Table of Contents

• Purchase Order (PO) Close-Out and Mass Update
• Tariff Refund Process
• CCOA Changes on VB's and Contracts
• Expenditure of UC Funds & Reimbursements
• Live Events: CalOSHA 9251 - FAQ
• Event: Purchasing with ODP Business Solutions
• Requisitions & Quotes
• Energy Star Freezer Rebate
• Contracts

Important: Purchase Order (PO) Close-Out and Mass Update

As we approach the end of the Fiscal Year (FY), it is critical that all departments proactively manage their open Purchase Orders. Closing POs ensures your financial records are accurate and your available funds are maximized for the upcoming year.

Why Closing POs Matters

Promptly closing POs once all invoices and receipts are processed is essential for your budget health:

• Fund Recovery: Open POs with remaining balances "tie up" money. Closing them releases these funds back into your carry-forward balance for the new FY.
• Data Integrity: It helps identify unresolved lien issues or accounting discrepancies before the year-end cutoff.
• System Efficiency: Reduces clutter in the Gateway system, making reporting faster and more accurate.

Action Required: Departmental Responsibility

Department Requesters and Receivers have the authority and responsibility to close their respective POs.
Action Item: Please review your open POs today and close any that have been fully serviced and invoiced.

Upcoming Mass Closure Process

To expedite the year-end cleanup, the Gateway Systems Team will be performing several Mass Closures.

• What will be closed: Any PO that is confirmed as fully invoiced and fully received.
• The Goal: This automated process will clear out residual balances and help us flag any hidden lien issues that haven't been reported this year.

Note: If you have a PO that should remain open despite being fully invoiced (e.g., for ongoing warranty or multi-year tracking), please notify the Gateway Systems Team immediately by sending a service desk ticket to gatewayhelp@bfs.ucsb.edu.

Tariff Refund Process

The Supreme Court recently issued a ruling regarding certain tariffs implemented during the Trump administration, declaring specific collections invalid and requiring the federal government to issue refunds. This ruling is limited to tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has launched a dedicated refund portal to facilitate these claims.

• UCOP Evaluation: The University of California Office of the President (UCOP) is currently reviewing the ruling and the CBP portal requirements. We will issue formal, campus-wide guidance as soon as the specific recovery process is finalized.
• Importer of Record (IOR) Restriction: Eligibility to file a claim is strictly limited to the Importer of Record.
  • In most cases, a third-party vendor or freight forwarder acted as the IOR for University purchases.
  • This means UCSB may not be eligible to file directly for many transactions and may need to coordinate with vendors for reimbursement.

Important: Please do not attempt to file claims through the CBP portal independently at this time. Unauthorized filings may complicate the University’s collective recovery efforts. We will provide updates and specific instructions as soon as they become available.

CCOA Changes on VB's and Contracts

Going forward, departments will no longer be able to process CCOA changes on existing Vendor Blankets or Contract PO's if at least one invoice has already been paid against them. If you need a CCOA change on an existing purchase order, a new PO will need to be issued instead.

Why the Change?

We’ve identified a technical discrepancy in how Gateway calculates total purchase order dollar values. Even when the liened amount appears correct, an existing paid invoice reduces the "total amount" available in Gateway. Attempting to change the CCOA after payment made on any invoice creates a data mismatch that disrupts financial tracking.

You may submit a request to change the new PO number with the prior PO number by emailing gatewayhelp@bfs.ucsb.edu.

Expenditure of UC Funds & Reimbursements

While departments and Principal Investigators (PIs) are responsible for authorizing the expenditure of funds, they do not have the independent authority to execute legal agreements or finalize purchases. At UCSB, official purchasing authority is restricted to Gateway transactions and low-risk purchases made via FlexCard.

Any acquisition made outside of these established channels is considered an unauthorized procurement. Reimbursements are a primary example of unauthorized purchasing; as such, the University reserves the right to deny reimbursement requests in part or in full. Furthermore, individuals who bypass official channels assume personal liability for any claims or issues arising from the transaction.

Live Events: CalOSHA FAQ

Please find below a link to the FAQ from last month's Mini Tune Up:

CalOSHA Labor Code Section 9251 FAQ

Requisitions & Quotes

To avoid having your Requisition returned for edits, follow these best practices when entering orders:

Funding available to replace old energy-inefficient equipment, including ULT Freezers

The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) is currently offering a $4,000 rebate to labs that are willing to recycle their 10-year-old+ ULT freezer to buy a new ENERGY STAR model. An additional $2,500 rebate is available for FY 2025/2026 from Fisher Scientific for new ENERGY STAR ULT Freezers. You can receive a total rebate of up to $6,500 ($4,000 TGIF and $2,500 from Fisher Scientific), while funds last.

Funding is also available for WaterSense and ENERGY STAR equipment. For more information on the rebate program and other important considerations when selecting a new unit, visit:

• sustainability.ucsb.edu/tgif-equipment-rebate-program
• bfs.ucsb.edu/procurement/sustainable-procurement/your-lab

If you have questions about the rebate program, please contact Jewel Persad at jewelpersad@ucsb.edu.

Contracts

When submitting procurement contract requisitions, please be sure the person you add to the “Department Contact Email” field has a role in Gateway.

This person will receive our Gateway comments and be copied on our communication with the vendor. If they don't have a Gateway role, we won't be able to ask questions and communicate with them on status. Please contact that person for status requests before contacting Procurement.

Office Hours

Use Our Helpdesk!

Looking for a fast response? Use our online helpdesk system to submit requests and track inquiries.

Go to Procurement Helpdesk

UCSB Procurement Processing Times

Standard turnaround times for purchase orders and contracts are available here:
bfs.ucsb.edu/procurement/processing-times

Where is my order?

After pulling up your requisition, locate the "What's Next" section on the right side. The current status will appear in a green checkmark. You can also use the Comment tab to get in touch with the person assigned the requisition.