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CruzBuy Announcements and Change Log Archive

CruzBuy
Jul12025
Enhancing CruzBuy: Strategic Updates to Procure-to-Pay Processes
As part of Financial Affairs’ ongoing effort to modernize and streamline Procurement and Accounts Payable operations, we will be implementing a series of critical enhancements to the CruzBuy purchasing platform later this month. These changes are aligned with our goals of improving operational efficiency, reducing manual interventions, and strengthening internal controls across the Procure-to-Pay (P2P) lifecycle. By fully leveraging the capabilities of CruzBuy, we aim to foster greater transparency, accountability, and data-driven decision-making in support of our institutional mission. Further information will be provided as we implement these changes in CruzBuy.

Please read our full announcement for further details on the four areas of focus.

Direct Pay Invoice Integration

The Direct Pay process will be largely transitioned from Docusign into CruzBuy. This shift centralizes and standardizes how Direct Pay transactions are initiated and approved, offering several key benefits:


  • Audit Readiness: All transactions will be captured within a single platform, making it easier to track and validate payment activity during audits.
  • Workflow Efficiency: The integrated process eliminates redundant systems and manual uploads, reducing administrative burden.
  • Sustainability: By eliminating PDF forms and external routing, we support the university’s goals for digital transformation and reduced paper usage.
  • Data Consolidation: Enhanced visibility into payment activity enables better reporting, trend analysis, and institutional planning


Receiving for POs Over $10,000

Departments will now be required to confirm the receipt of goods and services for purchase orders exceeding $10,000 directly within CruzBuy. This change replaces the former email-based confirmation process, which lacked consistency and traceability. Key improvements include:


  • Faster Transaction Closure: Automated workflows reduce delays in invoice approvals and payments.
  • Compliance Alignment: This process ensures policy adherence by requiring formal receipt confirmation, which is a best practice for high-value transactions.
  • Enhanced Internal Controls: Receipt data is linked directly to invoice records, supporting stronger reconciliation and audit trails.


Invoice Processing in CruzBuy

All invoice processing will now occur within CruzBuy, replacing the use of Banner for invoice handling. This transition is a significant step toward a fully integrated P2P system and offers the following advantages:


  • Paperless Documentation: Eliminates the need for physical records, aligning with UCSC’s sustainability and record management initiatives.
  • System Integration: Purchases, receipts, and invoices will be captured in a single system of record, enhancing data integrity.
  • Operational Consistency: Standardized invoice routing and approval processes reduce the risk of errors and lost documents.
  • Improved Vendor Experience: Faster and more transparent processing supports better supplier relationships and minimizes payment and reporting delays.


Multi-Year Purchase Order Transition

To align with these platform changes, departments with legacy multi-year purchase orders that require change orders in the current fiscal year may be asked to submit new requisitions. This ensures compatibility with updated CruzBuy workflows and avoids system conflicts. In the interim:


  • Continue submitting change order requests through the established process.
  • Stay tuned for additional guidance on when and how to transition older POs to new formats.

This step is critical to maintaining data integrity and avoiding disruptions as we implement more advanced procurement tools.



Next Steps and Support

To ensure a smooth and informed transition, we will provide:


  • Training resources for requisitioners and department approvers, including videos and web guides.
  • Live webinars and Q&A sessions to walk through new processes and answer common questions.
  • Ongoing communication to keep departments informed of deadlines, updates, and support options.


We appreciate your continued leadership and collaboration as we enhance our CruzBuy system capabilities. These strategic improvements are not just technical upgrades—they represent a meaningful step toward a more efficient, accountable, and modern procurement environment for the entire UCSC community.
Please feel free to reach out to P2P-group@ucsc.edu with any questions or needs for department-specific support.
May202025

General Guidance on Tariff-Related Pricing Impacts for CruzBuy Users
Due to the evolving nature of international trade policies and supply chain dynamics, some suppliers have begun applying surcharges or raising prices to account for increased costs associated with tariffs. To help Procurement validate and, when possible, mitigate these charges, we kindly ask that you add tariff surcharges, if known, as separate line items on your CruzBuy requisition and attach the supplier quote to the requisition. This will allow our team to follow up with suppliers for clarification as needed.

Some supplier price increases due to tariffs may not be immediately obvious. If you have any concerns, please contact Procurement in advance so we can help navigate the impact of tariffs and ensure your orders are placed without delay. If you receive notification from a supplier that a tariff is being applied after the PO is issued and they are requesting that the PO be revised, please forward the supplier’s email to buy4me@ucsc.edu, and one of the Procurement staff will review and advise.

Thank you for helping us monitor the situation, and as always, we are available to help support departments navigate these changes.

May202025

Fiscal Close & Processing Time Reminder for CruzBuy Users
As we approach the end of the fiscal year, we want to remind departments and stakeholders to plan ahead for any remaining procurement-related needs. Due to the high volume of requests during this period, please anticipate longer-than-usual processing times for requisitions. Similarly, email response times may be delayed as we prioritize time-sensitive transactions and deadlines.

To help ensure timely processing, please:

  • Submit purchase requests and supporting documentation as early as possible.
  • Check for completeness before submission to avoid delays.
  • Keep track of fiscal close deadlines.

We appreciate your patience and collaboration as we work to support a smooth fiscal close. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our procurement team.

May202025
Fiscal Close 2024-2025 Calendar Now Available
The annual Fiscal Close Calendar for 2024-2025 is now available. This calendar includes important deadlines for invoice, PO/CruzBuy, CTE/CruzFly and recharge processing. In addition, this calendar includes important UCPath related deadlines, including Funding Entry Freeze, and last day fo​r FY25 Salary Cost Transfer Approvals.

