When receiving shipments of goods, it is customary for the consignee (the University department) to inspect the goods for damage before signing for receipt of those goods. Open the package and inspect the actual merchandise if time allows. Before signing, always examine the outer appearance of the package to see if shipping damage is evident. If the damage is evident, note the damage on the bill of lading that the carrier asks you to sign. Depending on the shipping terms of the transaction, the consignee may refuse the shipment and have it returned to the point of origin. If the goods cannot be refused, document your damage and call the company that sold you the product. In most cases, you only have 10 days to report hidden damages to your merchandise. Please refer to the returned goods information page for a checklist and more information on returning goods. 

Iowa State University (ISU), as a state educational institution, is exempt from paying state sales tax or local option sales tax on goods or services purchased in the state of Iowa. To see other states where we may be tax exempt, please refer to the Sales Tax Information Page. 

Equipment is defined as any movable property which has a useful life of one year or more, has a unit acquisition cost of at least $5,000, is identifiable, and is not a replacement part. Please refer to the University Policy Library for more information. 

To determine if assistance is needed from the Facilities Planning and Management department (FP&M) on an equipment purchase, refer to the Purchasing Equipment page.

Logistics and Support Services can help with the receiving of large goods for departments, moving them into buildings, or palletizing and preparing large goods for pick-up. Contact Central Receiving for help and information. 

When placing an order to be delivered to the Central Receiving Facility, use the following address:

Central Rec Fac
2105 East Lincoln Way
Ames, IA 50010

(in the ship-to field in Workday search for “Central” to find this address)

Non-Catalog Requisitions are created for any items that are not available through cyBUY or Iowa State University Internal Stores and cannot be purchased using a P-Card/T&H Card.

Any employee may enter a Non-Catalog Requisition in Workday (Knowledge Base Article) or submit a request to Finance Service Delivery.

For more information, visit the Requisitioning page.

cyBUY is Iowa State University's e-Procurement program. This program has been designed to allow for the procurement of supplies and equipment from contracted suppliers in a streamlined online marketplace available through Workday. Higher limits, less paperwork, and faster receipt of orders are just a few of the benefits.

A one-time, annual, or multi-year Supplier Contract is created and issued by Procurement Services for the purchasing of goods and services for a specified period of time.

Using an annual or multi-year Supplier Contract allows Procurement Services to competitively bid prices or negotiate pricing for goods and services that are ordered repetitively (such as laboratory supplies, equipment maintenance,  software, professional services, chemicals, petroleum products, and other items).

For more information, visit the Contracts page.

Please refer to the Competitive Selection page. 

When purchasing equipment it is important to review the specifications of the equipment to determine if assistance is needed from the Facilities Planning and Management department for installing the equipment. For more information, visit the Purchasing Equipment.