Building partnerships through collaboration.
UB Purchasing strives to achieve the best possible combination of service and cost when selecting a supplier, while being in accordance with various purchasing initiatives.
Purchasing agents use a search order to find the best possible supplier for goods and services. We advise faculty and staff to use this best practice. Purchases must follow New York State, SUNY and RF SUNY regulations and policies and are competitively bid at various thresholds.
A preferred source is a designated supplier who, in an effort to advance certain social and economic goals, has received special provider status under New York state statute. We may purchase goods and services from preferred sources without competition. The state preferred sources are:
As a state agency, we are eligible to utilize existing NYS contracts. The state has numerous contracts for goods and services for use with state, Research and UB Foundation purchases. Consult with a purchasing agent to learn more.
The university supports supplier diversity and economic inclusion by using diverse and local community-based suppliers. UB’s Supplier Diversity Program aims to broaden our network of business partners. Faculty and staff looking for diversity suppliers to meet their purchasing needs can utilize the Empire State Development’s M/WBE Directory of certified diversity suppliers, and can contact the Purchasing department to discuss options.
We can buy from suppliers that are not a preferred source or on state contract. These transactions are subject to reasonableness of price and competitiveness requirements.