Procurement

The UCR Procurement Card is a Visa© purchasing card issued to the University through US Bank to designated employees. Though it resembles and functions similar to a personal bank card, there are significant differences: 1) it is a corporate ‘purchasing' card rather than a ‘credit' card, 2) full liability rests with the University for payment to the bank for all transactions, and 3) it is assigned by the bank to a designated UCR employee but is issued in the name of and on the behalf of the University.

Because the Procurement Card is a Visa© charge card, it is accepted universally. Like all bankcards, the Procurement Card can either be "swiped" at the supplier's site or used to place orders over the telephone or the Internet (use secured links) by providing the account number and security information to the supplier. For more information, see page 16, Telephone & Internet Orders.

When a purchase is made with the Procurement Card, suppliers do not need to issue periodic statements because they are paid directly by the bank. The bank ‘bills' UCR for the net amount of all authorized transactions processed during a given period. UCR validates the data received from the bank's electronic billing and issues payment to the bank.

Benefits

The Procurement Card provides benefits to UCR and delegated departmental personnel through the elimination of purchase orders and invoices, enables prompt payment to suppliers, and allows consolidation of ordering, recording, and payment for goods and services at the point of sale. The Procurement Card provides employees with an effective tool to purchase and pay for routine, low dollar cost products and services historically handled through the use of low value purchase orders, requests for personal reimbursements, and petty cash transactions. Other benefits includes built-in controls to prohibit certain ‘restricted' purchases, and immediate access of the purchase transaction information allows for follow-up, immediate reconciliation, reallocation, and audit of Procurement Card transactions.

Cardholder Privilege

Procurement Card delegation means that a Cardholder has been given the privilege to use the Card to conduct University financial business. This privilege is established by the Financial Manager after a user signs the Employee Agreement Form and agrees to use the Procurement Card in accordance with the Purchasing and Procurement Card Policy and Procedures. This privilege is under the condition that a user obtains campus Procurement Card training prior to the issuance of a Procurement Card.

A Cardholder's adherence to Procurement Card policies and procedures is paramount to the success of the Procurement Card Program and will be monitored. A Cardholder's failure to comply can represent a risk or threat to the University's financial resources. Therefore, it may be found necessary to immediately suspend a Cardholder's Procurement Card privilege when irregularities are detected. Purchasing, in consultation with other appropriate parties, may suspend or reinstate a Cardholder's card privilege based on findings. Cardholder privilege can be denied, suspended, or permanently revoked when it is determined that a Cardholder refuses to comply with or disregards/circumvents policies and procedures. Furthermore, any violation of local, state, or federal laws may carry the additional consequence of prosecution under the law where judicial action may result in one or more of the following: specific fines, imprisonment, litigation costs, and payment of damages.

Becoming a Cardholder

Each departmental Financial Officer (FO) will designate Cardholders. All Cardholders must be a UC career employee and will be given a delegation of authority from the Procurement Card Administrator. Cardholders must:

• Complete a series of Procurement Services online trainings via LMS:Procurement Card Training & Assessment Purchasing: Obtaining Goods and Services at UCR
  • Purchasing: Receiver Role Training & Assessment (as applicable)
  • Purchasing: Requestor Role
  • Purchasing: Transactor A Training & Assessment
  • Purchasing: Transactor B Training & Assessment

Additional trainings required as applicable for Cardholders having roles within eBuy.

• Complete a Cardholder Application form
• Submit the completed forms to the Purchasing Procurement Card Administrator (PCA)
• Becoming a Cardholder Review, and complete an Agreement and accept its Terms and Conditions.

Procurement Card Coordinator (PCC) responsibilities:

• Responsible for the overall UCR Procurement Card Program function
  • Reviews and forwards applications to the Bank
  • Distributes Procurement Cards to the Cardholder
  • Issues and maintains Cardholder guidelines and policies and procedures
  • Interacts with Bank to add, change, and terminate cardholders
  • Downloads transactions and billings on Access Online
  • Reviews and approves bill from US Bank and forwards to Accounts Payable
  • Answers questions and solves problems pertaining to the program
  • Acts as liaison between departments and US Bank
  • Monitors purchases for compliance with policy and procedures
  • Maintains Cardholder database, securing card account numbers
  • Manages flow of information into Access Online (US Bank's reporting tool) by:
    • Setting up passwords
    • Creating reports
    • Making changes as necessary to card limits by following signature authority guidelines and retaining backup documentation
  • Performs random audits of departments
  • Investigates waste, fraud, abuse, and theft of cards to a complete and satisfactory resolution, informing the department and Audit & Advisory Services
  • Trains Cardholders, Financial Officers and Departmental Card Administrators
  • Provides updated information and news to Cardholders and DCA's