A detailed calendar of closing events is posted on the Financial Affairs website. Please take the time to review the Fiscal Close 2024-2025​ Schedule.
Jan292025

New UCSC Pricing for The Bagelry
UCSC Procurement and The Bagelry, a beloved local favorite for bagels and spreads, have announced an exciting new contract pricing arrangement exclusively for UC Santa Cruz (UCSC) faculty and staff. The UCSC agreement is for "Official University" Business only, it does not apply to personal use orders. This special deal allows members of the UCSC community to enjoy their favorite Bagelry offerings at discounted rates, whether they're picking up a quick breakfast, ordering delivery, or planning a catered event. Click here for more information.

Special UCSC Pricing Benefits:

  • Discounted Bagels and Spreads: Get your go-to bagels and delicious spreads at reduced prices.
  • Catering Deals: Perfect for meetings, events, and celebrations, The Bagelry's catering services now come with more affordable options for UCSC faculty and staff.
  • Convenient Pick-Up and Delivery: Order for quick pick-up or have your bagels delivered directly to your office on campus.

Don't miss out on this great opportunity to enjoy local favorites at special rates!

NOTES REGARDING ORDERING:

  • The UCSC agreement is for "Official University" Business only, it does not apply to personal use orders.
  • Whenever possible, orders should be placed 48 hours in advance for either delivery or pick-up. It is also preferred that requisitions be placed in the CruzBuy system to create a Purchase Order for payment. Orders still should be placed by phone to 429-8049, or email to scbagels@gmail.com. Delivery orders can be cancelled up to 2:00 pm of the preceding day at the same contact points.
  • The agreement covers Foodservice Accounts and all other UCSC entities. Bulk Bagels, Bulk Spreads, as well as Sliced Bagel Trays, Spread Trays, Fruit Trays, Vegetable Trays, and 12 or 40 cup Air pots of Coffee and Hot Beverage Orders can be Delivered or Picked-up.
  • Orders with or without a 48 hour notice that are picked-up in a retail location are covered under agreement at the same price point as advanced orders and deliveries.

In Summary:
If you order products contained in the SOW, this is the pricing, please try to order 48 hours in advance using a PO. If necessary (though not preferred) products can still be ordered and picked-up at the retail location. Lastly this pricing applies only to "Official University" Business, no personal orders.

Whole, unsliced. Packaged in paper bags.
Regular varieties @ $9.00 per dozen:
Plain, Poppy, Sesame, Onion, Garlic, Everything, Whole Wheat (Plain, Poppy, Sesame & Everything), Tomato Basil, Raisin, 3-Seed

Special varieties @ $10.20 per dozen:
Jalapeno Cheddar, Pesto, Oatmeal Date, Blueberry

Baker's Dozen Bagel Trays (13) all varieties, includes slicing $18.00

Spreads and condiments:
Bagelry Condiments Pricing Bagelry Fruit and Vegetable Tray Pricing

Coffee and Hot Beverages:

Bagelry Blend Coffee

  • 12-cup airpot (returnable) with set up - cups, cream and/or oat milk, sugar, stirs $18.00
  • 40-cup with set up $48.00
House-made Chai
  • 12-cup airpot with set up $20.00
  • 40-cup with set up $54.00

Nov222024
Important Update: Reduced R&D Sales Tax Rate for Equipment Purchases
The UC system has reached its limit for the qualified Research & Development (R&D) tax rate discount. Moving forward, qualified equipment purchase orders (POs) issued through December 31, 2024, will be processed without the reduced tax rate.

UCSC Procurement strongly encourages researchers to delay new equipment purchases eligible for the reduced R&D sales tax rate until January 2025, when the partial exemption resets.

Background:
California’s partial sales and use tax exemption (“partial exemption”) for purchases of qualified R&D tangible personal property has a limit of $200 million in qualifying purchases per calendar year for the entire University of California system. Unfortunately, this limit has been reached for 2024. As a result:​
  • The reduced R&D sales tax rate of 5.8125% cannot be applied to any additional qualified equipment purchases or leases in 2024.
  • All remaining 2024 equipment transactions will be subject to the standard sales tax rate.
​​More information about the program can be found on the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration website.

​Exceptions:
Orders issued before this announcement that qualify for the reduced rate and have already been processed will be honored.

If delaying your purchase until January 2025 is not feasible or you have urgent needs, please consult UCSC Procurement at strategicsourcing@ucsc.edu​.​​
Oct222024
Financial Affairs Website: Planned Outage on Saturday 11/2/24 at 8:00pm
The Financial Affairs website will undergo an 8 hour planned outage for maintenance over the weekend of November 2nd/3rd.
The website will be unavailable from 8pm on Saturday 11/2/24 through 4am Sunday 11/3/24.

Please direct any questions or concerns to our finaff-tech@ucsc.edu team.
Jul102024

CruzBuy will be unavailable from Friday, July 12, at 6:00 p.m. through Sunday, July 14, at 12:00 p.m.​ while the CruzBuy 24.2 release is applied.

May282024
Scheduled Site Maintenance Complete
The site maintenance has been successfully completed, and full functionality has been restored.

This was a significant upgrade to the underlying service that powers our website.
If you notice any website issues, please contact the web team at finaff-tech@ucsc.edu.
May232024

UCSC Strike and UPS Deliveries
UPS drivers will not cross picket lines, and the local UPS substation in Santa Cruz will not store packages. Starting Tuesday, May 28th, all UPS packages addressed to the UCSC campus will be collected daily by UCSC Moving Services and held at campus Receiving in Barn H for pick-up. We expect UPS to resume delivery when the strike ends.

Barn H will be open for package pick-ups Monday through Friday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m..

Please note that we are uncertain how this change will be reflected in UPS's tracking system. We recommend allowing an additional three to four days for your package to be available for pick-up at Barn H.​

May202024
Scheduled Site Maintenance and Content Freeze Over Memorial Day Weekend
Beginning Friday 5/24 @ 5:30pm through Tuesday 5/28 @ 7am the Financial Affairs website will be undergoing scheduled maintenance. While the site will remain available in a read-only mode, some services will be impacted.

