Chapter 11 – Purchasing
11.1 General 11.2 Authority for Procurement 11.3 Responsibility and Objectives 11.4 Signatory Authority 11.5 Competitive Bidding 11.6 Bid Security 11.7 Release of Bid Information 11.8 Withdrawal of Bids 11.9 Waiver of Bid Requirements 11.10 Purchases Requiring Regent Approval or Special Handling 11.11 Purchase of Insurance 11.12 Delegation of Purchasing Authority 11.13 Master Lease 11.14 Conflict of Interest 11.15 Purchases from University Faculty or Staff 11.16 (Reserved for future use) 11.17 Requisitions 11.18 Requisitions for On-Campus Supplies and Services 11.19 Non-P.O. Vouchers and Procurement Cards 11.20 Procurement Card 11.21 Purchase Order Voucher and Invoice 11.22 Items That May Not Be Purchased 11.23 Technology Allowance Policy 11.24 Guidelines for Accounting for Equipment That Is On Trial, Loan, Demonstration, or Evaluation from a Vendor and Not Owned By the University 11.25 Food, Beverage, Flowers, Gifts, and Similar Incidental Expenses
11.1 General
The policies in this chapter apply to the purchase of goods and services from all sources of funds administered by the university.
11.2 Authority for Procurement
The Purchasing Department administers the procurement of goods and services for all university departments by the authority delegated through the President by the Board of Regents, State of Iowa. The Chief Procurement Officer is vested with authority to obligate the university, while ensuring adherence to the statutes and administrative rules of the State of Iowa and to the policies and procedures of the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, and the university.
11.3 Responsibility and Objectives
The function of the Purchasing Office is the organization and administration of centralized purchasing services for all departments of the university. In providing these services and in accordance with sound business practices, the office seeks to realize for the university the maximum value for every dollar expended.
To achieve this goal, the Purchasing Office has been charged by the President of the university and the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, with responsibility for the following:
- Securing competitive bids to obtain maximum value from the expenditures of university funds.
- Maintaining liaison with the vendors that provide goods and services to the university.
- Coordinating the procurement of goods and services for the academic, administrative, and research departments of the university.
- Developing sources of supply to assure that the university departments have an adequate number of vendors from which to obtain supplies, equipment, and services.
- The Purchasing Department follows the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP), the professional association serving the purchasing/materials management professionals who support higher education and not-for-profit health care organizations.
11.4 Signatory Authority
The President has delegated contracting authority to the Chief Procurement Officer for purchase orders and purchase contracts. Purchasing commitments made by employees who do not have contracting authority are voidable. (See V-6.1 Contracting Authority.)
11.5 Competitive Bidding
- General. Competition within a free marketplace provides the best value for the consumer. By encouraging competition among viable vendors, the university strives to obtain goods and services at the best possible cost and quality. Negotiations for purchases, including requests for quotations of prices, must be accomplished through the Purchasing Department.
Purchases less than or equal to $25,000 may be delegated to individual department purchasers. Purchase of goods and services between $25,001 and $50,000 may be purchased through an informal competitive bid with an adequate number of vendors. Federally funded purchases must follow the Uniform Guidance policy. The Board of Regents, State of Iowa, requires competitive bidding for the purchase of all university goods and services greater than $50,000 in value.
Certain purchases involve terms or conditions that require legal or risk managerment review. Contracts involving such terms or conditions are forwarded by the Purchasing Department to the Director of Risk Management and/or to the General Counsel's Office for review, as appropriate.
The three most effective formal methods of competitive bidding are the Request for Quotation (RFQ), the Request for Proposal (RFP), and the Request for Qualificatons (RQFL). These methods provide:- Increased savings;
- Exact communication of wants and needs;
- Equal and fair access to all qualified vendors;
- Compliance with university, Regent, state, and federal acquisition regulations and laws;
- Improved information provided by vendors;
- Objective evaluation for awards;
- Services of an experienced purchasing professional; and
- An established contract under which the vendor is legally obligated to perform.
- Request for Quotation (RFQ). The Request for Quotation is used for acquisitions based on lowest cost that meets specifications. The university issues formal RFQs for all goods and services greater than $50,000 in value unless a sole-source justification is received and approved. (See V-11.9 Waiver of Bid Requirements.)
