Before You Buy: Technology

Last Updated: April 8, 2026 8:58:41 AM PDT

Find information about purchasing computer equipment, hardware, and software.

Considerations

Below are helpful resources to prepare you before making your purchase. Click on each topic to view more information about planning for your order.

Software Security & Privacy

Bookstore Recharges

Acquiring Software Licenses

Buy at Your Own Risk

Shop our approved Agreement Suppliers directly in Oracle!

When to Use a Procurement Card

Certain suppliers only accept credit card as their form of payment. Please review the following list and if you are purchasing from one of the below suppliers, use a Procurement Card to pay:

CoCalc
JAM Software GmbH
Schrodinger INC
Computers and Structures, Inc

In keeping with the University of California’s commitment to data‑security compliance, any new Software License Acquisition, including a renewal of a software subscription when the vendor has not been reviewed in the past three years—must first be reviewed by the Office of Information Assurance (ITS OIA)

Please let us know if any of the following apply to the technology or service you are proposing:

Will the supplier or platform receive or collect any UC sensitive data (personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) data identifiers)?
Will the solution require a server, vendor‑hosted service, or cloud component that sends data outside UC?
What is the approximate volume of data the University will provide (for example, 1,000 records per year or approximately 15,000 records total)?
How will this product be used at UC San Diego, and which business function will it support?

Mandatory Review Steps

If any of the above apply, please complete the mandatory review steps for Campus Projects:

Security Review: Log in to the Supplier Review Site (login required)
Privacy Review: If the vendor handles personal data (P3/P4) or uses AI, you must also complete the Risk Intake Form. Note that cyber‑insurance coverage may be required to mitigate the risk.
Contacts:
Security Status: oia-rc@ucsd.edu
Privacy Inquiries: ucsdprivacy@ucsd.edu

These steps ensure the project meets the university’s security and privacy standards before any PO or PCard payment is processed.

Protect Your Budget

Department funds are valuable:

Why use existing contracts?

Pre-negotiated pricing means better deals than ad hoc buys.
No surprise, competitive bidding if you stay on contract terms.
Performance and warranties already vetted by UC-wide sourcing teams.
Less risk of surprise charges or interdepartmental disputes over pricing and terms.

If you must go outside these contracts, check with Strategic Procurement. They’ll tell you whether a competitive bid is needed (often based on dollar thresholds and UC policy).

Buying Hardware & Software

Hardware

If your department falls under ITS coverage and you are looking to purchase hardware, please fill out the Computer Equipment Order Form. Hardware examples include computers, monitors, docks, and printers.

Software

Please review the list of Available Software Products to see if the software you are looking to utilize has has an existing agreement. If you are looking to acquire new software, upgrade a license, or renew one, you will need to first ensure compliance with the Office of Information Assurance. From there, you can connect with a professional buyer to continue the procurement process.

Be fiscally responsible with Surplus Sales!

Before buying new, check UC San Diego's Surplus Sales for equipment that your department can reuse.

Note: Federal funds cannot be used here, so check your budget source first.

Get help with TritonGPT, our self-service support tool! You can also request services or contact our team through the UC San Diego Services & Support portal.