Purchasing and Transporting Equipment and Research Materials

Harvard University requires that faculty, staff, researchers, students, or other individuals who plan for or purchase products, equipment, supplies, and services with university funds, do so according to university policy. Details about the procurement of goods and services can be found here: https://policies.fad.harvard.edu/procurement. Please reach out to your department finance contact if you have any questions.

Transporting certain research materials and equipment may require import/export permits or other documentation from federal agencies such as US Border Protection and Customs, FDA, USDA/APHIS, Fish and Wildlife, CDC, and customs of the country you are exporting to or importing from. Visit EH&S website to get guidance on shipping and transporting research material, and for documents to assist you in managing the various shipments .

Shipping or hand-carrying research supplies, equipment, biological materials whether hazardous or not, or other items internationally may require export permit. Consult FAS Export Control Administrator for guidance when carrying or shipping research materials and equipment abroad. Also investigate and understand importing regulations of the country where you are sending your materials and get all required documents to clear your shipment from the international customs.

If shipping chemicals, please review the Toxic Substances Control Act EH&S webpage on (TSCA)

Researchers seeking guidance on controlled substance use in the field should contact:

Shanna deBlieck, Assistant Director of Science Operations, FAS Science Operations: shanna_deblieck@harvard.edu

Taylor Chang, Research Operations Manager, FAS Science Operations: taylor_chang@fas.harvard.edu

For the IACUC office: IACUC Administration, iacuc@fas.harvard.edu

Transportation of radioactive materials is regulated by the Massachusetts Radiation Control Program, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the License of the destination facility as well as other local regulations. Please review the EH&S webpage on the radiation and safety committee, and consult the EH&S office to ensure the transportation of radioactive materials meets the regulatory requirements.

Whenever possible purchase research materials locally or from suppliers that can ship directly to the sites.

Shipping capital equipment to the site requires extra steps. Equipment shipped oversee are recorded in the department’s capital asset register as “offsite equipment” and the department must complete an offsite form (or equipment to be based off campus for more than 30 days) for all offsite equipment. Offsite Equipment Notification form can be found on this site: https://oc.finance.harvard.edu/offsite-equipment-notification-form

If you are shipping a piece of valuable capital equipment to the site, check out the mobile/movable property &equipment program available to departments to insure the equipment against associated risks while in transit.

Review Harvard policy if your research involves Unmanned Aircraft Systems / Drones, and email risk-services@harvard.edu to learn about their insurance.

If you plan on importing research materials into the United States, visit the following sites to learn regulations and the required permits:

Harvard Office of import/export control (https://research.fas.harvard.edu/export-controls)
US Border Protection and Customs (https://www.cbp.gov)
U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) https://www.fda.gov/industry/import-program-food-and-drug-administration-fda
U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health (USDA/APHIS) (https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/resources/sa_epermits/eauth-epermits)
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife (https://fwsepermits.servicenowservices.com/fws)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/ipp/applications/index.htm

Details about shipping and transportation of research hazardous materials or biological samples as well as shipping documents and external references can be found here: https://www.ehs.harvard.edu/programs/shipping-transporting-research-materials

Shipping Temperature-Sensitive Research Materials

Shipping temperature-sensitive materials can be complex and present risks. The major risk in the transportation of temperature-sensitive products is temperature deviation from required thermal ranges, and the cost for temperature deviation can result in the loss of the research materials. This risk can be mitigated by using the right shipping company, ensuring all shipping documents and permits are secured beforehand, adequate packaging is used, and a tracking system is in place.

Currently, FedEx International, UPS, and US mail services are Harvard preferred shipping companies. Other non-preferred companies specialized in transporting temperature-sensitive materials such as World Courier, DHL Express, BOLLORE Logistics, etc... can be used but please note that using a non-preferred vendor will require advanced planning because you may need to set up a separate account with the vendor.

Some helpful tips when selecting a shipping company for the transportation of temperature-sensitive materials:

Review past performance on similar contracts.
Ensure the company can provide services as a qualified vendor for the transport of the subject materials.
Ensure the company can provide transport services by all applicable regulatory standards.
Ability to replenish ice during transit
Ability to provide services with strictly defined schedules for both pick-ups and deliveries.

eShipGlobal

As of June 30, 2025, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences will adopt eShipGlobal as a universal shipping compliance tool. This system will manage all hazardous, export-controlled, international, and domestic shipments originating from FAS.

Integrated with Buy-to-Pay, eShipGlobal is a platform that enables compliance with federal regulations for shipping, including hazardous, international, and research materials, and provides cost comparisons across common shipping carriers like Fedex, UPS and DHL, enabling users to select the most cost-effective option. Visit the eShipGlobal Get Started guide to begin using the platform.

Several online resources are available for you to review as you get started in eShipGlobal and you find this list of references on the eShipGlobal for FAS website.

Additional information from our FAS and University partners about shipping hazardous or research materials can be found here:

For questions or concerns about Research Compliance, contact the FAS Research Compliance Program at rcp_exportcontrol@harvard.edu. For questions or concerns about the eShipGlobal tool, contact eship@harvard.edu.