WVU FOUNDATION & UNIVERSITY PURCHASING CARD PROGRAM POLICIES & PROCEDURES Updated October 2012
Introduction This document contains the guidelines applicable to the WVU Foundation, Inc. Purchasing Card Program. Purpose of the program is to: 1) Establish Purchasing Card process infrastructure requirements internally and within West Virginia University units. 2) Examine control structure and monitoring mechanisms. 3) Evaluate program success in terms of cost reduction, effectiveness, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. WVUF offers a United Bank Visa Purchasing Card to select individuals who demonstrate a beneficial Foundation or University need for a Foundation Purchasing Card. Scope The Purchasing Card is the preferred method of payment for certain designated transactions or dollar amounts and provides the most efficient and effective method of payment for certain expenditures incurred by Foundation and/or University units. The card effectively reduces the time and paperwork necessary to execute a disbursement associated with the use of requisitions, purchase orders and facilitates on-line purchasing. Duties and Responsibilities Executive Management Members of the Foundation Executive Operating Team are charged with: Approving the Purchasing Card guidelines. Establishing individual credit limits. Providing program oversight to ensure that internal controls are in place. Purchasing Card Administrator The Purchasing Card Program Administrator is the Senior Director of Disbursement Services. The Purchasing Card Administrator will review compliance of the program with guideline requirements including: Maintaining cardholder agreement forms. Receiving cards from the bank and distributing accordingly. Ensuring controls are established, documented, and implemented. Maintaining address or name changes, credit or transaction limit changes or card cancellation. Cardholder compliance with established purchasing guidelines. Execute payments to United Bank for properly substantiated expenses. The Purchasing Card Administrator has the authority to place card restrictions on the spending unit if it is determined that internal controls are not adequate.
Budget Officer/Supervisor Responsibilities Appointing a Card Coordinator. Authorizing individual(s) within the unit to receive a Purchasing Card subject to Foundation approval. Providing signature approval on Purchasing Card statements/request for payment that are properly supported. Monitoring the units Purchasing Card program to ensure that internal controls are in place to prevent misuse; Affirming that all disputed charges are the responsibility of the Unit. Notification of change in Card Coordinator(s). Assisting with automation of the Card Program. Card Coordinator-Applies to WVU issued cards only Each Coordinator should have sufficient knowledge and experience with disbursement guidelines and payment processes. Coordinators should be knowledgeable of the types of transactions appropriate for cardholders within their area of responsibility and authority to request documentation for transactions on a cardholder's account. The Card Coordinator responsibilities include the following: Unit Oversight of Purchasing Card Program to ensure that internal controls are in place. Verifying cardholders need for a card. Ensuring proper completion of applications, cardholder agreements, and maintenance forms. Ensuring successful completion of training requirements. Determining or verifying the following: credit limit, transaction limit, number of daily/monthly transactions. Matching supporting documentation to the Purchasing Card Statement Ensuring the cardholders follow Purchasing Card Guidelines. Providing updated contact information. Identifying possible ethics violations related to inappropriate activity by cardholders and vendors. Conducting periodic reviews of transactions to ensure they are in accordance with applicable donor restrictions within the disbursing fund. Ensuring personnel assigned to monitor Purchasing Card transactions have access to the transactions made by any cardholder under their purview. Assisting with automation of the Card Program. Cardholder Cardholder responsibilities include acknowledgement of and compliance with these Purchasing Card guidelines: Ensuring successful completion of training requirements. Complying with Purchasing Card credit limits. Documenting each transaction placed on the Purchasing Card. Ensuring that every transaction on the Purchasing Card is substantiated with receipts. Monitoring transactions.
Review, acknowledge or dispute transactions that appear on their Purchasing Card statement. Assign fund and account numbers to transactions for approval by budget officer. Internal Controls A sufficient internal control structure must be in place at each unit to ensure compliance with Purchasing Card Guidelines including: Segregation of duties - The Coordinator should not handle all aspects of the Purchasing Card process within their unit. The Purchasing Card process should have appropriate supervision through transaction reviews, approvals, and independent examinations of documentation, receipts and transaction reports. Oversight - The Coordinator should ensure oversight of Purchasing Card use within the unit to ensure each transaction is for university-related business. Physical Controls - Physical controls should be present to ensure security of Purchasing Card Records. Reconciliation - The reconciliation process should include a knowledgeable and independent review of documentation, receipts and transaction reports. Training - The Coordinator must receive training/education prior to performing the duties of the position. The Cardholder must be knowledgeable of these guidelines and disbursement guidelines. Card Issuance Application Process - Each prospective Cardholder must complete a United Visa Agreement Purchasing Card Authorization Cardholder Form. The Purchasing Card Application must be completed by the Cardholder and authorized by written signature of the Coordinator and unit Budget Officer. Each Purchasing Card Application will indicate the Cardholder Credit Limit and the Transaction Limit. Applications must be submitted to the Purchasing Card Administrator for WVUF review and approval. Cardholder Agreement Forms Each Purchasing Card user is required to sign a Cardholder Agreement Form before use of the card. The Cardholder Agreement Form signifies that the Purchasing Card user acknowledges that he or she had adequate training, understands and will comply with Purchasing Card Guidelines. The Unit Budget Officer must approve the Purchasing Card Agreement which states the Cardholder Credit Limit and the Transaction Limit. The Unit Budget Officer must acknowledge their oversight responsibility for charges initiated by Cardholders and charges disputed by WVUF will be the responsibility of the college, school, department, or program. Card Security - The Purchasing Card must be kept secure. The individual cardholder is responsible for every charge made by or authorized by the cardholder that appears on their Purchasing Card. Purchasing Cards should only be used on secured internet sites. A secured site has a closed "lock" at the bottom of the screen. All cardholders are required to sign the back of their Purchasing Card upon receipt.