Business/Financial Manager's Responsibilities Are

• Determines an employee's need for a procurement card
• Ensures compliance with UCR Policy and Procedure Manual, Sections 750-39 (Low Value Purchasing Authorization), 750-63 (Purchasing Authority) and Section 750-70 (Procurement Cards)
• Maintains list of all Cardholders within their department
• Ensures that Cardholders and Departmental Card Administrators are trained in the proper use of the card and have attended, "The Nuts and Bolts of UCR Purchasing" and a Procurement Card Training Class
• Attends necessary training
• Ensures that all appropriate signatures and accounting information are secured on the Cardholder Application and Agreement Form before submission to Purchasing
• Determines dollar and number of transaction limits, not to exceed LVPA delegation, currently $1,500/transaction, that are appropriate for their Cardholders
• Reviews and complies with Separation of Duties, UCR Policy and Procedure Manual, Section 250-40 (Internal Control Guidelines for Campus Departments)
• Designates a Departmental Card Administrator (DCA)
• Reclaims (in coordination with the DCA) the Procurement Card from any departmental cardholder prior to the employee's leaving the department and in instances of card revocation
• Ensures department awareness and use of Whistleblower and Whistleblower Protection Policies

Departmental Card Administrator (DCA)

• Serves as a liaison between the department's Cardholders and the Procurement Card Coordinator (PCC) located in the Purchasing Department
• Ensures that Cardholders and they themselves are sufficiently trained in the proper use of the card and have attended Purchasing Card Training classes
• Ensures compliance with UCR Policy and Procedure Manual, Sections 750-39 (Low Value Purchasing Authorization), 750-63 (Purchasing Authority) and Section 750-70 (Procurement Cards)
• Ensures Maintenance of Transaction and Credit Logs and Retention of Receipts by:
  • Ensuring Cardholders are obtaining and forwarding receipts within ten days
  • Making certain that a Procurement Card transaction log is completed as supporting documentation of the purchase if another document is not available
  • Making certain that a Procurement Card credit log is completed and that credits are resolved completely; notify US Bank in writing of any disputed or unauthorized transaction within 60 days of the last day of the cycle during which such transaction is charged
  • Reviewing and retaining all logs, original receipts, invoices and packing slips for a period of5 years
  • Assures that all documentation with card number is safeguarded
• Ensures the reconciliation of Procurement Card charges with the financial transaction detail report by matching invoices, receipts and packing slips within 30 days after report is provided
• Ensures that all items that have been charged have been received and inspected within ten working days
• Ensures redistribution to the appropriate FAU(s) is/are made within 60 days of posting or by the end of the fiscal year, whichever occurs first. (See Page 20, PAN Notification for more details regarding redistribution)
• Identifies any violations and discusses them with Cardholders to provide additional instruction and training. If violations are noted, the violation must be documented, and a copy forwarded to the Department FO and the PCC.
• Ensures that Use Tax is not duplicated by:
  • Notifying Accounts Payable of all out of state merchants who have already collected use tax on a receipt.When notified, Accounts Payable will add these merchants to a table, which will override the use tax in the future
  • Ensuring that all copies of out of state receipts where use tax has been collected are forwarded to Accounting, in order for Accounts Payable to correct the duplicate tax transaction. Ensuring that we do not pay tax on items deemed nontaxable
• Reclaims the Procurement Card from any departmental Cardholder prior to the employee's leaving the department and in instances of card revocation (in coordination with the Business/Financial Manager)
• If the DCA is also a Cardholder, they should not redistribute their own transactions to allow for separation of duties.

