Purchasing & Finance

Three Ways for Purchasing within the Department

  1. Purchase Request System (PRS) - Preferred Method - Submit your purchase request through the PRS and the purchasing team does the rest.  You'll be notified if there are further questions and once your package is ready for pickup.  All documentation, invoicing, payments, etc. will be managed by our purchasing team. Access PRS .
  2. ChemStores & ChemStores East - Preferred Method - Convienently located in Cristol and JSCBB we carry research and lab supply products you need right now and at the right price.  All items purchased are charged to the designated lab speedtypes and purchases are documented in MyLab. 
  3. Procurement Card - Purchases done through this method should be limited.  This method requires that you know and follow University, Sponsor, State, & Federal fiscal regulations and provide all of the necessary documentation through the PCard Program including receipts and reporting.  If you have questions, please contact one of your purchasers.

Purchasing Team

The Purchasing Team is here to meet the academic and research ordering needs of the department.  The team is composed of purchasing experts who will guide you throught the purchasing process to ensure fiscal compliance and a smooth procurement process so you can focus on your research goals.  We hope to provide you with all the information you need to make your departmental ordering quick and easy.

Please direct all purchasing related inquiries to chempurchasing@colorado.edu and finance related inquiries to chemfinance@colorado.edu

Kathleen Daugherty, Grant & Finance Purchasing Manager

  • Purchasing - Equipment Purchases, Over 5K Threshold
  • Expert on Purchase Request System (PRS)
  • Purchasing supervisor and trainer

Jack Gaston, ChemStores Manager

  • ChemStores West & ChemStores East management and purchasing
  • West Campus recieving

Common Purchasing Questions

In order to meet your research needs and ensure timely payment to vendors, the process for Custom Synthesis Orders (Oligos, peptides, etc) and Sequencing was changed.  Please do not reference old SPOs for vendors and instead complete the following steps: 

Process effective 1/1/12:  

  1. Enter your Custom Synthesis Order (oligos, peptides, etc) and Sequencing into the Purchase Request System including a valid speedtype for which the order will be charged.
  2. The individual who entered the order will receive a unique PO number within one business day for your order to provide to the vendor.  (Note - A different PO number will be provided for EACH order and is for one use only.
  3. You will contact the vendor directly (phone, online, etc) to place your order to ensure the specific lab request is clearly defined AND provide them with the NEW PO number.
  4. You will receive the order confirmation/invoice.  Please upload the documentation into the Purchase Request System to ensure prompt payment.
  5. Based on the new PO, the procurement staff will pay the vendor directly.

You can submit a Purchase Request in the and the purchasing team will complete the purchase for you and you'll be notified once the order is ready for pickup from receiving.

A quote is needed for all Purchase Requisitions $5K or greater AND/OR if you have received special pricing from a vendor. Please upload a copy of the quote to the Purchase Requisition you are submitting.

Please fill out the following reimbursement form and send to chemfinance@colorado.edu along with scanned copies of the detailed receipts and any other supporting documentation.

IMPORTANT: Requirements for timely substantiation/submission of business expenses apply to employee reimbursements, as well as commercial credit card transactions (Procurement Card, Travel Card, Airfare Card) and to cash advances. Failure to comply with these requirements within 90 days of end of trip or (for non-travel expenses) within 90 days of date the expense was incurred, will result in the full amount being reported as taxable income to the employee.