The Purchasing Agent routinely obtains several quotes, seeking the best price available. Purchasing Agents, in concert with the end users, develop specifications and send the RFQs to potential vendors. Vendors may then reply with a bid showing exact price, shipping costs, delivery schedule, payment terms, and other particulars of the items sought.
Purchasing makes the award to the vendor who submits the lowest priced offer whose goods meet the specifications stated in the RFQ. - Request for Proposal (RFP). The Request for Proposal (RFP) is used for acquisitions based on other significant factors in addition to price. Examples include capabilities, past performance, support, service, warranty and maintenance.
- Request for Qualifications (RFQL). The Request for Qualifications process is used primarily for selecting professional services. This process enables the evaluation committee to select the awarded vendor based on the professional's unique skill set, experience, and expertise that are most critical to the success of the project or services requested.
- Negotiations. The use of negotiated, noncompetitive, and sole-source purchasing procedures must be approved by the Purchasing Department.With appropriate institutional review, both competitive negotiation and noncompetitive negotiation processes may replace written competitive bidding when the purchase is anticipated to exceed $50,000.
11.6 Bid Security
Bid security shall be used in cases where the purchasing agent determines there is a need to protect the interest of the university. The need for bid security may, in part, be determined by the size of the proposed purchase, the item or items being bid, the competitive conditions surrounding the purchase, and the history of such purchases including general reliability of vendors being requested to bid a particular purchase.
Bids requiring security shall be accompanied by and secured only by a cash deposit, cashier's check, certified check, or a bid bond in an amount of 5 percent of the bid. Bids accompanied and secured by any other form of bid security shall automatically be disqualified.
Certified checks and cashier's checks shall be made payable to the University of Iowa. Bid security shall be agreed upon as the measure of liquidated damages which owner will sustain by failure, neglect, or refusal of bidder to honor their offer and accept an award in accord with the contract documents.
Bid security, if in the form of a cash deposit, cashier's check, or certified check, will be returned within 48 hours after the contract has been executed.
11.7 Release of Bid Information
The names of the bidders and the amounts bid shall be supplied to any person upon request after the evaluation of the bids is completed and the award is made. Information will not be released in situations in which the release would provide a competitive advantage to any of the bidders.
11.8 Withdrawal of Bids
Bids may be withdrawn prior to the time set for receipt of bids. Bids may not be withdrawn after that time, except as noted herein, without penalty. (For capital projects, see the Board of Regents Policy Manual 2.3.) Only in the event of an obvious and documented error where it would be a manifest injustice to require the vendor to perform, can a vendor withdraw a bid after the time set for receipt of bids. Such withdrawal of bids can be done only upon the recommendation of the institution under procedures approved by the executive director (BRPM 2.2.6v).
11.9 Waiver of Bid Requirements
The Purchasing Department has sole discretion to waive competitive bidding requirements in certain situations, including but not limited to:
- Immediate need. It can be demonstrated without question that the requiring department could not have foreseen the required purchase in sufficient time for normal purchasing procedures to be used.
- Emergency need. Life will be endangered, property will be destroyed, or considerable cost will be incurred because of events beyond the control of the department if the procurement is not completed without delay. An emergency includes but is not limited to one of these conditions:
- In which an immediate or emergency need exists for the item or service because of events and circumstances not reasonably foreseeable.
- Critical to sustaining patient care or human life, maintaining critical equipment or services, or similar.
- In which there is a need to protect the health, safety, or welfare of persons occupying or visiting a public property.
- In which the university must act to preserve critical services or programs.
- Purchases that are considered time sensitive and would result in increased costs due to delay or the inability to continue to provide necessary services to patients, students, public, etc.
- The university will submit a quarterly summary of emergency purchases over $50,000 to the Executive Director, Board of Regents, State of Iowa.
- Sole source. There is only one person or vendor that can provide the requirement. No other known person or firm is available with an equivalent service or supply. Departments must complete a sole source justification form (see https://uiowa.edu/eforms/) and receive approval from Purchasing prior to commencing the purchase process.