Cardholder Responsibilities

• Completes mandatory Procurement Card training prior to obtaining a card
• Signs the back of the card in the presence of the Procurement Card Coordinator and keeps it in a secure place.Although the card is issued in a Cardholder's name, it is the property of the University of California, Riverside and is only to be used for UCR purchases as defined in this guide and following the guidelines of attached Exhibit 1.
• Obtains all necessary approvals before using the card to purchase goods or services
• Follows proper Purchasing Policies and Procedures to make purchases by:
  • Making certain that the total amount including shipping and handling charges will not exceed the pre-set, per-purchase limit
  • Not splitting a transaction into smaller transactions to avoid the dollar limits of your card
  • Determining whether the purchase is permitted or restricted on the Procurement Card by complying with Exhibit 1 of this Guide.
    • Do not use the card for personal transactions.
    • Do not use the card for travel or entertainment
    • Do not use the card to purchase equipment over $1500.00
• Determines the best value for the University by obtaining competitive quotes whenever possible
• Keeps their card and card number secure
  • Do not give your card or your card number to others to use on your behalf
  • Do not give your card number to a merchant on "a standing blanket" basis
  • Keep documentation with card number secure
• Notifies US Bank and the PCC immediately of any suspicious or irregular activity on your card or if your card has been lost or stolen, or if you suspect that someone may have your card number
• Ensures receipt and proper inspection of goods and materials and follow-up with merchant to resolve any delivery problems, discrepancies and damaged goods in conjunction with DCA within sixty days of date of purchase
• Makes sure complete shipping address and instructions are given along with Cardholder's name, department name, complete street address, room number, city, state, zip code and phone number for telephone or catalog orders
• Makes sure that when supplying a card number via the Web that a secure web site is used
• Makes certain that a merchant includes documentation (see Page 20, Source Documentation for what constitutes valid documentation).
• Ensures that the DCA receives all documentation including sales slips, cash register receipts, invoices, order forms and packing slips within ten days.Fills out a transaction log documenting a purchase, if no documentation is available, in coordination with the DCA
• Works with the DCA to establish and follow internal business controls to ensure proper record keeping, reconciliation, and validation of expenditures
• Contacts and follows up with merchant on any erroneous charges, disputed items or returns within 60 days of the end of the cycle (25th) in which the transaction appeared, in conjunction with DCA.If the Cardholder is unable to reach agreement with the merchant, contact the PCC, Chris Truett at (951) 827-3008.
• Ensures that the Procurement Card is returned to the Department if employment ends or if Cardholder leaves the department or privileges have been revoked

A Cardholder's adherence to Procurement Card policies and procedures is paramount to the success of the Procurement Card Program and will be monitored. A Cardholder's failure to comply can represent a risk or threat to the University's financial resources. Therefore, it may be found necessary to immediately suspend a Cardholder's Procurement Card privilege when irregularities are detected.Purchasing, in consultation with other appropriate parties, may suspend or reinstate a Cardholder's card privilege based on findings. Cardholder privilege can be denied, suspended, or permanently revoked when it is determined that a Cardholder refuses to comply with or disregards/circumvents policies and procedures. Misuse of the Procurement Card may result in criminal investigation.

Cardholders and DCA's are reminded that the Procurement Card is a tool to purchase selected goods and services for the University and must follow all established Low Value Purchase Authority policy and procedures and does not alleviate the need for responsible, ethical conduct.

Process Flow of a Procurement Card Transaction

Cardholders should communicate with their departmental FO and DCA before beginning to use the card to ensure an understanding of the expectations and process flow through their individual department as well as following current Purchasing and Accounting policies and procedures.

Steps below are the general steps for a Procurement Card transaction:

• Purchases are made with the card, goods or services are received, a receipt or documentation is obtained by the cardholder who immediately turns in the documentation to their DCA
• Transactions are fed daily to general ledger (Source Code PRO)
• Pan Notifications are sent to Reviewers and DCA's; these must be set up by the Departmental SAA
• DCA or designated employee reviews every transaction for compliance with Purchasing and Accounting Policies and Procedures and to ensure that documentation matches the general ledger
  • DCA or designated employee redistributes PRO transactions to appropriate funds within sixty days of posting or end of the fiscal year, whichever is first, using PCT (Procurement Card Cost Transfer)
• Pan Notification sent to Reviewer after redistribution of Procurment Card transaction; these must be set up by the Departmental SAA.

PCARD DEPARTMENT READINESS CHECKLIST

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