Procurement Card Procedures

Procurement Card Procedures

The following procedures are necessary to ensure proper Procurement Card account management:

  • Itemized receipts/packing lists are attached to the back of the respective Order Form
  • All pricing is “as quoted.” Discrepancies are reported to the vendor immediately and a credit process is started, when necessary. A Credit Pending Form is completed and filed as “pending” for receipt of future credit.
  • If multiple receipts are issued for one transaction, all associated receipts should be stapled together and filed with the respective Order Form and statement. The cumulative total contained on all receipts or invoices should not exceed the original quote.
  • For backorder situations where the order may extend over multiple billing cycles, make a copy of the original Order form and highlight the item(s) that has not yet been received. Keep the highlighted copy in the pending folder until the item is received. Use the original as backup for the current statement. Continue this until all items are received and the order is complete.
  • Sales tax charges are identified and vendor is contacted to begin a credit process. A Credit Pending Form is completed and filed as “pending” until receipt of future credit.
  • Follow up with the vendor by the cardholder is required for those credits that are not processed to the account in a timely fashion. Attach the respective Credit Pending Form to the statement once the credit appears on a Citibank statement.
  • If a charge appears on a Citibank statement for an item ordered but not received, the vendor must be contacted to determine the status of the order. Vendors are not permitted to submit charges to Citibank until goods have shipped or services have been completed. Pre-payment and/or deposits for goods or services are not permitted.

Improper use of a Procurement Card may subject the employee to suspension of privileges, permanent revocation of the Procurement Card account, or appropriate disciplinary action.

Documentation

Cardholders are required to keep complete procurement records for every transaction made against the VISA account, charge or credit, from beginning to end, for a total of seven fiscal years. This minimally includes:

  • Order forms
  • Packing slips
  • Itemized receipts
  • Invoices
  • Credit pending forms
  • Intended use
  • Event information

It is important that cardholders maintain all Procurement Card records in an accurate, organized and up-to-date fashion since audits by the Program Administrator, SUNY, or the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) do not require any advance notice.

Cardholders must maintain all open orders and respective documents in a separate “pending” folder to be matched to the corresponding Citibank statements at the end of each billing cycle. Documentation for transactions not appearing on the statement are to remain in the pending folder to matched to a future statement.

Following a monthly reconciliation/certification process, cardholders are required to have the appropriate supervisor review the statement, all backup documentation, and sign the printed certification statement. Then, the cardholder files the documentation into a closed, fiscal year folder where it remains until the completion of the seven year audit period.

FISCAL YEAR FUNDING

Documentation for product received and services completed that do not appear on a Citibank statement for two or more billing cycles will require follow up by the cardholder with the vendor to ensure payments are made in a timely fashion. This is especially important at the end of a fiscal year when funding will lapse and will no longer be available for outstanding charges after July 1 of each year (i.e., the Procurement Card cannot be used after July 1 each year for payment of transactions made in the previous fiscal year; non-state funds will be required for payment).

Required Purchasing Practices

  • Funds must be available at the time of purchase in the State/IFR budget used for payment. Be aware that Procurement Card expenses are not visible in the State/IFR default budget (SMRT) until the transaction has been processed for payment by the vendor.
  • Use of the card is strictly limited to the purchase of goods and services for official state use only. Purchases intended for payment using non-state funding sources or for goods and services of personal use, are not permitted.
  • Whenever possible, utilize NYS (OGS) Contracts, Preferred Sources and Minority/Women-Owned Businesses (M/WBE).
  • Always stay within the established limits of the Procurement Card account. .
  • All purchases valued at $250 or less, that fall within program guidelines, and the vendor accepts VISA, require the use of the Procurement Card for payment.
  • Pre-payment is not permitted for goods or services, including any/all deposits.
  • Be able to substantiate/justify reasonableness of price for items and/or services purchased.
  • Keep the Procurement Card and account information in a secure place. Sharing of account information or use of the card by another individual, including members of the department, is not permitted.

Placing an Order

All Procurement Card orders must be placed directly with the vendor by the cardholder. Cardholders may place orders via telephone, fax (without account information), online, or retail point-of-purchase. Be prepared to provide the following information to the vendor:

  • Cardholder name and account number (if by fax, please call the vendor to provide the account number.
    • Account expiration date and Card Verification Value (CVV), if requested.
    • Ship to address, including “VISA” and cardholder’s name and room number, should appear on the outside of the package.
      • If shipment is to come through Central Receiving, use 382 Holley Street as the delivery address.
      • If delivery is to arrive through U.S. Postal Service, use 350 New Campus Drive.
    • Preferred method of shipment is UPS.
    • Completed NYS Tax Exempt Form (AC946) for tax exempt number #14740026K.
      • If a transaction cannot be tax exempt, it cannot be placed.
      • Any sales tax charges processed in error require a credit from the vendor.
      • Transactions made in-person and outside of New York State are subject to that state’s sales tax.
  • All orders require the use of an order form. If an order form is not provided by the vendor, please use the Order Form (PC02).
  • Cardholders should be prepared to document the following information from the vendor:
    • Name of person providing the quote.
    • Delivered pricing of each item, including shipping charges.
    • Anticipated delivery date that product will arrive or service will be completed.

The following is required for all transactions regardless of how they are purchased:

  • Itemized, comprehensive retail receipts and/or packing slips (a credit card slip is not sufficient documentation);
  • All packages must be delivered, initially, to the cardholder directly to ensure product received is correct, proper documentation is secured and issues are resolved in a timely fashion.
  • Brief description of what was purchased and how/where it is to be used.
  • Detailed invoice from vendor, when provided.