Skip to main content

Add a Supplier

Overview

A supplier may be classified as a Supplier, Independent Contractor, Refund for Non-Employees, or Attorney. Each supplier type requires specific information and documentation for a supplier ID to be established in NU Financials. Please note that certain requests may require additional documentation or verification in addition to what is listed below, where appropriate.

Suppliers may be prevented from doing business with NU when evidence of improper conduct exists. This includes, but is not limited to inclusion on Federal “do not use”, suspended, debarred or excluded parties lists, fraud, collusion, attempts to improperly influence a bid, indictment of the bidder/contractor, or previous performance issues. Procurement and Payment Services will ultimately be responsible for final determination/approvals.

Before Collecting Information & Submitting a Request

Collect this Information to Add a Supplier

  • Company or Attorney
    • IRS W-9 and Tax ID (FEIN / SSN)
    • Conflict of Interest Form
    • Name, Address, City, general Phone or Email, State, Zip, Country
    • Fax or Email for Purchase Order
  • Independent Contractor
    • IRS W-9 or and Tax ID (FEIN / SSN)
    • Conflict of Interest Form
    • individual Worker Classification Form
    • Name, Address, City, general Phone or Email, State, Zip, Country
  • Refund
    • Type and Proof of Payment (e.g. Signed Visitor T&E and receipts, etc.),
    • Name, Address, City, general Phone or Email, State, Zip, Country
  • Supplemental Instructions
    • W-9: must be the most recent version of the form, completed and signed (a date within the last 12 months) by the vendor.
    • COI: must be completed and signed by the department at NU, not the vendor.
    • Individual Worker Classification Form must be completed and signed by the department at NU prior to work being done.*
    • Vendor File Management will screen vendors in Visual Compliance for potential debarment.

*NOTE:  Supplier registration requests for payment of honoraria, awards, prizes human research subjects and royalties do not require the Individual Worker Classification form.  For these types of payments the Comments section of the supplier registration request must include a very detailed explanation indicating what was done and the reason for payment.  Explanations such as “honorarium” will be returned for additional detail and will affect processing time.

"Honorarium" is often used incorrectly when processing payments.  An honorarium should be sent to a person in lieu of reimbursing specific expenses.  Consider it like a speaking fee or a consulting payment.

These are some situations that are NOT an honorarium:  teaching a class, paying a contract for a speaking engagement, or giving an honorarium to a company. 

Questions about how to classify a payment?  Contact Human Resources Compensation at hrcompensation@northwestern.edu subject line "Worker Classification." 

Submitting a Request to Add a Supplier

Contact

Vendor File Management
Phone: 847-491-4707

See resources, forms, and other information related to Vendor Management.