Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the VJF

• The VJF must be completed for purchases of greater than or equal to $5,000 made with federal funds. This regulation applies to funding from all federal contracting and granting agencies.
• A VJF is not required for purchases under $5,000; however, internal documentation must be retained as justification of reasonable pricing.
• The $5,000 requirement refers to the total of the purchase order, not price per item.
• A VJF must accompany a copy of your invoice, regardless of when your purchase was made.
• Do not send your VJFs to Procurement Management. Attach the form to a copy of the invoice and keep on file locally for general audit purposes.
• Freight costs are considered part of the purchase price and must be included in the total cost of the item(s), even if these costs increase the purchase order to $5,000 or over.
• The VJF should be signed by those who select the vendor.
• If you are being billed on an interdepartmental invoice, you do not need to complete a VJF.
• If you are making progress payments and each invoice is equal to or over $5,000, attach a copy of the original VJF to a copy of the invoice and retain in department files.
• The $5,000 requirement affects all purchases, not just equipment.
• If an individual transaction on a summary bill is equal to or over $5,000, please attach a VJF for this item or process separately in addition to a VJF for all other purchases.
• If the scope of your grant or contract requires you to spend time outside the U.S. and you are purchasing goods and/or services abroad, you are still obligated to abide by federal procurement regulations as outlined in the VJF.
• Service contracts for equipment maintenance priced equal to or above $5,000 should be treated as outlined in the VJF.