Subaward/Subcontract Tips & Resources Guide

This guide includes tips and resources for Fund Managers and Principal Investigators (PIs) on submitting requisitions and managing invoices for subawards and subcontracts in BruinBuy Plus.

Last updated: May 2025

General Information |

User Access

Invoices

• All Invoices need to be sent to [email protected] for the Invoice to get into BruinBuy Plus and start workflow.

• All Invoices against a Subaward/Subcontract will require a Fund Manager AND a PI to approve the Invoice.

• All Invoices against a Subaward/Subcontract require Receiving.

• Notifications can be sent to alert you to the following actions:

  • An Invoice against a PO you are the PO Owner on has entered BruinBuy Plus (at this point you can view it by accessing your PO and locating the Related Documents and accessing the Invoice).

  • An Invoice is in Workflow and now requires Receiving.

  • An Invoice is in a Workflow Step that requires your Approval.

  • An Invoice or Credit Memo has successfully completed all workflow review processes and has been sent to PAC for payment

• It is preferred for the Subrecipient to email the invoice to [email protected].

Notifications

• Notifications can be changed within your User Profile. Review the BruinBuy Plus Basic Functionality guide (page 10) to learn about reviewing and editing your notifications.

• Subaward/subcontract notifications will be sent to you:

  • When you created the PO, and receiving needs to be completed.

  • When the invoice has entered the Subaward/Subcontract Approvals workflow step.

• Invoices may be approved from within an email notification OR within BruinBuy Plus.

  • Email notifications contain useful information such as the workflow step, the PO number, and line item details (Image 1).

    • Scrolling down the body of the email will reveal a section to Take Action.

    • From here, it will direct you to a new page giving you the options to Approve, Reject/Cancel, or Assign to Myself (Image 2).
      
      Image 1: Sampling of BruinBuy Plus approval email with Summary and Details sections.

      
      Image 2: BruinBuy Plus invoice approval page showing invoice details and action buttons to approve, reject/cancel, or assign the invoice.

Approvals

As mentioned in the Notifications section, you can Approve directly from the notification, or you can Approve from within BruinBuy Plus.

1. Log in to BruinBuy Plus.

2. Under the Home Shopping Dashboard locate the Action Items widget.

3. To view invoices for approval, select the Invoices hyperlink under Unassigned Approvals (Image 3).

   NOTE: Invoices you have already assigned to yourself appear under the My Assigned Approvals section.

4. Once you select Invoices, you can review the Invoices you need to approve by Fund (Image 4).

5. Approvals can be completed individually or en masse.
   
   Individual Approvals:

   1. Select the Invoice Number to open it (Image 5).

   2. Once you are in the Invoice, you can review the fields (Vendor Name, FAU, Amount, etc.), then Approve (Image 6).

   Mass Approvals:

   1. Select the checkbox next to each invoice (Image 7).

   2. Select Approve/Complete from the dropdown menu (Image 7).

Image 3: BruinBuy Plus Action Items screen with My Assigned Approvals and Unassigned Approvals sections.

Image 4: List of funds with callouts for the number of invoices falling into each fund (dropdown).

Image 5: BruinBuy Plus invoice assignment list with the hyperlinked invoice number highlighted.

Image 6: BruinBuy Plus Assign dropdown menu with the Approve option highlighted.

Image 7: BruinBuy Plus invoice assignment list view with applicable invoices selected (checked off) and the Approve/Complete option highlighted in the Action menu.

F&A Rates

When to Complete Receiving

How to Update a Fund Manager for Subcontract/Subaward Invoice Approval

New Subawards |

Process Overview

1. The department’s Campus Buyer creates a new subaward requisition through the BruinBuy Plus Research Subaward form. The requisition should be for the amount for the budget period or period of performance (changes can be made during Step 9, if needed).

2. The Campus Buyer attaches the completed and signed Office of Contract & Grant Administration (OCGA) Outgoing Subaward & MCA Request Form to the requisition.

3. The UCLA Subaward Team reviews the requisition:
   • If the requisition matches the OCGA request form, it is approved within three business days.

