For help finding services or goods, assistance with contracts, payments, policies, travel arrangements or general questions, reach out to the Procurement and Payment Services Office.
Whether you have no current Amazon account, have one exclusively for Northwestern business or have a personal or business account with your Northwestern or personal email address, you can use the Corporate Card for university purchases.
Create a new Amazon account on Amazon.com
Requisitions (REQ) are budget-checked and require approval in NUFinancials prior to being sourced into a Purchase Order (PUR) and sent to the vendor. Payment Requests (PRQ) are also budget-checked and require the same approvals as requisitions in NUFinancials.
Approvals job aids in MyHR Learn and Knowledge Base
Payment for orders made throughout the duration of a fiscal year for services that are provided on a regular and consistent basis, such as garbage pick-up, rent, and maintenance. PPS and/or OGC should review and approve contracts/agreements for blanket orders.
How to create a blanket order in NUFinancials in Knowledge Base
Intercampus and intracampus mailings, including mail codes, interdepartmental envelopes, Mail Services pick up locations, special mailings, personal mail, misdelivered mail, confidential mail, mass mailings, special packaging needs, First Class mail and physical limitations for First Class items.
Changes to POs already dispatched in NUFinancials or to close or cancel a PO via the Change Order Form on the NUFS Employee Self-Service screen.
Change, Cancel or Close a Purchase Order in Knowledge Base
Departments/schools can make their own changes to Requisitions after submitting them for approval, as long as the Requisition has not been sourced into a Purchase Order and sent to the vendor.
Including chargeback information via the preferred method (requesting for Mail Services form with bar code label attached) and alternative methods.
Expired, rebated or missing checks, checks for pick-up and requests for enclosures.
If there is no satisfactory Preferred Vendor for a product or service needed, competitive bids may need to be solicited by departments, schools, Purchasing & Strategic Sourcing or a Sole Source Purchase may be considered.
Certain types of campus mail require special handling: Confidential Correspondence, Mass Campus Mailings and Items Requiring Special Packing.
Conflict if Interest policy covers ethical business standards, gift solicitation, social invitations and disciplinary action for infractions.
Campus purchasers own the contracting process and not all agreements require central office review. Process highlights, training, key points and agreement and rider templates are available to walk you through the contract process.
Current and upcoming bid opportunities for vendors, including construction, marketing/communications, computer recycling service, office supplies, event rentals, cleaning/maintenance, banking, food/beverages, signage and more.
Receiving an order, copyright definitions, prohibitions on copyright and acceptable copies.
Getting and using a MasterCard issued and branded by JPMorgan Chase as the ‘One Card,' guidance on sales tax, lost cards, Department changes, using the card online, reconciling transactions, monitoring card activity and requesting changes to a card.
Vendors may ask for Northwestern to complete a Credit or Direct Billing Application, which may require signature authority from PPS.
Paymode X, the direct deposit ACH program to directly deposit invoice payments into a bank account, and ePayables, the credit card program to pay invoices using VISA credit card.
Delivery instructions on both Evanston and Chicago campuses, including addresses, truck routes, oversize freight guidance, Anti-Idling Ordinance information and dock personnel.
Local restaurants near the Chicago and Evanston campus offer fixed-price menus that meet the guidelines in Northwestern's Travel and Entertainment Policy.
Sending payments to a U.S. bank or international bank via electronic funds (wire) transfer via forms like Domestic Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Request form, Direct Payment Request form and International Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Request form.
Northwestern spending limit guidelines outline what is and is not a reimbursable entertainment expense. Specific scenarios include University funded events, in-town meals with visitors and employees and refreshments.
Preparing for expense report approval workflow changes in NUFinancials and roles including Expenses Supervisor; Traveler; Project Approval; Levels 1, 2 and 3 Approvals; Supervisor Approval; ASRSP Approval; and Accounts Payable Approval.
Reimbursements to employees for travel, entertainment, courtesy and other expenditures, documenting expenses on the NUFinancials Expense Report, including pre-paid and direct-billed expenses and visitor expense reports in NUFinancials and reimbursements via check.
eShipGlobal, delivery and drop-off/pick-up locations.
