Catering

University Catering is the preferred caterer for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign events. University Catering provides service to a wide range of locations, including the I-Hotel Conference Center, the Illini Union, and the Alice Campbell Alumni Center. Benefits of using University Catering include:

• An approved purchase order is not required.
• The department's C-FOP is charged directly by University Catering.
• The department does not need to collect a certificate of liability insurance from the vendor nor verify that the vendor is on the Insured Caterer's list.

What is a non-University caterer?

• A non-University entity (outside vendor) that serves food, beverages, and/or liquor at an event primarily attended by or open to the general public is considered a "caterer" for University of Illinois System purposes. Besides providing food, beverages, and/or liquor, the vendor typically provides set-up (including the use of caterer-provided equipment), food service/onsite preparation, and clean-up. Caterers are required to comply with U of I policy, including having proper certifications, licenses, and insurance.

What is a non-catered event?

• A "non-catered" event consists of food/beverage delivery or drop off only. The delivery person does not provide onsite service. There is no set-up, no serving of food/beverage, and no clean-up. Vendors delivering food items for non-catered events are not required to be on the insured caterer's list.

For additional information regarding catering, please click here.

SLCL event/catering requests 

To access SLCL's event/catering request form, please click here.

Vendor invoices and requisitions

Requisitions are required when utilizing services of non-University providers or when goods are purchased that cannot be paid via a P-card (see below for more information) or through iBuy.  Services can be for catering, printing, subvention agreements, software support, entertainment services, or any other type of service. If an actual “good” is not procured, then a service is provided and must be requisitioned. 

Requisitions and the subsequent purchase order must be requested prior to any services being rendered. A period of 6 weeks prior to the start of the service or when the “good” is needed is the recommended timeframe to initiate the requisition request. This allows for processing time within the department, the business office, and through procurement. If services are rendered before the purchase order is issued, the purchase order is considered non-conforming and a violation of the Illinois Procurement Code. 

Requisition requests cannot be processed unless a valid vendor ID exists with an address on file that matches the address on the quote. Banner screen FTMVEND can be used to determine if a valid ID is on file and if the address on file matches that on the quote. If a valid ID does not exist or there is no matching address on file, then a Vendor Information Form must be submitted to the vendor for completion and returned by the vendor to the address or fax number listed in the form. Once a valid ID has been determined, please submit the SLCL Vendor Requisition Form for processing (revised April 2020).

Foreign Vendor Documentation Requirements

In addition to above forms, W-8 Forms are required to pay Foreign Vendor Invoices if UI has not paid invoices to them in the past. Go to Banner screen FTMVEND to determine if the Form W-8 is on file by checking the “vendor types” tab. If no W-8 is reflected, go to W-8 Forms to determine the appropriate form to be completed.

Purchasing Card (P-Card)

The University of Illinois P-Card is a charge card issued to Cardholders to simplify University authorized small dollar purchases (under $5,000) for supplies and small equipment. Your office manager in your department is the departmental cardholder. To request a P-Card purchase, the SLCL Purchase Request form will need to be completed.

If the purchase is for software or electronic services, then the SLCL Software Purchase Request form will also need to be completed. This form also contains the links to the Software Purchased by P-Card and the Electronic Services Purchased by P-Card forms required by OBFS to be completed.

For information on restricted and prohibited P-Card purchases, click here.