Some purchases require special considerations, including prior approvals or other requirements. An Exceptions List along with the following information has been created to assist with your purchasing decisions. Tip! You may want to bookmark this page for future reference.
It is the policy of Procurement Services that all orders should be placed through Workday, via Requisition. Supplier Invoice Request is not allowed for these purchases as the approval process is not built-in.
The provision of accurate information and responses is critical to ensuring the University of Washington’s continued compliance with state and federal law, awarding agency policy, and accreditation requirements.
In Workday
Exception items can be ordered through requisitions by a Requisition Requester in Workday. Use the appropriate spend category for the commodity being purchased. Some spend categories are provided in the chart below. Some items will require an additional To-Do task after the requisition has been submitted. That questionnaire will need to be completed before the requisition can move forward with approval.
The exception approval process and the requisition approval process are separate functions within Workday, if your order is over $10k, you will see a buyer approving the order twice. Orders under $10k will go to the Supplier after the exception approval is complete.
Some capital purchases are triggering the Exception Review process. If this happens with your requisition, add a comment stating that the item is not an exception item. Buying staff will review and confirm.
The following spend categories will require the initiator to respond to a questionnaire and may require Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) approval of a requisition in Workday:
- Radioactive Materials (SC2070)
- Biological Safety Cabinets (SC1731)
- Medical Instruments (SC1100)
- Trackable-Capital Communications, Recording, Reproducing, and Detection Equipment (SC1225), use for lasers
- Trackable-Capital Dental Equipment (SC1207)
- Trackable-Capital Instruments and Laboratory Equipment (SC1233)
- Trackable-Capital Medical Equipment (SC2511)
- Trackable-Capital Veterinary Equipment (SC2518)
Note: For equipment maintenance or service contracts, Spend Category SC1264 Maintenance Contracts is recommended
Exception List:
- Exception List
Category
Additional Notes
Artwork Purchases of artwork may require preapproval:
Biological Safety Cabinets See UW EH&S Information. Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) has published guidance regarding purchases of biological safety cabinets and standards.
Spend Category: Biological Safety Cabinets SC1731
Note: Supplier Invoice Request and ProCard are not allowed for this category.
Cadavers, Organs, and Other Human Tissue See UW EH&S Biological Use for additional information. Purchase of cadavers and/or human body parts for research must be in compliance with all legal, public health, and ethical standards.
The following will be needed in order to complete your order:
- Research only: Biological Use Authorization Application approved by the Institutional Biosafety Committee. Biological Use Authorization Application
- Certifying that the UW Willed Body Program does not have human remains appropriate for your needs. http://wbp.biostr.washington.edu/
- Any Material Transfer Agreements ( MTAs) required by the supplier.
- Confirmation that you have made arrangements for disposal of any human remains purchases that are consistent with the individual making an anatomical gift’s requirements and the requirements of RCW Chapter68.50.
Spend Category: Cadavers, Organs and Other Human Tissue SC1732
Note: BUA is not required for specimens being used in teaching. Supplier Invoice Request and ProCard are not allowed for this category.
Card Services and Equipment Departments must receive approval from Merchant Services before contracting for any payment card acceptance related equipment or services. This requirement applies to orders for any dollar amount. Contact pcihelp@uw.edu (Reference: APS 35.1) Charters Aircraft, Boat, and Bus charters see: Charters / Transportation (aircraft insurance limits increased 4-21-2022)
Spend Category: Charters SC1733
Construction and Building Alteration, Modification, and Repairs For UW Facilities work on UW Owned Space:
- See the Facility Services Maintenance &Alterations website - departments are not authorized to contract for these services without approval from Facilities.
Leased Space:
- Contact UW Real Estate regarding building alterations and construction
Spend Category: Outside Repair, Maintenance, And Alteration Services SC1056
Note: Supplier Invoice Request and ProCard are not allowed for this category.