Card Activation The Purchasing Card Administrator will receive the cards from the bank and distribute accordingly. The cardholder will be responsible for card activation. Purchasing Card Instructions Foundation disbursement guidelines must be followed regardless of payment method. Disbursement guidelines are attached or can be viewed at the following link http://portal.wvuf.org. Card Limits Executive management established the following limits for the program. The maximum charge per transaction is generally $2,500. The credit limit per card maximum is generally $10,000. Credit limits may be increased at the discretion of the WVUF Chief Financial Officer. Purpose - The Purchasing Card may be used to make payments for goods and designated services within the transaction limit for a university-related business purpose that fits within the restrictions for the source of fund/project resources. Ordering - Payments may be made with the Purchasing Card by phone, fax, mail, secured internet site, or in person. When paying by telephone, fax, mail, or internet, the vendor should be provided with a complete shipping address. Shipping and Handling - Shipping and handling charges must be included in the stated price and the total charge may not exceed the cardholder's assigned transaction limit. When placing the order, the vendor should be instructed to provide an itemized invoice or receipt. The vendor may not charge the account until the merchandise has been shipped. Tax Exempt Status - The WVU Foundation, Inc. is a tax-exempt 501(c) 3 and should not pay West Virginia state sales tax on goods or services. Cardholders should remind vendors of the tax exempt status before initiating a transaction. The words "Tax Exempt" and the WVU Foundation, Inc.'s tax identification number are printed on the card. The cardholder is required to provide the vendor with a copy of the WVUF tax-exempt certificate upon request. A copy of the WVUF tax-exempt certificate can be found on the WVUF Portal. Supplies and Materials Various supplies and material such as items consumed in use or items that lose their identity, such as certain repair parts may be paid using the Purchasing Card. Hospitality - Hospitality expenses may be paid using the Purchasing Card. All hospitality expenses require documentation of the date, place, university-related purpose, and the relationship of individuals entertained. Convenience Fees - A surcharge for the convenience of paying with the Purchasing Card may be paid with the Purchasing Card. Vendors may not charge a percentage of the purchase as a convenience fee. Such fees must be a flat rate charge.
Travel - Travel is defined as an employee's individual expenses generated while engaged in job related activities away from the employee's regular place of employment. Travel expenses include, but are not limited to the following: Registration fee payments Airline ticket payments Vehicle rental payments Other transportation tickets Hotel folio payments including business related costs such as business phone charges and business internet access Authorized business travel expenses Business meals. Software - Software and software license and maintenance agreements. Subscriptions - Subscriptions, periodicals, and publications. Membership Dues Membership fees and dues to professional organizations. Usage Restrictions Cash and Cash Equivalents - The Purchasing Card may not be used to obtain cash, cash credits, or cash advances. Card Delegation - Card delegation is prohibited. Card delegation is the practice of allowing an individual other than the cardholder that appears on the front of the Purchasing Card to have access to the card or card number to initiate or complete a transaction (via telephone, internet, or in person). Returned Goods - Any returned goods must be credited to the Purchasing Card. Debit cards, gift cards or cash are not an acceptable method of receiving refunds for returned goods. Any deviation from this policy must be reported to the Purchasing Card Program Administrator. Deliveries - Deliveries of goods and products should be to a University or Foundation business address. Stringing - Stringing of payments is prohibited. Stringing is the intentional manipulation of the ordering, billing, or payment process in order to circumvent the transaction limit. Stringing includes: splitting an invoice exceeding the transaction limit into more than one transaction, and colluding with a vendor to split an order into separate invoices. Tax Reportable Services - Tax reportable services are prohibited from payment with the Purchasing Card. Foundation Restriction - Disbursements must comply with the parameters of the governing Foundation fund restriction.
