Procurement - PCard
PCard Important Announcements:
- Legislative Gifts
UCO is subject to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission rules prohibiting gifts and the provision of food and beverages to Governor, a legislator or any employee of the Governor or the Legislature unless specifically permitted by the Ethics Rules. UCO officials cannot provide a gift to the Governor, a legislator or any employee of the Governor or the Legislature, directly or indirectly, as a UCO official and/or using UCO funds unless the gift is specifically permitted under the Ethics Rules. If you are inviting one of these State officials or one of their employees to campus or a campus event, complete the Public Affairs “Legislative Events Request Form” two weeks prior, or the earliest known date, for reporting purposes and to ensure the event conforms to the Ethics Rules. Approved forms will be submitted along with purchasing materials. Specifically address any plans to provide food/ refreshments, gifts, plaques, trophies or similar acknowledgements of service using UCO funds.
Legislative Events Request Form
Procedural Changes
Please be aware of the following changes to PCard procedures:
Effective July 1, 2017: Transactions made on or after July 1, 2017 that require a Prepayment of Registration form will no longer require a signature from the participant. However, all transactions occurring before July 1, 2017 must have a participant’s signature present. The new form can be found here.
Policy Reminders
- Clothing & Promotional Items: If an employee receives apparel, gifts, or swag from the University of Central Oklahoma, the State of Oklahoma sees the retail value of these items as non-cash earnings. Individuals will be taxed on said items as additional wages of $50 or more per calendar year. A listing of all employees and what they receive must be included with each receipt as additional statement documentation.
- Gratuities & Tips: Gratuities and tips on food purchases are limited to 20% of your total bill. Cardholders will be responsible for reimbursing the University for any amount beyond the 20% limit.
As a reminder, “A” Orgs must follow all PCard policies and procedures.
PaymentNet
The University currently uses J.P. Morgan for PCard services. In order to view your account transactions and manage your account, please visit www.paymentnet.jpmorgan.com.
PaymentNet Quick Reference – Logging On
If you have any trouble with accessing the above reference, please contact the Compliance Supervisor. For technical assistance with PaymentNet, please call the number on the back of your card. J.P. Morgan customer service can also be reached at 1-800-316-6056, or 847-488-3748 outside of the United States and Canada.
Staples Advantage
The University currently uses Staples Advantage as our office supply partner. All office supplies over $49, both expendable and non-expendable, must be purchased through Staples Advantage.
Please Note: In-store purchases of office supplies at Staples is prohibited for all office supplies over $49, as the University contract is through Staples Advantage.
It is recommended that all cardholders create an account through Staples Advantage when they first receive their PCard. To request login credentials for the Staples Advantage contract website for UCO, please fill out the Request for Staples Advantage Login Credentials form and submit the completed form to Ann Caron at AnnMarie.Caron@staples.com
For further inquiries regarding the University’s Staples contract, please contact the UCO Procurement Department.
Amazon Business
Many cardholder's find using Amazon beneficial for making certain purchases; as such, the University has created an Amazon Business account. This allows cardholders to use an account other than their personal account, save the University's address as the default shipping address, and save the University's tax exemption status for future orders.
Please Note: While Amazon purchases on a cardholder's PCard is allowed, please remember that all office supplies over $49, both expendable and non-expendable, must be purchased through Staples Advantage.
To request login credentials for the Amazon Business website for UCO, please fill out the Request for Amazon Business Login Credentials form and submit the completed form.
For further inquiries regarding the University's Amazon Business account, please contact the UCO PCard office at extensions x2397 or x2337.
Application Process
The organization Financial Manager completes and submits to Administrative Services, at Campus Box 161, the UCO PCard Application Form.
The PCard Manager will process an application to the bank to request a card. The requesting cardholder will be notified by email when the card is available.
- Each full-time employee may be issued one PCard.
- The PCard may be used only by the named cardholder.
- The PCard is for authorized University purchases only - personal use is strictly forbidden.
- The cardholder is responsible for retaining receipts and/or appropriate documentation for all purchases including those made over the phone or internet. These must be presented for periodic compliance reviews.
- The Financial Manager may identify one individual to serve as the primary departmental contact for all questions and transactions related to the PCard. This individual will be responsible for the location, issuance, control and records associated with the PCard(s) issued to your department. Each requesting organizational Financial Manager is ultimately responsible for maintaining records.
