Departments are reminded to adhere to the published procurement deadlines. Goods and/or services must be received and/or rendered by Tuesday, June 30th. Departments must aggressively track their FY26 purchasing transactions and perform timely follow-up with suppliers. Departments must take into consideration the supplier’s quoted delivery times when submitting orders for processing.

It is the department's responsibility to include the mandatory delivery deadline in the internal memo section of the requisition.

Notable Deadlines

Departments should be assessing open purchase orders (POs) to determine if purchases/contracts are complete. Once all goods/services lines have been fully received and fully invoiced in Workday, the PO should auto close once the invoice is fully paid. 

Mass Close Requests are processed routinely to bulk close punchout (B2B) catalog POs that have been fully paid or are from prior fiscal years with inactivity of 12 months or greater.

Review Transaction Statuses

Prior to submitting requests to cancellation/closure, departments are reminded to check for pending transactions related to the PO. Workday will not allow PO cancellation/closure until pending transactions are processed.

Below are a few tips to check for pending transactions:

1. Run Find Receipts report with filters for your company (campus) and status (draft) to see list of draft POs which must be submitted or canceled before PO cancellation/closure can occur.
2. Run Find Supplier Invoices By Worktag report with filters for your worktag (program, project, gift, or grant) and invoice status (approved and in progress) and payment status (unpaid) to see list of POs with pending supplier invoices which must be approved and paid before PO cancellation/closure can occur.
3. Run Supplier Retention Balances report to see the list of construction POs still holding retainage which must first be cleared before PO cancellation/closure can occur.

Things to Note 

• “Credit Memos/Supplier Invoice Adjustments” do not guarantee the supplier will not reship or replace items and therefore are not accepted as supplier documentation to support closure requests. "Return Merchandise Authorizations (RMAs)" are also not acceptable.
• For active Professional, Specialty and Consulting Services Contracts or Construction POs, contact the PO Buyer directly regarding closure/liquidation to identify whether additional steps are required prior to closure.

If the order was canceled in its entirety or partially received (item(s) cancelled or returned), an email request (including the PO#) to cancel/close the PO should be sent by the department to purchase@lsu.edu or their respective campus purchasing office.

PO cancellation/closure requests are processed within Procurement’s normal turnaround times (7-10 business days).

If a supplier requires a signature on an agreement, contract, or any other form relating to the procurement of goods and/or services, the document should be submitted to Procurement via requisition for review/execution PRIOR to making the purchase.

Do Not Sign the Agreement

Departments are generally not authorized to sign contracts on behalf of the university. Only individuals with delegated signature authority from the System Chief Procurement Officer may execute procurement agreements. Submitting an agreement that has already been signed by an unauthorized individual may delay receiving goods and/or services.

Submitting Agreements for Procurement Review and Signature

Departments are responsible for reviewing agreements in their entirety to confirm completeness, accuracy, and their ability to meet all supplier-imposed requirements prior to routing to Procurement for approval.

To ensure timely processing and proper execution, please ensure the information below is provided when submitting agreements for Procurement review. Be sure to select the appropriate requisition type to ensure the correct business process steps are followed. Note: If the purchase will be paid by other means (LaCarte/Direct Charge) and does not require a purchase order, use the Create Contract/Agreement requisition type and LSU Procurement supplier record [SPL-18983] (only if using supplier not already registered) to facilitate routing.

Required Submission Information

Agreements must be submitted with the following information:

• A Word or PDF version of the supplier’s proposed agreement/document
• Scope of work or detailed description of goods/services
• Pricing or quote
• Any supporting documentation or required approvals
• Fund type for payment (e.g., University, Private,) Additional contractual language may be required depending on the source of funds

Incomplete submissions will delay processing.

Processing Times

Procurement’s standard processing time is 7–10 business days. However, review may take longer if additional approvals are required.

Depending on the nature of the agreement, review may include:

• Office of General Counsel
• Risk Management
• Information Technology Services (ITS)

Processing time may also vary based on:

• Complexity of the agreement
• Volume of agreements under review
• Timeliness of the supplier’s response during contract negotiations

Please submit agreements well in advance of the intended start date. Agreements should not be processed retroactively.

When submitting documentation to contractors, suppliers or service providers, departments should include LSU insurance information whenever possible. Contractors/Suppliers should be advised early that proof of insurance via a certificate of insurance (COI) may be required before work can begin on LSU premises. Taking this step upfront helps keep purchase requests, contracts, and schedules moving smoothly.