Prohibited Expenses The following expenses are not allowable: Convenience fee that is a percentage of the purchase. Personal charges Donations to charitable causes Sponsorships Personal traffic and parking violation fines. Student awards, scholarships, stipends, loans and grants. Taxable gifts Tax reportable services Inappropriate entertainment expenses. The Foundation may place additional Merchant Category Classification (MCC) Code restrictions on Purchasing Cards as needed. Transaction Documentation & Reconciliation Purchasing Card documentation practices must follow established Foundation guidelines. Documentation includes itemized receipts or other Foundation documentation requirements. Non-travel transactions on the Purchasing Card must be properly substantiated with: an approved Purchasing Card Substantiation Form and a supporting itemized receipt. The receipt must be legible, itemized and contain the vendor name/date of purchase. All travel transactions including any type of expenditure incurred while traveling i.e. flowers, tips, etc. whether paid by cash or on the Purchasing Card must be properly substantiated with: Purchasing Card Travel Form, Entertainment Form if applicable and supporting itemized receipts. A receipt description, which only states "Miscellaneous", or "Merchandise", or only includes a vendor's stock or item number is not acceptable. Receiving reports, packing slips or other forms of documentation should substantiate goods received. The person receiving the goods shall sign the receiving document and state in writing the date the goods or services were received. Transaction Statements & Reconciliation Individual statements are available online. Each Cardholder is responsible for ensuring each charge is properly substantiated. Each Cardholder must review the statements monthly to ensure all transactions are legitimate, for official university-related business, meet applicable Foundation fund restrictions, and required documentation is included. Cardholder statements must be examined carefully for billing errors, debits due to erroneous billing, or credits made to correct a previously disputed item.
Cardholder's must have charges authorized using a substantiation form and forward to their Coordinator with corresponding receipts within three business days. Each Coordinator has access to online transaction reports for each cardholder within the unit. Each Coordinator is responsible for ensuring the reconciliation of unit account(s)/funds/projects. Unit Purchasing Card transactions should be examined carefully for billing errors. Coordinators will reconcile Cardholder statements with corresponding receipts. In turn, the Budget Officer will approve the summary charges shown on the Purchasing Card statements. Coordinators are required to forward reconciled and approved statements to the Purchasing Card Program Coordinator at least five (5) business days prior to the statement due date. United Bank charges a $25 fee to provide a duplicate receipt. The cardholder is personally responsible for bank fees relating to providing a receipt copy. Disputed Items Disputed items may result from failure to receive goods, fraud, misuse, defective merchandise, incorrect amounts being charged, duplicate charges, credits not yet received or tax charges. The first step in the dispute process is for the Cardholder to contact the vendor and attempt to resolve the problem. If the vendor is unwilling to credit the charge, the Cardholder must provide documentation that the vendor was contacted and was unwilling to credit the charge. The unit will be responsible for all disputed items that must be paid pending resolution. Card Cancellation Purchasing Cards must be cancelled immediately upon termination of or separation from employment or upon notification by the Coordinator. Upon cancellation of any Purchasing Card, the Coordinator is responsible for forwarding the Purchasing Card to the Purchasing Card Program Administrator to be destroyed. Lost or Stolen Cards Immediately report a lost or stolen Purchasing Card to the Purchasing Card Program Administrator within 24 hours to limit cardholder liability. To report a lost or stolen Purchasing Card call 1-800-242-7600, 24/7. Compliance Use of the Foundation Purchasing Card is subject to Foundation guidelines and applicable Federal and State rules and regulations. Individuals failing to properly follow the Purchasing Card guidelines will be reported to appropriate Officials. The Foundation can revoke Purchasing Card privileges in circumstances of waste, abuse, and misuse. Examples of misuse include: failure to maintain security protecting your card, paying for items for which the Purchasing Card is not authorized, purchase of authorized goods or services, at terms (e.g. price, quantity) that are excessive, and failure to substantiate Purchasing Card charges.
Intentional use of cardholders account information to make purchases for personal use or for another is prohibited. Any serious finding or potential criminal violation of Purchasing Card policies and procedures should be reported promptly to the WVUF Chief Financial Officer. The Foundation will contact necessary Officials for appropriate disciplinary action. Please note, the WVU Foundation Chief Financial Officer reserves the right to suspend and/or cancel Purchasing Cards for non-compliance with this Policy, including but not limited to recurring late submission of documented card activity. Please be advised that unsubstantiated charges can result in taxable income to the card user. Attachments: A. WVUF Employee Application B. WVUF Employee Cardholder Agreement C. WVU Employee Application D. WVU Employee Cardholder Agreement E. Purchasing Card Substantiation Form F. Purchasing Card Travel Form