Ordering Supplies

Reminders:

  • Order requests should be accompanied by a quote (see below for exceptions).
  • Computer and computer parts purchases should be reviewed by Guoan prior to submission for department ordering. Your order request should include a quote and justification, especially if you are not purchasing equipment through University-approved vendors. Failure to take this step will result in a delay of your order.
  • If possible, suppliers should be selected from our list of registered vendors. Please refrain from defaulting to Amazon.
  • All order requests should be accompanied by a brief justification (1-2 sentences). The justification should include the necessity of the purchase, how the item will be used, etc.
  • “ASAP” is not a valid arrive by deadline and will be ignored.
  • Packing slips should be delivered to the office upon receipt of the item. If a packing slip is not available or illegible, please email the staff member who placed the order confirming the date that it was received.

Identify a Supplier

Registered Suppliers are vendors who are set up in the university’s purchasing system. Ordering from a registered supplier will greatly facilitate the processing of your order. A complete list of registered suppliers is available here.

Preferred Suppliers are registered suppliers who offer competitive pricing to BU affiliates. Some common preferred suppliers are: Airgas, Alfa Aesar, Apple (BU Standards only), B & H Photo & Electronics, Digi-Key Corporation, Fisher Scientific, Genewiz, GovConnection, Lenovo (BU Standards only), McMaster-Carr, MSC Industrial Supply, Newark Corporation, SHI International Corp, Sigma-Aldrich, Thorlabs, W.W. Grainger, WB Mason. Orders placed with these companies also allow for expedited processing.

Non-registered suppliers can be slightly more difficult to order from. We are able to place small dollar orders (less than $1,000) with non-registered suppliers in-house, as long as that company accepts Visa. Orders over $1,000 with non-registered suppliers may take additional time to process, as they must be processed through Sourcing and Procurement. If you intend to make regular purchases from a non-registered supplier, please inform us and we will attempt to register that supplier to streamline future ordering.

Ordering from Amazon is discouraged. BU has many contracted vendors whose services and goods are often more deeply discounted.

Quotes and Justifications

A quote is required for all orders (except when ordering from preferred suppliers, see below). The quote should include prices and product availability, and should be addressed to Boston University.

You do not need a quote for orders from preferred suppliers. If you would like to purchase items from one of these suppliers, please provide the item names, catalog numbers, quantities, and prices.

Amazon orders should include links to the desired items.

Computer and computer equipment orders should be reviewed by Guoan Hu (ghu@bu.edu) prior to submission. Order requests should include a quote and justification, especially if you are not purchasing equipment through University-approved vendors. Failure to take this step will result in ordering delays.

All order requests should be accompanied by a brief justification (1-2 sentences). The justification should include the necessity of the purchase and how the item will be used. If you intend to order from Amazon or any other non-registered suppliers, you must also provide a short justification as to why you are not ordering through a registered supplier.

Fill out an order form

Submit your request through our online Order Form. All quotes and documentations should be submitted electronically in pdf format (multiple documents should be combined into a single document).

Order processing usually takes 1-2 business days. If you have an urgent purchasing request, please indicate an exact arrive by date on your order form and follow up with the appropriate office staff (as indicated on your order confirmation). “ASAP” is not a valid arrive by deadline and will be ignored. Expedited shipping will incur additional charges, so plan your purchases ahead when possible.

Bring in your packing slips

When you receive your order, verify the contents and bring the packing slips/delivery receipts to the Physics main office. If a packing slip is not available or is illegible, please email the staff member who placed the order confirming the date your shipment was received.

Additional Links

For help purchasing non-research supplies (e.g. computers, software, office supplies, services), finding a supplier, or general questions about the procurement process, please contact Thompson Scott-Ludwig (twsl@bu.edu) or Nancy Kostowski (nancyk@bu.edu).