Title
Student Affairs: Procurement Card (PCard) Procedures
Introduction
Purpose
UNC Student Affairs is funded primarily by student fees and receipts for the purpose of fostering student earning and success. As a public institution and stewards of the funding we receive, we are accountable for ensuring that expenses are reasonable and directly related to our mission. These Procedures provide guidelines for procurement card (PCard) utilization in Student Affairs, including account holder responsibilities, account holder consequences, purchases for food and gratuity, purchases with terms and conditions, student travel and IT purchases. Please note that state funds cannot be used for any food purchases and related gratuity.
Scope of Applicability
The Procedures in this document apply to all employees in UNC Student Affairs.
Procedure
Advance Planning is Required for the Use of PCards
- The following procedures are required for all Procurement Card (PCard) purchases by staff in Student Affairs:
- All Receipts/Purchases forms with appropriate receipts should be submitted electronically to the Business Service Hub mailbox of their area within 24 hours but no more than 48 hours after purchase. Purchases made on a Friday or the weekend will be extended to the next business day;
- The account holder is required to scan each receipt with the Receipts/Purchases form into the WORKS System no more than 48 hours after purchases. Purchases made on a Friday or the weekend will be extended to the next business day;
- Ensure the entire receipt is copied or scanned; folded or shortened receipts will be returned. A second page may be included if the receipt is longer than the length of the receipts/purchases form;
- All charges must be displayed on the receipt and must equal the amount of the charge submitted;
- All charges are due in the WORKS system and to the appropriate Business Services Hub by the 16th of each month regardless of the day of the week.All Receipts/Purchases forms with appropriate receipts should be submitted electronically to the Business Service Hub mailbox of their area within 24 hours but no more than 48 hours after purchase. Purchases made on a Friday or the weekend will be extended to the next business day.
PCard Purchases for Food Delivery, Pickup, or Catering
- Email request by the PCard account-holder to the appropriate Business Services Hub central receiving box for permission to have food deliver, pickup or catering privileges added to their PCard.
- Email should include the following:
- Account holder name;
- Last four numbers of their PCard;
- Business justification;
- Length of request (i.e. one specific purchases, a program over a period of time, position responsibility required for the semester, etc.) with specific start and end dates;
- Acknowledgement of Student Affairs tipping and catering policies.
- Business Hub will send request to the Director of Business and Finance for review and approval by Central Procurement.
- PCard account-holders should plan accordingly for a multi-step process to gain this access.
Other Purchases that Involve Gratuity or Tipping for Reimbursement
- All Receipts/Purchases forms with appropriate receipts should be submitted electronically to the Business Service Hub mailbox of their area within 24 hours but no more than 48 hours after purchase. Purchases made on a Friday or the weekend will be extended to the next business day;
- Ensure the entire receipt is copied or scanned; folded or shortened receipts will be returned. A second page may be included if the receipt is longer than the length of the receipts/purchases form;
All charges must be displayed on the receipt and must equal the amount of the charge submitted;
- All charges are due to the appropriate Business Services Hub by the 16th of each month regardless of the day of the week.
PCard Purchases for Terms and Conditions Requiring Signature on a Contract or Agreement
- For all services that require a contract or signed agreement, the following steps are required in advance of services provided, including but not limited to Food Delivery, Catering Services, Student Travel, and Staff Registration:
- Submit the contract or agreement to the respective Business Hub on a zero dollar Purchase Requisition form;
- The Business Hub staff will submit this request to UNC Purchasing for review and approval;
- Once the request has been approved, UNC Purchasing will provide a signed contract or agreement;
- Once the contract or agreement is executed, the cost of catering services, student travel, or food delivery can be paid by PCard;
- Refer to the PCard Purchase Procedures in this document for processing PCard payments, Purchases for food delivery, pickup or catering and Student Travel on PCard.
Student Travel On PCard
- Email request by the PCard account-holder to the appropriate Business Services Hub central receiving box for permission to have student travel charge privileges added to their PCard;
- Email should include:
- Completed copy of "Form 1301.2 UNC Purchasing Card Student Travel Pre-Approval Request" (Please see the "Attachments" section at the end of this page for the form.);
- Signature by Account holder and their manager;
- The Business Services Hub will submit the form to the Director of Business & Finance for Approval and submission to the Pcard office;
- Once approved, PCard account-holder should submit "Form 1301.2SA UNC Purchasing Card Student Travel Responsibility Request" signed by each student attending the trip, account-holder, and Department Director or Business and Finance Officer in the respective business hub prior to when travel is scheduled to occur. (Please see the "Attachments" section at the end of this page for the form.)
Information Technology Purchases (IT) on PCard
- Student Affairs Information Technology (SAIT) maintains a stock of some equipment and may be able to provide items for no cost. Some devices, such as USB keys, come with Data Security risks and SAIT must be involved to ensure that appropriate data is secured. Software requires a security review, regardless of the cost;
- All hardware, software and peripheral purchases require SAIT approval for purchase.
Items include but are not limited to desktops, laptops, keyboards, mouse, speakers, thumb/portable drives, power cords, external drives, monitors, printers, and any software;
- The ordering process my vary by department. In general the requester should complete a Combo Form (leaving the invoice/vendor section blank, which SAIT will complete), along with a description of what is needed and the business purposes submitted to the IT Director via email;
- SAIT member assigned to the appropriate business hub will review, authorize or return the request, and order approved items.
Consequences
The following consequences will apply to all requests for reimbursement, and additional consequences are identified for PCard holders, including:
- Student Affairs cardholders will be informed by their respective Business Services Hub when requests for reimbursement are delinquent in submitting timely receipts, submitting timely scans, processing items with tax, items that are not allowable, and funding sources that do not permit reimbursement for the items purchased;
- Specific consequences for PCard account holders not following University Procurement Card policies include:
- After the second non-compliance action, additional training will be provided and the account holders' card may be considered for hold;
- After the third non-compliance action, the account holders' card will be placed on hold and they will be unable to make further purchases;
- Failed audits and intentional misuse of the procurement card may cause the removal of the account holder having the privilege to have a procurement card.
University Policies, Standards, and Procedures
Contact Information and Approval
Resources for more information and guidance include:
- Business and Finance Officer in your respective business hub;
- Director of Business and Finance for UNC Student Affairs.
Review and Approval
- Student Affairs Business and Finance Officers
- Director of Business and Finance for Student Affairs
- Senior Executive Team