Equipment and Supplies: Purchases, Inventory, Surplus, Disposal, Loss Reports

Purchases of services, supplies, and capital equipment are accomplished by properly executed documents which have been processed through established channels. The University is not obligated to pay for such purchases unless they have been authorized by personnel designated by the Senior Vice President for Business Affairs. Requests for purchases must be initiated through the responsible department head. Materials and services obtained with University funds must not be used for purposes other than approved University educational, research, or administrative activities. Individuals will be required to reimburse the University for services and supplies used for personal purposes. Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action.

In compliance with state law, the University maintains inventory records of all capital equipment by means of assigned tag numbers. Lost and stolen items should be reported to the University of Arizona Police Department (UAPD) and a loss report sent to the Department of Risk Management Services. Surplus equipment may be delivered to the Surplus Property Office for resale to other departments or for public sale. Federal surplus equipment may be acquired from the Surplus Property Office for only a small handling charge.

Department heads are responsible for the care and custody of capital equipment under their control. University property must not be removed from University control without prior approval by administrative personnel, authorized by the Senior Vice President for Business Affairs. Complete information about the acquisition and disposal of items may be obtained from the Surplus Property Office.

Whenever University property is suspected to have been stolen or damaged by criminal activity (e.g., vandalism), UAPD at the Main Campus should be notified immediately. If the incident occurs at a UA location outside Tucson, the law enforcement agency of jurisdiction should be notified immediately. Additionally, in all cases a Property Loss Report Form must be completed and forwarded to the Department of Risk Management Services within 90 days, or within 24 hours if the loss is expected to exceed $10,000. Claim recovery is subject to state rules and exclusions. To avoid loss, personnel should lock rooms when they are unoccupied and report suspicious or unusual activity by phoning 9-1-1.