BearBuy production downtime will take place between Friday, November 3, at 6 p.m. through Sunday, November 5, at 9 a.m. to upgrade from release version 23.2 to 23.3. To avoid delays, please complete all BearBuy requests prior to the system maintenance. BearBuy will be available on Monday, November 6.
On November 6, BearBuy will be updated with improvements to the optional receipt creation process. Here are highlights of the changes:Simplified steps for creating an optional receipt directly from a purchase orderImproved ease of use with new draft receipt cancel and return icons A PowerPoint presentation with details about the enhancements will be available by Friday, November 3 on the BearBuy Features Update page of the Supply Chain Management (SCM) website.
UCSF Supply Chain Management Logistics is launching Photo Capture for proof of delivery. Some customers may have already started receiving photos as proof of delivery began beta testing last month. Soon all deliveries will be accompanied with a photo for delivery confirmation. More information and launch dates will be released in a future newsletter.
For faculty, staff, post-doctoral researchers, residents and fellows who travel internationally, a required Attestation Form (regarding registration for free UC international travel insurance) has replaced the International Travel Approval and Resources Form. The International Travel Insurance Attestation Form must be filled out and signed only by the traveler, and attached to the traveler’s travel reimbursement request through MyExpense. Supply Chain Management is in a supporting role for this guidance to assist with travel insurance compliance and awareness. For full details and information, please see UCSF’s Travel Guidance.
Effective October 1, 2023, members of the Postdoctoral Scholars Unit (PX) systemwide bargaining unit are eligible for reimbursement of up to $2,500 annually for qualifying childcare expenses. Details about this benefit, eligibility, submission requirements, and the reimbursement process are available in a new resource, Childcare Benefits for Postdoctoral Scholars on the UCSF Human Resources website.Departments are responsible for tracking childcare related expenses and ensuring employees do not exceed annual reimbursement levels provided for in the contract. While all eligible employees shall receive a minimum of $2,500 annually, some external grant or fellowship funding sources provide more funding for childcare-related expenses. Department administrators should review updated guidelines for recording reimbursement expenses on the Controller’s Office website.Read the original announcement from the UCSF Controller’s Office.
America To Go (ATG) is launching a new punch-out catalog in BearBuy on April 6. The updated ATG punch-out will introduce a new user interface and features that will provide an improved ordering experience. Highlights of the new ATG punch-out include:A refreshed, modern, user-friendly interfaceImproved order process with visible cart and simplified checkout Enhanced caterer cards for better visibilityWhile the ATG punch-out catalog look and feel will be changing, the BearBuy requisition process remains the same. After creating your catering order in ATG, you will click Place Order to transfer the order to your BearBuy shopping cart. The catering order delivery address must be entered in the ShipTo address section of the BearBuy requisition. Once the PO is issued to ATG, the ShipTo address will be provided to the caterer to fulfill the order. To assist users with this change there will be support resources available in the new ATG punch-out upon go-live and helpful training resources on our ATG page. To learn more about how to update a shipping address in BearBuy, we have a new short video available here and online training content here.
University of California Procurement Services has a new contract with Dell to replace SHI as systemwide value-added reseller (VAR) for Microsoft, Adobe, Netskope and Microfocus software. The change will take effect on February 1, 2023. The existing contract with SHI had reached the 10-year policy term limit and UC Procurement issued a request for proposal (RFP) which resulted in Dell being identified as the best value. The new agreement was made in partnership with the IT Sourcing Committee and the Software Services Group. BearBuy will be modified by February 1, 2023, to require UCSF to use Dell only for software orders from those four companies. Until then, please continue to place software orders through SHI using their punch-out. Software not available through Dell (except those on the Supply Chain Management (SCM) software and cloud computing page) can continue to be purchased through SHI after February 1, 2023. Benefits to UC include: $5.8 million in projected financial benefit UC-wide over the initial term Five-year initial term, with five annual renewal options at UC's discretion Fixed pricing during initial term Agreement aligns with UC’s needs and is compliant with policy and laws If you have questions regarding this change, please contact Joanne Petersen, SCM strategic sourcing manager – IT. We are working hard to ensure effective implementation and full cost savings to benefit you and the University. Please do not share this information outside of the University of California.
As part of our ongoing BearBuy invoicing project, Supply Chain Management (SCM) has created three new web pages to assist customers and suppliers in the process. They are:Invoicing Roles and Responsibilities – This page breaks down roles and responsibilities by department, supplier and SCM, including:Supplier account management, invoice submission and processing, and paymentDepartments know what they need to do to buy goods or services and get their suppliers paid in a timely mannerSCM’s role in the invoicing process from completing and correcting invoice to guidance on issue resolutionDepartment Guide to Transcepta and Supplier Guide to Transcepta – These two pages are designed to take departments and suppliers from the process of registering with Transcepta through receiving payment. They offer information on exclusions, common delays and how to get help. The department page also has tips on supporting use of Transcepta.The invoicing project team is continuing to work on additional areas, including training materials (website updates, webinars, etc.) for departments and suppliers and improved communications to improve the supplier experience.
To purchase goods or services, create a BearBuy requisition and purchase order (PO) prior to making the purchase. POs help ensure authorization, financial controls, and policy compliance. Purchasing of goods or services without using a pre-approved PO is considered unauthorized per University of California policy.When creating a requisition in BearBuy and a supplier appears with a red stop sign next to its name, this means the supplier is not currently accepting POs. To make a purchase through the supplier, you should either:Email [email protected] and request help setting up the supplier for PO acceptance; or,Request the supplier complete the UCSF Substitute W-9 and Supplier Information form including Section 2 and return to [email protected] the supplier is set up, Supply Chain Management (SCM) will update their profile to remove the stop sign so you can create a BearBuy requisition for PO.Using the Payment Request FormA reminder that the Payment Request Form (PRF) can no longer be used for suppliers who will not accept a purchase order (PO). Invoices submitted using the PRF for goods and services will not be accepted and will be returned to the department.The PRF can only be used for the following types of payments:Cell Phone/Phone LinesDonations/ContributionsGovernment Fees/VisasGuest LodgingHonorariaJournal PublicationsMembershipsPostage/Small Package CourierRefundsRegistration FeesStudent Summer ProgramsSubscriptionsUtilities For one-time purchases of low-risk goods and services under $5,000 from a supplier, you may use a procurement card (P-Card), if you have one. Visit SCM's P-Card web pages for more information.
ChemCentral has partnered with Polycarbin to help make UCSF’s science more sustainable. Made with 71 percent lower carbon emissions, Polycarbin’s recycled lab plastics, including pipette tips (LTS compatible), microcentrifuge tubes, and conical tubes, are now available for purchase at both Parnassus and Weill Neurosciences ChemCentral stores. Join us this week on campus for free product samples.Learn more about ChemCentral.
