Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science ———
Quick Links: StudentsFacultyStaffSubmit a Ticket
~help  /  Business  /  Purchasing and Technical Procurement

Technical Procurement

Need to purchase technical equipment? Need consulting or guidance on your purchase?

We provide procurement services for computing equipment and other technology-related items for the School of Computer Science (SCS) community. We also provide consulting and planning for the purchase of equipment and peripherals, with special focus on multi-machine research environments.

As general principle, all purchases of capital computer equipment should be arranged through SCS Computing Facilities (capital is when the cost, including shipping, exceeds $5,000). We are also happy to assist you with the purchase of non-capital computing equipment.

Making a Purchase

You can submit a purchase request using our web-based purchasing application available to the SCS community. For more information on our purchasing application along with best-practices, policy information and more, see our SCSCF Purchasing App User Guide. 

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If your order needs to be placed with the vendor before the Winter Break, the request must be submitted through our purchasing application by Friday, December 13, 2024. See more information in our news item. 

Before you submit your request

To purchase items, please provide the following supporting documentation before submitting your order:

  • The product/part you wish to purchase, the name of the vendor if already chosen and any quote you may have received for the item.
  • The quantity of the product/part requested for purchase.
  • The timeframe in which you need the item.
  • An Oracle string(s) for the purchase. Note: Capital equipment purchases cannot be made on Oracle strings that are within 90 days of their final close.

If your equipment purchase will exceed $5,000 and you are buying with government funds from a non-preferred vendor you must obtain competitive bids and complete pages one and two of the Purchasing Checklist and Bid Summary form  (requires Adobe Acrobat).

Purchases outside of SCS Computing

Items purchased with a Pcard, or those that will be reimbursed by the university, are NOT personal equipment. These purchases ARE the property of Carnegie Mellon University and need to be reflected in the registration process.

If you have purchased computing equipment outside of our procurement process, please have the items shipped to a confirmed department business site. We are happy to assist in identifying technical solutions to meet your needs. For questions regarding your purchase, compatibility or upgrade, feel free to submit a Configuration Assistance Request.

Need help configuring equipment?

Request a Consultation

Related CMU Policies

CMU policies that impact our purchasing practices:

 

Need to order equipment?