Firearms, Ammunition, and Explosives Prohibited: Possession or use of firearms, explosives, dangerous chemicals or other dangerous weapons or instruments on the university campus, except for authorized university purposes, unless prior written approval has been obtained from the UW Police Department, or any other person designated by the president of the university;
All weapons, firearms, and permanently attached accessories such as rifles, pistols, flare guns, net guns, tasers, rifle scopes, signal guns, line-throwing equipment, and animal control devices must be tagged and inventoried regardless of cost.
Please see EIO's webpages for more information on tagging and inventory procedures.
Spend Category: Trackable-Capital Weapons, Firearms, Signal Guns, and Accessories SC1178
Note: Supplier Invoice Request and ProCard are not allowed for this category.
Fume Hoods See UW EH&S Fume Hoods. Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) has published guidance regarding purchases of approved fume hoods, design standards, approved manufacturers, and best practices.
Spend Category: Biological Safety Cabinets SC1731
Note: Supplier Invoice Request and ProCard are not allowed for this category.
Human Blood, Human Blood Serum, Human Cell Lines, and Human Platelets See UW EH&S Biological Use for additional information on blood borne pathogens, biohazards, and required biological use forms.
Spend Category: Blood Expense SC2058
The following will be needed in order to complete your order:
- Biological Use Authorization Application approved by the Institutional Biosafety Committee. Biological Use Authorization Application
- Any Material Transfer Agreements ( MTA'S) required by the supplier
Note: Supplier Invoice Request and ProCard are not allowed for this category.
Live Animals / Custom Animal Work / Non-Preserved Animal Organs and Tissue Live Animals- Must be ordered via the Department of Comparative Medicine, please see their website on Animal Purchasing
Live Animal Eggs or Larvae- OAW has requested notification of purchases in order to remind campus of any regulatory requirements
Spend Category: Live Animals SC1103
Note: Supplier Invoice Request and ProCard are not allowed for this category.
Custom Animal Work- examples: custom antibody production, studies utilizing animals, production of surgically modified animals, and creation of genetically modified animals.
Spend Category: Custom Antibodies SC1735
Please see the Office of Animal Welfare’s website for more information.
Note: Supplier Invoice Request and ProCard are not allowed for this category unless prior approval from Department of Animal Welfare.
Non-Preserved Animal Organs & Tissue- See the Purchasing Non-Preserved Animal Organs & Tissue Guide.
If you have never purchased the following:
- Sheep, Goat, or Cattle Placentas
- Cow Eyeballs
Please contact Research Occupational Health before placing your order.
Note: Supplier Invoice Request and ProCard are not allowed for this category.
Radioactive Chemicals / Materials / Equipment See Radiation Safety.
Tips:
- Spend Category "Radioactive Materials" SC2070
- Guide for Radioactive Material requisition in Workday.
Note: Supplier Invoice Request and ProCard are not allowed for this category.
X-Ray / Lasers / Equipment containing or utilizing lasers Contact Radiation Safety 206-543-0463 for procurement policies.
For lasers, use SC1225 "Communication, Recording, Reproducing, and Detection Equipment". Answer yes to the laser question so the requisition will route to EH&S for approval
Class 3B and Class 4 lasers at the University of Washington must be registered with the Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) Radiation Safety Office.
Additionally, if a laser system is classified as Class 1 or Class 2 but contains enclosed Class 3B or Class 4 lasers (e.g., in confocal microscopes or laser cutters), those Class 1 and Class 2 lasers must also be registered.
Note: Supplier Invoice Request and ProCard are not allowed for this category.
- Special Items
Special Items
The following items do not require prior approval but do have additional guidance to review prior to purchase
Guidance
AED (Automated External Defibrillators) Removed from exceptions list June 9,2017
Review UW Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) guidance for information about these purchases.
Controlled Substances If purchasing a DEA listed controlled substance for research the supplier may ask you for a copy of your federal or Washington state permit/registration.
You may also be asked to fill out an End Use statement describing the usage and disposition of the substance you are purchasing. These should be filled out by the PI.
Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation The National Defense Authorization Act passed in 2020 restricts the purchase and use of telecommunications equipment from specific restricted companies. These restrictions are applicable to all federal awards and have been incorporated into the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) (52.204-25) for Contracts and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) (200.216 & 200.471) for Grants and Cooperative Agreements on federally funded orders. More information is available on the Post Award Fiscal Compliance (PAFC) webpage. You can also contact your procurement service Buyer. Data Processing Services Additional Notes:
Before procuring good or services, the UW unit is responsible for:
- Determining if this procurement involves personal data;
- Determining if a data processing agreement (DPA) with the supplier is required; and
- Executing the DPA (if applicable).
After the order is placed or contract signed, the UW unit is responsible for:
- Registering the third party with the UW Privacy Office's TrustArc Privacy Management Platform.
Drones While not an exception item, campus is advised to familiarize themselves with UW EH&S and the state's guidance regarding the operation of drones.
EH&S Unmanned aircraft safety resource
https://wsdot.wa.gov/travel/aviation/pilots-aircraft/drones-unmanned-aircraft-systems-uas
Purchases of UAS Critical Electronic Components from covered countries (PRC, Iran, Russia, N. Korea) is prohibited, in accordance with 2020 NDAA Section 848 and 2024 NDAA Section 817.
Ethyl Alcohol Only authorized users may place alcohol (ethanol) orders. If your purchase will be tax-exempt, please purchase from Fisher Scientific. If the order is taxable, use the supplier of your choice. See the Ethyl Alcohol website for information on ordering, storage, and record-keeping. Household and Laboratory and Office Moves See the Moving Expenses page.
For local office or lab moves within the UW Seattle Campus, contact UW Moving Service
Lab Refrigerators / Lab Freezers See UW EH&S Refrigerators / Freezers for information on purchasing and required safety stickers.
Note: Some ultra-low freezer purchases may qualify for a rebate from Seattle City Light
Lead, metallic
Lead containing materials
Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) has published guidance regarding post-purchase requirements for lead handling on their websites. Please reach out to them for any questions post purchase. Maintenance/Service Agreements and Repair for Equipment If your order is under the direct buy limit and the supplier is coming on campus, Procurement recommends adding the following comment to the Supplier memo area:
Prior to the commencement of services under this purchase order, Supplier shall provide a certificate of insurance in accordance with UW General Terms and Conditions, Clause Insurance located at:
https://finance.uw.edu/ps/suppliers/terms-conditions
Spend Categories:
SC2128 Repair and Maintenance This captures expenditures related to repair and maintenance, including non-recurring maintenance contracts.
SC1264 Maintenance Contracts Expenditures related to contracts for routine and recurring maintenance, not including one-time maintenance contracts.
Do not use Spend Category: Outside Repair, Maintenance, And Alteration Services SC1056 as this SC is intended for Construction and Building related Work and will trigger Exception Item approval
Note: Supplier Invoice Request and ProCard are not recommended for this category.
Notary Bond Applications University employees interested in obtaining or renewing a Notary License – see Notary Bond Application Process
Looking for a Notary – U.S. Bank in HUB 105 offers this service if your department doesn’t have a notary on staff.
Resale Items Reseller's Permit is required and may be obtained from the Tax Office. Synthetic Nucleic Acids and related equipment Spend Category: SC2835 Nucleic Acid
Federally funded purchases of synthetic nucleic acids and related equipment, made on or after April 26, 2025, are required to be placed with Suppliers that comply with the Framework for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening.
For more information, visit EH&S
For a list of compliant suppliers: ellefson@uw.edu
If your supplier is not on the approved list, they can be added! Just provide contact info to ellefson@uw.edu
UW Logo and/or Trademark Usage and Purchases that include UW logos See UW Trademarks and Licensing for policies on use of any UW logo. Promotional branded products, regardless of cost, must be purchased from a University approved contract supplier listed on UW Trademarks website. Contract UW-19-0422 Vehicles Contact Fleet Services prior to making a vehicle purchase. Fleet can assist with the licensing and may be able to purchase the vehicle on your behalf.
Looking for something not on this list?
If in doubt, please contact Procurement Services Customer Service