Allowable, Conditional, and Non-Allowable Purchases

Allowable Purchases
Conditional Purchases
Non-Allowable Purchases

Allowable Purchases

Allowable purchases must be for official University related business with a clear business and/or research purpose. When applicable, purchases must be made via myUF Marketplace. The following list contains examples of items that can be purchased with the PCard. All PCard purchases are subject to review.

Please note: This list includes examples and is NOT all inclusive.  If you are unsure if the PCard can be used to make a purchase, please contact the PCard Team at pcard@ufl.edu.

Administrative Fees Licenses

• Background Check, Degree Verification, Fingerprinting, Notary License
• Passport

Advertising

• Employment Journal Magazine Newspaper Radio Research Participant
• Television

Arts and Crafts Supplies
Audio Visual Equipment
Batteries
Books and Publications Library
Books Non-Library
Building Maintenance and Repair Supplies
Camera Supplies/Video Equipment/Digital Camera (less than $5,000.00)
Car Vehicle Detailing Service – UF/State vehicles only
Cleaning/Janitorial Supplies
Compressors
Computer Maintenance Support
Computer PDA
Computer Supplies and Parts
Computers (less than $2,000.00)
Cooling AC Supplies
Copier Fax Printer Service and Supplies
Courier Delivery Service
Dental Lab Fees or Services
Dental Supplies
Digital Camera Camcorder
DVD Players Recorders
Electric Utilities
Electrical Hardware Supplies
Electrical Wire or Cable
Electronic Supplies
Equipment Maintenance and Repair Supplies
Fax Equipment
Fertilizers Soil Conditioners
Film and Recording Media
Flowers – lab and research only
Flowers – Other – See Conditional List (right column)
Furniture (less than $5,000.00)
Garden Tools (less than $5,000.00)
Gas Cylinder Rental or Lease Payment
Gases Industrial or Specialty
Hardware Nails Screws Bolts
Lab Coats or Scrubs
Lab Consumable Supplies
Lab Equipment Maintenance
Lab Scientific Equipment
Mailing Supplies
Medical or Lab Services Fees
Medical Supplies
Membership Dues – See Memberships
Motors Generators
Musical Supplies Items
Network Routers
Office Equipment
Office Supplies
Oil and Gas Utilities
Pagers – Paging Services
Paint and Painting Supplies
Paper – Copier or Printer
Parking Fees Road Tolls
PDA Accessories
Photocopying
Photographic Service
Plumbing Fixtures and Supplies
Postage (Bulk Mail)
Printing and Reproduction
Projector Supplies or Bulbs
Publications Reprints
Publishing
Regalia
Signs Banners
Software –The PCard can be used to purchase software under certain conditions.  A UFIS Risk Assessment may be required.  Visit UF Information Security’s Risk Assessment website https://security.ufl.edu/resources/risk-assessment/ and Procurement Services How to Purchase Software/Subscribe to Software-As-A-Service (SAAS) website https://procurement.ufl.edu/uf-departments/how-to-purchase-software-subscribe-to-software-as-a-service-saas/
Sports Equip Supplies
Storage Lockers
Subscriptions – Database and periodical
Teacher Resource Materials
Telephone Service
Toner Cartridges
Tools
Uniforms
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Services
Vehicle Parts and Supplies
Veterinary Drugs
Welding Supplies

Conditional Purchases

The following types of purchases may be made with the PCard but only under certain conditions or circumstances and with the proper funding source.  The list contains hyper-links which will provide more information to help identify the special requirements or documentation for these types of purchases.  The purchase must benefit the University, demonstrate a business purpose for the unit, or further the research purposes of the University.

3D Printers – EH&S preapproval required; see EH&S 3D Printer Policy

Awards, Employee – See the Employee Achievement Awards, Gifts, and Prizes page of Disbursement Services Expenditures website.

Catering – Any function on campus where food and/or beverages is offered and purchased with University funds must use a University of Florida-approved caterer.  A list of caters can be found at Business Services Division list of UF Approved Caterers. See the UF Catering – Business Services Business Services (ufl.edu) website FAQ’s for more information.  A purchase order is recommended, but invoices may also be paid unencumbered. Click on the following link for more details about the invoice approval process within myUF Marketplace: https://www.bsd.ufl.edu/Catering/Home/Invoice. This rule does not apply to off campus locations.  (11/23/2021)

Cellular/Mobile Telephone and Service – See Finance and Accounting Directives and Procedures, Telecommunications, 2. Cell Phones and Similar Wireless Communication Devices, 4. Option 2. Additional information can be found the Cell Phone/Wireless Communication Devices FAQs on the Finance and Accounting website.