Notably, the Entertainment Dashboard and ERF/MET forms will be unavailable during this scheduled maintenance period. If you have questions or issues regarding this maintenance, please contact the web team at finaff-tech@ucsc.edu.
May132024
Fiscal Close 2023-2024 Calendar Now Available
The annual Fiscal Close Calendar for 2023-2024 is now available. This calendar includes important deadlines for invoice, PO/CruzBuy, CTE/CruzFly and recharge processing. In addition, this calendar includes important UCPath related deadlines, including Funding Entry Freeze, and last day for FY24 Salary Cost Transfer Approvals.

A detailed calendar of closing events is posted on the Financial Affairs website. Please take the time to review the Fiscal Close 2023-2024 Schedule.
Mar142024
Virtual Meet & Greet with Procurement & Supply Chain Services
Procurement & Supply Chain Services (PSCS) will offer quarterly virtual office hours/general Q&A. The first session will be on Wednesday, March 27, from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM.

The first session's topic will be "Introduction to Procurement Teams and Functions." Please log in to CruzBuy to find the Zoom Meeting Link on the message board.
Feb262024
Financial Affairs Website: Planned Outage on 3/3/24 from 2:30am - 5:30am
The Financial Affairs website will be unavailable for 3 hours on Sunday morning, March 3rd, from 2:30am to 5:30am for scheduled system maintenance. This system launch page will be unavailable during that time. Please plan your system usage accordingly and contact finaff-tech@ucsc.edu with any questions.​​​
Feb152024
National Gift Card Punch-out Catalog Disablement
The National Gift Card agency (NGC) was acquired by a company named Blackhawk Network (BHN). Procurement is in communication with BHN to establish a new contract, but unfortunately, negotiations are still ongoing. BHN will no longer be supporting the NGC punch-out catalog and the punch-out will no longer be available in CruzBuy after Thursday, February 15. We are continuing to work closely with BHN and hope to establish a new agreement and punch-out catalog soon. Any order placed before or by February 15 will be fulfilled.

Other Ways to Buy Business Related Gift Cards: Out of Pocket Reimbursement and/or Procard

  • Gift cards may be purchased out-of-pocket and then submitted for reimbursement on the Direct Payment form.
  • Due to the situation, Procard usage for gift card purchases will be allowed. Please keep the following in mind:
    • All policies/conditions around gift purchases will still apply to Procard usage including but not limited to spending limits, itemized receipts, and frequency limits.
    • All required documentation should be added during the Procard reconciliation process.
    • Procard purchases for gift cards may not work for all companies. Any issues with processing can be sent to procard@ucsc.edu.

For more information on gift purchases including what is allowable and spending limits please review the Non-Employee Non-Cash Gifts Guide and Non-Cash Employee Award and Other Gifts Guide. Policy related questions and clarification can also be sent to finpolicy@ucsc.edu.

Any other Procurement questions or concerns can be sent to buy4me@ucsc.edu.

Dec192023
Notice to Vendors: Fraudulent Purchase Order Email Activity
We want to alert you to an increase in email scams involving fraudulent purchase orders and requests for product quotations purporting to originate from UC Santa Cruz Buyers. While the university cannot prevent this illegal action, we actively work to inform our suppliers of this on-going activity. Common features of these supplier-targeted counterfeit UCSC orders include:
  • Invalid contact information, such as email addresses using deceptive extensions; e.g. @ucsantascruz.com, @ucsc.mygbiz.com, or @ucscedu.org
  • The email message is poorly written, with misspellings and awkward sentence structure
  • Orders start with an e-mail inquiry asking for a quote for a small order followed by a subsequent request for a larger order
  • The order designates​ a Ship-To address that is not a UCSC facility or indicates the product will be picked up at the supplier’s premises
  • The message may include an attachment designed to look like a purchase order, and it may include a logo or other graphic, and in some cases, a signature
  • Please note that the university’s internet address is www.ucsc.edu and it is not our practice to ask our suppliers to ship to addresses that are not UCSC campus facilities. It is also not our practice to place orders for merchandise that will be picked up at supplier premises
  • The request lists the address of UC Office of the President in Oakland, which is not a UCSC address
  • The request includes the title of Procurement Chancellor, which is a fictitious position
If you believe you have received a fraudulent order or quotation request, you may forward it to UCSC Procurement Services at buy4me@ucsc.edu to verify the communication’s legitimacy before responding.
Dec72023

Guided Buying (CruzBuy's new landing page with dashboards separated by commodity) has been live for a month now, and we're looking for your feedback. Are there things about Guided Buying that you think can be improved, or are not working for you? Are there things that you are enjoying, and are working for you? We would like to hear any feedback you have about this significant redesign to your shopping experience!

Please send your comments to buy4me@ucsc.edu. We will work with Procurement Services to review and address your feedback.

Nov32023

​Guided Buying
We are excite​d to announce that on November 6, 2023, CruzBuy will roll out a new landing page called Guided Buying with dedicated dashboards separated by commodity. For additional information, we have created a brief demo video of Guided Buying. Click here for more information about Guided Buying, and its features.​

​​​​​​​​​

Guided Buying
We are excited to announce that on November 6, 2023, CruzBuy will roll out a new landing page called Guided Buying with dedicated dashboards separated by commodity. Guided Buying is tailored to guide new users on how to purchase and whom to purchase from. Additionally, it will offer all users guidance on frequently misunderstood or complex procurement policies and processes. Here's what you can expect from the new landing page:

  • Procurement Policies & Guidelines: Policies and guidelines relevant to each commodity type.
  • Related Programs: Programs/policies that are important but not always procurement-specific (ex: Zero Waste Events Guide).
  • Preferred Suppliers for Streamlined Procurement: Using these suppliers will give you access to UC-specific discounts and sustainable, accessible products and services. It will also contribute to UCSC's diversity spend objectives, highlight UCSC resources, and can expedite requisition processing.
  • Supplier Catalogs & PunchOuts: Easily shop for your specific needs from strategic suppliers.
  • Forms: Showcase necessary forms per commodity.
  • New User Dashboard: A centralized user dashboard where you can track your requisition activity, including in-process and completed purchase orders.
For more information on Guided Buying, including updated navigational guides and a preview of the new landing page, please see our recorded demo videos. For any initial questions, please get in touch with buy4me@ucsc.edu
​​​​​
Nov22023

CruzBuy Email Updates
PO copies sent to suppliers will display requestor email addresses for the supplier's reference. This should help promote up-to-date order information being sent directly to the requester. This includes backorder information, shipping details, price discrepancies, and shipping notifications.

