Receiving

Central Receiving is the primary point for inbound campus freight deliveries. Upon receipt, freight is inspected for exterior visible damage, sorted and scanned into our receiving software. A notification of receipt and pending delivery of package(s) is sent to the campus staff or faculty member who requested the purchase and whose name appears on the package.

• Standard Last-Mile Deliveries: Most non-hazardous shipments are generally delivered to their final location either on the same day as delivery or within 3 business days. Times vary due to service demand peaks and other factors.
• Limited Storage Space: There is very limited storage space in the central receiving area and therefore large shipments are delivered quickly to their final destination on-campus. There is insufficient room for storage and therefore departments must ensure that they have storage space allocated for all inbound shipments where items can be transitioned to and stored as soon as they are delivered. For unique or long term storage needs please refer to the warehousing section below which may be an option in some cases.
• Pickup Option: Packages may be picked up at central receiving by a campus staff or faculty member when that is more convenient. Please be sure to bring the tracking information for your package with you if you are picking up a package so that it can be quickly found and provided to you. Central Receiving is open on business days 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Tracking Inbound Packages or other Deliveries: Departments should work directly with the supplier or through CBS2 to determine when goods or supplies will arrive. If going through CBS2, please provide a contact name and number for the supplier and a tracking number or purchase order number to ensure your request is handled as expediently as possible.
• Refrigeration: Best efforts are made to ensure that inbound shipments that require refrigeration are placed into a refrigeration unit until they can be delivered.
• Chemicals: All hazardous or chemical shipments that are received are set aside until Environmental Health & Safety receives them and releases them for delivery per campus chemical inventory control requirements. This is normally completed the same day or within 1 business day of delivery.
• Receiving Hours: Deliveries can be received between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on business days.

Last-Mile Delivery

Last-Mile Delivery refers to the process of transitioning goods delivered and received at Central Receiving to their final destination on-campus. Our logistics team seeks to transition items as quickly and accurately as possible to their final destination and coordinates with labs and departments to manage and streamline their delivery processes. Most non-hazardous shipments are generally delivered to their final location either on the same day as delivery or within three business days. Times vary due to service demand peaks and other factors.

Large or heavy items such as lab equipment may require additional resources to deliver and need to coordination with Moving and Events to ensure proper handling and campus safety. Logistics Services can help facilitate if needed. Logistics Services staff will not uncrate, assemble or move equipment around from lab to lab due to safety concerns for both campus staff and Receiving staff. These actions should be coordinated directly with Moving and Events.

Warehousing

The University maintains limited warehousing space off-campus for centrally managed essential inventories, core inventory for campus support operations and medium and long-term storage for high value campus equipment. The University is in the process of transitioning warehouse locations and developing a modernized warehouse management concept to support future campus warehousing needs. More information will be forthcoming as these transitions occur. Please direct any warehousing questions to Randolph Encinas, Logistics Supervisor.

Outbound Shipping

Due to very limited demand at this time, Logistics Services provides limited support for outbound shipments of goods as required to support core research, teaching and support operations of the University. If demand for these types of services grow, the support model will be re-evaluated to ensure it best supports campus operations with available resources.

Department Responsibilities

• Departments must box or package the goods they wish to ship.
• Departments must appropriately label the box or package (labels can be requested here).
• Departments must schedule a pickup (if required) FedEx and UPS deliver to campus daily and most packages can be placed directly on the delivery truck without needing to schedule a delivery.
  • To ensure same day shipment, packages must be dropped off at shipping and receiving prior to the daily delivery/pickup if shipping by UPS or FedEx.
    • UPS Delivery/Pickup occurs on business days at 9 a.m.
    • FedEx Delivery/Pickup occurs on business days at 11 a.m.
• · Departments must deliver the package to Central Receiving ready to ship.
• Note:
  • Multiple boxes or large shipments should be coordinated with logistics services in advance to ensure enough room for temporary storage is assigned within the receiving area. Please contact receiving@ucmerced.edu
  • Dry ice and hazardous shipments must be packaged and labeled correctly by sender who is authorized to ship by having completed training through EH&S for the specific hazardous material and method of shipping. Labels must also be processed by a person who has had the EHS training. Contact EH&S for instructions specific to your needs and situation.
  • International Shipments must be packaged, labeled and have correct international shipping documents otherwise carrier will not accept.
• Department must ensure that no hazardous or restricted or prohibited substances or export controlled items are shipped.
  • Hazardous substances shipments are managed directly by EH&S and follow the EH&S prescribed process as appropriate for each shipment. Please contact EH&S directly for instructions.
  • Export controlled items must first be approved by the Office of Research Compliance and Integrity.

Logistics Services Support

• Logistics Services will temporarily store the package.
• Logistics Services will coordinate shipment of the package with the carrier when they arrive at central receiving.