Purchasing

To order goods and services with values less than $5,000
Fill out the PAC order form with complete information
PI signature is required

To order goods and services with values in excess of $5,000
This order requires special handling due to its value.  A justification from the PI is needed
Fill out the PAC order form with complete information

Vendors
UCLA has vendor agreements in place for the purchase of goods and services. When ordering, please consider UCLA preferred vendors first.

PCard
Charges not allowed on PCard:

  • Airfare, Registrations, Hotel, Car rental, restaurants (Anything to do with Travel or entertainment) Must be charged on a GE travel card or Express, see: www.travel.ucla.edu
  • Conferences, registration fees. (Express or GE travel Card)
  • Food / Alcoholic Beverages.
  • Personal Purchases.
  • Cash or cash like transactions.
  • Fuel.
  • Gifts, Flowers, Sympathy gifts.
  • Services in general. Professional Services, Contracted Services, Telemarketing, etc.
  • Recurring Charges.
  • Procurement Card is NOT to be used for service awards and/or retirement gifts awarded under G-41 and G-42.
  • UCLA Policy 740 (Items not to be purchased with University controlled funds)

Entertainment Policy
Notes regarding the Entertainment Policy:

  • All travel reimbursements are processed through Travel Express.
  • Receipts are still the most important items for any travel reimbursements. Receipts will be scanned for image attachment. We will keep the originals on file in the department.
  • The new travel express system “package deals” i.e., airfare & hotel purchased from Expedia or some other site, will be rejected if there isn’t an itemized bill from the hotel. Package deals within the current system are being approved. However, with the new system, they will automatically be rejected.

If you have any questions or concerns about a travel reimbursement, please talk with your support person before you travel.

Business Travel & Entertainment

Use of employee’s personal funds and reimbursements for procurement of goods or services is discouraged.  Not all purchase of items are reimbursable, so please consult with one of our fund managers before incurring a personal expense.

For Travel Reimbursement and Entertainment Reimbursement, please turn in the following:

  • Please fill out all sections of the form applicable to your trip/business function
  • Verify the account number (FAU)
  • Signature (digital or handwritten) must be included on the form
  • Receipts must be attached

General Travel Information

  • Travelers are required to use the most economical mode of transportation.
  • UCLA has negotiated preferred rates with various airlines and international carriers. Rates are extended only to UCLA business travelers and must be booked through the UCLA Travel center via phone, reservation request form, or email:  UCLA Travel center (310) 206-2639, travel@finance.ucla.edu.
  • Claims must be submitted no more than 30 days after the end of a trip. If claims are submitted after 30 days, a justification memo must be submitted explaining the late submission.
  • Reimbursements submitted after 6 months also need a business justification memo and will be reported to payroll and imputed s employee income.
  • Privately-owned vehicles are allowed to be used for official university business. Travelers may claim mileage for travel actually incurred, either en route to and from the travel destination or to and from a common carrier terminal (this does not include mileage between home and the University).
  • The standard reimbursement rate per mile is $0.54 in conformance with the IRS.
  • Domestic meals and incidental expenses are reimbursed on an actual basis, subject to a limit for each full day on travel status. Meal reimbursements are not allowed for less than a 24 hour overnight stay travel period.  The daily maximum meal reimbursement limit is $71 per day.
  • The meal and incidental expense cap is not to be treated as a per diem. Receipts are required for auditing purposes.
  • Domestic lodging expenses are reimbursed on the amount actually incurred. Please include an original itemized hotel receipt, not just the credit card receipt.
  • Domestic lodging is not reimbursable if the lodging site is within a 50-mile radius of the traveler’s residence or office.
  • Foreign travel shall be reimbursed in accordance with the Federal Maximum Travel Per Diem allowances for foreign areas published by the Department of State.
  • Alcoholic beverages or tobacco purchases may not be charged to State Funds, or Federal Funds (Contracts or Grants).
  • The maximum rates for entertainment expenses per person are: Breakfast $27, Lunch $47, Dinner $81, Light Refreshment $19.
  • Documentation requirements for entertainment expenses include: list of attendees, relationships of the attendees to the University and purpose of the nature of the event.

Missing Original Receipts
When original receipts are required but cannot be obtained or have been lost and all measures to obtain duplicate have been exhausted, a statement should be provided explaining why such receipts are not being submitted with the expense report.  The statement must include a certification that the amount shown is the amount actually paid and the traveler has not and will not seek reimbursement from any other source.

Receipts are required for the following:

  • Airline expenses
  • Lodging expenses incurred for domestic travel (itemized charges)
  • Rental car expenses (itemized charges)
  • Entertainment expenses (itemized charges)
  • Local transportation costing $74 or more
  • Registration fees
  • Any reimbursement item not specified above costing $75 or more.

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