VCU Procurement Services

The launch of the new Airgas eCatalog, originally scheduled for August 14, 2026, has been postponed to allow for additional testing and ensure the catalog is fully functional and ready to provide the best possible experience for the VCU community. We will share an updated go-live date as soon as it is confirmed. Once enabled, […]

If a vendor requires VCU to sign any document before you can make a purchase—including online Terms and Conditions (T&Cs), click-through agreements, or even documents associated with a zero-dollar purchase—you must route the document to Procurement Services for review and signature. The purchase amount normally determines how the document should be submitted: Most vendor-supplied agreements […]

Procurement Services has rolled out a comprehensive update to the Reimbursable Business Expenses policy, effective August 4, 2026. This update replaces the previous 2024 version to provide clearer definitions, align with IRS guidelines, and streamline how university staff, faculty, students, and non-employees handle out-of-pocket expenses. Reimbursement remains an exception-based procurement path rather than a standard […]

The IRS has announced a mid-year increase to the standard mileage rate, raising it from $0.725 to $0.76 per mile for business use, effective July 1, 2026, This is a rare off-cycle adjustment. The IRS typically sets this rate once a year, but rising fuel prices prompted the mid-year revision. What this means for VCU […]

The correct process for changing a purchase order depends on the type of PO, whether invoices have been processed, and what needs to be updated. Common changes Use a Change Request to: For an index, account code, or accounting change, do not simply overwrite accounting on a line with prior activity. Reduce the original line […]

Beginning August 14, 2026, VCU departments will be able to purchase industrial, medical and specialty gases, laboratory and safety products, welding supplies, and related items through the new Airgas eCatalog in RealSource. The catalog will appear under Scientific & Medical in the RealSource Showcase and will provide direct access to VCU pricing while streamlining requisition […]

The Auto-Populated Dates enhancement is now available in Emburse Expense. When creating a new expense report, enter your overall travel dates in the Expense Report Header. Emburse will automatically carry those dates over to the applicable expense tiles, including: The auto-populated dates remain editable, allowing you to adjust an individual expense when it does not […]

A Change Request is generally needed when a purchase order no longer reflects the expected price, quantity, funding, scope, or remaining balance. When the change is known in advance Submit a Change Request before the vendor provides additional goods or services when: Cancel or liquidate? For more detail, review Keeping POs Clean: Best Practices in […]

A cooperative contract can be an efficient way to purchase goods or services, but it is not automatically available for every VCU need. Send the contract details to Procurement Services before relying on a cooperative contract. Why cooperative contracts can help Cooperative contracts may provide access to competitively established pricing and negotiated terms while reducing […]

Update: The Auto-Populated Dates enhancement is coming soon to Emburse Expense. This article has been updated to clarify the implementation timeline. Additional information will be shared when the feature is available. Let’s be honest: nobody lists “filing expense reports” as their favorite activity. Manually tracking down receipts and repeatedly entering identical travel dates makes expense […]