The Chancellor has delegated the authority to purchase on behalf of UC Berkeley to the Chief Procurement Officer (materials, goods and services) and the Campus Librarian (library collections).
Low Value Purchase Authorization
The Low Value Purchase Authorization (LVPA) is a delegation of purchasing authority from the Chief Procurement Officer to all campus departments and organized research units (ORUs). Individuals who have been given departmental authorization through the BFS Security Office within the Controller’s Office or the Procurement Card Program Office within Business Services may exercise the purchasing authority on behalf of the department for purchases of unrestricted goods and services below $10,000 using UC Standard Terms and Conditions of Purchase.
Department personnel executing the LVPA are purchasing agents representing the University and the Regents. They must maintain and practice the highest standards of business ethics, observe applicable laws and policies, and avoid any conflict of interest.
The Office of Record responsibilities are split between the campus departments and Accounts Payable. Accounts Payable is the Office of Record for the invoice only. The departments are responsible for all authorizing and receiving documentation.
Further information on how to make purchases and the related policies and business processes can be found on the Procurement Services web site.
The UCOP Information Technology Accessibility Policy requires that we incorporate IT accessibility into the procurement process, including establishment of a formal means for evaluating the accessibility of products or systems under consideration for procurement. If you are uncertain if your IT related purchase is accessible, please contact the Webaccess unit in IST, and/or DAC. There is a required exemption process, too, that exists to ensure the development, documentation, and communication of effective alternate forms of access where needed and appropriate.
BearBuy
The BearBuy Requisition Creator and Requisition Approver is responsible for determining that the transaction is:
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properly approved;
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reasonable, appropriate, and allowable given the funding source;
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compliant with laws, regulations and policies;
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coded to the correct chartstring;
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adequately documented; and
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processed timely.
In addition, the BearBuy Requisition Approver is responsible for ensuring that funding is available to cover the expenditure.
The Chief Procurement Officer may withdraw the delegation of the LVPA if a department is found to be in violation of the LVPA guidelines.
Procurement Cards (bluCard and Event Planner Cards)
The bluCard/Event Planner Card is a delegation of LVPA to designated individuals (Cardholders) within a department, upon the approval of a department's Authorized Signer and the Berkeley Card Program. This delegation may be withdrawn if the authorized individual or department does not follow the Card Program and UC policies on Purchasing, Travel, Entertainment, Conflict of Interest and related purchasing guidelines and processes.
The department is the Office of Record for all procurement card purchases and as such is responsible for maintaining all required documentation. The department is also responsible for monitoring and reviewing all procurement card activity and ensuring that LVPA guidelines and restrictions are observed for all transactions. For more information, see the Program Management page on the Card Program site.