In order to justify a sole-source purchase, one or more the following criteria must be substantiated in support of the justification:- Compatibility with existing equipment. This justification may be used if the goods or services are being purchased to directly interface with or attach to equipment of the same manufacturer, and no other manufacturer's goods will correctly interface with existing equipment.
- Compatibility for instructional purposes. This justification may be used if the goods are being purchased to supplement existing equipment in a classroom. The goods must match the existing equipment and is being purchased to provide uniformity for instructional purposes.
- Compatibility for research. This justification may be used if the main purpose for acquiring equipment or supplies is to replicate specific experiments, using the exact goods that produced the original results. You may also use this justification if you are collaborating with another researcher and can show that identical goods are required to fulfill your part of the research grant or contract.
- Compatibility for medical services. This justification may be used if the main purpose of acquiring medical equipment or supplies is for the specific need of patient(s) at the discretion of the physician.
- Only one supplier can be identified to supply compliant goods or services. In limited cases, only one supplier may exist to provide particular goods or services. When providing a justification based on the availability of one supplier, the goods or services must be defined in generic terms. Specifying patented products or processes, when not necessary to meet functional requirements, is not acceptable as a sole source justification. Justifications can be accepted more readily by providing information regarding attempts to locate other suppliers, such as letters, informal quotations, or telephone contacts.
- Noncompetitive justification. The following may be reasons for using noncompetitive procurement methods:
- Patent rights, copyrights, secret processes, or control of basic raw materials may preclude competition, although they do not in and of themselves always justify using noncompetitive procurement.
- Bids have been solicited and no responsive bid (conforming to the central requirements of the solicitation) has been received.
11.10 Purchases Requiring Regent Approval or Special Handling
- Professional service contracts.
- Professional service agreements are contracts for unique, technical, and/or infrequent functions performed by an independent contractor qualified by education, experience, and/or technical ability to provide services. In most cases these services are of a specific project nature, and are not a continuing, ongoing responsibility of the institution. The services rendered are predominately intellectual in character even though the contractor may not be required to be licensed. Professional service agreements may be with partnerships, firms, or corporations, as well as with individuals.
- Selection of a provider. Professional service agreements for greater than $50,000 must be selected through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Qualifications (RFQL) process unless the service is a sole source purchase that is appropriately documented and approved by the Executive Director, Board of Regents, State of Iowa. The $50,000 threshold is not based on a one-time cost, but rather on a cumulative cost for ongoing services under the terms of the project engagement. Professional service agreements, which are less than $50,000 over the course of service, may be entered into without using the required competitive bidding process. Total payment to a professional services provider for services provided to any one university department may not exceed $50,000 in a fiscal year, unless subject to competitive bidding or review and approval by the institutional purchasing department. Selection of a professional service provider shall be based on a variety of criteria including, but not limited to, demonstrated competence, knowledge, references, and unique qualifications to perform the services, in addition to offering a fair and reasonable price that is consistent with current market conditions. Additional criteria may be used as appropriate to the circumstances.
- Provider accountability. Work requirements should clearly define all performance objectives, work expectations, and project milestones, and hold the contractor accountable for successful completion of the resultant agreement. Requirements may include, but not be limited to, reports, training sessions, assessments, evaluations, or other tangible services.
- Provisions of professional service agreements. The following terms and conditions must be addressed:
- Performance requirements. Performance requirements should be precise and written in such a way that it can easily be determined if and when the contractor has successfully fulfilled their obligations under the agreement. Consequences for noncompliance such as non-payment and/or termination of the contract must also be defined. Scheduled due dates that specify milestone targets must be clearly identified and may include, but not be limited to, regular meetings scheduled to evaluate progress, identification of problem areas to determine actions to be taken to resolve any concerns, dates for formal written reports, required oral progress reports, and contract monitoring requirements.
- Period of performance. The resultant agreement must specify a start date and a completion date. While there may be exceptions, in most circumstances an end date to the agreement will be required. If an end date cannot be determined, a maximum time limit or maximum number of hours must be stated. Agreements with organizations are typically written for a specific term of successive years. In some instances, these agreements are annually renewable. Other provisions of an agreement may include a renewal clause beyond the original term of the agreement. Extended term agreements for individuals are discouraged.
