Purchasing

• Purchasing
• Department Credit Cards

Whom to Contact

Chad Skemp, Room 1121, cskemp@chem.wisc.edu, 608.262.1481

• For purchases below $5,000

Reba Ames, Room 1121, rames@chem.wisc.edu, 608.262.3780

• For purchases of $5,000 to $49,999

Bob Duessler, Room 1123, duessler@chem.wisc.edu, 608.262.4225

• For monthly billing questions or reports
• Internal billing (inter-department billing)
• Event Purchasing Card use and questions

Paul Benedict, Room 1110, pbenedict@chem.wisc.edu, 608.262.7517

• Invoice issues (with external vendors)
• Payments to individuals (checks as payments or awards)

How do I order items?

If you need to have an order placed, start with our online purchase request system, Aestiva, at purchasing.chem.wisc.edu.

• You will need to have an “@chem.wisc.edu” email address in order to gain access.
• If you have never used the system, but have a chemistry email, send a request to Reba Ames at rames@chem.wisc.edu, or Chad Skemp at cskemp@chem.wisc.edu with the following information:

1. Full name
2. Research group
3. Phone number (so purchasing staff can contact you with questions about your request)
4. Chemistry email address

General Purchasing Guidelines

For purchases under $5,000: We can normally approve and process these requests without needing anything additional from the requestor. There may occasionally be other barriers, such as the intended vendor being prohibited by the university, but this is rare. For questions on purchases in this area, contact Chad Skemp, purchasing specialist, at 608.262.1481.

For purchases from $5,000 to $49,999, we require one of the following:

1. That the vendor and the items being purchased already be on contract with the university. Search vendors currently on contract.
2. Simplified Bid: Three comparative quotes, from which the lowest responsible quote is chosen to make the purchase; or
3. Proper justification to waive the need for the simplified bid/three quotes, submitted on the Non-Competitive Purchase Request Form (.doc).*

*Non-Competitive Waivers over $25,000 require a governor’s waiver, which is very time-consuming and often unnecessary. In these cases, it generally makes most sense to prepare the simplified bid. If three relevant vendors are contacted, but two of the three cannot provide the requested items with required specifications, those two still count as bids.

For questions about these types of purchases, contact Reba Ames at rames@chem.wisc.edu or 608.262.3780.

For purchases of $50,000 or more: Purchasing Services will prepare an Official Sealed Bid or a Request for Proposal (RFP) depending upon the type of items and/or services needed. 

Our main contact for these is Jeff Whitman, jwhitman@bussvc.wisc.edu.

Download a list of Vendors with whom we do not do business (.pdf).

Price Check Resources

Obtain pricing information through UW-Madison Materials Distribution Services (MDS). MDS provides access to several vendors, including Staples, Thermo Fisher, VWR, and Grainger. Please note this is a guide for pricing information only. Orders should be submitted through Aestiva.

To access MDS and view product and price options, go to MDS, then select “Been Here” and login using ID “guest” and password “guest1.”

Department Credit Cards and When to Use Them

Event Purchasing Card
Contact Bob Duessler to use this card

• For catering or other food for an event
• For event venue reservations, such as conference centers
• For event supplies

In-Store Purchasing Card
Contact Chad Skemp to use this card

• DoIT purchases
• In-store purchases such as at grocery stores

Notes

1. All lab and office supplies should be ordered via Aestiva whenever possible
2. E-reimbursement may be used to reimburse purchases placed on personal credit cards
3. Only use the In-Store Card if there is an immediate need for the item
    

To use a department credit card, you must submit the following documentation:

• Business purpose (e.g., conference schedule, to collaborate with [Name] on [Project, etc.])
• Funding (A481500 or other UDDS, a fund such as a 144 or 233 and project such as PRJ1234)
• Copy of the paid receipt