Fabricated equipment is defined as a specialized piece of equipment that is constructed in-house by university personnel. Funding sources may include awards and/or campus funds. Follow the steps below to initiate a fabrication project:
- Submit a request for a Fabrication Number using the DFA Service Catalog. Go to Equipment Management and select Fabrications. After you click the “Submit Request” button, select the Request Type “Request for a Fabrication Number” from the dropdown list. If it is determined that the project meets the criteria for a fabrication, Equipment Management will assign a Fabrication Number and will forward a Fabrication Setup document you can use for step 2.
- Submit a request for a New Project using the DFA Service Catalog. In the Project Portfolio Financial Management (PPFM) select “New/Modify/Deactivate Project.” After you click the “Submit Request” button enter “Fabrication” and the fabrication number. In the “Request Category” select “Capital.” Request type is “New.” Attach the Fabrication Setup document and submit the request.
a. Purchase components, materials and/or supplies from outside vendors using a Procurement Card or through Oracle Procurement. Such goods may also be acquired internally via recharge. When purchasing components, materials and/or supplies make sure to provide the entire POET information:
- Project Number
- Organization
- Expenditure Type
- Task (it will be FabricationXXXXXXX, where XXXXXXX is the assigned fabrication number.
If the POET information is not on the purchase requisition, the costs will not be allocated properly to the fabrication project.
Note: Fabrication/construction work should be performed at least in-part by UC Merced departments, and not solely by outside vendors. Custom equipment fabricated by an outside vendor and delivered to UC Merced as a complete item ready for use should be treated as a purchase of standalone inventorial equipment.
It is important to account for equipment fabrication expenses in accordance with the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) regulations. Contact your General Accounting or PPFM award/project accountant if you need assistance selecting the correct account and expenditure types when purchasing components, materials and/or supplies.
Consult the UC Business and Finance Bulletin BFB-BUS-29, pages 2 and 25, for more detailed information about fabrications. For information on accounting for fabrications, see the UC Accounting Manual, AM-P-415-32.
Finalizing the Fabrication
When the fabrication project is complete, submit a request to the Equipment Management Office to close or cancel the fabrication using the DFA Service Catalog. In the Equipment Management menu, select Fabrications in the dropdown list for “Request Type.” Make sure to enter the fabrication number.
Equipment Management will review the fabrication information. If the final project meets all fabrication criteria, the equipment will be added to the Equipment Register and a tag will be forwarded to the department equipment custodian.