- It is required that a back-up contact be identified for support when the primary contact is not available. This person may not be the cardholder of record.
Training Requirements
PCard Training:
All first-time cardholders must take classroom training initially. Cardholders are required to complete PCard training every two years thereafter, either by classroom or online training.
Classroom Training - ILT (Instructor Lead Training)
For any questions regarding PCard training, please email Sara Rogers at srogers26@uco.edu
or call x2397.
Card Replacement
The PCard is terminated on the last day of the expiration month indicated on the card. A replacement card will automatically be issued during the expiration month, and the cardholder will be notified by email when it is available for pickup.
Closing an Account
When cardholders are transferred or terminated, use of the PCard is no longer authorized. The card should be returned immediately to the PCard Manager for cancellation. Failure to return the card may result in withholding of pay.
If an employee transfers to a new assignment, they may apply for a new card account by submitting the PCard Application Form to Campus Box 161. All PCard receipts and other documentation will remain in the department for which the purchases were made.
Prohibited Purchases
State law, Board of Regents and University policies govern when and how purchases are made. With the PCard, items not allowed are goods and services which are handled exclusively by the Purchasing Department because of State or University requirements or which are on established university-wide contracts. Although some suppliers may accept the PCard for disallowed purchases, it is the ultimate responsibility of the cardholder to avoid the purchase of restricted items.
- Alcoholic Purchases
- Cash Advances
- Direct Payments to Services
- These services are ONLY allowed when they are the payment processor on a third-party website AND do not require the setup of an account.
- eBay Purchases
- e-Books
- Financial Instruments
- Includes money orders or cash equivalents.
- Fixed Assets > $2,499
- Gasoline
- Gift Certificates & Gift Cards
- Any requests for gift certificates should be routed to the Purchasing Office.
- Individual Memberships
- Institutional or transferable individual memberships are allowed.
- Off-Contract University Rentals
- Please see the Procurement webpage for list of contract vendors, or contact the PCard office.
- Office Supplies (Off-Contract)
- All office supplies over $49 must be purchased through our contracted office supply vendor, Staples Advantage. No exceptions. Please note, Staples Advantage is different from the physical Staples store.
- Personal Hygiene Products
- Personal Purchases
- This includes purchases such as party supplies, cakes, cards or gifts for individual birthdays, retirement, sympathy, etc.
- Phones & Phone Cards
- Postage Stamps
- Printers, Scanners, & Fax Machines
- Software Purchases
- This includes, but is not limited to, web-based subscriptions and domain purchases.
- Table Sponsorships
- Tobacco Products
- Toner & Ink
- Travel Expenses
Includes airline and other transportation tickets, telephone, meals while in travel status, rental cars, recreational or utility vehicles, gasoline, parking, tolls and related entertainment expenses. Lodging reservations and payment may be made with PCard; however, it is highly recommended that they be made with the Individual Travel Card or Group Travel Card (when traveling with students). All local hotel accommodations for incoming guests are restricted and must be put on a requisition. A declining balance Group Travel Card is available for group travel expenses. Please note, parking expenses, including additional charges for hotels, are considered to be travel expenses.
Catering Expenditures
Catering for events that take place in the Nigh University Center must use Chartwell’s. Events for Student Organizations that take place in the Nigh University Center have the right to use other vendors for food and beverages as long as the total cost is under $300.
Professional Services
Please see Procurement webpage for a complete list of contract vendors, or contact the PCard office to find out if the vendor has a contract in place.
Purchases with Vendors
Purchases conflicting/competing against awarded University multi-year contracts, such as office supplies through others outside of the Staples Advantage Contract, are prohibited.
Policies & Guidelines
Additional Documentation
Awards & Trophies
Must be a part of an established annual awards program. Documentation is required; examples of approved documentation are: program, flyer, advertisement, or online information describing the event.
Clothing & Gifts for Employees
If an employee receives apparel, gifts, or swag from the University of Central Oklahoma, the State of Oklahoma sees the retail value of these items as non-cash earning and will be taxed as additional wages of $50 or more per calendar year. A listing of all employees and what they received will need to be included with the receipt as additional statement documentation.
