Why must my department perform a confirmation of our inventorial equipment every two years?
This is called a "Biennial Inventory," and is required by University of California policy (BFB-BUS29, Section J-1) to verify the safeguarding of inventory by Custodial departments and part of the campus' Property Control System Analysis (PCSA). The PCSA is an external federal review of all campus processes associated with the acquisition, utilization and safeguarding of its inventorial property. It is looked upon by funding agencies as confirmation that the University is judicious with the equipment it purchases from their funding.
Can I request an extension for our department's biennial equipment certification?
In short, Yes. Biennial equipment certification is a required action to verify existence of active capital equipment the University has purchased. UC Berkeley employs a rolling 24-month certification process where all campus departments possessing capital equipment are assigned a certification due date every two years with 1/24th of those campus departments being due for certification each month. This allows for effective management of the process.
Typically, state and federal agencies allow the campus to establish its process for certification and then hold the campus to compliance with that program. Due to COVID-19 stay at home orders certain of these same agencies recognize that campus department staff who are intimately involved in the equipment certification process are not on campus and have granted extensions until those staff will have likely returned.
UC Berkeley will continue to provide campus departments who possess capital equipment with timely notice of their normally approaching biennial equipment certification deadline. We recommend those whose staff that normally attend to the certification process have returned to on-campus work continue to perform the biennial certification.
Those whose staff perform the biennial certification have not returned to on-campus work may receive an extension. However, once the extension(s) granted by state and federal agencies have concluded, those departments who received extensions will be required to immediately perform a biennial certification regardless of when their next certification becomes due and required to complete their next regularly required biennial certification in the regularly scheduled month where that deadline is at least 12 months later.
How do I conduct a physical inventory for items that are not physically accessible or are off-site?
If there is an item you cannot physically access but assured it is still where it was placed (e.g. data sys, camera recording) are still transmitting data then that’s considered verification that the item exists. For off-site if there is someone who is onsite, ask them to confirm item is physically there and take a photo if possible.
Why are our capital equipment processes audited?
University of California, State, and Federal policies require that the University strictly track all capital equipment purchased with their funds.
How do I request help regarding capital equipment?
For assistance, please send an email to betshelp@berkeley.edu.
Your question(s) will be answered within 24 hours of receipt.
Note that all capital equipment processes is based upon four principal policies, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-122, BUS-29, and BUS-38
Can I schedule a pick-up for excess equipment during COVID Shelter-In-Place restrictions?
Yes, submit an EIMR for capital equipment pick-ups, or email centdist@berkeley.edu for non-capital equipment pick-ups. Both requests will be routed to Central Distribution for handling as follows:
Single Item
When a department requests pick-up of a single item that is no longer needed and is being transferred to Surplus, Central Distribution will provide free pick-up when the following criteria can be met:
- The item(s) can be handled by a single person with a hand truck or pallet jack within 20 minutes
- Access from the exterior of the building to the item's location is via same floor or by freight elevator (no stairs)
- The building access and egress does not require parking the Central Distribution truck on a slope up grade from the building access/egress and necessitating the driver pushing the item up hill
Multiple Items
When a department requests pick-up of a multiple items that are no longer needed and being transferred to Surplus, Central Distribution will provide free pick-up when the following criteria can be met:
- The items have been placed in a Surplus rolling cart or have been securily affixed to a pallet (secured by plastic wrapping or banding). Contact Central Distribution to request a rolling surplus cage
- Access from the exterior of the building to the item's location is via same floor or by freight elevator (no stairs)
- The building access and egress does not require parking the Central Distribution truck on a slope up grade from the building access/egress and necessitating the driver pushing the item up hill
Whom do I contact if I need a UC property number?
Email betshelp@berkeley.edu and provide the item related Purchase Order (PO) number.