Contractors/Suppliers, including service providers, vendors, and building or maintenance contractors, who perform work on LSU premises should maintain appropriate insurance coverage. This insurance is necessary to protect both the contractor/supplier and the University against potential claims or losses for which the contractor/supplier may be responsible.

Things to Note About LSU Insurance Requirements

• Insurance must be obtained prior to the commencement of work on LSU premises.
• The contractor/supplier shall obtain and maintain all required insurance at its own cost and expense for the full term of the purchase agreement or contract.
• Coverage must include, but is not limited to, Workers’ Compensation, Commercial General Liability, and Automobile Liability Insurance, naming the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College as an additional insured.
• Evidence of the required insurance coverage via a certificate of insurance (COI) may be required prior to the start of work, depending on the nature of the purchase or service.
• Failure to comply with these insurance requirements shall constitute a material breach of contract and shall entitle the University to all remedies available under the agreement and/or applicable law.

General Requirements

The above insurance requirements are basic requirements. Contractors/Suppliers must always review and comply with the insurance requirements per their written contract or agreement which may vary based on campus and scope of services.

Contacts

• LSU Office of Risk Management 225-578-3283 or riskmanagement@lsu.edu (LSU A&M)
• State of Louisiana Office of Risk Management 225-342-8500 (All other campuses)

Maintenance, Repair, & Operations (MRO) refers to all activities of functional checks, serving, repairs, or replacing of equipment needed for the upkeep of the University, the University infrastructure, and supporting utilities associated with daily operations.

Commonly purchased MRO equipment, supplies, & services include, but are not limited to grounds maintenance, painting, janitorial, HVAC, pressure & soft washing, electrical, plumbing, environmental services.

Note: These services are not to be confused with Construction (Public Works subject to T-38 laws).

All work involving University facilities and/or property must be authorized and/or performed under the supervision of the LSU Office of Facility Services.

On-site services (i.e. training, implementation, installation, configuration, repairs. etc.) are subject to LSU’s insurance requirements and University travel regulations (LSU PM-13).

The Office of Facility Planning and Control within the State of Louisiana Division of Administration has revised the contract limit for construction projects as defined in Title 38 (Public Bid Law) that are subject to a public bid process. The revised contract limit has been increased from $250,000.00 to $260,000.00 per project including labor, materials, and equipment. 

For construction projects at LSU, a public bid process will now be required for projects with a cost of $235,000.00 or greater, previously $225,000.00. The total cost of the project including change orders cannot exceed $260,000. These projects must be coordinated with the LSU Office of Planning, Design, and Construction, and the bid process is conducted by LSU Procurement.

LSU Procurement values your input in managing our contracted suppliers. We have developed a supplier scorecard to highlight performance strengths and areas for improvement, which will be shared during annual business reviews.

LSU Procurement will collect response data for each supplier via Qualtrics surveys. Links will be emailed to campus users/stakeholders and posted on the LSU Procurement website. Data collection will occur from April to mid-June.

During Fiscal Year 2026 YTD (7/1/2025 – 5/11/2026)

LSU departments have retained $246,263.33 in their budgets by promptly receiving and paying invoices.

Since being enabled in Workday (5/1/2021 – 5/11/2026)

LSU departments have retained $919,267.03 in their budgets by promptly receiving and paying invoices.

Approximately $366,183.05 was lost by not paying within the prompt payment/early payment discount timeframe.

Best Practice Reminders

• Suppliers should be sending invoices directly to LSU Accounts Payable & Travel at aptravel@lsu.edu.
  • If Suppliers are sending invoices to department end users, it drastically reduces the opportunity for the invoice to get reviewed, transferred to Accounts Payable, loaded into Workday and paid within the prompt payment term timeframe.
• Departments are reminded to review deliveries and approve/process LSU master contract and Workday B2B catalog supplier invoices timely. 

