Purchasing Resources

This page provides brief guidelines and helpful tips for making purchases and reconciling those expenses. We’ve included the most common types of purchases, but this is not a complete list. If you don’t see the type of purchase you’re looking for, or if you have any questions, please contact the Financial Planning, Analysis, and Coordination office.

Important Reminders

All financial transactions are now managed through ServiceNow. For guidance related to domestic and international travel, visit the Travel Resources page.
IT purchases over $250, software requests, and all requests submitted by students require additional information and approval. Please allow up to two weeks for these types of requests.
All IST faculty members are strongly encouraged to obtain their personal Penn State Purchasing Card for goods and services and for travel. Faculty members are required to complete paperwork for group meal forms, purchasing card support forms, and travel forms.
Any student needing to make a purchase with University funding needs to first get approval through the College of IST Purchase/Travel Guide. Please allow up to two weeks for approval.

Purchasing Guidance

For guidance related to domestic and international travel, visit the Travel Resources page.

Any IT purchase under $250 may be processed as a general purchase and does not require additional approval. However, this excludes software purchases, which always require IT approval regardless of cost.

If you would like guidance or assistance with your IT purchase, please complete the IST IT Purchase Request Form.

Any IT purchase over $250 must be submitted through the IST IT Purchasing Form. All software purchases require IT approval regardless of cost.

Software reimbursements are not permitted. Approved software purchases must be completed using a purchasing card (PCARD) after IT approval is obtained.

Refer to IST_FN-11 for the college's policy on reimbursement of IST Faculty credit card purchases.

PSUbuy and P-card Purchases

Group Meals

A Group Meal Form and itemized receipt are required for all group meals and meetings, including those for faculty candidates, visiting scholars, and student labs.

Alcohol is not allowable on general funds, only on unrestricted gift funds.

Memberships

The College of IST covers select memberships. For all others, refer to University Policy HR12 Professional Organization Memberships.

General Supplies

There are a variety of items available in PSUBuy, which is the preferred purchasing method.

ServiceNow offers the option of Guided Buying where you can browse catalog items.

For most general purchases, contact your area administrator to purchase items on your behalf:

Westgate Building: Grace Hakizimana
Barron Innovation Hub: Johey Verfaille

Purchases Outside of PSUbuy

If an item cannot be purchased in PSUbuy, you may use your purchasing card (p-card).

After your purchase, you must:

Reconcile in SAP/Concur yourself, or
Submit a ServiceNow ticket

Eligible Participants

REU stipend payments may be issued to both Penn State and non-Penn State students.

General Requirements

All REU students must be registered vendors in SIMBA.
Verify that the student is not already set up as a vendor in SIMBA. Use SIMBA Tile → Display Business Partner to confirm vendor status.

Vendor and Tax Documentation

Required Forms

Employee or Independent Contractor Identification Form

Must be completed each semester
Must be signed by the Strategic Finance Partner
Must then be sent to the Tax Office for signature
- Tax Manager: Matt Shade

Once signed by the Tax Office, the completed form will be forwarded to psusuppliers@psu.edu.

Vendor Registration Submission

Email the following items to psusuppliers@psu.edu:

Completed Employee or Independent Contractor Identification Form
Business name or first and last name (if registering as an individual)
Email address
Description of goods or services

After submission:

Vendors will receive registration instructions from PaymentWorks
Students should be advised to:
- Monitor their email closely
- Check spam and junk folders
- Respond promptly to registration requests

Note that a Non-Employee Form is required for individuals who are not Penn State employees.

Payment Processing

Submit a Non-PO Invoice using ServiceNow using the following GL Code: 51158200 – Salary – Per Doctoral Fellow and Trainee

REU Payment Guidelines

National Science Foundation (NSF) regulations prohibit REU students from being paid wages.
REU students cannot be paid as student hourlies.
REU stipends are:
- Lump-sum payments
- Provided for participation in the program
- Not compensation for work or hours performed

Tax Reporting

REU stipend payments do not require issuance of a 1099, per Penn State Accounting guidance.

Before requesting payment, all studies must be approved and provided an IRB number. For information, visit the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research website.

Required Information for All Studies

Study Name
IRB Number. All payments to human research participants require Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. Refer to policy RPG03 Payments to Human Participants in Research.
Budget Number
Requestor/Facilitator information
Participant information (e.g., name, date, email depending on payment type)

Payment Methods

Cash Payment

Request a Cash Advance. Submit the completed form to the ServiceNow Ticket link.
Funds will be deposited into the requester’s payroll bank account.
Maintain a completed IRB Survey Signature Sheet documenting each participant’s name, date, signature, amount, and survey completion.
Return all unused funds with the completed signature sheet to the Financial Planning, Analysis, and Coordination office.

E-code Gift Cards

Acceptable options include Amazon, Visa, and other retailers with variable denominations.
Complete the IRB Survey Participants Sheet, including the participant's name, email, e‑code type, and payment amount.
Facilitators should complete the Create Non-Catalog Purchase Requisition ticket in Service Now.
Under Suggested Supplier, select Tango, which can be found under Supporting Documentation, More Information.
Attach the IRB Survey Participants sheet to the supporting documentation of the Service Now ticket.
The Hub will distribute the e-codes to the survey participants.

LionCash (Penn State students only)

Complete the IRB Survey Participants Sheet, including student name, nine-digit ID number, email, and payment amount.
Email the completed form to Penn State's id+ office.
Funds will be deposited directly to students' LionCash accounts.

The Office of College Events serves as a valuable resource by partnering with faculty and staff units to plan college-wide faculty, staff, and student events. The events office provides guidance regarding the following:

event requests
planning timelines
event logistics and preparation
event day operations
post-event debriefs

Submit the IST Event Request Form for all event and snack/catering requests. Event requests must be submitted at least one week prior to the date of your event.