   • If the requisition does not match the OCGA request form, it is returned to the Campus Buyer with instructions in the Comments. The Campus Buyer inputs the corrections and resubmits.

4. Once approved, the requisition becomes a PO. It will remain in the Subcontract/Subaward Draft PO workflow step until approved by the Subaward Team (Step 9).

5. The Campus Buyer provides the PO number to OCGA. The PO number should not be shared with the subawardee.

6. OCGA adds the PO number to the subaward agreement.

7. Once OCGA receives the fully executed subaward agreement, they share it with the Campus Buyer.

8. The Campus Buyer attaches the fully executed agreement to the PO and requests Subaward Team approval.

9. The Subaward Team uses the fully executed agreement to validate the PO data:

   • If the agreement matches the PO, the PO is approved and completes workflow.
   • If the agreement does not match the PO, the Subaward Team works with the Campus Buyer to make the necessary PO updates.

New Subcontracts |

Process Overview

How to Create a New Subcontract

Subaward Amendments |

Process Overview: BruinBuy Plus Subaward

The following process is specific to subawards that were not migrated from the legacy BruinBuy system and already have a BruinBuy Plus PO number.

1. If applicable, the requesting department works with the Office of Contract & Grant Administration (OCGA) to create the fully executed subaward amendment.

2. The Campus Buyer completes the BruinBuy Plus Subaward / Subcontract Amendment form.

3. The form automatically routes to the UCLA Campus Purchasing Subawards team.

4. The UCLA Campus Purchasing Subawards team reviews the amendment request:
   
   • If the request matches the fully executed amendment / supporting documentation, the request is approved.
   • If the request does not match the fully executed amendment / supporting documentation, the UCLA Campus Purchasing Subawards team will troubleshoot with the Campus Buyer via the request’s Discussion thread. If needed, the request may be returned for corrections.

5. Once the amendment form is approved, the UCLA Campus Purchasing Subawards team centrally edits the PO to reflect the requested changes.

6. Once all PO updates have been completed, the UCLA Campus Purchasing Subawards team notifies the Campus Buyer via the PO’s Comments.

Process Overview: Migrated Subaward

How to Amend a Migrated Subaward

Subcontract Amendments |

Process Overview: BruinBuy Plus Subcontract

The following process is specific to subcontracts that were not migrated from the legacy BruinBuy system and already have a BruinBuy Plus PO number.

1. The Campus Buyer gathers all relevant documents for the subcontract amendment (see this guide’s “Subcontract Amendment Supporting Documentation” section for additional information).

2. The Campus Buyer completes the BruinBuy Plus Subaward / Subcontract Amendment form.

3. The form automatically routes to the UCLA Campus Purchasing Subcontracts team.

4. The UCLA Campus Purchasing Subcontracts team reviews the amendment request:
   
   • If the request matches the supporting documentation, the UCLA Campus Purchasing Subcontracts team drafts the amendment.
   • If the request does not match the supporting documentation, the UCLA Campus Purchasing Subcontracts team troubleshoots with the Campus Buyer via the request’s Discussion thread. If needed, the request may be returned for corrections.

5. The UCLA Campus Purchasing Subcontracts team sends the draft amendment to the subcontractor for execution:
   
   • If the subcontractor has no edits, they sign the amendment and move to Step 6.
   • If the subcontractor has edits, the UCLA Campus Purchasing Subcontracts team reviews the changes with the associated UCLA department and obtains written approval of the updates. The new amendment draft is then sent to the subcontractor for signing. 

6. Once the partially executed amendment is signed by the subcontractor, the UCLA Campus Purchasing Subcontracts team centrally edits the PO to reflect the requested changes.

7. Once all PO updates have been completed, the UCLA Campus Purchasing Subcontracts team notifies the Campus Buyer via the PO’s Comments.

8. The UCLA Campus Purchasing Subcontracts team sends the fully executed amendment to the subcontractor and department contact(s) listed on the Subcontract Checklist.

Subcontract Amendment Supporting Documentation

Subcontract amendment requests require the following documentation:

Process Overview: Migrated Subcontract

How to Amend a Migrated Subcontract

Subaward Close-Out |

Process Overview

Subcontract Close-Out |

Process Overview