It is important to keep in mind that we are a new team with one of the highest budgets in the SDC, so saving money wherever possible is essential for this team’s survival. Whether that be leveraging campus resources or emailing every company for a potential sponsorship opportunity, it will help us out in the longer run.
Before reading through this document and initiating a purchase, read through Team Financing
This guide is meant for the leads (and in exceptional cases, anyone else**) who are ordering parts for UW Orbital using their personal funds.
**Members are not expected to buy parts for the team, it is the responsibility of the subsystem lead. Under exceptional cases, if a case does arise where a member has or will have to buy a part that is essentially for the team (not for personal reasons), then we will sort it out on a case-by-case basis. Although, this should be prevented to begin with.
Part/tool/piece of equipment selection
The subsystem lead has identified the need for a specific tool or part. This identification must be performed after thorough research, and to ensure that no more design decisions will occur that could deem the part obselete and useless once it arrives.
Updating BOM with part information
If the part is not included in your subsystem’s section on the BOM sheet within the ‣ or if it is not included in one of the groups of the parts listed under your subsystem’s BOM section, add the part and fill in all the details for it.
Do not update the part cost. This is associated with the subteam’s “allowance”, and should not change unless consultation with the PMs occurs first. Instead, once you pay for the part, update the BOM “spent” column with the total amount that you paid for the part, including shipping and customs fees.
In-kind Sponsorship Outreach
Note: It is acceptable for members to reach out to companies for sponsorships, make sure they follow the above steps and the lead will be responsible for guiding them through this process.
Using shared resources
If a tool is being requested i.e screwdrivers, soldering equipment, bench supply etc. then consider looking for campus resources to leverage. As aforementioned, we are a new team with a big budget, therefore we will get these tools eventually, they just won’t be the highest priority in terms of UW Orbital’s expenditure for the next few terms.
Requesting funds
If all above steps fail, proceed with purchasing the product via “strict” funds (allocated in the‣), and as a last resort, “fluid” money. If you don’t know what these terms mean, review Team Financing).
If the need for the part isn’t urgent (i.e. not needed in the current term), add the part to the Pending section of the ‣. Business will take it from here and request the funds needed from either UW Funds or Grant money.
Sponsorship or Discount Secured or Funding Approved
Orders for parts & tools should only be made once either a sponsorship/discounts have been secured, or funding for it has been approved and the business team has confirmed it.
Before you Order
Contact one of the PMs to approve your order. The first question they’ll ask is if you’ve looked for sponsorships, and you should definitely have an answer at this point (hint, answer should be “yes”).
Ordering the part
Place the order as soon as possible. This is particularly important with the current crisis of part shortages, especially for the electrical teams.
Here are some important logistics:
<aside> 🎯 UW Orbital University of Waterloo Engineering 5 2001 200 University Ave W Waterloo ON N2L 3G1 Canada
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c. Alternate Mailing Address: If the order is anticipated to arrive after the end of the term or you are unsure of its arrival and there is a possibility that it may not be received by someone from UW Orbital on campus, then use your personal address. If that is also not an option, message @Shreya Singh on discord.
Next Steps
Save the invoice and if you need to be reimbursed, refer to the Reimbursements section in this document. Update the ‣ once the item is received.