Nov22023

​Notification Preference Update: Purchase Order - PO Workflow Complete
The PO Workflow Complete notification will be enabled as default for all requestors. Once enabled, CruzBuy will send an email notification to the requester containing the UCSC PO number. Click here for more information.

Notification Preference Update: Purchase Order - PO Workflow Complete
The PO Workflow Complete notification will be enabled as default for all requestors. Once enabled, CruzBuy will send an email notification to the requester containing the UCSC PO number. The notification will apply to all POs submitted by a requestor and essentially serve as confirmation the PO has been fully processed in CruzBuy. If you have already updated your settings to receive this notification, this change will not affect you.

For additional information about disabling, or modifying your notification preferences, please see our CruzBuy User Manual.

An example of this email can be seen below:

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​​​​
Nov22023

CruzBuy Form Updates
The Services and Non-Catalog Goods forms will receive updates that may impact you. Click here for more information.

CruzBuy Form Updates
Services and Non-Catalog Goods forms will receive updates that may impact you:

Services Form: updates include changes to the Data Security section to further clarify purchases, and additional infomration about Source Selection & Price Reasonableness Justification section

Non-Catalog Goods Request Form: Updates to the Source Selection & Price Reasonableness Justification section.

Requesters with a Services or Non-Catalog Goods form in their draft cart must submit their order before Friday, November 3, 2023, at 6:00 p.m., as CruzBuy will be down for the 23.3 release during the weekend. If a requisition using a previous version of the Services or Non-Catalog Goods form is submitted after November 6, 2023, CruzBuy will auto-return the requisition to the requester as a draft cart; see sample auto-return email below:

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​​​
Jul252023

Potential UPS Strike - Update
As of July 25th, Teamsters have reached tentative agreement with UPS for a new 5-year contract.

  • Agreement must still be approved by union members to take effect, but is expected to pass.
  • Until agreement becomes official (late August), remain cautious when ordering & shipping critical goods to ensure a safe and timely delivery.
  • Orders and deliveries of non-critical items can be ordered normally.
Jul142023

Potential UPS Strike
Contract negotiations between United Parcel Service (UPS) and the Teamsters are at risk of stalling, potentially leading to a company-wide strike commencing on August 1, 2023.

To mitigate potential disruptions in receiving vital goods, UCSC departments should consider exploring alternative delivery services or postponing purchases if UPS remains the sole supplier option.

In the event of a strike, all suppliers will be transitioning to alternate carriers, resulting in anticipated delays. To alleviate strain on these delivery services, staff should restrict purchases to essential items only.

In late 2022 some UPS locations refused to cross picket lines in sympathy with striking union employees. The decision to cross or not cross picket lines was made by each UPS substation and many behind the scenes delivery operations were not impacted. In contrast, this would be a UPS-wide strike and all packages would stop where they were until the end of the strike. ​

May82023
Jan202023

CruzBuy Form Defect Update
10:30 AM
We'd like to provide an update to the ongoing form issue in CruzBuy. Jaggaer, the software developer of CruzBuy, has provided an estimated resolution time of 9am, 1/21.

This issue affects all clients and prevents all users from accessing forms. This includes entering and reviewing data on the Non-Catalog Goods form, and the Service Request form, among others.

Developers are working to resolve this, and currently, there are no known workarounds.

Punch-out orders, hosted catalogs, comments, attachments, and approvals are still working correctly. This means if you approve a requisition that has already been submitted, it will be distributed to the supplier.

Additionally, POs that have been submitted to vendors are not impacted by this defect.

We apologize for the inconvenience and will provide additional information on this page. We will also send additional emails as needed.

Please contact buy4me@ucsc.edu if you have any questions or concerns.​

Nov232022
Notice to Vendors: Fraudulent Purchase Order Email Activity
We want to alert you to an increase in email scams involving fraudulent purchase orders and requests for product quotations purporting to originate from UC Santa Cruz Buyers. While the university cannot prevent this illegal action, we actively work to inform our suppliers of this on-going activity. Common features of these supplier-targeted counterfeit UCSC orders include:
  • Invalid contact information, such as email addresses using deceptive extensions; e.g. @ucsantascruz.com, @ucsc.mygbiz.com, or @ucscedu.org
  • The email message is poorly written, with misspellings and awkward sentence structure
  • Orders start with an e-mail inquiry asking for a quote for a small order followed by a subsequent request for a larger order
  • The order designates​ a Ship-To address that is not a UCSC facility or indicates the product will be picked up at the supplier’s premises
  • The message may include an attachment designed to look like a purchase order, and it may include a logo or other graphic, and in some cases, a signature
  • Please note that the university’s internet address is www.ucsc.edu and it is not our practice to ask our suppliers to ship to addresses that are not UCSC campus facilities. It is also not our practice to place orders for merchandise that will be picked up at supplier premises
  • The request lists the address of UC Office of the President in Oakland, which is not a UCSC address
  • The request includes the title of Procurement Chancellor, which is a fictitious position
If you believe you have received a fraudulent order or quotation request, you may forward it to UCSC Procurement Services at buy4me@ucsc.edu to verify the communication’s legitimacy before responding.
Nov232022
Notice to Vendors: Fraudulent Purchase Order Email Activity
We want to alert you to an increase in email scams involving fraudulent purchase orders and requests for product quotations purporting to originate from UC Santa Cruz Buyers. While the university cannot prevent this illegal action, we actively work to inform our suppliers of this on-going activity. Common features of these supplier-targeted counterfeit UCSC orders include:
  • Invalid contact information, such as email addresses using deceptive extensions; e.g. @ucsantascruz.com, @ucsc.mygbiz.com, or @ucscedu.org
  • The email message is poorly written, with misspellings and awkward sentence structure
  • Orders start with an e-mail inquiry asking for a quote for a small order followed by a subsequent request for a larger order
  • The order designates​ a Ship-To address that is not a UCSC facility or indicates the product will be picked up at the supplier’s premises
  • The message may include an attachment designed to look like a purchase order, and it may include a logo or other graphic, and in some cases, a signature
  • Please note that the university’s internet address is www.ucsc.edu and it is not our practice to ask our suppliers to ship to addresses that are not UCSC campus facilities. It is also not our practice to place orders for merchandise that will be picked up at supplier premises
  • The request lists the address of UC Office of the President in Oakland, which is not a UCSC address
  • The request includes the title of Procurement Chancellor, which is a fictitious position
If you believe you have received a fraudulent order or quotation request, you may forward it to UCSC Procurement Services at buy4me@ucsc.edu to verify the communication’s legitimacy before responding.
Jul12022
Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Year-End Closing Schedule
Fiscal Year 2021-2022 has closed, except for central office accrual activity.

