Significant Purchase Request

What is a Significant Purchase Request?

Purchases over $50,000 require a Significant Purchase Request (SPR) be completed and approval by unit leadership and the appropriate senior leader. This includes activities funded by sponsored projects, grants, contracts or gifts.

Requests can only be initiated by a department or unit’s provisioned account manager or some fiscal officers in our supply chain management software.  

Fragmenting or pyramiding purchases to avoid SPR thresholds is prohibited. Units may not submit requisitions without an approved SPR when one is required.

Pre-approval Requirements

Pre-approval requirements are as follows:  

• When the terms of a purchase or contract are equal to or less than ten years in length, and where the total value is: 
  • Between $50,001 and $1,000,000: by unit leadership and the appropriate senior leader. 
  • Greater than $1,000,000: by the President after recommendation by the appropriate senior leader. 
• When the terms are greater than ten years in length: 
  • Any (or no) dollar value: by the President after recommendation by the appropriate senior leader.

Amendments & Funding Restrictions 

An SPR is required for any amendment that exceeds $50,000 or that causes the total purchase order amount to exceed $50,000. 

When calculating total cost, the amount paid on inactivated Purchase Order lines must always be included.

Significant Purchase Request Exceptions

Significant Purchase Requests are not required for the following, as these transactions are already subject to separate executive-level review and approval processes.:

• Real Estate Leases (signed by senior leadership) 
• Transactions where there are agreements executed by currently authorized senior leaders
• Capital Projects 
• Sponsored sub-award funds

Completing, Submitting, Approving, and Documenting a Significant Purchase Request

The above $50,000 requirement includes the total amount of the purchase, including: 

• Tax 
• Shipping and fees 
• Renewals 
• Payment amounts on Inactivated PO lines 
• Amendments

What is needed to complete

Based on the pre-approval requirements above, if an SPR is required, the requesting department’s account manager should initiate the SPR and save it to create a project number in the supply chain management software. The project number will need to be provided on the requisition in the notes and attachments section in UAccess Financials. Do not submit a requisition in UAccess Financials until the SPR has been fully approved. 

An SPR must also contain: 

• A detailed description of the purchase and business purpose. 
• A full breakdown of the purchase, including: 
  • Whether the SPR is for a new purchase or an amendment 
  • Funding source and account(s) 
  • Total purchase cost and, if applicable 
  • Current fiscal year cost and current SPR cost
    • If the purchase is a contract over multiple years, please also provide the current fiscal year cost as well. For example, if you are initiating a contract or agreement that will span $25,000 a year for 3 years, you can submit a SPR for $75,000.  In the Business Purpose and Additional Notes section, please document that the agreement is for multiple years. 

A requesting unit must complete the SPR before submitting a requisition, purchase order amendment, or a contract renewal or action.

How to initiate a Significant Purchase Request

A Significant Purchase Request can only be initiated by your department or unit’s account manager in the supply chain management system.  

To identify your unit or department’s account manager: 

1. Log in to UAccess Financials
2. Select “Chart of Accounts” from the side navigation
3. Choose Account
4. Use the Account Name or Account Number field to search for your department or unit.  
   • The account manager will appear under Search Results at the bottom of the screen. 

In some cases, certain fiscal officers were also given submission access to these types of requests. Your account manager will determine who will submit a request on your behalf.  

Approval for a Significant Purchase Request

An SPR requires approval from the college/division dean or vice president and the appropriate senior leader. 

The following senior leaders have pre-approval authority for acquisitions between $50,001 and $1,000,000.

Approving a Significant Purchase Request

Once the SPR is approved by an organization’s unit leadership and appropriate senior leader, add the project number from the supply chain management system into the notes and attachments on your requisition in UAccess Financials, along with any other required purchase threshold documentation, and submit. Supply Chain Services will review for competitive thresholds, contract requirements, and compliance with university policy. 

If an eDoc is submitted without a fully approved SPR, Finance and Budget may reject the submission and require it to be resubmitted once the SPR is completed. Violations may result in: 

• Escalation 
• Corrective action 
• Purchasing restrictions. 

No purchase, amendment, requisition, or financial commitment may proceed when an SPR is required but not approved. Missing or incomplete SPRs will result in rejection or be returned to the requester for necessary corrections.

Multiple Funding Sources

One SPR may be used when all funding accounts belong to the same organization and the full cost is approved by that organization’s senior leader. 

If funding is split between multiple organizations, each must gain approval from their respective college/division dean or vice president and appropriate senior leader for the funding. 

Additional college/division dean or vice president and appropriate senior leaders can be added for approval within the system as needed. 

PCard and Disbursement Voucher Purchases 

Any PCard or Disbursement Voucher (DV) purchase that exceeds $50,000 will also require an approved SPR. The approved SPR must be attached to the corresponding PCard or DV document before the transaction can be processed.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I submit a SPR? 
   An SPR must be submitted by a department or unit account manager or designated fiscal officer who has been provisioned in the supply chain management software. 
   Contact your department or unit’s business office to have them initiate the process, pending any internal approvals needed within your department or unit. 
2. Can one SPR be submitted to cover multiple future purchases? 
   Yes, if the purchases are related, are reasonably anticipated, and the total cost for all purchases is disclosed. If scope or cost changes materially, a new SPR may be required.
3. If the Senior Leader approves the SPR, do I still need to attach purchasing documentation to my requisition (e.g., sole source, 3 bids, etc.)? 
   Yes. The SPR confirms budget approval only; it does not replace procurement requirements such as competitive quoting or contract review. 
4. What if there is no funding change on a PO amendment? Do I still need an SPR? 
   Yes, if the total cost exceeds $50,000 or the amendment itself is greater than $50,000, even if funding stays the same. 
5. Do PCard purchases require an SPR? 
   Yes, if the purchase exceeds $50,000, regardless of the vendor type, quote, funding, or payment method.
6. I am submitting a Blanket Purchase Order and we are estimating spend above $50,000. Do I need an SPR? 
   Yes, if you are estimating a spend above $50,000 for the fiscal year, you must include a fully approved SPR.