The Federal REAL ID Act requires airline travelers to carry a REAL ID compliant form of identification (Real ID identification card, or Real ID driver's license or a passport).
Preferred Vendors have an established contract based on the results of a formal competitive bid process managed by Purchasing and Strategic Sourcing, including a pricing agreement based on a negotiation, and can be assessed through iBuyNU or Blanket Orders.
Physical Limitations and best practices for first class mail.
Requisitions which do not require PPS approval, negotiated with the subcontractor through the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) and initiated via special requisition in NUFinancials.
general travel for non-university personnel, direct billing arrangements, courtesy transportation for guests (car services), booking guest travel, local hotels, reimbursements for guests and guest dining discounts.
Booking hotels through the travel program, local rates and booking policies.
The iBuyNU marketplace is a web-based ordering tool, integrated with the NUFinancials system, that provides departments and schools with the most streamlined, cost effective way to order from Preferred Vendors. Accounts Payable can receive invoices electronically and vendors can be paid electronically.
Billing information for centrally-billed preferred vendors, list of vendors and in-house services. Once enrolled in central billing, certain preferred vendors maintain special relationships. You can charge the service to your NU chart string and be billed internally at the end of each month.
Preparing international mail, delivery time and international mailing options (such as Express Mail, Air Letter Mail, Air Printed Matter, Air Parcel Post, Surface Letter Mail, Surface Printed Matter and Surface Parcel Post) and special services, such as Registered Mail, Insured Mail, Special Delivery and Return Receipts.
Visa and passport help, campus resources (for support with issues like International Health Insurance), travel requirements (such as sanction compliance and disclosure for high risk travel).
Businesses located in Evanston and serve the Chicago Streeterville campus are invited to participate in the program to provide special discounts and offers for Northwestern-issued Wildcard ID cardholders, increasing exposure to Wildcard ID holders through online publicizing.
Mail location and delivery schedules cross both the Evanston and Chicago campuses.
Why invoices may be sent back to departments from AP, such as invalid or duplicate PO number.
Match Exception Rules for NUFinancials in Knowledge BaseThese types of procurement methods include blanket orders, non-catalog purchases, received by dollar amounts, grant subcontracts, honorariums or preferred vendors not in iBuyNU.
Payment Requests (PRQs) include Direct Payment Requests (DPR) (requests for payments not requiring a PO such subscription renewals, membership dues, conference fees), Contracted Services Forms (CSF) (payment to individuals for services) and Visitors Expense Reports (VER) (reimbursements of approved expenses incurred by University guests).
The University establishes the tax status of foreign entities through the W-8BEN they submit. Transactions may trigger tax withholding or may be exempt from tax.
Paying individuals (e.g., visitors, research subjects, independent contractors) who are set up as suppliers within NUFinancials for payment through the normal Payment Request or Purchase Order processes, electronically via Zelle or ACH.
The conversion and administration of U.S. vendors receiving electronic payments as the default method of payment in the vendor table is managed from Northwestern University through ePayables (Credit Card) or Paymode X (ACH direct deposit).
Reimbursement methods and allowances for authorized business expenses such as meals, lodging and incidental expenses (M&IE) (ie: taxis, mailing costs, tips) for Domestic (continental US) and Foreign (non-US) travel.
Entering Per Diem on an NUFinancials Expense Report in Knowledge Base
Organizing air travel through the United Airlines Partnership and Airline Flex policies for cancellations.
Guidelines for properly ordering, accepting and paying for goods and services. Northwestern University's standard payment terms are Net 30.
Northwestern Print is a comprehensive print management program provided by Ricoh for multi-functional devices (MFD) to implement a Managed Print Service (MPS), managing the hardware multi-functional devices and Single-functional devices (SFDs) as well as the software, repairs, maintenance, installation and consumables (excludes paper).
