Procurement Tip #2: Procurement Thresholds

The first step in any procurement is understanding the university’s procurement thresholds. Depending on the Total Procurement Value of your anticipated purchase, you may be required to engage with a more robust process or need additional approvals.

Total Procurement Value is the complete anticipated financial expense (excluding taxes) over the life of the commitment for your goods or services, including any optional renewal periods. When assessing your Total Procurement Value, consider:

• Currency: Total Procurement Value should be assessed in Canadian Dollars, so if you are purchasing from an international seller you should approximate the exchange to make this evaluation.
• Discounts: Total Procurement Value is the post-discount value of your procurement, where applicable.

You may encounter an instance where your Total Procurement Value isn’t clear. For example:

• Quotes may span thresholds, or
• Total Procurement Value may be very close to the next threshold.

We are here to help! Contact us at  ProcurementServices@carleton.ca for any questions regarding procurement thresholds.