Equipment and Furnishings Assets

This section addresses the management of equipment and furnishings assets, which includes scientific lab, information technology (IT) and other equipment, vehicles and furnishings.

Assets owned by the university include those acquired by purchase with any type of university funds, in-kind contributions from donors or sponsors and transfers of assets from other institutions. In addition, some units may have custody of assets that are owned by external parties and entrusted to the university's care.

Refer to Equipment Assets and Furnishings Assets in this section for further information.

UAPPOL Policy:

Equipment and Furnishings Asset Management Policy

Equipment Assets

Equipment Services within Supply Management Services (SMS) is responsible for the overall coordination of policies, procedures, processes, and guidance to assist in the effective and efficient stewardship of equipment assets.

In most circumstances, Supply Management Services must coordinate the sale, disposal and transfer (to external individuals or organizations) of university-owned equipment assets, which include equipment assets purchased by academic employees from Professional Expense Reimbursement (PER) funds.

Who to Contact Regarding Equipment Assets

TOPIC CONTACT DETAILS
Questions from unit staff Unit equipment coordinator
Questions from unit equipment coordinators

SMS Equipment Services: Tess Urbanczyk
Phone: (780) 492-8899
Fax: (780) 492-8268
Address: 1st Floor Materials Management Building

Email: equipment.services@ualberta.ca

SMS Surplus Disposal: Nick Green
Phone: (780) 492-5393
Fax: (780) 492-8268
Address: 131 Materials Management Building
Email: smssurplus@ualberta.ca

Equipment asset tag Email the Equipment Asset Tag Request Form to equipment.services@ualberta.ca

Equipment Asset Responsibilities - University Units

Deans, Chairs and Directors are responsible for acquisition planning, procurement and ongoing effective and efficient stewardship of assets, including safeguarding, utilization, maintenance and disposal. In order to facilitate asset stewardship, units are required to tag and track the following equipment assets in an equipment asset register:

  • moveable equipment with an acquisition value of $5,000 or greater. This includes equipment acquired through purchase, donation or transfer and fabricated equipment where the aggregate cost is $5,000 or greater.
  • desirable equipment with an acquisition value of less than $5,000 defined by a unit as necessary to tag and track.

Units may choose to tag and track any other items. Units are not required to tag and track furnishings assets or museum and collections assets.

UAPPOL Procedure:

Equipment Registration and Tracking Procedure

Summary of Equipment Asset Acquisition and Disposal Procedures

The following summarizes the university's procedures (UAPPOL) specific to the acquisition or disposal of equipment assets and the key requirements related to the action. In addition to these key requirements, all actions require the completion of a particular form, as per the UAPPOL procedure. The majority of equipment asset disposals also require coordination by the Surplus Services unit within SMS (refer to Link at end of this section).

ACTION KEY REQUIREMENTS UAPPOL PROCEDURE
Transfer of equipment assets from another institution to the University of Alberta (e.g. with a researcher)
  • sponsor terms must enable the transfer to be made
    • Dean, Chair or Director must approve the transfer
Equipment Asset Disposal/Retirement Procedure
External sale of university equipment asset
  • sale must be made by SMS (Surplus Disposal)
Equipment Asset Disposal/Retirement Procedure
Disposal of damaged, destroyed, or dismantled asset
  • disposal must be made through SMS (Surplus Disposal)

Equipment Asset Disposal/Retirement Procedure

Identification of stolen/lost equipment asset Equipment Asset Disposal/Retirement Procedure
Transfer of equipment asset or sale of equipment asset by one University of Alberta unit to another University of Alberta unit If equipment asset originally purchased with restricted funds:
  • selling price must equal fair value, as evaluated by Surplus Services
  • proceeds must be allocated according to sponsor terms
Equipment Asset Disposal/Retirement Procedure
Transfer by University of Alberta researcher to another institution
  • sponsor terms must enable the transfer to be made
  • institution receiving the asset must confirm acceptance prior to transfer
  • University of Alberta Vice-President (Research) must approve transfer
Equipment Asset Disposal/Retirement Procedure
Gift of equipment asset to staff member
  • equipment asset's fair value must be less than $500, as evaluated by Surplus Services
  • staff member must be long-serving
  • requires VP approval
Equipment Asset Disposal/Retirement Procedure
Donation of equipment asset to registered charity
  • unit must confirm that charity has Canada Revenue Agency registered charity status
  • requires VP approval
Equipment Asset Disposal/Retirement Procedure
Sale of equipment assets by a unit to departing staff
  • only electronic storage devices can be sold to staff
  • staff member purchasing the electronic storage device must be departing the university's employ
  • staff member must pay fair value, as evaluated by Surplus Services, plus 5% GST
Equipment Asset Disposal/Retirement Procedure

Link:

Surplus Services (SMS)

Furnishings Assets

The Design and Technical Services group (Planning and Project Delivery unit) with Facilities and Operations is responsible for the overall coordination of policies, procedures, processes, and guidance to assist in the effective and efficient stewardship of furnishings assets.

Who to Contact Regarding Furnishings Assets

TOPIC CONTACT DETAILS
New furnishings and furniture standards

Design and Technical Services: Furnishing Coordinator

Email: furniture.coordinator@ualberta.ca

Requests to acquire used/surplus university furniture

Design and Technical Services: Furnishing Coordinator

Email: furniture.surplus@ualberta.ca

Furniture repairs

Refer to Furniture Repair Procedure

Requests to pick up surplus furniture

Note: Refer to link below to access the Furniture Pickup Form

Supply Management Services

Email completed form to: smswareh@ualberta.ca

Link:

Facilities and Operations - Furnishings

Last Update: March 2015