Hotels & Lodging
Designated cardholders may only make hotel transactions with their PCards. This is for employee travel only and all local hotel accommodations for incoming guests must be put on a requisition. Using this method, the payment information takes care of the reservation through payment completion. Travel documentation will show a PCard direct pay. Travelers should be prepared to provide a personal credit card at the time of hotel check-in to cover incidentals (including parking). Note, the same travel request and other requirements still apply, and any expense in excess of conference or CONUS rates will require traveler reimbursement.
The following are required documentation for the PCard holder's file:
- Lodging receipt showing total amount paid and zero balance,
- Conference Designated Hotel documentation, AND
- Documentation showing that if the conference does not have a Designated Hotel, the hotel rate is within the CONUS/GSA Rate http:www.gsa.gov/portal/category/100120.
Meals & Refreshments
Food or beverage purchases may require the Meal and Expense Reimbursement Form (MERF) which must detail the public purpose served by the purchase and contain appropriate signatures as designated.
The MERF must be approved On or BEFORE the Gathering Date to prevent a PCARD Violation.
Please keep in mind that the estimated amount is also the approved amount as you should estimate your maximum spend (including tips). Going over this approved amount will require the MERF to be returned for further approval.
Do I need a MERF for my purchase?
A MERF is required if food or beverage is for consumption in conjunction with an event or meeting, including ice purchased for such events or meetings. Food purchased for educational purposes such as a class lab or Central Station food preparation and account coded to Educational Supplies does not require a MERF. The purpose for the food purchase for educational use should be documented on the requisition or in the Notes field for PCard purchases.
PCard purchases are also subject to on-campus food service contract terms. Please contact the Procurement Office for more details.
Registrations
UCO Purchasing policy regarding the prepayment of registrations applies to PCard. The Prepayment of Registrations Form is required and will be kept with departmental records for all PCard registration purchases.
Technology Purchases
The first step to purchasing all computers, software, and computer supplies is to look at the information available on the UCO Technology Purchasing knowledge base article. Complete instructions are available for student, staff, and UCO departmental purchases.
ATTENTION: ALL SOFTWARE & WEB HOSTING SERVICES WILL NEED PRIOR APPROVAL FROM OFFICE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (OIT).
Specific questions may be addressed to the UCO Service Desk or the UCO PCard Manager.
Teleconferencing & Web Conferencing Services
Contact the Technology Resource Center at 974-5595 or the UCO Service Desk. For more information, reference the UCO Multimedia Standards from the Office of Information Technology. Individual PCard accounts should not be used to acquire these services and may be declined.
Clothing & Promotional Items
If an employee receives apparel, gifts, or swag from the University of Central Oklahoma, the State of Oklahoma sees the retail value of these items as non-cash earnings. Individuals will be taxed on said items as additional wages of $50 or more per calendar year. A listing of all employees and what they receive must be included with each receipt as additional statement documentation.
Delivery Address
All tangible items must be delivered to a University address. Use of home addresses for University purchases is not allowed. The University address must include the cardholder's name, building and room number. Central Receiving must have this information in order to identify the item for efficient delivery to your campus address.
Disputes & Refunds
The department shall settle any and all disputes directly with the vendor. If the dispute is not resolved, please contact JPMorganChase at 800-316-6056 for assistance or submit the dispute online in PaymentNet. The cardholder has 60 days from the date the original purchase was made to dispute a transaction.
If a credit refund is issued, the department is to instruct the vendor to issue a credit to the original cardholder's PCard number. If the transaction is disputed through the bank, a temporary credit will be applied to the account and the bank will work with the vendor to settle the dispute either in favor of the cardholder or vendor.
Gratuities & Tips
State law dictates that all gratuities and tips on food purchases are to be limited to 20% of your total bill. Cardholders will be responsible for reimbursing the University for any amount beyond the 20% limit.
Merchant Restrictions
As a protective security measure, and in compliance with commercial card industry best practices, limitations have been placed on UCO PCard accounts based on Merchant Category Codes. Merchants who fall into high risk or restricted items categories will be excluded from access for transactions on the PCard.
Examples of such groups are:
- Betting/Track/Casino/Lotto
- Airlines - Excluded only for the ProCard, not for the Group Travel Card.
