Vendor Onboarding

Vendor onboarding is initiated by the department that is paying for goods or services. Vendors interested in doing business with the College should reach out directly to the department they wish to engage with. 

Vendor onboarding is required when:

• Working with a vendor or individual for the first time

• Issuing study grants, honoraria, or other non-payroll payments

• Reengaging a vendor not currently active in the system

Vendor setup must begin before services are performed or purchases are committed.

Only authorized College signatories may execute contracts. Authorized signatories are formally delegated under College policy to sign agreements on behalf of the College. This authority is not the same as being a fund manager.

Faculty and staff may not sign vendor agreements unless they have been formally delegated signing authority. Unauthorized signatures may invalidate agreements and delay or prevent payment.

California law presumes that workers are employees unless the College can demonstrate otherwise. Before any independent contractor services begin, departments must:

• Complete the required independent contractor review through the Business Office

• Receive written confirmation of the classification from the Business Office

• Ensure a signed contract is in place before work starts

The Business Office will help determine whether the services can be performed by existing Occidental staff, whether a valid independent contractor relationship exists, and whether the individual may need to be hired as an employee instead.

Independent contractors may not begin work until both the classification review and contract are complete. Current employees and students generally may not be paid as independent contractors without advance approval from the Office of the General Counsel.

For questions about independent contractor classification, contact the Business Office.

To update an existing vendor, the department must submit a Vendor Setup or Modification Request. The department can update a vendor’s email or phone number on behalf of the vendor. All other modifications will be routed to the vendor to complete.

Note: Departments should be alert to unexpected requests from vendors to change banking or payment information. Contact Vendor Support directly to verify any such requests before acting. Vendor impersonation fraud is a known risk in higher education.

No. The College is exempt from federal and state income taxes but is required to pay California sales tax on all purchases. In the ordinary course of business, sales tax is charged to the end user of the product. Re-sellers, such as the Bookstore are in the business of buying goods and reselling the same goods, therefore do not pay sales tax when they purchase said items but collect the sales tax when these items are sold to the end user.