ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY Fauquier County, Virginia

Transcription

1 ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY Fauquier County, Virginia Policy Title: Cell Phone Procurement/Usage Effective Date: 12/01/02 Policy Number: AP-01 Revised: March 1, 2006 I. PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to establish efficient and standard procedures with respect to: Use of County owned and personal cellular telephones used for County business for which reimbursement will be requested, Departmental and employee responsibility for cellular telephones, and Management and control of costs of cellular telephone acquisition and services. II. SCOPE This policy applies to all county-issued cellular telephones. Blackberries, and other PDA devices, used exclusively for data services are not covered under the scope of this policy; purchasers should refer to the Computer Hardware/Software Procurement Policy. In the event a Blackberry, or other PDA device, is used for both data and cellular telephone services, procurement of these devices must comply with both of these policies. III. PROCEDURES A. Issuance Standards Department Heads/Constitutional Officers are responsible for conducting a needs assessment prior to authorizing the acquisition of a cellular telephone and service. In the event it is the Department Head/Constitutional Officer requesting a cellular telephone, assessment/review/approval responsibilities assigned in this policy to the Department Head/Constitutional Officer will be assigned to the Department Head/Constitutional Officer supervisor or liaison on the Senior Management Team. Cellular telephones shall be issued to individual employees and only after determining the: 1. Business need for cellular communication of the department and employee, 2. the amount of time the employee spends away from the customary work site, 3. the need for immediate contact with the employee,

2 Cell Phone Procurement/Usage Page 2 of 6 4. benefits of cellular telephones versus the comparative cost of alternative and less expensive means of communication, and 5. public safety needs and employee safety issues. B. Acquisition Standards After determining and approving the business need for a cellular telephone, the Department Head/Constitutional Officer shall complete and submit a purchase order for acquisition of equipment and service to the Procurement Office. The purchase order shall include at a minimum: 1. The name of the employee for whom the cellular telephone is being requested, and the cellular telephone number 2. Notification to the vendor regarding the County s tax exempt status, and the County s Federal Identification Number, 3. County contract number and expiration date, 4. Authorized Needs Assessment Form. The requesting department shall forward a copy of the authorized Needs Assessment Form to the Office of Management Analysis for inventory purposes. In the event the cellular telephone and services are being purchased for a sworn employee of the Sheriff s Office, to protect the security of Fauquier County s law enforcement staff, the employee s name and cell phone number shall not be included on the purchase order or the completed Needs Assessment Form. Cellular telephone equipment and service shall be acquired in accordance with standard County procurement procedures, through County-issued contracts. All approved requests for cellular telephone equipment and service shall be filled only from the list of vendors equipment and services promulgated by the Procurement Office. The requesting department shall work with the Procurement Office and the vendor to determine the appropriate equipment and level of service based on demonstrated business need. C. Usage Standards

3 Cell Phone Procurement/Usage Page 3 of 6 1. A County issued cellular telephone shall be used for appropriate business purposes when a safe, convenient and less costly alternative is not available. Only County staff and other authorized persons conducting County business may use County cellular telephones. Use of cellular telephones that hinders productivity, interferes with County use or is excessive is prohibited. 2. Personal use of a County cellular telephone is prohibited, except in cases of personal emergency or when extended work hours, unexpected travel or other unanticipated changes in job-related circumstances require the employee to contact family members, teachers, doctors, daycare centers or others affected by the change. Exceptions to this paragraph shall be allowed only by prior approval of the County Administrator. 3. An employee is eligible for reimbursement in the event that the employee uses a non-county cellular telephone for County business where no other option was available and the call was urgent and necessary. After approval by the Department Head/Constitutional Officer, reimbursement will be made for applicable air time. 4. Employees are responsible for taking proper care of cellular telephones and reasonable precautions against damage, loss or theft. Loss of cellular telephones should be reported to the Department Head/Constitutional Officer immediately. Losses attributable to negligence shall be replaced by the employee. 5. With the exception of law enforcement officers and emergency services personnel in the case of emergency, employees are prohibited from using County-issued cellular telephones while operating any motor vehicle, and prohibited from using any cellular telephones while operating County motor vehicles. 6. Discussions of confidential information over a cellular telephone should be avoided. 7. Use of a County cellular telephone for personal commercial purposes is forbidden. Departments may adopt more restrictive policies with respect to usage as their operations and circumstances warrant. Department Heads/Constitutional Officers are responsible for periodically reviewing employees cellular telephone usage patterns. In the event

4 Cell Phone Procurement/Usage Page 4 of 6 cellular telephones no longer meet demonstrated business requirements, are unused, or no longer fit the subscribed service plan, the Department Head/Constitutional Officer shall ensure the cancellation, reassignment, or adjustment of the cellular telephone services. D. Compliance Through the procurement process, Procurement shall ensure monthly cellular telephone invoices detailing calls are sent by the vendor directly to Department Heads/Constitutional Officers, and include the name of the employee to whom the cell phone has been issued on the invoice. It is the responsibility of the Department Heads/Constitutional Officers to forward the original, appropriate invoice to the individual employee assigned a County cellular telephone prior to payment by the County. The employee shall review the bill for accuracy and identify any personal calls reported on the invoice. The employee shall further: Sign and date the invoice, indicate (highlight) all personal calls (if any) recorded on the invoice, provide reimbursement to the county for emergency personal calls, as defined in section III.C.2 above provide a written certification on the invoice that all personal calls were in accordance with section III.C.2 above, and reimbursement has been made to the County attach a copy of the receipt for reimbursement for personal calls to the cell phone invoice return the invoice and any payment for personal calls to the Department Head/Constitutional Officer for payment by the County. In the event the cellular telephone has been assigned to a sworn employee of the Sheriff s Office, to protect the security of Fauquier County s law enforcement staff only the summary portion of the invoice shall be submitted with the purchase order for payment. The call detail information will be reviewed for policy compliance and maintained by the Sheriff, or his designee. The Department Head/Constitutional Officer or designee shall review all invoices returned for compliance with the above and for the purpose of identifying any equipment purchases, unexplained calls made on unusual days or at unusual times, repetitive calls, calls of long duration, long distance calls or calls incurring roaming charges. Management Analysis shall maintain an inventory of County-issued cell telephones and periodically review invoices for compliance with this policy.

5 Cell Phone Procurement/Usage Page 5 of 6 In the event that individual employees are found to have engaged in prohibited uses or have abused permissible uses, the County reserves the right to recover applicable costs, revoke cellular telephone privileges and to impose disciplinary action. Attachment: Needs Assessment Form

6 Department Employee Name/Position Business Need Percentage of time spent away from office Need for immediate contact with employee Benefits of cell phone vs. comparative cost of alternative means of communication Public Safety Needs CELLULAR TELEPHONE NEEDS ASSESSMENT Business Justification (if this is a spare/floater phone, please enter that information here) Cellular Service Options Required (provide business justification for each option checked): Call forwarding conditional Call forwarding immediate Call waiting Caller ID Follow-me calls Follow me roaming Interactive messaging Message plus Message waiting indicator Mobile to mobile Roaming capability Short messaging Three way calling Voice mail Voice privacy Cell Phone Number Department Head/Constitutional Officer Signature Date