For Purdue Fort Wayne Departments

General Information

The Purdue University Fort Wayne Purchasing Department procures goods and services in support of our academic mission. Purdue Fort Wayne uses many purchasing methods to obtain goods and services. Departments may make incidental purchase of small dollar amounts by using a Purdue University MasterCard, and in some cases direct bill. All other purchases require a purchase order which are entered in Purdue's Ariba system.  Departments have staff trained by our trainer to enter these orders.   

Purdue has contract pricing with various vendors for such items such as office supplies, computers, printers, custodial supplies to name a few.  This contract pricing can be found via the catalog purchasing process in Ariba, Purdue's purchasing system.  Department staff trained in using Ariba are typically familiar with this catalog process.

Purdue Fort Wayne departments have an established internal process for purchasing authorizations and staff trained to enter orders in the Purdue Purchasing system. Purdue Fort Wayne Staff should always follow their department procedures before initiating any purchase of goods or services. Should an agreement or contract be involved with the purchase do NOT sign.  Please notify your business manager and forward the contract to the Contract Administrator for review and signature.  The Contract Administrator will work with you, the vendor and other pertinent parties on terms and conditions.  After the terms are satisfactory the Administrator will either sign or route for appropriate signature.

Consider any special requirements that your purchase may require such as electrical power, network drops.  Does the equipment require special power, ventilation or be of such a size and weight that delivery to the room could be an issue or whether the space in mind is adequate. Before the purchase is made these potential problems should be addressed with the appropriate department such as Physical Plant, ITS, or Shipping/Receiving.  The Purchasing department is happy to assist the department and vendor in working through these issues if we are made aware of them.

Purdue Fort Wayne staff should always contact Purchasing prior to purchasing item or items that are estimated to cost $10,000 or more as Purdue policy requires a formal bid process through the Purchasing department be followed (see Purchasing Steps for more details). We recommend Purdue Fort Wayne staff contact the Purchasing department for best pricing on any order where the department budget may see the benefit of getting quotes.

Any questions concerning a purchase by Purdue Fort Wayne should be directed to the appropriate Purchasing agent. Click here to determine which agent best suits your needs, otherwise contact the Purchasing department. Purdue Fort Wayne assumes no liability for obligations except those incurred in accordance with Purdue Fort Wayne purchasing policy.

Click on the appropriate link for further information on these specific topics

• Purchasing Steps - what's involved, when the bid process applies, when it does not
• Furniture - steps to select and purchase, when design fees are applicable, process to move furniture
• Computer, printers and peripherals - tips on selecting the right equipment and how to purchase
• Exclusive Rights & Caterers - describes the exclusive rights of vendors on campus, information needed when hiring a caterer
• Shredding
• Printing Service Solutions
• Sam's Club/Promotional Items - explains process to use University membership for allowable purchases and tips when purchasing promotional items