Financial Management
Procurement General Provisions and Definitions
Responsible Executive: Senior Vice President for University Finance and Business Services
Responsible Office: Contracts, Purchasing, and Risk Management
Origination Date: January 1, 1999
Last Revised: July 27, 2026
Contact: Associate Vice President for Contracts,
Purchasing, and Risk Management
Policy
Under Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.) § 41-2501.F, the Arizona Board of Regents is mandated to establish rules that outline procurement policies and procedures, ensuring they are substantially similar to those detailed in A.R.S. Chapter 23. The Arizona Board of Regents Policy Manual, specifically Article H-University Procurement Code, sets forth procurement policies for the Arizona Board of Regents in alignment with A.R.S. requirements.
Section 3-801 of the University Procurement Code provides general provisions for Procurement. This University Policy supplements such Section 3-801.
All University Procurements, regardless of funding source, will be made in accordance with applicable state statutes, federal regulations, and policies of the Arizona Board of Regents and the University. CPRM has delegated authority to administer the University Procurement Code. The University’s Chief Procurement Officer has the central responsibility to establish policies and procedures that will assist the University with Procurement activities as prescribed by the University Procurement Code.
Section I: Applicability
A. University Procurement Code is applicable to all Procurements made by the University.
B. University Policies are established in accordance with the University Procurement Code.
C. The Code of Federal Regulations §§200.317 through 200.326 sets forth requirements for Procurements involving expenditures of federal monies.
Definitions
Except as otherwise provided herein, capitalized terms shall have the meaning set forth in the University Procurement Code Section 3-801. The following terms shall have the meaning set forth below and are specific to the University’s procurement policy.
ABOR: Arizona Board of Regents
A.R.S.: Arizona Revised Statute
CPRM: The University’s Contracts, Purchasing, and Risk Management department.
Exclusive Contract: A Contract for specific goods and/or services that the University must procure from a specific Vendor without deviation.
GSA: United States General Services Administration of the federal government.
Guest Lecturer: An individual with relevant experience in their field who will visit NAU for two weeks or less to lecture or provide other academic learning experiences in the classroom.
Honorarium: An unexpected gift, expression of gratitude, or a token of appreciation presented to an individual for services which no fee is set, agreed upon, or legally obtainable. Honorariums are by definition modest in value.
Independent Contractor: An individual who is contracted to perform a particular service for the University and meets the criteria for Independent Contractor as defined by the Internal Revenue Service.
Installment Contract: A type of Contract where the total performance (such as payment, delivery of goods, or provision of services) is divided into a series of smaller, regular installments rather than being completed all at once.
Kickback: Any money, fee, commission, credit, gift, gratuity, thing of value, or compensation of any kind that is provided, directly or indirectly, to any prime contractor, prime contractor employee, subcontractor, or subcontractor employee for the purpose of improperly obtaining or rewarding favorable treatment in connection with a subcontract relating to a prime contract.
Lease: An agreement by which one party conveys land, property, services, to another for a specified time, usually in return for periodic payment.
Lease/Purchase: An agreement granting the right to use property or equipment for a specified period and rate, with an option to purchase the property or equipment at a predetermined price at the end of the Lease term.
Performer: An individual with relevant experience in their field who will visit NAU and conduct artistic classes or performances and the number of performances shall be minimal.
Purchase Request: A departmental request to purchase goods and/or services.
Purchasing Card: A University issued credit card.
Receipt: A document that records the receipt of goods/services upon delivery.
Sole Source: Goods or services that are only available from a single Vendor.
Speaker: An individual with relevant experience in their field who will visit NAU to provide speaking engagements, such as keynotes and symposia. In no event shall a speaking engagement exceed two weeks.
University: Northern Arizona University.
University Policy: Procurement policies established by the Chief Procurement Officer of the University.
University Procurement Code: Policy adopted by the Arizona Board of Regents in compliance with Arizona Revised Statue §41-2501.
Vendor: An outside entity that provides goods or services to the University.
Related Information*
Arizona Board of Regents Policy
Arizona Revised Statutes, Chapter 23
Policy History*
07/27/2026: Policy revised.
07/01/2025: Interim policy approved.
01/01/1999: Policy adopted.
* Related Information and Policy History are solely for the user’s convenience and are not part of the official university policy.
Keywords:
Signature authority
Contracts
Contract signature authority delegations list