- Compensation and payment. Compensation and payment terms include elements relating to cost and payment, such as maximum cost (i.e., not to exceed cost), cost per deliverable, hourly rates for individuals providing services, number of hours required, allowable expenses and total authorized-for expenses, and payment and invoicing procedures. Compensation and payment terms should also include a statement as to whether the Regent institution will pay expenses incurred by the contractor and, if so, which ones. Such expenses may include, but not be limited to, airfare (economy or coach class), lodging and subsistence necessary during periods of required travel, expenses incurred during travel for telephone, copying and postage, and private vehicle mileage. If other types of expenses are allowed, they must be clearly defined.
- Performance monitoring. The institution shall monitor the compliance with the terms and conditions of the agreement and applicable laws and regulations.
- Provision of liability. The provider may be required to show proof of insurance coverage and Workers' Compensation in compliance with statutory requirements, in the form specified by the institution.
- Other special purchases. For information on the following, see the Board of Regents Policy Manual 2.2.6C.v:
- Moveable and fixed equipment:
- Equipment with a unit cost of less than $1,000,000 will be purchased by the university’s Chief Procurement Officer;
- Equipment with a unit cost greater than $1,000,000 and less than $2,000,000 will be submitted to the Executive Director, Board of Regents, State of Iowa, for approval;
- Equipment costing more than $2,000,000 will be submitted to the Board of Regents COO for approval. At the discretion of the Board of Regents Executive Director, the equipment purchase may be submitted to the Board of Regents for approval.
- The Board of Regents Executive Director will provide a summary of all equipment purchases of $1,000,000 or more to the Board of Regents on a quarterly basis.
- Iowa prison industries;
- Iowa products and labor;
- Targeted small business.
- Moveable and fixed equipment:
(For policy on moving expenses [formerly paragraph b above], see https://hr.uiowa.edu/dept-comp-class/relocation.)
11.11 Purchase of Insurance
Purchase of insurance may only occur via the Department of Risk Management, Insurance, and Loss Prevention.
(See also V-15 Risk Management and Insurance.)
11.12 Delegation of Purchasing Authority
The Chief Procurement Officer, with the approval of the Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations or the University Business Manager, may delegate purchasing authority to employees who have satisfactorily completed training and who have demonstrated competence and prior compliance with purchasing requirements. The degree and nature of such delegation will be specific for each such delegation and will be stated in writing by the Director of Purchasing. A delegation is subject to being rescinded at any time.
11.13 Master Lease
Purchases of equipment that are to be financed on a lease-purchase or similar basis shall be forwarded to the Chief Financial Officer for review and shall contain a summary setting forth the financing cost for comparison with the terms offered for equipment financing under the Regents' master lease agreement.
11.14 Conflict of Interest
It is the policy of the University of Iowa to comply with state and federal law regarding purchases from "conflict of interest vendors" or "employees." A conflict of interest exists when there is a divergence between an employee's personal interests and their professional obligations to the university as an employee. Employees conducting business on behalf of the university have a responsibility to do so in a manner that is objective and ethical. The goal of all such business dealings must be to benefit the university. The university is committed to complying with applicable procurement laws and regulations, including requirements that apply to conflicts of interest, as provided by the following:
- Iowa Code 68B.3 and 68B.4
- Board of Regents Policy Manual 2.1.4F
- Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110
11.15 Purchases from University Faculty or Staff
- Definitions.
- "Employee":
- a paid employee of a Regent institution or the Board of Regents office;
- an employee of another state of Iowa agency (Iowa Department of Transportation, Department of Administrative Services, Department of Human Services, Iowa Department of Personnel, etc.)
- "Conflict of interest vendor":
- any firm of which any of the above referred persons is a partner or sole proprietor;
- any corporation in which any of the above referenced persons holds five percent or more stock either directly or indirectly.
- "Employee":
- General policy.
- A conflict of interest arises when a faculty or staff member is or may be in the position to influence the university's business, research, or other decisions in ways that could lead to any form of personal gain for the faculty or staff member or others closely associated with that university employee.
