Purchasing Methods

Purchase Order

Mustang Market is Western's web-based eProcurement solution for sourcing and purchasing. Products can be sourced and purchased from Western contracted suppliers who showcase their products and pricing electronically using the marketplace; or can be purchased from non-contracted suppliers using various purchasing forms found in the marketplace.

Preferred Vendors

Procurement Services has negotiated several systems contracts and supplier agreements to obtain better value and to simplify the procedure for acquiring specific goods and services. Use Mustang Market to place an order from one of Western's preferred suppliers.

Standing Orders

Standing Orders may be issued to repeatedly purchase a product or service from the same Vendor. Once the order is set up, all you have to do is call the Vendor and they will send the goods you need; charges are submitted against the purchase order number generated at the time the standing order is created. Standing Orders can be used when any of the following transactions are anticipated:

  • numerous small value purchases that will be made from a particular Vendor over several months or over the entire fiscal year . Examples: electronic components, flowers, litmus paper;
  • numerous requests for services or maintenance repairs that will be made to a particular Vendor over several months or the entire fiscal year. Examples: secretarial services, developing of films, repairs to calculators, cameras etc.; or
  • multiple billings will be received throughout the fiscal year under a contract for rental/lease of equipment. EXAMPLE: lease of mail equipment.

Initiating a Standing Order

To initiate a Standing Order, the Purchaser must complete and submit an order in Mustang Market using the Under or Over $25,000 form

  • In the description section of the form, enter SO to indicate that it is a standing order and include the time period for the standing order. This is typically, the Western fiscal period
  • Ensure you select 'Standing Order - Yes' on the Summary Tab, after you Proceed to Check-out
  • In the Internal Notes section, on the Summary Tab, enter the previous Purchase Order number for the vendor IF this standing order is to replace one previously in place with the same vendor
    • NOTE: If you have already received an invoice that is to be applied against the Standing Order, forward the invoice to Finance using campus mail.  Do not use the Invoice Attached form as this would create a NEW purchase order and would NOT charge the invoice against the standing order.
       

Purchasing Card (P-card)

The VISA Purchasing Card allows you to obtain your goods quickly and pay for them immediately while providing you the flexibility to make purchases at your convenience. The P-card may be used at authorized vendors who accepts VISA and there is no cost to you. It is a good alternative to petty cash or a purchase order for your low dollar purchases.

The Purchasing Card cannot be used for:

  • Any item exceeding your card's transaction limit
  • Travel and entertainment expenses (airline tickets, vehicle rentals, hotels, restaurant)
  • Personal purchases
  • Cash advances
  • Radioactive materials, narcotics or dangerous goods
  • Supplies available from contracted suppliers
  • Purchase of foreign goods, except those approved by Customs
  • Purchase of equipment greater than $5,000

When using your P-card for goods which will be imported, these must be shipped directly to Western University and the Customs team must be notified (customs@uwo.ca

Prior to requesting a P-card, please complete the Scotiabank Purchasing Card (P-card) Training and review the P-Card guidelines. 

To apply for a P-card or request a change to an existing P-card, complete the Pcard Application form in PeopleSoft.  

For assistance, contact the Procurement Services Administrator:
pcard@uwo.ca 
519-661-2111 Ext. 87658

Western Internal Services

To ensure compliance with Research Granting Agencies and strengthen internal controls, the Bookstore retail outlets (which include Campus Computer Store and Graphic Services) have implemented a system to verify authority.  The Bookstore will verify the individual is affiliated to Western and has spending authority for the amount of the purchase on the speedcode provided. Spending Authority is granted by one of the methods below now housed in PeopleSoft Financials under Forms;

If an authorization is not on file with Finance and/or users do not have an authorized dollar limit, the Bookstore will accept personal forms of payment.