Document approval concept. Magnifying glass focus to approved document icon on for approve business project proposals.

Software Request Process

Follow the steps below to request software.

Prepare

Check if software is available at one of the following:

Software at Penn State
Courseware
Pre-approved Software List
Available Contracts and Suppliers
- IT Software Product Category
- Cooperative Contracts

Software Renewal

Check the One-Time Delegation Approval Criteria

One Year: Automatically valid for one year from the approval date.
Two-Year: Granted when all conditions below are met:
- Software does not involve high (level 3) or restricted (level 4) data per Policy AD95 Information Assurance and IT Security
- No AI functionality is used.
- No changes exist in the original Software Request Form answers, including employee(s) granted one-time approval.
- Business Area maintains original acknowledgments and contingencies outlined in the delegation approval

Route

Checklist

Please review the software request checklist before completing a Software Request Form (Microsoft Form) to identify potential risks and further action steps to finalize your request.

Accessibility

Coordinate approval from Penn State’s Accessibility Team to ensure the software meets Policy AD 69 Accessibility of Electronic and Information Technology for more than one user.

Payment

View the Procurement Search Tool for allowable payment methods and product category codes to route for appropriate review.

Purchase Order

Create a Non-Catalog Purchase Requisition (ServiceNow). Attach the software agreement, Software Request Form, and accessibility approval to the form.

Purchasing Card

Email the software agreement, Software Request Form, and accessibility approval to purchasesoftware@psu.edu.

No Cost

Email the software agreement, Software Request Form, and accessibility approval to purchasesoftware@psu.edu.

Review

The completed Software Request Form, software type, and use of the software may trigger additional compliance reviews before Central Procurement approves the software use.

Compliance Partners

Office of Ethics and Compliance (Export)
Office of General Counsel
Information Security
Accessibility
Merchant Management

Sign

A limited number of individuals are granted authority to sign contracts on behalf of the university per Policy FN11 Contracts and Leases and Policy FNG02 Limited Delegation of Contract Approvals.

Once finalized, a contract is routed to be signed by an authorized signature authority or approved for a one-time electronic signature delegation. A delegation does not give an individual signing authority.