The Procurement Specialists team is dedicated to assisting the University system with the purchase of goods, equipment, and services. When you're looking to buy items or services, make sure to start with BuyWays, the online system designed for these purchases. Even if you have been submitting orders for years, it can be beneficial to review the Requisition to Purchase Order process at this time of year.
Please note the following important deadlines for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25):
- Invoices should be submitted by Saturday, June 21st.
- Campus approvers must approve the invoices by Wednesday, June 25th.
Additionally, all Purchase Orders (PO) created prior to July 1, 2023, are subject to closure to clear old encumbrances and commodity codes from the system. In addition to these helpful reminders, the Procurement Specialists team has compiled extra tips to assist you during the fiscal year-end.
Review PO Policy
Please remember that, according to policy, a Purchase Order (PO) must be created before any goods or services are purchased. If a PO is not in place, we cannot pay your vendor.
Plan Ahead
Utilize the MHEC Quote Desk to source suppliers for large events. This can help minimize the need for separate contract negotiations. Please do not wait until just a few days before a big event to submit your requisition.
Check Your Quotes
Before submission, ensure that your quote is still valid, as delays in processing can occur if the quote has expired. Larger purchases go through more review steps, meaning a quote obtained 30+ days ago may no longer be valid by the time it reaches UPST. It’s incredibly important to remember NOT to SIGN a quote as this could be seen as a form of agreement and would not follow the proper workflow for procurement.
Check if You Have Open POs
Did you know you can use the BuyWays query tool to check for open POs under your name or your department? Please review all open POs before June 21st to ensure PO closure can be completed prior to PO rollover.In addition, if you have a list of POs that need to be closed, you can send an Excel document to upst@umassp.edu for updates.
Have a Toshiba Purchase Order?
If you have a Toshiba Purchase Order, please note that all Toshiba POs must have sufficient funding to cover at least three months into FY26. This is necessary to ensure that invoicing can continue without the risk of PO closure. All Toshiba PO owners will receive a separate communication, which will include best practice tips for year-end processing to help ensure that Toshiba POs successfully carry over into FY26.