the P-Card ($2000) which is quickly reached.
Read about the P-card here (Office of the Controller).
Ensure that the vendor has a secure ordering website, then simply make the purchase using your corporate credit card or your personal credit card. Be sure to obtain a proper receipt for the purchase. If the vendor charges sales tax, inquire whether they will accept the university's tax exempt letter.
If you do not want to pay sales tax for which you are personally liable, obtain thestate tax exempt letter from the department administrator before you go to the store, and present the letter at the time of purchase.
You have options.
1. NU's Virtual Computer Store. Log in with your NU Login ID and Password. Special pricing for university or personal purchases.
2. DELL Premier site. Log in, choose your configuration, and request an e-quote. Email the e-quote to your support staff and provide an active grant account number for payment. If you have questions about your Dell configuration or your e-quote, contact Brenfy O'Rorke, (brenfy_o'rorke @ dell.com). Reference NU customer #12493.
3. CDWG. Visit the site and choose your merchandise, then contact Kelly Penney: (kellpen @ cdwg.com) for an e-quote. Reference NU customer #0424531.
These vendors offer special university pricing and convenience.
Return to FAQ
NU's new software purchasing procedure is explained here: NUIT Software shopping with P-Card
For advice about software, email root at eecs.northwestern.edu
For lab use: Supplies must be ordered through standard procedure using the SOF, and charged to an active grant account CUFS number.
For office use: Certain supplies are kept in stock in the department and can be picked up on an as-needed basis from the EPPS Operator (Carol Surma, Tech L359). The SOF is not required for these items unless they are intended for lab use.
These are the in-stock items:
- pens, pencils
- paper clips/binding clips
- Post-It notes, yellow, several sizes
- lined note pads, yellow or white, two sizes: 5"x8" and 8.5"x11"
- hanging file folders, dark green
- manila folders
- rolls of scotch tape (dispenser refills)
- exam books (blue books)
- dry erase markers
- overhead projector markers
- correction fluid
- erasers, gum and pink
If what you need is not on this list, other supplies can be ordered from Corporate Express. As Northwestern University's preferred office supply vendor, Corporate Express stocks an extensive list of items for next-day or second-day delivery. To find the items you need, borrow their catalog from Carol Surma, Tech L359. The prices listed in the catalog are usually discounted up to 45%. List the items you want on the SOF, along with a CUFS account number, and email it to the EPPS Operator (orders @ eecs.northwestern.edu).
For items that are not in stock or are not available from Corporate Express, catalogs from other recommended NU Supply Vendors are available. The ordering procedure is the same as above.
Return to FAQ
All purchases made for NU purposes are tax-exempt; most vendors will not charge sales tax if you present them with a copy of the State Tax Exemption Letter at time of purchase. If you do pay sales tax, it is not reimbursible in most cases.
The State Tax Exemption Letter must be obtained from Deneen Bryce (Tech L358)
Note: This letter may be used only for purchases intended for university use. NU's tax exemption is not for personal use by individuals, faculty, staff, or students.
Purchasing Resource Services offers more information about NU's tax exempt policy here.
If you pay cash, a register receipt is sufficient.
If you pay with a personal check, the cancelled check from your bank is required (or a print of it)
If you pay with a credit card, for a receipt to be valid it must show:
1) the name of the credit card holder,
2) the amount paid,
3) at least the last four digits of the credit card number.
An emailed or printed order confirmation is not a receipt unless it lists this information.
A packing slip is not a receipt.
A credit card statement (original or copy or printed online statement) is a valid receipt.
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This page was compiled by Jill Wright and edited by Deneen Bryce of the EECS Department. If you have questions about the content on this page, your Support Staff should be able to assist.