Submitting an IT Statement of Need is the first step toward purchasing IT software, applications, or services. This page provides guidance on scenarios that are more ambiguous, to clarify whether an IT Statement of Need is or isn't required. 

IT Applications, Software, or Services Being Purchased with Sponsored Funds (fund group CG)

Does not require an IT Statement of Need: When submitting the request to Cornell Procurement, indicate that sponsored funds are being used.

Memberships in IT-Related Organizations

Does not require an IT Statement of Need: When submitting the request to Cornell Procurement, specify that the purchase is for membership in an IT-related organization.

IT Software, Services, or Contracts Managed by CIT

Does not require an IT Statement of Need: When submitting the request to Cornell Procurement, state that the purchase is under the terms of the specific CIT software, service, or contract. Where possible, include a link to the webpage that describes the software, service, or contract. 

Tip: Do a search on both the IT@Cornell website and on Cornell Procurement's Supplier List to see what can be purchased this way.

Please note: There are some exceptions where an IT Statement of Need is still required. See the guidance for these scenarios: "Maintenance of Administrative IT Applications or Services," "New or Redesigned Websites or Custom Web Applications," and "Salesforce Implementations and Development".

Clinical, Diagnostic, and Instrumentation Devices and Software

Does not require an IT Statement of Need: Applies to all uses except storing regulated data (when submitting the request to Cornell Procurement, indicate that the purchase is for clinical, diagnostic, or instrumentation devices or software and does not involve regulated data).

IT Applications, Software, or Services for Faculty

Requires an IT Statement of Need: Applies when the intent is to store regulated data (for example, applications that store student names, IDs, grades, etc.)

Does not require an IT Statement of Need: Applies to all uses except storing regulated data (when submitting the request to Cornell Procurement, indicate that the purchase is for faculty and does not involve regulated data)

IT Applications, Software, or Services Being Purchased on Behalf of Students Using Cornell Funds

Requires an IT Statement of Need: Applies when the intent is to store regulated data (for example, applications that store student names, IDs, grades, etc.) or to be broadly used by students (for example, a student-run, non-research website)

Does not require an IT Statement of Need: Applies if the funding is sponsored or department research funding; when submitting the request to Cornell Procurement, indicate that sponsored or department research funds are being used. Also applies if other funding is being used and the criteria for "requires an IT Statement of Need" in this section do NOT apply; when submitting the request to Cornell Procurement, indicate that the purchase is on behalf of students and does not involve regulated data or broad use by students 

IT Contractors

Requires an IT Statement of Need: Applies to hiring or extending any contractor to work on IT projects and services (for example, vendor-supplied contractors, agencies, independent freelancers, etc.)

Does not require an IT Statement of Need: Applies when existing contractors are being paid for previous work (when submitting the request to Cornell Procurement, indicate that the purchase is for previous work)

Renewals for Software or Licenses

Requires an IT Statement of Need: Applies to software and licenses that are not managed through the CU Software licensing service. As laws and policies continue to change, the IT Statement of Need offers an opportunity to ensure renewals have current contract terms, and also raises awareness to see if others have interest and if a campus contract might be beneficial. 

Additional Licenses 

Requires an IT Statement of Need: Applies when adding licenses to IT software or services that did not have an IT Statement of Need approved within the past 365 days.

• Current IT Statements of Need (access restricted)
• FY20 IT Statements of Need

Does not require an IT Statement of Need:

• Adding licenses to IT software or services that had an IT Statement of Need approved within the past 365 days (when submitting the request to Cornell Procurement, attach the approved IT Statement of Need)
• Licenses managed through the CU Software licensing service

Request for Information (RFI) / Request for Purchase (RFP)

Requires an IT Statement of Need: Raises awareness to see if others have interest

Maintenance of Administrative IT Applications or Services 

Requires an IT Statement of Need: Applies to systems of record, systems of engagement, and applications that store regulated data when the maintenance involves the addition of significant new features, modules, or plugins that change the original intent of the application (for example, a staff onboarding/offboarding application is being modified to add a feature to track staff exit surveys and store the data collected)

• Systems of record - non-research data systems that provide administrative information required for the function of additional (integrated) systems
• Systems of engagement - systems that provide a business service to two or more campus units

Does not require an IT Statement of Need:

• Routine patching, addition of fields, modification to layout, etc. done by Cornell employees
• Addition of features, modules, and plugins implemented by Cornell employees for applications that do not store regulated data and that are used by only one campus unit. Applicable policies must be followed. 

New or Redesigned Websites or Custom Web Applications

Requires an IT Statement of Need: Applies when the website or web application will store regulated data, or will become a system of record or system of engagement, or when the design and/or development is being outsourced to a non-Cornell contractor

• Systems of record - non-research data systems that provide administrative information required for the function of additional (integrated) systems
• Systems of engagement - systems that provide a business service to two or more campus units

Does not require an IT Statement of Need: Applies when the website or web application will be used by only one campus unit and when the design and development are being done by Cornell employees. Applicable policies must be followed. 

Salesforce Implementations and Development 

Requires an IT Statement of Need:

• Licenses for new features 
• Enhancements or projects within Salesforce (buy or build) that expand or change the original intent (for example, third-party applications, custom applications, integration to a new system of record or system of engagement, rebuilding the data model) 
• Any contracted or paid vendor engagement

Does not require an IT Statement of Need: 

• Provisioning new users within existing licenses or applications
• Maintenance to existing applications (for example, adding fields, making changes to page layouts, adding forms, creating reports and dashboards)
• Maintenance and administrative tasks (for example, data cleanup, moving an application to Lightning Experience)
• Applications purchased or developed as part of an approved IT Project Charter (List of approved IT Project Charters)

IT Project Charter

Requires an IT Statement of Need: Raises awareness to see if others have interest before the IT Project Charter is submitted; IT Statements of Need are reviewed by a broader group of university leaders 

IT Project Charter - Change in Direction Regarding Vendors, Products, or Services 

Requires an IT Statement of Need: Applies when the project is underway and the vendor, product, or services originally specified are being changed and the new choices need to be evaluated