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Purchasing Department

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When is a requisition necessary?
A requisition is necessary when requesting the purchase of goods and services, regardless of the source of funds, unless the purchase is to be made from petty cash (Refer to the Handbook of Operating Procedures, Section 6.4.3), or from a voucher for services totaling $5,000 or less, in those categories identified in the Handbook of Operating Procedures, Section 6.7.5.


2. How long should departments expect the Purchasing Department to take in processing orders from requisitions received in PeopleSoft?
The amount of time for order processing varies according to the various procurement methods and based upon the total amount of the requisition. See table below for estimated processing time. Note: If your requisition requires the Purchasing Department to add a new vendor to the vendor file, the processing time stated may be extended up to 10 days. The extended time period is based on the vendor's ability to respond quickly to the Purchasing Department's request.

Total Amount of Purchase Order
Solicitation Process
Estimated Processing Time
by Purchasing Department*
$0.00 - $5,000.00 Non-Competitive 5-7 Business Days
Repairs less than $5,000.00.
(With or without parts included)		 Process as a LOCAL VOUCHER through the Accounting Department. If vendor requires a Purchase Order number, contact the Purchasing Department's front desk, 562-6200, to obtain a "Reserved purchase order number."
$5,000.01 - $25,000.00
 3 Request for Quotes from the CMBL:
1 quote each from a minority-owned business and a woman-owned business		 7-10 Business Days
$25,000.01 and above 3 Request for Bids from the CMBL:
1 quote each from a minority-owned business and a woman-owned business		 Within 25 Calendar Days, depending upon the complexity of the bid specifications.

* Processing time is estimated based on receipt of the "Approved" PeopleSoft requisition in the Purchasing Department and may vary based on complexity of specifications.


3. How do departments request an order change after the requisition has been submitted to the Purchasing Department via PeopleSoft?
An authorized department approver for PeopleSoft requisitions should submit a request to the designated buyer for the desired change(s) via e-mail. If cancelling a requisition, please call the Purchasing Department directly at 562-6200 or email PurchAdmin@uthscsa.edu, to expedite the cancellation.


4. Who should be contacted for problems with orders after the items have been received?
For assistance with order problems after receipt of the items, the Central Receiving Department should be contacted at extension 7-6075 or 7-6019.


5. Does the Health Science Center have a contract for providing temporary employment services?
Yes. For specific details and procedures related to our temporary employment services contracts, please reference Business Affairs Bulletin #03-FY2008.


6. I was told the vendor I selected was on "Credit Hold." What does this mean?
When a vendor is on "Credit Hold" with the State of Texas, we are mandated by the State to withhold all payments and to cease any procurement related ventures with the company. The vendor may be on hold for various reasons that may include:

  • Failure to pay State sales or franchise tax
  • Delinquent in child support payments
  • Non-payment of fees
  • Default or Non-payment of TGSLC Student Loan


7. Why can't I add more quantities to an existing purchase order?
Once the Purchase Order has been placed, it becomes a legal contract between the vendor and the University. The Purchase Order contains the negotiated pricing by the buyer on the quantity stated on the original requisition. In addition, requisitions are routed to the Department Administrator and Project Manager with valid Budget Check for approval prior to being received by the Purchasing Department. An increase to the requisition after the approval has taken place would bypass the department approval process which has been put into place for Budget Management.
If more quantities are needed, a new requisition must be submitted.


8. When would I use the Urgent check box on the PeopleSoft requisition?
The Urgent check box is used to alert the Purchasing Department to give the requisition priority shipping/handling. If a product needs to be ordered with same day or next day delivery, the requisition should be marked "Urgent." Marking the requisition "Urgent," authorizes the buyer to use the quickest form of delivery to get the product delivered by the Due date specified. *Please be aware that when using the Urgent check box, additional delivery charges may run between $50.00 - $200.00.


9. How do I make an inquiry about a purchase order in PeopleSoft when I don't have the requisition number?
You can make an inquiry about your purchase order via the "Procure To Pay" panel found under the Financial tab on the UTHSCSA Portal, where you can use the purchase order number or the requisition number.


10. How do I check to see if my requisition has been approved by the department Administrator and Project Manager?
(Reference: PeopleSoft Web Requisition Manual)
After completing entry of a requisition, you may check the status by using the "Requisition Signature Inquiry" in PeopleSoft.


11. Can I split one requisition to include two Project Grant IDs?
The People Soft Web requisition and purchase order do not allow for multiple Project Grant IDs. Thus, a separate requisition will need to be submitted for each Project Grant ID.


