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Purchases Which Do Not Require A Purchase Order
Some purchases may be made directly by the department and do not require a PO.
Note: If a vendor requires a Purchase Order for any purchase or if the department desires a PO, follow standard procedures for sending a Requisition through Procurement and Payment Services.
Purchases of less than $2500 usually do not require a Purchase Order.
There are several methods for obtaining goods under $2500:
- Purchasing Card (SunTrust Visa Card)
- Departmental petty cash ($100 limit per invoice)
- Department billed by vendor
- PO with department billed by vendor
- Payments on maintenance contracts totaling less than $2500 annually
Although their costs may exceed $2500,
the following items also do not require a PO:
- Advertisements (Position advertisements require AA/EEO or Human Resources approval)
- All printing, including business cards, requires pre-order
approval from OCM.
- Freight Paid to Vendors
- Insurance Premiums (Requires Risk Management Approval)
- Legal and Audit Fees
- Legal Settlements
- Lodging (See Travel Policies and Procedures)
- Manuscripts, books, maps, pamphlets
- Maps or photographs from a federal agency
- Memberships
- Notary Public Fees/Bonds
- Periodicals, technical reports
- Postage and Post Office box rental
- Pre-recorded audio and video tape
- Routine purchases from AU Departments (Direct Charges)
- Registration
- Reprint charges and page charges for research/scholarly papers
- Repairs involving labor only, no parts (See Professional Service/Independent Contractor Policy)
- Utilities
Contact Procurement and Payment Services (844-7771) for guidance on the documentation required for computer software upgrades, licenses and certifications.
The Auburn University SunTrust Visa Card is issued directly to employees for their use in making departmental purchases. The card allows departments to make purchases quickly, accurately and with less paperwork than through the use of a Vendor Voucher.
The card may be used only for official University business and only in accordance with University policies and procedures. While the University is directly billed for purchases, the cardholder is responsible for all purchases made to the card. Misuse of the card will lead to disciplinary and/or legal action.
To obtain a card, you must complete a
Purchasing Card Cardholder Information Form - BO 99-10 and attend a brief orientation session. Print a
Purchasing Card Cardholder Information Form - BO 99-10 or obtain one from the Program Administrator,
Debbie Griggs, in Procurement and Payment Services (7771).
The Purchasing Card may be used for purchases that do not require Purchase Orders including purchases under $2500, subscriptions, institutional memberships, and orders from warehouse facilities. Use of the card is not, however, intended to replace the bid process where that process is appropriate. Cardholders should be aware of and sensitive to the
State Bid Law
and contact Procurement and Payment Services for assistance when it is expected that an aggregate of $7,500 or more of one commodity will be purchased during the fiscal year. In many cases, Procurement and Payment Services can also be of service in negotiating discounts or more favorable pricing on lower dollar purchases.
The Purchasing Card cannot be used for:
professional services; certain travel related expenses, cash advances; capital items; controlled substances; maintenance agreements; and animals.
Transactions for more than $2500 will be rejected at the point of sale. In addition, each card also has a monthly spending limit established when the card is issued. Expenditures should also comply with applicable state, University, and grant or contract restrictions.
Use of the Card
- Use the card to make the purchase. Inform vendor of tax exempt status before making purchase. Obtain itemized receipts or other documentation.
- Note on the receipt the FOAP to be charged.
- Turn in receipts to the designated departmental bookkeeper.
- SunTrust monthly statements are reconciled on a
Purchasing Card Reconciliation Form - BO 99-15
and sent to Procurement and Payment Services with the original receipts.
- Procurement and Payment Services makes payment to SunTrust.
SunTrust will send monthly statements to each cardholder and to the department. Carefully review the charges on the statements. For more information on the reconciliation process, contact Procurement and Payment Services (844-7771). In addition, transaction detail can be viewed 24/7 at https://payment2.works.com
Lost or Stolen Cards
If your Purchasing Card is lost or stolen, immediately contact SunTrust (1-800-836-8562) and Debbie Griggs at 4-7771.
Employment Termination/Card Expiration
Employee Cardholders who are leaving employment of the University should complete the
Purchasing Card Maintenance Form - (BO 99-11) to close/delete the account, cut their card in half and return it (taped to the Purchasing Card Maintenance Form) to department designee or supervisor. The department will send both the card and form to the Program Administrator. To insure that the account is immediately cancelled, the cardholder should also call Sun Trust at 1-800-836-8562 to cancel the account.
Cards automatically expire and are renewed every three years. Replacement cards will be sent to the Program Administrator for distribution.
Small Purchases - Using Petty Cash
Although other methods are in place to handle small purchases, some small, miscellaneous emergency purchases may be necessary using departmental petty cash. Purchases should never be made with personal funds.
Since Auburn University is exempt by law from paying sales tax, the University will not reimburse sales tax. Inform the vendor of this exemption before making your purchase.
Departmental petty cash may be used for emergency purchases of up to $100.
To replenish departmental Petty Cash, the department prepares a vendor voucher made payable to the department's petty cash custodian. Attach the original, itemized receipts and petty cash tickets for all purchases for which the department has not yet been reimbursed. The voucher packet is submitted to Procurement and Payment Services for audit and check production. Upon receipt of the reimbursement check, the petty cash custodian cashes the check and replaces the cash in the petty cash box.
At all times, the departmental petty cash box should contain cash and receipts which together total the amount issued to open the petty cash fund. The custodian is personally liable for any funds that cannot be accounted for.
Maintenance Contracts Costing < or = to $2,500 Annually
A Purchase Order (PO) is not required for routine maintenance contracts (ie...printers, copiers, PC's) if the annual cost of the contract is less than or equal to $2,500. In such cases, the Department Head/Dean will review and approve the contract and payments will be made via vendor voucher without reference to a PO. If the annual cost of the maintenance contract exceeds $2,500, a PO must be processed, the contract must be reviewed and approved by PPS, and vendor vouchers for payment will reference the PO established for that contract. Maintenance costs may NOT be paid via the AU Purchasing Card.
Return to Procurement and Payment Services Spending Policies
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