Building partnerships through collaboration.
Events Off-Campus
While the university offers an array of different spaces to hold events, we understand the need to occasionally hold a university event off-campus.
On This Page:
Types of Events
Off-Campus
While scheduling your event on campus is always recommended, we understand there may be a need to utilize space off-campus. This may be an event center or hotel venue. Purchasing and Contract Services will need to review and sign any agreements related to off-campus events.
Agreements Without University Payments
If you are reserving a block of hotel rooms for which attendees (not the university) will pay, Purchasing and Contract Services will still need to review and sign the agreement.
Conference or Meeting Space on Campus
When planning an event on campus, you should always solicit campus locations first. To rent space on campus, visit University Events and Three Pillars Catering.
In this instance, no signature from Purchasing and Contract Services is required.
Working With a Venue
Setting Up Direct Bill
Most venues offer a direct bill payment option for conference space or lodging. Always ask for the credit application when soliciting quotes for a meeting or conference space. The credit application may require university credit information. If that is the case, complete the department-specific information on the form and send it to Lauren Fenush at lfenush@buffalo.edu with the subject line "Request for Direct Billing."
Tax Exempt Requests
The university is exempt from New York State sales tax. If the venue requires a copy of the university's tax-exempt form, please indicate this in the notes section of the eReq or ShopBlue requisition. The document will be sent to the vendor with the contract.
Deposits
Deposits can only be made after Purchasing and Contract Services has reveiwed and signed the contract.
Liability Insurance Requests
Most venues require the university to prove that we have insurance. If a venue requests this document, please note that this document is required on the eReq or ShopBlue requisition. It will be furnished to the venue with the signed contract.
Using the ShopBlue Event Request Form
Payments With Purchase Orders
If a venue extends credit or direct billing privileges to the university:
- Create a fully funded requisition using the Event Request Form in ShopBlue.
- Attach the contract and any additional quotes.
- The buyer will execute the contract with the purchase order, which will be sent directly to the vendor when the PO is encumbered.
If you need to use multiple funding sources for your event, please follow these steps:
- Complete the Event Request Form in ShopBlue for one of the funding sources.
- Add the form to the cart.
- Complete the checkout process.
- Once you have completed the initial order, return to that order.
- Click the 3 dots on the top right of the page, click on “Copy to New Cart” in the drop-down menu. This will create a new shopping cart with the same information from the original form. You do NOT have to complete the form again.
- In the Comments/Business Purpose section, enter the requisition number of the original order via a comment.
- Complete the checkout process using the second funding source.
Credit Card Payments
If a venue does not accept a purchase order and payment is due before the event, a Procurement Card (PCard) must be used. A review of the contract by Purchasing and Contract Services is still required. To obtain review and signatures from Purchasing and Contract Services when using a PCard:
- Create a $0 requisition using the Event Request Form in ShopBlue.
- Attach the contract and any additional quotes received.
- The buyer will complete the review, sign and execute the contract with the vendor, and communicate with the department that payment can be made.
- The requisition will serve as the procurement record and can be accessed anytime by searching the requisition number.