The annual budget carryforward process is scheduled for Tuesday August 2nd, 2022. Remaining FY22 budget balances will be carried forward to FY23.

A detailed calendar of closing events is posted on the Financial Affairs website. Please take the time to review the Fiscal Close 2021-2022 Schedule.
May242022

JAGGAER Connectivity Issue
JAGGAER US Production Environment began experiencing performance issues around 10:20 PM PST today, May 24, 2022. Their technical resources are engaged and working to identify and resolve this issue as quickly as possible.

If you have any questions, please let us know at Buy4Me. ​

May132022

Palace Business Solutions and Palace Arts and Supplies
Palace Business Solutions no longer operates the Palace Arts and Supplies retail store. The retail store is under new owners.
Users may not use Palace Business Solutions POs at the retail store.​​

May52022
Fiscal Close 2021-2022 Calendar Now Available
The annual Fiscal Close Calendar for 2021-22 is now available. This calendar includes important deadlines for invoice, PO/CruzBuy and recharge processing. In addition, this calendar includes important UCPath related deadlines, including Funding Entry Freeze, and last day for FY22 Salary Cost Transfer Approvals.​​
Apr272022
Office Depot Name Change to ODP Business Solutions LLC
Office Depot name change effective 5/1/2022. Office Depot will become ODP Business Solutions LLC.

eProcurement will make an update on 4/30/2022.

Pending Office Depot requisitions not approved before the update may receive an error message that the supplier is no longer available. The supplier will need to be re-searched and re-selected for the requisition to process.​
Apr52022
Update to Procurement Catering Policies

To ensure compliance with Regents Policy 5402 and AFSCME Article 5, contracting out for services can only be used as a last resort after all options for getting the work done by UC employees has been assessed and deemed not feasible.

Full-service catering events fall within these policies and effective immediately, all full-service catering requests at a UCSC owned or leased facility must use UC Santa Cruz Catering Services. If, for some reason, UCSC Catering cannot accommodate a request, individual departments may use an outside full-service caterer, but the caterer must comply with additional university regulations and be approved by Labor Relations and Procurement prior to the event.

Please see the full announcement for more information on full-service catering, contracting out, and the updated policies.

What is Full-Service Catering?

  • Food is prepared/cooked by the supplier; and
  • The supplier sets up the event which may include table cloths, chafing dishes, serving utensils, plates, napkins, etc. They will clean up and take away all food service-related items when the event has concluded; and
  • The supplier will serve food from a buffet, tableside, or by passing a tray.

What Is Not Considered Full-Service Catering?

  • Takeout: food is picked up from an offsite restaurant or food provider.
  • Delivery: food is delivered by an offsite restaurant or food provider and dropped off on campus. No set-up is involved.
  • Events where an individual is leasing or renting a University owned facility for non-university purposes, such as weddings.

For more information on this change please go to the Contracting Out website to learn how to obtain approvals and find answers to frequently asked questions. Additionally please review the Approved Caterers website for an updated list of pre-approved caterers.

For any questions please feel free to reach out to Procurement at buy4me@ucsc.edu. Additionally, informational presentations for the updated catering requirements can be requested. These 30-minute programs will review the latest catering requirements and address many frequently asked questions. For more information or to schedule a presentation, please contact Labor Relations Analyst, Vincent Oberst at voberst@ucsc.edu.​​

Nov192021

NO SIGN-OFFS FOR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
A UC campus received a letter from a supplier upon ordering a hazardous chemical. This letter requests end-users to sign and take sole responsibility and risk for this hazardous chemical.

UC staff should NOT sign any type of document releasing suppliers from liability.

BE AWARE

This type of maneuver may be an attempt by a supplier to obtain signatures on documents with potential legal effect but in a way that prevents UC’s legal team from having a chance to review the content of those documents.

Please contact Procurement Services on how to respond if you have received a similar letter. ​​

May132021
Procurement Customer Service Feedback
Procurement is launching what we call a “Customer Service Feedback” form. It is a short survey that will allow our campus community to provide direct feedback to Procurement and Supply Chain Services all year long. We want to know how we’re doing and your responses will help us better understand where we can make improvements. Complete the survey here:

Procurement Customer Service Feedback Form

All responses are anonymous unless you choose to provide your personal information.

Thank you in advance for your feedback!

May102021
Fiscal Close 2020-2021 Calendar Now Available
The annual Fiscal Close Calendar for 2020-21 is now available. This calendar includes important deadlines for invoice, PO/CruzBuy and recharge processing. In addition, this calendar includes important UCPath related deadlines, including Funding Entry Freeze, and last day for FY21 Salary Cost Transfer Approvals.​
Feb12021
New Preferred Supplier for Apple Products: CDW
CruzBuy users now have another option for purchasing Apple products through the CDW-Apple punchout.

