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Procurement and Business Services

Procurement Exemptions

The following items should be paid by the Direct Payment Form without consideration of the $10,000 limitation. (This limitation includes freight but does not include South Carolina sales tax.) The exemption number should be selected for the line item in the cart in buyWays or noted on Procurement Card documentation. Last reviewed April 2024.

Note pad with Request for Purchase written out in black marker and each starting letter underlined with orange marker

1. Oil company credit card purchase for gas, oil and jet fuel charges only. (Reviewed April 2024)

2. Heat, light, and water bills for service provided by public utilities.

3. Telephone bills.

4. Postage and box rentals.

5. Freight/express bills associated with small package delivery (UPS, FedEx, etc.)

6. Dues and registration fees.

8. Sales tax paid to the SC Tax Commission.

9. Auto licenses and registrations.

10. Bank services.

11. Fresh fruit, vegetables, meats, fish, milk and eggs.

12. Published books, periodicals and technical pamphlets.

14. Stipends - Students ONLY.

15. Purchases for commercial resale such as food (Campus Dining Services), books (University Book Store), drugs and pharmaceutical supplies (Student Health Center), arts and crafts supplies (Youth Learning Institute), and other items that are sold in the retail market.

16. Student travel paid directly to a provider (hotel, airline, rental car agency, etc.) (Reviewed April 2019)

17. Payments to Recognized Student Organizations (non-procurement). (Reviewed April 2019)

18. Articles authored by Clemson University personnel and published in professional publications.

19. Advertisement for positions, goods and services in newspapers, magazines or other publications, and advertising time or space on radio or television.

20. A & E services (must be initialed by the Vice President for Business and Finance and have verification that procurement is in compliance with state regulations).

21. Speaker and musician fees reimbursed from admission charges.

22. Insurance premiums for Athletic vehicles and Athletic personnel.

23. Athletic functions paid wholly from athletic funds-- banquets, meetings, etc.

24. Livestock, feed and veterinary supplies.

25. Copyrighted educational films, filmstrips, slides, transparencies, CD ROM documents, databases, computer assisted instructional materials, interactive video programs and other related materials made available by information that can only be obtained from the company providing the information or service.

26. Purchase of goods/services from the Department of Corrections.

27. Services/Supplies from the Department of Administration (State Surplus, State Fleet Mgmt, etc.)

28. Printed examination forms used in the administration of state licensing examinations.

29. Instructional training seminars offered by Clemson University to state employees on a registration fee basis and those contractual consultant services necessary to provide professional instruction for the seminars.

30. Appraisers.

31. Health maintenance organizations (HMOs).

32. Animals acquired for specific or general research, testing or experimentation.

33. Expenses of evaluation committees required for institutions of higher learning in order to maintain accreditation (e.g., Southern Association of Colleges and Schools).

34. Attorneys, subject to approval by the Attorney General's Office (approved forms signed by Attorney General's Office); certified public accountants and public accountants engaged to perform financial and/or compliance audits, subject to approval by the State Auditor's Office (approval documents must accompany voucher); hospital and medical clinic services; medical doctors and psychiatrists; optometrists; dentists; registered nurses; licensed practical nurses; investment counselors; clergy; court reporters; expert witness services; actuaries; doctors of osteopathy; physical therapists and physical therapy assistants; speech pathologists; occupational therapists; and veterinary services customarily obtained on a fee basis rather than competitive solicitation on the condition that the individual or firm involved must be licensed to perform the specific professional services, that the individual or firm involved must provide that specific service to the requesting governmental body, and that the contractual relationship between the individual or firm and the governmental body cannot be an employer/employee relationship which would be governed by State personnel rules and regulations.

35. Travel for the Athletic Department (includes rental of buses, airplanes, and any other mode of transportation for team travel).

36. Repairs to aircraft paid from Athletic Department funds.

37. Cable TV service for the Athletic Department.

39. Expenditures of funds at state institutions of higher learning derived wholly from athletic or other student contests, from the activities of student organizations and from the operation of bookstores, except as such funds are used for the procurement of construction, architect-engineer, construction management and land surveying services.

40. Conference facilities when accompanied by a completed "Justification for In State Conference Site Selection" form. See more details on Conference Facilities.

41. Fees paid to game officials by the Athletic Department.

43. Procurement involving bowls and spirit events, which are being funded from bowl revenues or special funds received specifically for that event. Competition will be sought if possible. Payment document must be marked "Bowl Funds" or "Special Funds."

47. License agreements for computer software after such software has been competitively bid as required by the Procurement Code. Department must include how the initial purchase was made ( PO, DPV, P-Card) and the date of the purchase. This should be included on the original documentation maintained in the department’s records. (Reviewed April 2024)

48. Capital projects payments - bid through Capital Project ONLY.

49. Non-Procurements - Refunds, Payments to Clemson, other non-procurement payments (if in doubt, discuss with Procurement).

Direct Expenditures

The following expenditures/circumstances do not require POs. This list is under constant review and any further changes will be communicated as needed.

Expenditures that do not require POs