12. How detailed should the item description be?
Item descriptions need to include:


 Complete Sample: Incomplete Sample:
Item Description 15 ml Conical Centrifuge Tubes Sterile 15 ml Tubes
Catalog Number 21008-678 21008-678
Units of Measure 500/case
Brand Name Corning

13. What is an Emergency Purchase Request?
(Reference - HOP Section 6.7.3)
An emergency purchase allows for the expeditious purchase of supplies or equipment needed immediately to prevent financial loss or operational damage to the University. Prior approval by the Senior Director of Supply Chain Management or the Assistant Director of Purchasing is required for this type of purchase.


14. What types of purchases go on a voucher?
(Reference - HOP Section 6.7.5 for entire list)

  • Classified advertising
  • Consultants (Art. 6252-11c, V.T.C.S.) $5,000 or less
  • Employee moving expenses
  • Meals
  • Medical prescriptions
  • Membership fees and dues
  • Notary fees
  • Postage and box rent
  • Professional dues
  • Professional services and fees (Art. 664-4, V.T.C.S.)
  • Refunds
  • Registration fees and associated books/materials
  • Repairs less than $5,000.00
  • Textbooks for public free schools
  • Tuition under the Employees Training Act of 1969

15. What is a blanket order and how do I use it?
Reference - HOP Section 6.7.3)
Blanket and standing orders are issued for commodities which are used frequently by a department. The department should estimate the quantity of the items desired, determine the effective dates of the order and proposed delivery schedule, and place this information on a PeopleSoft Requisition. Please call the Purchasing Department for assistance with the set up of this type of order.


16. What is a Sole Source/Sole Brand purchase?
(Reference - HOP Section 6.7.3; and PeopleSoft Web Requisition Manual)
Only sole source purchases are made for requests which contain specifications or conditions proprietary to one vendor, thereby eliminating the possibility of obtaining competitive bids. Only sole brand purchases are made for requests which contain specifications or conditions unique to a specific brand, thereby eliminating the possibility of competitive bids for other than the specified brand.
An electronic Sole Source or Sole Brand Justification needs to be submitted with the PeopleSoft Requisition for this type of purchase to be considered for review and approval by the Senior Director of Supply Chain Management. The PeopleSoft Sole Source/Sole Brand Justification form can be found in the Memo Button in the "Edits and Comments" panel.


17. What is an improper purchase and how will it be paid? Does this mean I can't place my own orders?
(Reference - HOP Section 6.7.3)
No individual has the authority to enter into purchase contracts or in any way obligate the funds of the Health Science Center unless specifically authorized by the Senior Director of Supply Chain Management, the Health Science Center's President, the Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, or by the Board of Regents. The Health Science Center cannot assume liability for payment of purchases made in any manner other than those outlined in its policies.


18. Why is selecting the correct CATID on the PeopleSoft requisition so important?
It is important to choose the correct CATID at the time of keying the requisition so that each transaction will be classified correctly on your data warehouse reports. The CATID you choose determines the account number, and it is the account number which appears on data warehouse reports to denote the classification of expenditure. Example: You don't want office supplies appearing on your financial reports as professional services or fees expenditures.


19. I requested my purchase order to be cancelled. Why isn't my funding back in my budget yet? What is the process and how long does it take?
The reversal of pre-encumbrances and encumbrances depends on where your order is in the process:

  • Your requisition has not been sourced to a purchase order yet, or it has already been sourced to a purchase order, but the PO has not been budget checked.

    In this case, no encumbrance will exist yet. What remains is a requisition pre-encumbrance. If a PO has been created, the PO is deleted and the requisition is cancelled. A process known as REQRCON (requisition reconciliation) runs every Friday at 6 AM, which marks the requisition for closure. Later that evening, two additional processes--budget checking and posting--run. When budget checking runs, it reverses the requisition pre-encumbrance for budget purposes, freeing up those dollars in the Budget Ledger so they can be used for other purchases. When posting runs, the requisition pre-encumbrance is reversed from the Actuals Ledger, which is the basis for the Data Warehouse reports.

  • Your requisition has been sourced to a purchase order, and the PO has been budget checked and posted, but there have been no receipts or vouchers against the purchase order.

    Once a PO is budget checked, the requisition pre-encumbrance is reversed and a PO encumbrance is created. To reverse the PO encumbrance, the purchase order must be cancelled. This initiates a process known as PORECON (purchase order reconciliation), which marks the purchase order for closure. That evening, the budget checking and posting processes run. When budget checking runs, it reverses the PO encumbrance for budget purposes, freeing up those dollars in the Budget Ledger so they can be used for other purchases. When posting runs, the PO encumbrance is reversed from the Actuals Ledger, which is the basis for the Data Warehouse reports. Following a PO cancellation, the requisition is also cancelled. If the requisition pre-encumbrance for any line exceeds the amount encumbered by the PO, the excess pre-encumbrance is reversed when REQRCON (described above) runs and marks the requisition for closure.