The collaboration between Apple, CDW, and UC has yielded some great discounts for the UC system, and CDW is committed to providing the same excellent service as you have come to expect from Apple. Here are some of the benefits:

  • CDW offers a 1% additional discount off of the current Apple higher education discount.
  • For non-higher Ed. discounted items, CDW offers a 4% discount.
  • CDW will provide Device Enrollment Program (DEP).
  • Warranties are the same as Apple Direct, and support is through Apple.
  • You can work directly with a CDW representative for any customized system requests. Please contact ucteam@cdwg.com for assistance.
Dec182020
Change to requisition review requirements related to supplier usage of UC name, trademarks, and logos
Recent changes now require Business Contracts' review of certain supplier usage of UC name(s), trademark(s), and logo(s). A supplier may be using a UC name, trademark, or logo in the following situations:
  • The supplier will be designing a logo for the University.
  • The supplier will be using a UC name/trademark in advertisements, reports, or other information released to the public, or place the UC name, abbreviations, trade names and/or trademarks or any derivation thereof on any consumer goods, products, or services for sale or distribution to the public.
  • The supplier will be manufacturing or distributing any commercial products (e.g. clothing, pennants, drinking glasses, mugs, lighters) bearing the name or decorative seal of a campus.
If the supplier will be using a UC name, trademark or logo in any of the above situations, the requisition will require Business Contracts' review.

EXCEPTION: If you are simply buying goods and the supplier is not selling on their website, or hosting/distributing public facing material, the requisition will not require Business Contracts review unless review is needed for other contract related items ( e.g. non-compliant terms, Data Security, etc).

Please be aware of these changes to requistion review requirements, as it may result in longer processing times.​​
Dec172020
Financial Affairs Staffing 12/21/20 - 12/23/20
To promote the health and well-being of our staff and honor time-off commitments already made, Financial Affairs is encouraging staff usage of accrued vacation. Service levels may be moderately reduced and turnaround times moderately increased from Monday, December 21 through Wednesday, December 23, 2020. Resources will be available during that period to address any urgent situations.

Financial Affairs will be closed as usual during the campus curtailment period from 12/24/20 - 1/3/21.

We wish everyone a healthy and restful winter break.
Dec12020
Change to Contracting Out Approval Process
Effective December 1, 2020 the contracting out approval process transitioned from DocuSign to ServiceNow. Details regarding the ServiceNow process are available here.

The Services Form and Temporary Staffing Request Form have been updated to remove reference of previous DocuSign requirements and replace these with ServiceNow requirements. If a requisition contains the previous version of these forms, the requisition will be auto-returned upon submission to the requester as a draft cart. To update your form to the newest version, please follow the instructions available here.

Please review these changes to prevent any delays in processing your requisitions. ​​​
Oct152020
Change to Quote and Bidding Requirements
Beginning November 1, changes to quote and bidding requirements will take effect. These new requirements change the number of quotes required for each purchase, and outline bidding requirements. See the full announcement for more information.

The Goods Request Form will be updated to remove reference of previous quote requirements. If a requisition contains the previous version of the Goods Request Form, the requisition will be auto-returned upon submission to the requester as a draft cart. To update the Goods Request Form to the newest version, please follow the instructions available here.

​
As of November 1, 2020, the following quote and bidding requirements will be in place:



Reasonable Price
Reasonable price can be established by market test, price or cost analysis, or the experience and judgment of the Buyer. Such judgment considers total value to the University. There is value to the University in purchases which meet the University's needs, such as those involving quality, quantity, delivery and service. A reasonable price need not be the lowest price available, but offers the highest total value to the University.

Exemptions to Competitive Bidding
UC Santa Cruz is committed to a policy of competitive procurement when competition is known to exist. However, there are certain cases where departments may be granted a bid exemption. Work with the PSCS Strategic Sourcing Team to determine if the goods and/or services may be exempt from bidding requirements.

A UCOP Source Selection & Price Reasonableness (SSPR) Justification Form must be completed by the requesting department to substantiate the appropriateness of a bid exemption request for all federally-funded purchases more than $10,000 and non-federally funded purchases more than $100,000 for federal and state audits.


Split Orders
Requirements for purchases shall not be artificially divided into separate transactions to avoid competition as defined in University of California BFB-BUS-43 Purchases of Goods and Services:

*As required by 2 CFR § 200.320, departments must obtain three (3) competitive quotes, bids or proposals for a purchase transaction more than $10,000.00.

**California Public Contract Code (PCC), sections 10507.7 et seq., requires the University of California to formally competitively bid the purchase of goods and/or services that exceed $100,000 per annual year unless an exception applies and the basis for the award is documented in writing. Requirements for goods and services should be publicly advertised.
Sep152020

CruzBuy - Resuming Order Processing
​On September 8, 2020, the campus post-fire building assessment was completed and Mail & Receiving Services are up and running. All Cruzbuy requests can now be submitted. 

The reduction in requests allowed Procurement and the Mail and Receiving staff to focus on urgent/immediate issues critical to the fire response. Any non-urgent requests that were submitted between August 20, 2020, and September 8, 2020, along with any new requests, will be processed by procurement as soon as possible on a first come first serve basis. Please be aware that processing times may increase depending on the amount of requests received.

If you have any questions about mail/packages please contact receiving@ucsc.edu.​​​ ​

Aug212020

Due to the campus closure caused by the CZU fire, only emergency POs will be processed. All other POs will be held until normal delivery resumes.

If an order is an emergency, enter a comment in the requisition directed to CruzBuy Rush Order, via rush_cruzbuy@ucsc.edu, stating the reason for the rush request and the need by date. The request will be reviewed by a buyer and processed at the buyer's discretion.

Aug192020
Financial Affairs Response Times Impacted
As with many campus units, there are a significant number of Financial Affairs staff impacted by the CZU Lightning Complex Fire. Response times for all Financial Affairs departments may be slower than usual. Be safe, everyone.
Jun12020
Update to Contracting Out and the Service Request form in CruzBuy
The Service Request form in CruzBuy now contains an updated section on Contracting Out to increase compliance with Regents Policy 5402 and Article 5 of the SX and EX collective bargaining agreements.

