3.1 Receiving

Receiving includes the process of accepting delivery of equipment or materials into Stanford University. It is the point at which custody, responsibility, accountability, and liability for the property begins. During the receiving process information is collected and documentation created to ensure a complete and accurate asset record is established.

1. Key Policy Statements

• All capital equipment purchases must have a receiving event recorded in the Oracle iProcurement system; discrepancies should be reported to the designated purchasing agent in the Procurement department for resolution.

• The receiving event should be recorded promptly after the physical delivery of the item and the property record created within 30 days of receipt.

• Notification of the receipt of non-purchased equipment, such as sponsor-furnished, loaned, or donated property must be made in a timely manner to the Department Property Administrator (DPA).

2. Accountability

Once receipt is acknowledged, the asset-owning department and Stanford University assume accountability for the assets and associated liabilities. For this reason, one should always ensure that the shipment is complete and assets are undamaged. Timely reporting of damages, losses or any other discrepancies is imperative as it may affect asset depreciation, liability, warranties, as well as performance schedules for University business or sponsored projects.

3. Process

A. Purchased Equipment

The receipt of capital equipment purchases must be recorded in the Oracle iProcurement system by an authorized representative with the receiving department. This will allow the invoice(s) to be paid by Accounts Payable, and triggers the PO information to flow into the property management system (provided the correct expenditure codes were used). A receiving event populates the PO interface to facilitate the creation of the asset record in the Sunflower (SFA) property management database.

Prior to recording the event in iProcurement, the contents of the shipment should be inspected and at a minimum, the following should be verified:

• item received matches item ordered
• quantity received matches quantity ordered
• inspect for signs of visible damage and document the damage as appropriate

Discrepancies noted with purchase transactions, such as damages, loss in transit, overages, shortages, etc. should be reported immediately to the designated buyer in Procurement for resolution. Please read Fingate How To Receive Goods on what is to be received and how to receive in iProcurement.

B. Equipment Received in Offsite Locations

In the event the equipment is being delivered to an off-site remote location (sometimes known as a “drop shipment”), it is important to alert the anticipated offsite recipient that they must notify authorized personnel within the accountable department when the equipment is received. It is the responsibility of the accountable department personnel to ensure that the receiving process is completed in an accurate and timely manner.

C. Sensitive or Hazardous Material

The receiving process for some sensitive or hazardous materials may require special handling and safety precautions. In such cases it is important that the accountable department adhere to applicable regulations and manufacturer’s requirements. These regulations and requirements will vary based on the specific equipment being received. For additional guidance, contact your PPM.

D. Sponsor-Furnished, Loaned or Donated Equipment

The receipt of items not acquired through iProcurement, such as sponsor-furnished equipment, loans, or donated property, also requires verification of quantity and condition details as stated above.  In addition, these transactions may have varying requirements for documentation including:

• DD1149
• DD250
• Bailment Agreement
• Transmittal Letter

Discrepancies related to the receipt of all non-purchased items must be reported promptly to the DPA.  Discrepancies affecting sponsor/government-owned items are subsequently reported to your PPM to initiate completion of Form SF364, "Report of Discrepancy" and/or for required notification to the sponsor.  Issues requiring intervention for resolution may involve the Office of Naval Research, our cognizant oversight agency for most federally owned assets.

4. Supporting Documentation

For equipment acquired through iProcurement, the online record of the receiving event in the iProcurement system serves as the official receiving report.

For non-purchased equipment, such as sponsor-furnished, donations, loans and incoming transfers, both electronic and non-electronic documentation should be retained by the department and/or the Property Management Office (PMO).  See Chapter 3.3 - Records, for information on records and retention policies.