Purchase Order Approval & Delivery Updates, Including Home Shipments During COVID-19

Please review the following information about important changes related to purchasing and deliveries, which will be in effect during the COVID-19 pandemic:

For Approvers - changes to the PantherExpress System approval process

Effective 7/1/21 spending limits for department buyers will return to their pre-pandemic limits and the associated approval routing.

Approval will be required for ALL PantherExpress System purchases. We are reducing each department buyer’s spending limit per order to $0, meaning approval will be required in order to issue every purchase order.
- Approver path will remain the same.
- We are experiencing an 80% drop in the quantity of PantherExpress System orders and we do not anticipate the number of approvals will be onerous for approvers.
- This approval will act as a good control to confirm that any orders shipped to personal residences are in fact legitimate for University business and have proper approvals.

Delivery Guidance for Pittsburgh Campus when Ordering through PantherExpress

Please review the following instructions for package deliveries to the Pittsburgh campus, in effect only during the COVID-19 pandemic, before you place any orders. Please note, this information only pertains to the Pittsburgh campus, as instructions for the regional campuses differ:

FedEx, UPS, USPS shipped to Pittsburgh Campus University Buildings

Beginning July 5, 2022 all buildings will be open for direct deliveries by carriers (i.e., UPS, Fed-Ex, DHL, Office Depot etc.) Please begin to use your specific office address (i.e. Street, Bldg., Room, Floor # etc.) for all future deliveries.
Those orders placed before July 5, 2022, Central Receiving will ensure those packages are delivered appropriately. There is an exception for packages shipped through FedEx and UPS to BST, BST3, and Scaife Hall which will continue to be delivered directly to those buildings and not re-routed to the campus mailroom.

Deliveries to the Pittsburgh campus from Suppliers with their own or contracted delivery fleets (excluding SUPRA), i.e. Access, Matheson Gas, some Fisher Scientific, Grainger, and Medline

Being delivered to the ship-to address used at the time of ordering. Departments must coordinate receipt of those orders directly with the supplier.

Deliveries to the Pittsburgh campus from SUPRA/ODP Business Solutions via their own delivery fleet

Orders delivered by SUPRA via their own delivery fleet will be delivered directly to the ship-to-address used at the time of ordering. Departments must coordinate receipt of those orders directly with the supplier.
Should you have any questions about delivery of a SUPRA purchase, please contact SUPRA directly.

Other Recommendations for Preferred Shipping Methods

Because shipping type in the PantherExpress System defaults to the best method, purchasers should coordinate directly with the supplier if there is a preferred shipping method:
- For temperature sensitive product deliveries - UPS or FedEx Express is the preferred delivery method.
- When utilizing FedEx for deliveries - select FedEx Priority Overnight to ensure the most reliable delivery times. The FedEx Ground and Standard Overnight options are not recommended at this time.

For more information from Campus Mail including how to contact them or instructions on picking up your mail, visit their website.

Ship to home address – available as of March 26th, 2020 (until further notice)

A new ship-to address has been added to the PantherExpress System called “HOME”, allowing the purchaser to enter a home address. This can be used by a department buyer to ship items to multiple home addresses for individuals within the department.
We anticipate this will comprise a small quantity of orders. Primarily office or computer supplies.
Approval is required for all PantherExpress System purchases using the ship-to address called “HOME”. Non-consumable goods (i.e. computers, printers, office furniture, etc.) which are shipped to personal residences should be noted and tracked by an approver within the department. This will ensure that these items are returned to the University if/when the employee leaves or when the employee no longer requires these items to complete their work from home. This template spreadsheet can be used by approvers to track these items.
Use of the “HOME” ship-to address in the PantherExpress System must only be used for purchases being shipped to an employee’s residence for University business. Purchases being delivered to a non-residential address (i.e. Pitt-owned or rented building, etc.) cannot use the “HOME” ship-to address.
Recipients of new computer devices should follow the setup instructions at technology.pitt.edu/setup to ensure equipment meets the University’s information security standards for protecting data and computing assets. Remote assistance is also available by contacting the 24/7 IT Help Desk at 412-624-HELP (4357).
While most home shipments will be office supplies or computer supplies (cables, etc.) and, therefore will be low-value and low-risk, purchasers and approvers should consider risks such as a secure drop location for other products that may be shipped home.
It is required to use the recipient’s pitt.edu email address when placing any orders that will be shipped to a home address. This email address is used for communications between the recipient and the supplier. It is also where the order confirmations and order delivery information is sent.
This delivery option is intended to alleviate issues with necessary supplies during remote work/limited building access that cannot be accomplished through the above delivery options. There is no expectation for departments/schools to ship large quantities of office supplies to an individual’s home.
PPE and COVID-19 mitigation supplies are only for University business, not for home use. These supplies should not be shipped to an employee's residence using the "HOME" ship-to address.
In alignment with good and safe practices as recommended by Environmental Health & Safety, the procurement of laboratory chemicals and/or biological materials is restricted for delivery to a home/residential address. No scientific supplies should be shipped to a home/residential address.
- Laboratory chemicals/biological material(s) may have potential to create hazards and should not be received, used, or handled in a residential setting. University laboratories are furnished with specialized features and equipment (e.g. specified ventilation, chemical fume hoods, flammable storage cabinets, biological safety cabinets) that allow for the safe storage, handling, and use of these materials. The University strongly recommends that all orders of chemical and biological materials be delivered to a University-approved laboratory/facility.
Read the Set Up a Home Shipment guide for more information.

For any questions about the approval process or setting up a home delivery, contact Customer Service.