A new Contracting Out Request & Justification DocuSign form has also been created to assist with obtaining approval when contracting for external services here at UCSC. Please contact Labor Relations, at elrinfo@ucsc.edu, with any questions regarding this new form and process.​
May152020
Fiscal Close 2019-2020 Calendar Now Available
The annual Fiscal Close Calendar for 2019-20 is now available. This calendar includes important payroll related deadlines, including the last day to submit TOPEs, and last day for FY20 UCPath Salary Cost Transfer Approvals.
Mar192020

Coronavirus Impact on Campus Deliveries
During the coronavirus shelter-in-place directive, three centralized delivery locations have been established for campus deliveries. For individuals shipping product to SOE Receiving, no changes. Likewise, Thimann Labs Receiving will continue to accept all packages with that shipping address. All other UCSC packages will be managed by UCSC Receiving, who will accept and hold all packages for Departments that are either closed or limited in hours of operations. This includes packages delivered by US Postal Service Mail, UPS, FedEx, and DHL as well as freight.

To arrange pickup at Central Receiving, please call (831) 459-2765 or email receiving@ucsc.edu.

Please keep in mind that, due to limited storage space, all purchases should be directly related to the continuation of university business while the shelter-in-place directive is active. If the purchase is not essential, please wait until the directive is lifted.

  • For orders already placed, all deliveries of items through third party carriers must inform the shippers of this change so that carriers can route packages to H Barn;
  • Receiving will accept these items and attempt, when possible, to contact departments;
  • Departments expecting shipment should, when possible, inform Receiving as to incoming shipments;
  • Mail and 3rd Party packages can be picked up by appointment - contact receiving@ucsc.edu for availability;
  • Departments not expecting to return until the end of the order should contact Receiving so longer-ranged storage can be arranged.

As a backup while the coronavirus shelter-in-place directive is active, UCSC product may also be shipped to an employee's residence. Here are the requirements:

  • Product must be needed for the continuation of university business during the shelter-in-place directive;
  • Hazardous/restricted are not allowed for home delivery and must be delivered to one of the centralized locations identified above;
  • The requester's supervisor must enter a CruzBuy comment or attach a note stating that he/she is aware that university product is being shipped to the specific employee's personal residence and that the product will be tracked to ensure it is returned to the university once the shelter-in-place directive is lifted;
  • Use "Special Instructions" ship-to code;
  • Enter shipping address in the internal notes field in the requisition. Each request will be reviewed by a buyer and will not be processed until all of the above are met.
    ​​
    Jul132019
    CruzBuy Login Update
    The transition for CruzBuy to CruzID Gold login is complete. The next time you login to CruzBuy you will use your CruzID Gold login, the same one you use for applications such as CruzPay and FIS Banner.

    All of your saved carts and in process orders should be exactly as you left them.

    Remember to login by going through cruzbuy.ucsc.edu, as the login URL has changed and any other bookmarks or shortcuts directly to solutions.sciquest.com will no longer work.

    If you're experiencing any issues related to logging in, please let us know at fis_probs@ucsc.edu. If you have any questions about CruzID or MFA, please contact help@ucsc.edu.
    Jul82019

    CruzBuy Down for Maintenance
    CruzBuy will be down starting Friday 7/12, at 7:30pm, until Saturday 7/13 for CruzID Login Changes.

    Click here for more information

    We are using CruzBuy's downtime during Fiscal Close activities as an opportunity to convert the system to using CruzID Gold for login. Starting Monday, July 15th, you will be using your good old CruzID Gold login and password to login to CruzBuy. This is the same login and password you already use for systems such as CruzPay and FIS Banner.

    Some things you should know about this change:
    • All of your pending requisitions, your favorites, your draft carts, saved searches, etc. will remain the same. Everything that you normally see when you login will still be there when you login using CruzID Gold.
    • CruzBuy will be unavailable starting Friday night at 7:30pm, through Saturday, July 13th while we switch to CruzID Gold login, so please plan and place your orders accordingly.
    • The CruzBuy launch page at cruzbuy.ucsc.edu is not changing; please always launch CruzBuy from that link. Any other bookmarks or shortcuts directly to solutions.sciquest.com will no longer work.
    We will send email when the change is complete and you are able to login.

    Thanks for your patience. If you have any questions about this change, please let us know at fis_probs@ucsc.edu.​​​​​
    May32019
    Fiscal Close 2018-2019 Calendar Now Available
    The annual Fiscal Close Calendar for 2018-19 is now available. Click here to be redirected.
    ​
    May12018
    Fiscal Close 2017-2018 Calendar Now Available
    The annual Fiscal Close Calendar for 2017-18 is now available. Click here to be redirected.
    ​
    Apr122018

    Jaggaer, the developer for CruzBuy, is still working to resolve the connectivity issue their clients have been experiencing for the last few days. Procurement will provide additional information as it becomes available.​​

    Nov12017
    Welcome Aboard CMRS!
    We are pleased to announce that Copier, Mail and Receiving Services (CMRS) has joined Financial Affairs as of 11/1/17.
    Along with Procurement Services, CMRS will be part of the newly formed department, Procurement and Supply Chain Services.

    You can find more detail on these changes and help us welcome CMRS here.
    May152017
    UCSC Procurement Services e-Newsletter
    A new edition of the Procurement Services Newsletter is now available. Click here to view the newsletter.
    Apr282017
    Fiscal Close 2016-2017 Calendar Now Available
    The annual Fiscal Close Calendar for 2016-17 is now available. Click here to be redirected.
    Aug32016

    FIS Banner Unavailable
    FIS Banner will be unavailable from noon, Monday, 8/8, through 7am, Tuesday, 8/9, while the annual Budget Roll processes are performed. CruzBuy will be available but any order submitted during this time will not process until the budget roll is completed.