- Except as part of official state duties, an official, a state employee, a member of the general assembly, or a legislative employee shall not sell, in any one occurrence, any goods or services having a value in excess of two thousand dollars to any state agency unless the sale is made pursuant to an award or contract let after public notice and competitive bidding. Employees with private sector employment who sells a good or service to a state agency in the excess of $2,000 after public notice and bid, is required to file a Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Form within twenty days of making the sale, the total amount of the sale, and the type of goods or services being sold. See Iowa Code 68b.3.
- Vendors must be reviewed and approved by the Chief Procurement Officer when there is a disclosure or indication of a conflict of interest.
- Services of faculty or staff other than those in established businesses providing such services as outside contractors, unless approved in the budget or in advance by the Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations, are approved only after the purchasing department has determined the services are either uniquely exclusive or otherwise beneficial to the university in comparison to other available sources of the required services.
- University faculty or staff members cannot be interested, directly or indirectly, in any contract to furnish material of any kind to or for the university. In addition, participation in direct sales (pyramiding) ventures is considered a direct or indirect interest in a contract and is encompassed by this policy. Based on special approvals, faculty or staff members may be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenditures on presentation of approved vouchers with receipts or other acceptable evidence of actual amounts paid for items purchased for university use.
- Faculty or staff members who would benefit personally from the supplying of goods or services to the university by any prospective supplier may not participate in the decision process leading to the choice of supplier. Specifically, faculty or staff members who have or who reasonably anticipate having either an ownership interest in, a significant executive position in, or a consulting or other remunerative relationship with a prospective supplier may not participate in the recommendation of, drafting specifications for, or the decision to purchase the goods or services involved. Faculty or staff members who know that a member of their family (or any other person with whom they have a personal or financial relationship) has an ownership interest or significant executive position in a prospective supplier are also disqualified from participating in the purchasing of the goods and services. However, faculty or staff members whose sole ownership interest in a potential supplier is held by a fiduciary (such as TIAA-CREF, a blind trust, or a mutual fund) that has the power to acquire or dispose of the interest without consultation with the faculty or staff member are not disqualified from participation in the purchase decision.
When a faculty or staff member is disqualified from participating in a procurement decision, the fact of the disqualification and the reason for it must be reported to others involved in the decision. If necessary, a substitute may take the faculty or staff member's place. - Federal Guidelines In addition to the conflict of interest policy provisions stated above, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110, Procurement Standards, section 42, "Codes of Conduct," imposes additional requirements on federally funded acquisitions concerning conflict of interest situations. It states: "No employee, officer, or agent shall participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract sponsored by federal funds if a real or apparent conflict of interest would be involved. Such a conflict would arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of their immediate family, their partner, or an organization that employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in the firm selected for an award. The officers, employees, and agents of the recipient shall neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from contractors or parties to subagreements."
11.17 Requisitions
Departmental requests for equipment, goods, and services are made on the university purchase requisition form. When preparing a requisition for an outside vendor, sign in to Employee Self Service; under Business & Financial Systems > Financial Systems & Forms, click on E-Pro (Evouchers & PReqs). For step-by-step instructions for completing a requisition, see the online tutorial PReqs Receiving Guide. Complete instructions and procedures for preparation and submission are found in the Purchasing Policy and Procedure Guide.
- Workflow approvals.
- Two individuals must approve all requisitions. The first approval shall be that of the individual requesting/initiating a purchase, and the second approval shall be that of a departmental executive officer, designated subordinate, dean of the college, or other chief administrative officer.
- Requisitions for "advanced" and "expedited" orders, referred to as "confirming orders," enable staff members to make contingency and emergency purchases. Complete procedures are found in the Purchasing Policy and Procedure Guide.
- General policy. Except as indicated below, acquisitions from outside vendors are made by means of purchase orders issued directly by the Purchasing Department under the delegated authority of the Chief Procurement Officer.
- Exception. Procurement card purchases are allowed for low-dollar purchases.
11.18 Requisitions for On-Campus Supplies and Services
Requisitions for supplies or services from campus sources are sent directly to the supplying departments, such as Printing Services, ITS, Medical Electronics, Medical Instrument Shop, Facilities Management, Facilities Management-Maintenance Stores, Chemistry Stores, Pharmacy Service, Photographic Service, Graphics Unit, and Audio Visual Center. All service requisitions initiated through Workflow require two signatures: an initiator and an approver. Contact each service department directly for further information.