Suppliers Offering Prompt/Early Payment Discounts

Departments are reminded that the following LSU master contract and Workday B2B catalog suppliers offer prompt payment terms and early payment discounts:

• Airgas (1% 10, Net 30)
• Avantor delivered by VWR (3% 30, Net 30)
• Cintas (2% 15, Net 30)
• Fisher Scientific (2% 10, Net 30)
• Forty Nine Degrees (2% 10, Net 30)
• Genuine Parts Co. dba NAPA Auto (1% 10, Net 30)
• Grainger (2% 10, Net 30)
• HD Supply (2% 10, Net 30)
• Medline Industries (1% 10, Net 30)
• ODP Business Solutions (1% 15, Net 30)
• Specialty Underwriters LLC  (2% 10, Net 30)
• Staples Business (1% 10, Net 30)
• Steelcase via Frost Barber of LA (2% 10, Net 30)
• Thomas Scientific (1% 10, Net 30)

In an effort to streamline & ensure attachments to Procurement documents (i.e. Requisitions, Purchase Orders, Change Orders, Supplier Contracts, and Suppliers) are viewable and accessible with default software, attachments will be limited to the following document types:

• Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)
• Microsoft Excel (.xlsx or .xls)
• Portable Document Format (.pdf)
• Joint Photographic Experts Group (.jpeg or .jpg)
• Portable Network Graphics (.png)

A critical validation on procurement transactions related to this update has been added with the following message, "A document attached to this requisition includes a disallowed file type. Please only include the following file types: doc, docx, jpeg, jpg, pdf, png, ppt, pptx, xls, or xlsx."

In an effort to streamline reporting on Procurement documents (i.e. Requisitions, Purchase Orders, Change Orders, Supplier Contracts), Procurement has added a new spend attachment category, "Business Associate Agreement" so that these agreements are easier to identify within University reporting.

Business Associate Agreement is a mandatory, legally binding contract under HIPAA that ensures third-party suppliers, who create, receive, maintain, or transmit Protected Health Information (PHI) on behalf of a covered entity (LSU System), safeguard that data.

Effective, June 1st the Workday warning message will become a Workday critical validation message (red color) requiring the attachment on the SAM.gov documentation on procurement transactions. The SAM.gov exclusion list verification is necessary to meet the federal procurement regulations. Departments are reminded to use the spend attachment category “SAM.gov Documentation.” If the applicable document is not attached to the Procurement transaction, the transaction cannot proceed until the validation is met by attaching the required document.

The critical validation message will appear on procurement transactions using accounting funds FD110, FD250, FD251, and FD252. The message states “Federal or federal pass thru funds being utilized. POL-U501.A applies. Attach SAM.GOV documentation in order to proceed.”

Master Contracts

• Specialty Underwriters LLC
  • Contract has prompt payment terms of 2% 10, Net 30

Existing Catalogs
 

• Genuine Parts Company dba NAPA
  • New catalog/user interface live in Workday as of May 15th
    • Updated user interface for the shopping experience
    • New/Expanded Product Offerings
      • Additional categories & manufactures now available.

New Workday Punchout (B2B) Catalogs

• MWI Animal Health
  
  • Workday punchout (B2B) catalog officially launched in Workday on Tuesday, May 26th.

• To ensure timely processing, requests to update a supplier’s address can be submitted by the Cost Center Manager in Workday. If the update is not entered in Workday, departments should email the request to the Supplier Help Desk at suppliers@lsu.edu. The request must include supporting documentation from the supplier, such as an email or formal letter notifying LSU of the address change.

• Always confirm that the correct supplier record is used when entering requisitions. Verify the supplier’s FEIN or Tax ID on the quote and use the Workday “Find Supplier by Tax ID” report to locate the correct record. If the supplier cannot be found, instruct the supplier to complete the registration process. Do not use an old or incorrect supplier record simply to move the transaction forward. Once a purchase order is issued, Procurement cannot change the supplier record, and Accounts Payable will be unable to pay the invoice due to IRS reporting requirements.

• Departments are encouraged to create receipts on all purchase orders, including B2B catalog orders, to facilitate the auto close process when invoices are paid.

• Procurement encourages departments to obtain quotes in U.S. dollars for all procurement transactions to avoid currency conversion costs and mitigate the risk of exchange rate fluctuations.

• Departments should not submit purchase order (PO) change orders to reduce quantities solely because an invoice was received at a lower price. Once the PO is fully received and the invoice has been paid, any excess encumbrance will automatically liquidate.

• Departments should refrain from using line breaks in the line memo or header memo fields. This can happen when copying and pasting data from Excel and/or hitting enter when entering the memo to create a separate line. Instead use punctuation to separate statements.