Furniture
All departments are strongly recommended to contact their campus Purchasing Office as soon as a need for new furniture has been identified. The Purchasing Office will then be able to explore all options available, ensuring departments have all the information required to make an informed decision on their furniture procurement.
The Illinois Public Higher Education Cooperative (IPHEC), of which the University of Illinois is a member, has established preferred agreements for the procurement of various styles of furniture to be used by all member universities. These contracts' requirements for life/safety concerns, standardization of furniture purchased, design services, and delivery. When submitting a requisition for classroom or office furniture, the unit should utilize the contracts established.
Download the Furniture Buying Methodology guide to learn more about how to place an order with an awarded furniture vendor.
In the event the products required are not covered under the IPHEC awards or the products offered will not meet the unit’s needs, please contact the Purchasing Division for assistance. The Purchasing Division must be contacted first regarding purchases of furniture over the small purchase limit.
Departments in the Urbana should visit the UIUC Purchasing site’s Furniture page for more information.
Additional Restrictions
Furniture over $500
Furniture with a unit cost of $500 and above cannot be purchased with a PCard.
Any furniture purchase with an item that has a unit price of $500 or more must be submitted to the Purchasing Division using an iBuy Purchase Requisition Form with a quote attached. The Purchasing Division will review the furniture being purchased to determine if the furniture is available from the State of Illinois Surplus Property Warehouse pursuant to the Illinois State Property Control Act (30 ILCS 605/7). If suitable surplus furniture is available, the Purchasing Division will notify the unit. There is no cost for the surplus furniture, but the unit must pay for transportation costs and any necessary repair or refurbishing. Purchasing may help units arrange transporting the furniture to campus.
If it is determined that no surplus furniture meets the unit's needs, the Purchasing Division will prepare an affidavit, have it notarized, and file it with the State certifying that the furniture was not available. Once the affidavit has been filed, the purchase of the furniture can proceed. Please see 12—an affidavit, have it notarized, and file it with the State certifying that the furniture was not available. Once the affidavit has been filed, the purchase of the furniture can proceed. Please see 12 - Property Accounting for property labeling requirements.
UIUC Specific Requirements
At the Urbana campus only, wood furniture is a restricted purchase. Additional standards for office furniture, furnishings, and fixtures have been established as identified in the Campus Administrative Manual. These standards are to be used as a guide for planning, budgeting, and requisitioning furniture for all purposes. The Purchasing Office can provide documents that describe the acceptable standards for furniture and furnishings. Purchases may require review and approval from Facilities and Services to address fire code, accessibility, and other life/safety concerns in university facilities. Visit the UIUC Campus Administrative Manual for additional information.
Existing Contracts
The IPHEC agreements include four separate awards with multiple vendors. Learn more about each award listed below:
Furniture, Accessories, Installation, and Services (IPHEC1905)
Vendors for award IPHEC1905:
Summary of award IPHEC1905:
This solicitation provides access to economy, moderate, and high-end (good, better, best) furniture in a variety of categories, offerings, and surfaces, including wood, laminate, and metal. In addition, IPHEC is seeking a variety of accessories and related services (i.e. offerings and surfaces including, but not limited to; wood, laminate, and metal. In addition, IPHEC is seeking a variety of accessories and related services (i.e. installation, set-up, design, product management, storage, etc.).)
Premium Office Furniture IPHEC2135
Vendors for award IPHEC2135:
Summary of award IPHEC2135:
Steelcase has been working with educators and designers to rethink classrooms, libraries, common areas and other in between spaces to incorporate user-friendly technology, flexible furniture and other tools to support active learning. The company also offers professional development and training programs to foster learning and continuing education for instructors. Steelcase and Steelcase dealers offer an extensive portfolio of workplace services. Steelcase delivers products and services through a network of independent dealers in over 670 locations globally. The company’s dealer network is the most extensive and experienced in the world, delivering global experience with local service.
Renewable, Sustainable Furniture IPHEC1706
Vendors for award IPHEC1706:
- Sauder Education
- Transformation by Wieland
Summary of award IPHEC1706:
Sauder Education proudly focuses on sustainability, reflecting this mission every step of the way, from material sourcing to internal processes and a renewable product line. Their products feature components that are easily replaced, extending the usable life of each item to limit waste and maximize the value of your purchase.
Contract Highlights:
- Access to Sauder Education's entire catalog of furniture solutions
- Renewable, sustainable furniture that can be easily reconfigured to fit your needs
- Extended usable life of furniture thanks to specialized designs that allow for easy component repairs and replacement
- Products you need for: residence halls, student unions, dining areas, classrooms, and auditoriums
Transformations Furniture manufactures and distributes a full line of upholstered lounge furniture designed to be fully renewable through a unique reupholstering method. A Women Owned Small Business, Transformations boasts over 40 years of expertise in renewability and is proud to meet all the criteria for being a truly renewable company.
The Transformations Difference:
- Easily remove and replace all components of a Transformations chair in minutes, on-site, with no special tools or training required. This patented construction is available across all product lines, not just a few.
- High-quality construction, quick change functionality, and a 35-year warranty extends the life of products to 5 or even 7 cycles. This eliminates the costs associated with repairing or replacing your seating.
Furniture, Installation, and Related Services 2103GAL
Vendors for award 2103GAL:
Summary of award 2103GAL:
Knoll is a constellation of design-driven brands and people working together with our clients to create inspired modern interiors. Our strength in office systems, seating, furniture, textiles, leather, and architectural and acoustical elements allows us to compose integrated solutions from products and services that naturally work together. Since 1938, we’ve been thinking about how people interact with their environments and how their environments impact what they do.
Haworth designs and manufactures product solutions that help you create inspiring spaces. The breadth and strength of our portfolio form the foundation for creating interior environments that adapt to keep your organization nimble and make the most of your workplace. We're your partner in transforming space, no matter where you're located.
Teknion offers a comprehensive portfolio of furniture products designed to support the goals of modern educational institutions and the learning practices of students across the campus: a solitary student reading at a library desk, a group working in a project room, or a classroom of students engaged in a lively discussion while sharing ideas on laptops and tablets.