    Jul12016

    CruzBuy Goes ERF-less!
    ERFs are no longer required for meal-related purchases made solely through CruzBuy. More detail on changes to the entertainment reporting process can be found here. For questions, contact entertainmenthelp@ucsc.edu.

    Jun302016

    Entertainment Reporting Changes
    As part of the Entertainment Reporting changes being implemented on 7/1/2016, the CruzBuy Food & Entertainment Form and the CruzBuy Catering Services Recharge Form are being revised and new versions of those forms are being implemented. Unsubmitted F&E requisitions that were input prior to 7/1/2016 will need to be rekeyed into the new form on or after 7/1. This only affects unsubmitted requisitions; any requisitions in Workflow, or that have already created Purchase Orders will not be affected. Contact buy4me@ucsc.edu with questions.

    Jun202016

    CruzBuy Open Labs
    (Update) - Beginning July 19, CruzBuy open labs will be held every two weeks at Kerr Hall, Room 8, from 1-5 pm following each CruzBuy training. The open lab is an opportunity to drop in and ask CruzBuy-related questions, receive one-on-one assistance, or learn about shortcuts and tips. We look forward to seeing you there!

    Sep12015

    CruzBuy Gift Card Catalog Implementation
    Introducing a new National Gift Card (NGC) catalog for the purchase of Gift cards used as non-cash employee awards or non-cash gifts to non-employees. This catalog within CruzBuy allows for gift cards to be purchased and sent directly to the requester, with e-invoicing from NGC to settle the payment. This meets Procurement Services continuing efforts to identify opportunity for streamlining of order processing while meeting minimum policy requirements, generating cost saving, and insuring minimum risk to the university. Click here to learn more.

    Jul152015

    CruzBuy Upgrade and Outage
    CruzBuy will be unavailable beginning 6pm Friday, 7/17, through noon Sunday, 7/19, while the CruzBuy 15.2 upgrade is applied. The 15.2 upgrade will be available in CruzBuy on Monday 7/20.

    Jun292015

    CruzBuy - Fisher Punchout
    The Fisher Scientific punchout is now available in CruzBuy! Fisher Scientific is the flagship distributor for Life and Science chemicals, consumables, equipment, and laboratory supplies for the UC System. The Fisher punchout tile is located in the General Scientific Supplies showcase. More information about the Fisher punchout can be found here.

    With the new Fisher Punchout, requestors will be able to:

    • Take advantage of more than 3,200 deeply discounted items.
    • Take advantage of promotional offers.
    • Retrieve quotes from Fisher representatives.
    • Order customizable items and custom oligos.
    • Track orders placed through the punchout.

    WARNING
    CruzBuy users should avoid using the “Cancel This Session” button on the Fisher punchout to exit the session. Clicking on this button will erase the contents of the cart and return the user back to CruzBuy with an empty requisition.

    Jun252015

    CruzBuy Supplier Quote Requirements
    While best practice would be to have a quote on every order, we understand it’s not always practical or efficient on low value purchase orders. Backing up your purchase requisition with pricing information such as a quote, email with pricing, or screenshot of website pricing would support and assist if any transactional issues were to arise with invoicing, or a dispute at a later date around the original terms of the order. Click here to learn more.

    Jun12015

    ​Campus Delays Implementation of New Federal Procurement Rules
    University of CA - Santa Cruz will delay implementation of the new federal procurement rules found at 2 CFR Part 200, beginning with section 200.317, until July 1, 2016. Procurement Services will continue to follow the federal procurement rules found in Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110. This deferment is authorized in Section 110-6 of the Frequently Asked Questions released by OMB and the Council on Financial Assistance Reform (COFAR) on August 29, 2014.
    For more information see Uniform Guidance.

    May12015

    ​​Fisher First!
    The Fisher First program makes Fisher Scientific the flagship distributor for Life and Science chemicals, consumables, equipment, and laboratory supplies for the UC System. The agreement, based on the combined spending power of the 10 UC campuses, is expected to generate benefits greater than $10M in the first year alone. In addition, Fisher was awarded exclusive distribution for Corning brand C-contract items. Click here to learn more.

    ​05/01/15 - Fisher First!

    The Fisher First program makes Fisher Scientific the flagship distributor for Life and Science chemicals, consumables, equipment, and laboratory supplies for the UC System. The agreement, based on the combined spending power of the 10 UC campuses, is expected to generate benefits greater than $10M in the first year alone. In addition, Fisher was awarded exclusive distribution for Corning brand C-contract items.

    UCOP and Fisher will be holding several launch events at UCSC on Tuesday, June 16, to provide an overview and answer any questions about this new program.

    June 16 - Intro to Fisher First Program

    • Attendees: Deans / Department Heads/Key Research Administrators
    • Location: MCD/Bio room 200
    • Time: 9- 9:30 am

    June 16 - Fisher First Program Overview

    • Attendees: Department Requesters
    • Location: MCD/Bio room 200
    • Time: 9:45- 11:15 am
      • Agreement Structure
      • Scenarios & exceptions
      • e-commerce mechanics
      • Q&A

    June 16 - Large Campus Event

    • Attendees: All the above plus Primary Investigators, Researchers, Clinicians, Graduate Students in Life Sciences, Lab Managers, etc.
    • Location: PSB 240
    • Time: 1- 4 pm
      • Vendor Show
      • Product Demonstrations
      • eProcurement Demonstration
    Apr202015

    ​UCSC Procurement Services e-Newsletter
    A new edition of the Procurement Services Newsletter is now available. Click here to view the newsletter.

    Mar232015

    CruzBuy Upgrade
    The 15.1 upgrade, which will be available in CruzBuy on Monday, 3/30, includes two new features: Dashboards / Widgets and Favorites folder search functionality.
    Click here to learn more about these new features.

    03/30/2015

    The 15.1 Upgrade, available in CruzBuy on Monday, 3/30, includes two new features:
    Dashboards / Widgets, and Favorites folder search functionality.

    Click on the links below to learn more about these new features.