11.19 Non-P.O. Vouchers and Procurement Cards
Departments hold responsibility for oversight of non-P.O. vouchers and invoice forms and procurement cards subject to compliance with the requirements of V-11.19 and V-11.20 and competitive bidding principles embodying a duty to secure goods and services of the best quality and price.
11.20 Procurement Card
A procurement card is available to departments to obtain low-cost, non-equipment items. Procurement card limits are established based upon cardholder need. Single transaction limits may be requested up to $5,000 and monthly limits may be requested up to $10,000. Justification is required for monthly limit requests above $10,000. Departments may have as many cards as required to reasonably meet such procurement needs. With this authority, the department assumes the responsibility to comply with all state, Regent, and university policies governing procurement operations. See the Procurement Card Manual for detailed procurement credit card procedures.
11.21 Purchase Order Voucher and Invoice
- General policy. When purchase order invoices are received from vendors, they are audited against the purchase order number they reference. Invoices not referencing a purchase order number may be returned to the vendor or forwarded to the requesting department for this information before they are processed.
Once an invoice is entered and a voucher created, an email is generated to the requestor, stating that a voucher has been created and requires the department's review. Departments must verify receipt of the item, note the receipt date, and maintain the documentation of receipt within the department. In the event of discrepancies, such as overpricing by a vendor for previously bid or quoted items, sales tax, or freight charges billed in error, Accounts Payable will process the invoice noting this "short pay" action and, when necessary, will review with Purchasing and/or the department. Voucher payments are automatically scheduled within the vendor's payment terms — the earliest of the discount due date or scheduled due date. Vouchers for "Capital Equipment" require an electronic receipt to be entered once the items have been received. Once the receipt has been entered, the voucher will be scheduled for payment. - Important approval and return procedures. Procedures are spelled out in the Accounts Payable Policies document. Highlights are listed below:
- Vouchers should be reviewed promptly to ensure that any cash discounts are processed in the prescribed time period.
- Appropriate department review and/or approval are certification that goods received are as ordered, and charges are accepted.
- Errors, damage in transit, or other problems with orders should be reported promptly to the vendor and Purchasing/Accounts Payable. Purchasing/Accounts Payable will work with the vendor, shipper, and the department to verify damage and initiate any actions necessary to rectify the situation.
- Freight and express charges are normally charged to the MFK shown on the purchase order.
11.22 Items That May Not Be Purchased
Effective February 14, 2024, this policy has been revised. For individual changes, see the redlined version.
- Alcoholic Beverages — see V-11.25 below.
- Personal items such as desk pen sets, etc., except where necessary by reason of public use.
- Luxury items — items in which a more elaborate design has no practical advantage over a less elaborate and more economical item.
- Printing-related equipment that unnecessarily duplicates or replaces services provided by university service units. The Printing Department Manager, who shall conduct a need determination and, if necessary, develop equipment specifications on which prospective vendors may base quotations, must approve requests for purchase. Printing-related equipment includes presses, photocopiers, typesetting devices, photomechanical transfer machines, and other graphic arts equipment in use by university service departments, or that performs a service or creates a product already provided on the campus.
- Motor vehicles — all new and used vehicle purchases must be requested through Fleet Services; see V-19.1.a.
- Entertainment — see V-11.25 below.
- Personalized items of printing such as letterheads, note pads, memorandum sheets, etc. However, university business cards may be purchased from the university's Printing Department upon requisition by which the ordering department signifies approval of personalized cards for persons whose duties require them to represent the university in business and professional matters.
- Printing and printing-related work, including photocopying. See VI-21 Printing Department.
- Any food or beverage that contains the product tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
11.23 Technology Allowance Policy
The university will not pay directly nor reimburse faculty or staff for cell phone or internet service fees, with the following exceptions:
- Department-owned contracts for the purpose of rotation among staff, delivery service, or on-call emergency service.
- Extramural support/research subject use—e.g., if a granting agency allows support for cell phone use, a dedicated phone for support of this work may be purchased.
11.24 Guidelines for Accounting for Equipment That Is On Trial, Loan, Demonstration, or Evaluation from a Vendor and Not Owned By the University
See Purchasing Policies and Procedures Guide, Appendix B, "Protocol for Obtaining Equipment on a Trial Basis."
