1,531: Equipment Transfer Policy

Revised: November 2022

All equipment purchased with any type of university funds (state, grant, self-supporting, other soft funds, etc.) and equipment that is donated or gifted equipment is university property.  For equipment purchased on grants, the transfer of such equipment can occur only with the written approval of the Vice President for Research & Innovation (VPRI) under one of the following three conditions.

Condition 1:   An active grant (end date has not occurred) may transfer with a principal investigator (PI) upon sponsor approval, and equipment purchased on an active grant will transfer with the PI and the grant only to the institution to which the PI is moving (host institution). The PI must complete the Proposed Disposition Plan for Active Sponsored Projects form to obtain permission to transfer the grant and, if the transfer is approved, work with Sponsored Projects to transfer the grant.  Once the grant is transferred, the PI shall submit the equipment transfer through the university’s AssetWorks system

Once the equipment transfer is submitted to AssetWorks, Business Center North (BCN) Purchasing completes the final authorization of transfer and removes the equipment from the university’s inventory.

In the event that the equipment to be transferred is supported by, attached to, or functional only with additional equipment owned by the University, the transfer should include a purchase agreement of additional equipment at an appropriate depreciated value as calculated by the University as described in Condition 2.

Condition 2:  A PI is leaving the University and wishes to transfer equipment that was purchased on grants that are no longer active, i.e., the grant end date has occurred and the grant has expired.  In this case, if the department chair, the dean and VPRI agree that the equipment could/should transfer, the University may, but it is under no obligation, to transfer equipment. The PI must complete the Sponsored Project Equipment Transfer Request form (located within the SP-DP Memo: Sponsored Project Transfers form set) to obtain permission to transfer the equipment. Once approved, an appropriate depreciated value of the equipment must be established through the equipment inventory section of BCN Purchasing.  Once an appropriate depreciated value is determined, the new host institution must agree to purchase the equipment at the determined price.  Once the purchase prices is agreed to by the new host institution, the PI will submit the equipment transfer through the university’s AssetWorks system. If sponsor approval is required, Sponsored Projects will contact the sponsor and request approval for transfer.

Once the equipment transfer is submitted in AssetWorks, BCN Purchasing completes the final authorization of transfer and removes the equipment from the university’s inventory.

For equipment purchased on all other types of non-grant funds (state, self-supporting, other soft funds, etc.) or equipment that was donated or gifted, the transfer of such equipment can occur under Condition 3.

Condition 3: A faculty member is leaving the University and wishes to transfer equipment that was purchased on non-grant funds or was donated or gifted. If the department chair, dean, and VPRI agree that the equipment could/should transfer, the University may, but is under no obligation to, transfer the equipment. The PI must complete the Sponsored Project Equipment Transfer Request form to obtain permission to transfer the equipment. Once approved, an appropriate depreciated value is determined, and the new host institution must agree to purchase the equipment at that price. Equipment under consideration will be transferred only to the host institution. Once the purchase price is agreed to by the new host institution, the PI will submit the equipment transfer through the university’s AssetWorks system.

Once the equipment transfer is submitted in AssetWorks, BCN Purchasing completes the final authorization of transfer and removes the equipment from the university’s inventory.