Procurement Related Exemptions
| Category | Limit | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Testing Services (E8) | Less than $200,000 | Academic testing and assessment including result validation and related supplies directly associated with academic testing and assessment services. |
| Advertising (E3) | Less than $200,000 | Marketing including employment opportunities, advertising costs to promote or enhance academic or program recognition or other announcements required to be made publicly (all media). |
| Animal Registrations with Appropriate Authorities (A4) | N/A | Fees for registering university animals with the appropriate authorities. |
| Artifacts, art and exhibit fees (E9) | Less than $200,000 | Acquisition of historical artifacts or original works of art. Fees may include other associated charges such as transportation (freight), costs to exhibit, supplemental insurance coverage, etc. |
| Athletics: Bookstore, scholarship (A20) | As per NCAA rules | Payments to the University Bookstore for athletic scholarship related expenditures for textbooks as per NCAA rules and regulations. |
| Athletics: Medical Expenses (D1) | Up to $20,000 per injury per athlete | Medical payments for intercollegiate student athletics while participating in an intercollegiate athletic activity. All payments should be made in accordance with NCAA rules and regulations. |
| Athletics and Rec Sports Officials (A18) | N/A | Referees, Officials, Umpires, etc. for intercollege athletic events and including club events sponsored through University Rec Sports. |
| Athletics and Rec Sports: Team travel, meals and lodging (A17) | Less than $200,000 | University participation in intercollegiate and Rec Sports athletic tournaments and events including team travel, meals and lodging, registration, Bowl Insurance, and tournament fees. |
| Books (E12) | Less than $200,000 | Includes hard-copy reference books and textbooks as well as pre-printed materials such as conference proceedings, directories, manuals, etc. Also includes publication fees associated with university-supported research and educational activities. |
| Business Related Training, Conferences, Performances or Events (A11) | Less than $200,000 | Includes registration fees, lodging, meeting room/AV expenses, provided meals, and other facility related services. Travel per diems apply. Also includes expenses for non-degree tuition, seminars, and presentations, including speakers (established fee). Conference fees, seminars, training sessions, non-degree tuition and other registration fees when attended by university employees, students and applicable university affiliates or when there are costs to be covered for teaching at or making a presentation. Included are related exhibition costs or booth rental fees for setup or mandatory design/build charges for booths or conference space based on the requirements of the conference and/or the facility. Use this category for charges direct billed by The Inn at Virginia Tech. |
| Consulting for Academic and Research Programs (E2) | Less than $50,000 | Including travel and living expenses. Total university payments to an individual consultant or consulting firm should not exceed $50,000 per year. Note, Virginia Tech has multiple contracts with organizational consulting firms which can be utilized instead of Non-PO Payment Request. |
| Extension/4H (K2) | N/A | Payments made on behalf of 4H or other extension agency accounts. |
| Freight – Outbound Heavy Haul (C1) | Less than $200,000 | Outbound freight considered LTL (less than truckload) or requiring common carrier services. Also, tariffs, import and export duties and custom brokerage fees on both outbound and inbound freight. Note: All inbound freight costs related to the purchase of goods and services is managed by the University’s Inbound Freight Partner, VPL Logistics and should not be included in this category. (See also Shipping/Parcel Services) |
| Government to Government Payments (A6) | N/A | Purchases from other governmental and public entities (Foreign, Federal, State, Local, Town, City, State Universities, Authorities, Public Boards and State Hospitals). |
| Group Travel, Domestic US Only (E10) | Less than $200,000 | Group travel arrangements within the United States. May include cost of transportation, lodging, meals and special services. Departments are encouraged to utilize one of the university’s travel service contractors for coordinating group travel arrangements within the United States. Excluded is Foreign Group Travel. |
| Group Travel to Foreign Countries (A13) | N/A | This includes travel related to group or study abroad programs in foreign countries. May include cost of transportation, lodging, meals and special services. Note: Virginia Tech is currently working on establishing service contracts with custom faculty-led study abroad program providers. |
| Legal Services (A9) – For Use by VT Legal only | N/A | Expert witnesses or other services associated with litigation or regulatory proceedings approved or obtained by the University Legal Counsel. |
| Legal Settlements (A10) – For Use by VT Legal only | N/A | Legal settlements approved by University Legal Counsel. |
| Licenses and Certifications, excluding software (A3) | N/A | Federal, State, Local licenses excluding software licenses. |
| Livestock (A7) | N/A | Domestic farm animals such as horses, sheep, pigs, chickens, cattle, goats, etc. |
| Meals and Lodging for Invited Guests of the University, when direct billed from vendor (A5) | Per travel policy | Payment to a vendor for hotel lodging only when provided to an invited guest (e.g. speaker or interviewee). Individual lodging and meals are subject to current travel policy per diems. |
| Membership, dues and accreditation fees (A16) | N/A | Membership and Association dues including related assessments. Also includes Accreditation Fees. |
| Performing Artists (A23) | Less than $200,000 | Payments to performing artists and speakers for their services (established fee). This category is to be used when a payment is needed only for the speaking or performance. If payment is inclusive of other charges, such as lodging or conference fees, category A11 should be used for the entirety of the payment. |
| Private Educational Institutions (A15) | N/A | Payments made to private education institutions for transaction not associated with sponsored research subawards. |
| Qualified Student Organizations (K1) | N/A | Payments of expenses for qualified student organizations only. |
| Research Project Participants (Subjects) (E11) | Less than $500 | Incentives paid to individuals for participation in research. Requires Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval and attachment to form. When such payments are made, the disbursements are handled as payments to independent contractors, not payments to employees for work performed. Appropriate IRS form (W9, W-8BEN) required for any payment exceeding $75. See Procedure 23715c: Selecting and Paying Human Subject Participants for additional information. |
| Royalties/Broadcast Rights (A14) | N/A | Rights or film rentals from the producer or protected distributors. Applies also to music rights or licensing. |
| Shipping/Parcel Services Including Postage (A2) | Less than $200,000 | Purchases made at a US Post Office for shipping and parcel services including postage. Also includes outbound small package delivery and express delivery services with UPS, FedEx, DHL or similar. Small packages are considered any package not requiring an outbound large (over 150 lbs.) freight services or freight requiring import and export services (See Also Freight – Outbound Heavy Haul). |
| Sponsorships (A24) | Less than $200,000 | Financial consideration provided to an organization in return for measurable benefits (ex: event participation, signage) that clearly promote the department’s mission. Sponsorship Approval Form required for the use of operating funds. |
| Stipends (A25) | Sponsored funds only | May only be paid from sponsored funds. Payments issued to non-VT employees/students for services, living expenses, travel, professional development, etc. as allowed by the sponsoring organization/agency. |
| Subscriptions, excluding SaaS or Cloud Technology Related Services (E5) | Less than $200,000 | Includes initial and renewal subscriptions for technical and professional publications. Excluded are technology subscriptions giving access to software or programs otherwise classified as SaaS or Cloud Technology. |
| Gasoline, Jet Fuel, Voyager Fleet Card Payments (A8) | N/A | Gasoline costs specifically Voyager Fleet Card Payments. Credit card charges for gasoline through the Voyage Fleet Card incurred while operating a university owned vehicle assigned directly to a University department or unit. Exemption is not applicable for Voyager Fleet Fuel Card purchases made directly with a VT Fleet Services Voyager Card. Emergency purchase of gasoline for a department assigned university vehicle can be included. Jet Fuel charges for university aircraft. |
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