Running Open Encumbrance Report – why certain lines may appear (if a PO is issued with no invoice or if items ordered through iBuyNU or non-catalog are unavailable) – and Match Exception Reports – and why certain lines may appear (if invoice is not within tolerances or for open receipts for non-catalog orders) – and submitting through NUFinancials.
Access and file a Purchasing Decision Documentation form for purchases $25,000 or more for sponsored funds for purchases of $10,000 or more. Based on this form, you will be issued a Bid Summary or Sole Source Justification Form.
Departments and schools should adjust their internal business processes to be appropriately aligned with the functionality of NUFinancials. Departments and schools should make sure they assign the right roles to staff for use of purchasing tools like iBuyNU and NUFinancials, including Requester, Shopper and Approver.
Role Trainingon myHR Learn
Guidance for when the actual amount due after completion of the project differs from the original quote that the Purchase Order was based on, including lengthy service projects and projects requiring a deposit and second payment.
University record retention guidelines states departments and schools must maintain copies of all documentation related to purchases. Transactions processed in the financial system are archived centrally as the official University record and maintained for 8 years.
Returning shipped merchandise through contacting the seller and arranging for return shipment.
Shipping, delivering and receiving goods and packages on Evanston and Chicago campuses, UPS shipping instructions.
Shipping terms, customs and purchase orders.
Authorized signatures range from departments and schools to the Office of General Counsel, President, Provost and Senior Vice President, and depend on the contract or agreement in question. DocuSign is Northwestern's digital signature solution.
DocuSign basics in Knowledge Base
How and when to consider a Sole Source purchase, such as a uniquely qualified firm, grant or contract requirements to use a vendor or re-orders based on previous bids. If applicable, this form will become available once you have filed a Purchasing Decision Documentation form.
Travel and entertainment spending limit guidelines and documentation requirements.
Vendors submit invoices via email or via iBuyNU depending on invoice and vendor type, such as sponsored subcontract invoices, preferred vendors or payment requests.
The Supplier Contracts Module (SCM) in NUFinancials serves as a central repository for purchasing related contracts created on behalf of Northwestern University, allowing individuals with assigned roles to author new contracts, submit for internal and external collaboration and/or route for signature.
Supplier Contract Management in NUFinancials
Community bulletin board to buy and trade used equipment.
The University is exempt from Sales Tax, Use Tax, Retailer's Occupation Tax, Service Occupation Tax (both state and local) and Service Use Tax in the State of Illinois.
The University has exclusive rights to its name, logos, trademarks, songs, mottos, and mascots and prohibits their unauthorized use. License manufacturers and approved local retailers may carry University-licensed merchandise and internal groups can apply for use.
Northwestern community members eligible for using the Travel Program, such as faculty, staff, paid graduate students and post docs, and for what purposes the program can and cannot be used (ie: not for personal use).
General travel-related policies, expense reimbursement (actual expenses, per diem guidance, policy exception request, Ninety-Day Rule, currency conversion), flights, lodging (hotel rates references, nonconventional lodging), meals, vehicles (private automobile transportation and Business Travel Accident Insurance), travel advances and international communications.
Procurement standards intend to increase reuse of existing equipment and supplies, increase competition when purchasing equipment and supplies and to minimize sole sources.
Vehicle rentals for business use, commercial use and daily/short-term use; fleet vehicle rentals for student groups; and rental insurance information.
Locate vending machines, receive a refund, learn how to add cash to your Wildcard, or request vending machine maintenance.
Vendors doing business with the University follow a code of conduct, when and how quotes and invoices are sent, purchase order guidelines, behavioral standards, general reliability, timely communications and the use of Northwestern designs, logos and marks.
View and modify existing suppliers add new suppliers in NU Financials, and get guidance to important forms like the OnBase Worker Classification Form, W9 and W8 and to access supplier codes.
PPS maintains an internal database of registered vendors for the purposes of Competitive Bid invitations, but does not have a central repository of vendor information for the use of departments and schools. Vendors can register their information with PPS.
Working with travel agencies like Travel 100 Group and Key Travel, including associated fees, group travel, billing options and benefits of booking through an agency.
