No. The exemption as stated in the law is for 'new purchases' only. M&E Exemption must be requested and approved prior to purchase. The University does not retroactively allow purchases to qualify.

The threshold for the M&E Tax Exemption is $200. We are not required under the RCW to use the UW's capitalization threshold of $5,000. The equipment:

• Must have a useful life of more than one year
• Must be directly used more than 50% of its useful life on qualifying research; and
• Must have an acquisition cost of more than $200

Note:  Add costs to existing pieces of M&E qualifying equipment can also qualify for the exemption, even if they are under $200.

University Depreciation - The University has a $5,000 capitalization threshold and therefore depreciates all equipment over $5,000.  The University’s fixed asset system, OASIS, calculates these “official” depreciation amounts which are used in the University’s financial statements, State reporting, and the F&A process.  These depreciation figures are recorded at a high level on an annual basis and are not posted to the individual departmental budgets.

For questions related to the recharge rate, please contact MAA  - Recharge and Cost Center Accounting  recharge@uw.edu.

In discussions with the State Office of Financial Management and auditors it was determined that $1 million was the appropriate capitalization threshold for these assets. This balances the benefit of tracking the assets with the cost of tracking the assets. For example, to arrive at the cost of software generated by University personnel it would be necessary for employees to track the time spent in development of an approved project. Costs incurred prior to project approval and for program implementation would have to be expensed.

Intangible assets are capital assets that have the following characteristics:
Lack physical substance
They are not financial instruments such as: cash, investments and receivables
Initial useful life greater than 1 year
Examples: easements, water rights, patents, trademarks, computer software (not the transmission media, just the programming)

The revenue source code tells the funding source of an expenditure. If it is 01 through 60, then the expenditure was federally funded. If it's 00 or 61 through 99, then the expenditure was state funded (this includes start up funds and anything not federal/agency).

Please see the procedure on the 'Return to Vendor' page.

Please see 'Lost/Stolen Equipment' on the 'Disposals' page.

No, as described by WAC 236-48-198, surplus property available for disposal under the provisions of RCW 43.19.1919 shall not be sold to state elected officials, officers or employees, except at public sale. Public sales are held through the Surplus Property Office.

Sole Exception: Under certain circumstances it is possible for employees to buy their old work cell phones. Please see Surplus property’s web site to see if you might qualify.