Equipment is defined as an article of nonexpendable, tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost equal or greater than $5,000. The funding agency's award may include provision for the acquisition of special purpose equipment. The equipment in some cases may be supplied directly by the funding agency, in which case title to the equipment generally remains with the agency and it must be returned at the completion of the project. In the majority of cases, the approved equipment is purchased through the College and must be purchased in accordance with the College’s procurement requirements. Requisitions must be submitted and purchase orders obtained for the purchase of all equipment.

The Principal Investigator has the responsibility for:

1. Ensuring first that the equipment is not already available within the College;
2. Determining the equipment’s proper specifications and issuing a requisition for the equipment;
3. Working with the Purchasing Department to ensure proper procurement of the equipment; and
4. Ensuring proper receipt, inventory identification, and functioning of the equipment prior to authorizing vendor payments by the College.

It should be noted that for those awards that are not governed by Federal-wide Research Terms & Conditions, any equipment that is to be purchased, which has not been specifically approved in the award notification, must be authorized in writing by a College official. Such requests by Principal Investigators should state the need for the equipment and the source of funds (additional funds or budget reallocation), be submitted to the Grants Development Office for institutional endorsement, and subsequently be provided to the Purchasing Department prior to their procurement. Because there may be restrictions placed on equipment received or purchased on a grant-funded project, disposition must be coordinated through the Business Office. Principal Investigators should also consult with the Purchasing Department to develop an appropriate timeline for the procurement of equipment to ensure that it is purchased during the period of performance, as there can be extended lead time required for specialized or high-priced pieces of equipment.