Moveable Capital Equipment

Moveable capital equipment is defined as any individual, tangible, non-expendable property with a useful life of more than one year, with an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more, and not permanently attached to a building or structure.

When purchasing such equipment, you should engage with BU Sourcing & Procurement and Property Management, since to maintain compliance with federal regulations, the University must identify all moveable capital equipment, including items that are:

• donated
• leased
• loaned
• transferred
• purchased with restricted or unrestricted funds.

The Property Management department in the Financial Affairs office identifies, locates, and photographs every piece of equipment on each campus of Boston University and numerous off-campus sites. This information is entered into the Property System, which:

• maintains records throughout the equipment’s life cycle
• ensures accurate depreciation, adequate insurance coverage, and efficient utilization of University property
• tracks the funding source and owner title of each piece of equipment
• allows for the proper and timely completion of reports on active awards

Property Management also provides the University’s Risk Management office with the details of all moveable capital equipment purchases. They also complete a capital equipment inventory every two years to ensure that all records and insurance remains current and correct.

Additional restrictions may apply to certain controlled information (e.g., technical data, encryption software), as well as physical items (e.g., scientific equipment), regardless of the value. This information is further detailed in the Export Controls section.