11.25 Food, Beverage, Flowers, Gifts, and Similar Incidental Expenses
Effective February 14, and October 9, 2024, this policy has been revised. For individual changes, see the redlined version.
- Food and beverage expense (paid from any source of funds) and alcohol (if paid from a fiduciary fund [952, 960, 975, 980, 989] or from a gift fund 520) may be approved for reimbursement if the following conditions have been met:
- Justification — a written justification documenting a clear university purpose for incurring the expense. The justification should include an explanation of why food or beverage was required at the meeting if it is not evident by the nature of the event. Examples of university purposes include but are not limited to the following:
- Business meetings,
- Recognition events,
- Recruitment,
- Training,
- Guests performing a service,
- New employee orientation,
- Lectures, symposia, presentations,
- Student orientation and support events, and
- Wellness events..
- Allowable maximum amounts for business meals. Allowance for food and beverage expense is limited to an average of $70 per person for food, an average of $30 per person for alcohol, or an average of $100 per person per meal for food and alcohol combined.
Note: All rates are exclusive of taxes and tips. - Process for exceptions to exceed allowable business meal maximum amounts. Occasionally, the cost of providing meals or refreshments exceeds the maximum allowable meal amounts listed above. In these cases, the request for payment or reimbursement must be approved by the dean, department head, or budget officer, and will be routed by Accounts Payable for approval by the Executive Vice President and Provost, or the Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations, or their designees.
- Business meals while in travel status. When an employee is on travel status and the primary purpose of a meal is to conduct university business with individuals not employed by the university, the names and business affiliations of the participants, as well as the business purpose of the meeting, must be provided. The meal charges are subject to the limitations listed in this policy, and an itemized receipt of the charges must be submitted with the travel reimbursement form. The per diem allowance for the traveler must be reduced by the appropriate meal allowance in lieu of the business meal provided. Travel reimbursement is subject to the guidelines in V-22 Travel Regulations.
- Recognition events. Reimbursement for recognition events is contingent upon the department having an approved "Rewards and Recognition" plan on file in the department.
- No food or beverage that contains the product tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is allowed to be purchased with university funds. See V-11.22 above.
- Justification — a written justification documenting a clear university purpose for incurring the expense. The justification should include an explanation of why food or beverage was required at the meeting if it is not evident by the nature of the event. Examples of university purposes include but are not limited to the following:
- Flowers, gifts, and other similar incidental expenses may be approved for reimbursement from any fund if a clear university purpose for incurring the expense is documented in writing. Examples of university purposes include but are not limited to the following:
- Death, birth, or other significant event in the lives of employees, family members, important dignitaries,
- Recognition events,
- Special events sponsored by a vice president or dean, and
- Special university-wide events.
- Event guiding principles:
- Encourage use of UI services, events, and venues.
- Be inclusive of all team members.
- Ensure minimal risk of physical/mental injuries to the employees.
- Cost should be fiscally responsible and justifiable from a cost.
- Events that focus on education (academic, cultural, etc.) and learning are favorable; activities that spur conversation, reflection, and analysis are encouraged.
- Extreme/considerable risk activities are discouraged. Seek additional guidance from Risk Management as needed.
- Hosts/planners should be aware that the university will likely be responsible for any liability, injury, or damage that occurs during these events; therefore, the events should be structured to not increase liability to the university.
- Requests for payment or reimbursement require two approval signatures. The person coordinating the event should sign. For purchases containing alcohol, one of the following must approve reimbursement: the DEO, business officer of the college or division, or dean or vice president of the employing division. Delegation of signatures for the purchase of alcohol is not permitted.
- Any use of funding from a fund 500 or 510 account for university events or wellness activities would need to be specifically permitted by the sponsor in the contract or would not be allowed. Other university funding sources may be used for wellness activities such as organized activity funds (funds 240-245 and funds 950, 951, 990, 991, 993) and other funds (997).
- For further guidance on interpretation of this policy, please refer to the question and answer document at https://uiowa.edu/ap-purchasing/sites/uiowa.edu.ap-purchasing/files/faqs_food_and_beverage_revised.pdf.