- Jewelry Stores
- Postage Stamps
- Pkg Stores/Beer/Wine/Liquor
While this is not an exhaustive list, please be aware that purchases from restricted merchants will be declined. If an acceptable purchase is declined due to MCC code, please contact the PCard Manager for transaction review and assistance. As always, cardholders are responsible for avoiding restricted items, even if the merchant will accept the card and processes the transaction.
Monthly Statements
- Cardholders, view the step-by-step video to review the upload process. All questions regarding the upload process should be submitted to: pcard@uco.edu.
If authorized, the individual transactions on the monthly cardholder statement can be reallocated to another University organization and/or account code. Reallocations may easily be made within PaymentNet before the upload is completed.
Note: The cardholder is responsible for the proper account coding of expenses. Please refer to the PCard Administration Tab and click on Expense Account Codes to see a listing of Account Codes you might need.
2. Financial Managers, view the manager video to review the approval process.
All questions regarding the approval process should be submitted to: pcard@uco.edu.
The monthly cardholder upload and detailed receipts for all card purchases must be reviewed by the Organization Financial Manager of all organizations to which charges are applied.
3. To access the Pcard approval application enter: https://www3.uco.edu/procardapproval/ and enter your UCO credentials.
Detailed receipts and all supporting documentation should be uploaded No Later Than the due date requested.
4. Accounting Services will download transactions for posting to Banner at the time established by email to each cardholder. The transactions will be posted reflecting any changes as they appear in PaymentNet at that time. Failure to submit a reviewed cardholder statement on time will result in all contained charges being billed to the University default account listed on the UCO PCard Application.
5. All original receipts and supporting documentation are to be maintained in a permanent file for review upon request for seven years.
Contact pcard@uco.edu with any questions.
Ownership of Goods
The Owner of Record is your department and the University of Central Oklahoma. When identifying information is requested by a supplier, the information given should indicate that all goods and services are being sold to a particular University department in care of the cardholder.
Purchase Limits
Standard Purchase Limits:
- $2,499 limit per purchase
- $5,000 limit per monthly UCO billing cycle (6th of the month to the 5th of the following month)
Customized limits (either higher or lower) may be requested by Financial Managers.
Any PCard purchases for amounts above these thresholds must be specifically authorized by the PCard Office.
Record Keeping
Receipts and Other Documentation
Detailed receipts for all purchases must be acquired and retained whether the purchase is made in person, by internet or phone. Receipts must list each item purchased with individual and total amounts as well as any other individual charges. For recurring monthly charges, an original billing should be available for review.
Note: For transactions from merchants providing detailed receipt data on the monthly bank Statement of Account (e.g. Staples), this statement "receipt" has been approved by our auditors as appropriate documentation. All other transactions will require that a store receipt be retained. Any other required documentation, such as a MERF, will still be retained for all transactions.
If a receipt is missing, please fill out a missing receipt form, including appropriate signatures, and retain with your statement. The form does not take the place of the receipt but is necessary to provide additional information about the transaction.
Organize cardholder departmental records by stapling together:
- Copy of the monthly Statement of Account (as cover sheet), AND
- Detailed receipts and other documentation in the same order as they are posted on the statement (from PaymentNet).
All records must be kept by the department that the cardholder belongs to for a minimum of seven years.
Periodic compliance reviews of PCard records will be conducted. Failure to maintain and submit required documentation will result in card suspension or revocation.
Sales Tax
As a state agency, all purchases made by the University of Central Oklahoma are Oklahoma sales tax-exempt; therefore, the cardholder must request that tax be deleted from the transaction. The permit number is embossed on the PCard under the cardholder's name. Always check the charge slip before signing it. If tax is charged, the cardholder has the responsibility to contact the vendor and request a credit be issued for the tax amount. If a credit is not issued and tax is included, the cardholder is liable for the amount of the tax. Tax amounts may be reimbursed by deposit at the Bursar Counter in the Nigh University Center.
Split Transactions
Splitting transactions to avoid PCard restrictions is not allowed and will result in card suspension or revocation. Split purchases are multiple transactions within a short period of time that are made to circumvent the cardholder's PCard limit. A split purchase can occur when the purchases are for 2 or more different ORGs., 2 different events, 2 different programs, and even 2 different cardholders.
It is not acceptable to instruct a vendor to create two separate transactions in order to circumvent the per purchase limit of $2,499. Any purchase above set card limits must be processed on a purchase order submitted to Procurement Services. THIS IS AGAINST STATE LAW.