Purchasing

Procuring goods and services from vendors is often an important part of executing a sponsored project. Purchased items, goods, or professional services are initiated via a Check Request, Purchase Requisition or through the Commercial (P-Card) Program. 

If your award involves purchases of goods or services (including equipment) contact your department immediately upon receiving your award to plan for and initiate these purchases. All allowable grant purchases should be paid from the award.

See the NIU Procurement Procedures Summary (PDF) to determine the appropriate purchasing method for your specific circumstances.

Commercial Card (P- Card) and Grants

Principal Investigators may submit a request to allocate P-Card purchases directly to their grant award.  All university purchasing policies and procedures need to be followed and Investigators are responsible for ensuring that the purchase is allowed per the terms and conditions of the award.

Contact your Grants and Contracts Associate in advance of your purchase to confirm allowability.

Need to add a P-Card to your grant? Complete and Submit this Request (PDF) to your Grants and Contracts Associate.

When appropriate, SPA encourages the use of advance accounts to initiate purchases (especially those with potentially long lead times) to manage unavoidable delays with receiving a sponsored award.

Additional Reminders:

• Plan purchases to ensure that items are available when needed to facilitate the project’s work and objectives.
• Items purchased at the end of an award will receive extra scrutiny, as their benefit to an award’s objectives may not be obvious.

All items charged to an award must be received at NIU before the end of the award period. Otherwise, allowable items that cannot be received by the end of the award will be unallowable. See End of Award Expenditures for more information.