Clocks (less than $5,000.00) – See Section A “General Guidelines” of Disbursements Directive #3, and Section C “Purchases of a Personal Nature” of Procurement Directive #9

Cooking Range Stoves – See Section P “Hazardous Materials and Equipment” of Procurement Directive # 13

Drones- EH&S approval required – see Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Policy & Procedures.  Note – May not be purchased from DJI or their subsidiaries per UF Research – https://research.ufl.edu/compliance/export-controls-2/restricted-parties.html

Education Certificates or Diplomas – See Section C “Educational Courses” of Disbursements Directive #4

EH&S Items – See  EH&S Items page

Equipment Maintenance Contract – See Section F “Maintenance or Service Agreements” of Procurement Directives #13, and section H “Contracts” of Procurement Directives #13

Fans (less than $5,000.00) – See Section A “General Guidelines” of Disbursements Directive #3, and section C “Purchases of a Personal Nature” of Procurement Directive #9

Flowers – non-lab, non-research

• The purchase of arranged flowers may be made from an Agency or Foundation (171) funding source only.
• The purchase of flowers must have a business purpose that benefits the University, State and Department AND be allowable under the fund source used.

Food/Meals

• PCards may be used to buy food at grocery stores; caterers and restaurants are excluded.  The purchase of food must have a clear business purpose AND be allowable under the fund source used. Allowable funds include 171 Foundation, 191 Student Government, and some Auxiliary funds sources. Some Grant monies can be used for food but the expenditure must be specifically included in the grant. See Disbursement Directives 3 Expenditure Policy, Section B Allowable Expenditures Based on Fund Source, item 3 Contract & Grant funds, and item 4 Other Funds.
• The purchase of meals while on travel is prohibited.  The PCard cannot be used at restaurants.  Meals during travel are reimbursed on a per diem basis.  See Travel Directives, 9 Lodging, Meals, and Related Expenses, item 2 Meals.   

Gasoline

• The PCard can be used to purchase gasoline for rental, State, and UF only
• The PCard cannot be used to purchase gasoline for personal automobiles – See Travel Directives, 8. Travel Directives, 3. Private Automobile.

Greeting Cards – See Procurement Directives, 9. Unauthorized Purchases, Purchases of a Personal nature.

Heaters, Space/Portable – See Disbursement Directives, 3. Expenditure Policy, A. General Guidelines. EH&S pre-approval is required.  Email EH&S at labsafety@AD.ufl.edudocumentation such as a specifications sheet, webpage listing of features, etc. that the space heater meets the following requirements:

• Is either oil filled or is ceramic – required.  This will ensure there is no way to touch the heating elements and cause a fire
• Has a tip switch – required.  Shuts the unit off if it gets tipped over
• Has a timer to shut off – recommended.  Shuts the unit off after a certain time period to minimize fires by the unit being left on.

Internet Service Provider (ISP) – See DSL/Cable Internet in Personal Residences  DSL or cable Internet connection at a personal residence constitutes an employee perquisite.  See the Perquisites section of UF Human Resource Services’ web site.

Microwave Ovens – See Procurement Directive 13 “Hazardous Materials and Equipment.”

Refrigerators/Freezers (less than $1,000.00) – See Section P “Hazardous Material and Equipment” of Procurement Directives 13

Registration for Meetings or Conferences – See Travel Directives 7, Section A “Travel Authorizations.”

Safety Apparel – See Section Q “Perquisites” of Disbursements Directive 4 – Perquisite required

Services that require a contract – See Section H “Contracts” of Procurement Directives#13. Included are such as:

• Advertising Services
• Architectural Services
• Cleaning/Janitorial Services
• Document Storage Services
• Environmental Services
• Grounds Maintenance Services
• Plumbing Heating AC Services

Storage Rental -See Section H “Contracts” of Procurement Directives #13

Travel – See Travel Directives including #5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 16

• Airline
• Car Rental
• Hotels or Motels
• Taxi
• Train
• Travel Agency Fees
• Travel Insurance

Non-Allowable Purchases

The PCard cannot be used to purchase the items listed below (regardless of funding source).  If you are unsure if something is PCard allowable, email pcard@ufl.edu before making the purchase.

• Any Item Prohibited by Law, Regulation, or Policy
• Attorney/Legal Services
• Capital Equipment/Asset items costing $5,000.00 or more
• Cash Advances – ATM, Money Order, Wire Transfer
• Cash Credits and Refunds
• Coca-Cola Products – See University of Florida/Pepsi Pouring Rights memo
• Drones – May not be purchased from DJI or their subsidiaries, per UF Research – https://research.ufl.edu/compliance/research-security/export-controls/restricted-parties.html  (Drones from other manufacturers are conditionally allowable with EH&S approval.)
• Contributions or Gifts
• Gift Cards or Gift Certificates
• Guns and Ammunition
• Household Moves – must be processed through Procurement Services (See the Household – Moving Made Simple page of the Procurement website
• Insurance – must be approved and processed through Risk Management Department
• Leases- Office Space or Residential Space – must be processed through the Procurement Department
• Liquor/Beer/Wine
• Meals and Restaurant Purchases
• Parking Citations
• Personal Convenience (items that are for personal use or benefit only one person)
• Radioactive Materials
• Renovations, remodeling, new construction, alterations, interior design and other construction related services including but not limited to window treatments (curtains and blinds) or tinting, carpeting, painting, window or door replacements and security systems.
• Splitting a purchase into multiple transactions to circumvent your single transaction limit.
• Tuition and/ or Student Fees