Frequently Asked Questions for Users

Procurement Services can assist your department in:

• Analyzing departmental purchasing needs to maximize your annual cost savings
• Training staff in using the purchase order system
• Providing assistance when developing your departmental purchase requisitions
• Assist in the bid process

Financial Affairs Department can assist your department in:

• Obtaining reimbursement for business-related expenses
• Training staff on the use of the FRS system
• Reviewing budgets with your department
• Providing assistance with various internal contract templates

Vendors already in the system can be searched in FRS by name. In addition, a list of frequently used purchasing categories and a list of negotiated contracts is available.

If you have any questions regarding a specific vendor, or category, please contact our department.

For a number of categories, Procurement Services has negotiated rates with one or more vendors for goods and services

For a current list preferred vendors, click here.

See the following chart which lists different purchasing categories and the available ways to order and pay.

A requisition is to be used for all purchases of goods or services when a check request or University Credit Card is not a suitable purchase method. If you are unsure, see the following chart.

Travel and travel-related expenses (e.g. airfare, accommodations, meals, and car rentals);

Miscellaneous incidents to a maximum of $250 incurred during travel

The time it takes to process your requisition depends on the nature of the items you are purchasing and how long it takes your department to work through the approval process in FRS. Once your department approves the requisition, you may track its status on screen R07. 

Some categories require additional approval due to the nature of the purchase. Examples include: Computer equipment, leasehold improvements, purchases over $2,500 and purchases from grant accounts.

To maximize cost savings and ensure budgetary control on each purchase.  A purchase via PO ensures that taxes are imputed properly for the amount and type of purchase that is being requested.

Yes, the requisition should be set up to mirror the lines on the quote. This allows us to properly process an order if a partial shipment is sent, and the appropriate payments to be made.

If you know the exact or approximate shipping cost please enter it as a line item on the requisition, do not include tax on this line item.

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 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.  If more quantities are needed, a new requisition must be submitted.

The following support documentation is required based on the amount of the purchase:

Where there are no competitive sources available, you must complete a Sole Source Justification form.

Please forward any agreement requiring a signature to Procurement Services for review and include the corresponding requisition number.

Please see the Credit Application page for more information.

Please review the Contract Administration Policy (.pdf), which details who may sign contracts within the University.

Please contact Procurement Services (x2290) and advise our staff.

Contact the vendor via phone or email to inquire about delivery status of the order. If there appears to be a problem with the order, contact Procurement Services with the purchase order number and relevant delivery status.

Purchase orders clearly state that it is vendors' responsibility to send invoices directly to Accounts Payable.  Please advise Accounts Payable if this is an ongoing issue with a vendor and AP will reach out and advise the vendor of the proper way to submit invoicing.

The department should work with Receiving to return the merchandise. It is the department’s responsibility to obtain a Return Material Authorization (RMA) from the vendor. Give the RMA to Receiving along with the repacked merchandise and account number for the return shipping charges. Receiving will return the merchandise.

NOTE: If the item you are returning is large, you may want to coordinate with WFF to schedule a pickup and delivery of the item(s).

Loyola University is exempt from State and Federal taxes.  However, the University is not exempt from the City of New Orleans tax which is 5% on all purchase, repair, lease, or rental of tangible personal property items.

Loyola’s tax exemption documentation may be found here at our tax exemption page.

A business expense is a necessary and reasonable expense for a specified trade or business.

No, the university only reimburses its faculty and staff for business expenses.

University business expenses should be reimbursed through the Concur app or weblink. All items linked to the business expense that have a cost greater than $50, must have a receipt uploaded into Concur. The business purpose of meal expenses must include the names of all attendees (if fewer than 10 guests) and the business conducted during the meal.

You upload the dates of travel into Concur detailing travel origin and destination. 

University reimbursements are uploaded to Concur.  For those items that have a value greater than $50, you must supply a receipt which is uploaded into Concur for reimbursement.

Personal expenses, travel insurance, spousal expenses, in-room movies, airline club fees, hotel fitness club charges, office supplies, etc.  Please contact the Office of Financial Affairs if you have a question regarding an appropriate business expense. More information can be found at /financial-affairs/university-credit-cards.

The university credit card is a travel and entertainment expense card only.  It can only be used for business travel expenses, business entertainment expenses, memberships, and registration for webinars. More information can be found at /financial-affairs/university-credit-cards.

Receipts documenting business travel are due to the Office of Financial Affairs within 10 days of return from the trip. The traveler must submit an approved check request form or travel expense statement detailing the business conducted and original receipts for business expenses exceeding $25.

Petty cash reimbursements are allowable for certain business expenses under $200. These expenses are detailed at /bursar/petty-cash-reimbursements. For more information, contact the Bursar at X2388.

It can be used for reimbursements pertaining to mileage, airfare, hotels, membership dues, per diems, rental car, and conference registrations.

All purchases, repairs, leases, or rentals of tangible personal property items.