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Procurement and Contract Services

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P-Card Frequently Asked Questions

When are transactions required to be completed each month?

The billing cycle for all purchases with a University issued P-card is from the first to the last day of each month. The Controller’s office sets a date each month for all financial transactions from the prior month to be entered so that the prior month can be closed in SOARFIN. Procurement Services will generally set the deadline to manage all p-card transactions in Resolve approximately two (2) days prior to the

deadline established by the Controller’s Office. This is necessary to allow time to resolve budget check issues of transactions that post late in the billing cycle. The Controller’s Office generally sets the deadline for the close of financials on or around the 7th or 8th of the month, therefore, the deadline for P-card transactions will generally be around the 5th of each month. Once the Financial Close date is known, the

P-card Administrator will send an e-mail to all cardholders notifying them of the deadline to have all prior month p-card transactions managed in Resolve.

Monthly Closing Schedule for the PCard
Always the 3rd working day of the new month

Jul-18 FRI 8/3/2018 3RD
Aug-18 THUR 9/6/2018 3RD
Sep-18 WED 10/3/2018 3RD
Oct-18 MON 11/5/2018 3RD
Nov-18 THUR 12/6/2018 3RD
Dec-18 THUR 1/3/2019 3RD
Jan-19 TUE 2/5/2019 3RD
Feb-19 TUE 3/5/2019 3RD
Mar-19 WED 4/3/2019 3RD
Apr-19 FRI 5/3/2019 3RD
May-19 WED 6/5/2019 3RD
Jun-19 TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE YEAR-END SCHEDULE

 

How can I find my transactions without the email?

You can search for transactions (Staged, In-Process, Approved and Closed) instead of waiting for the automated email notification.

How to check to see if you have transactions to work or to correct in Soarfin
The best way to check to see transactions to reconcile is to follow this path.
Main Menu > Purchasing > Procurement Cards > Reconcile > Reconcile Statement >
Enter Employee ID
Click Search
To view all your transactions that are closed follow this path.
Main Menu > Purchasing > Procurement Cards > Reconcile > Reconcile Statement >
Enter Employee ID
Under Statement Status, select CLOSED
Click Search
  • Please note: if Reconcile Statement lands you directly on your Procurement Card Transactions screen, you will need to click “search” at the bottom of that page to access the Reconcile Statement Search screen
  • Find the transaction(s) in question and load the receipts as normal.
  • Look for transactions that have a blank comment bubble.
Be sure to click “save” at the bottom of the Procurement Card Transactions screen before exiting the system or you may lose any changes made.

What types of items are considered equipment?

Attachment D (Special Inventory Items) defines what is considered equipment, however, if there is some question as to whether what you are buying is or is not equipment; we recommend that you contact Property Accounting for a concise answer to this question.

 

Can I buy food or drink on the procurement card?

Yes, however, prior email approval as well as the  Food Purchase Form (Attachment F) must be completed and submitted with the itemized receipt. Also, food can only be purchased for official university purposes. See University Catering, Hospitality and Snack Policies on Department of Procurement & Contract Services website.

 

Can I use my procurement card to buy stamps or to mail a letter from the United States Post Office?

The procurement card can be used at any Federal Post Office to purchase stamps, mail packages or purchase box rentals. The Postmaster will not allow a Visa card to be used as a method of payment for postage that is to be applied to a postage meter.

 

Can I use the procurement card to purchase software?

Yes, software can be purchased using the procurement card. However, software license agreements cannot be purchased on the card.

 

Can I pay for film processing with my procurement card?

An exception has been made by the Office of Procurement and Contract Services to allow cardholders to use the procurement card to pay for film processing.

 

Can I purchase jump drives or key drives?

Yes. These items are not considered equipment by Property Accounting.

 

Can I buy subscriptions to scholarly journals? How about single, back issues?

Yes, you can buy a subscription if it is being used for official University business. You can also purchase single back issues of any journal.

 

Can I use the card to make copies and obtain binding services?

Yes, but ONLY after getting approval from University Communications. All copy and printing services must be approved by University Communications and uploaded to the transaction. You are also required to use the Copy Center for such work if they are capable of meeting your requirements.

 

Can I use the card to buy t-shirts for my department?

All apparel purchases must adhere to Apparel Purchase Policy and attain prior email approval. Request should include justification for purchase and consent from the signature authority.

All specialty printed apparel displaying USM or Athletic branding must also have prior approval from UC and proof of approval must be uploaded in Resolve. The University is encouraged to purchase all USM apparel from the contracted apparel provider (Barnes & Noble).

 

Can I use the card to buy trophies, plaques or awards?

Typically an award is something for which someone has done something, reached some milestone, achieved something, worked toward something, etc. and there are some predetermined criteria by which the award is obtained.   •Requests to purchase these items must meet this criteria and provide justification as to how it meets the criteria. •Requests that do not meet this criteria or fail to provide proper justification will be classified as “gifts” and are not an allowable purchase with the Procurement Card.

 

Can I pay to place a job advertisement in a scholarly journal?

Yes, but ONLY if the vendor does not accept purchase orders. Be sure the Affirmative Action Officer reviews the ad and notifies our office when they approve the information. Email the procurement card administrator for prior approval before the ad is placed.

 

Can I use the card to pay for memberships in professional organizations?

Yes, but only if the membership promotes advancement of the University’s mission.

 

Can I use the card to pay for Foreign Travel expenses?

No, the procurement card cannot be used to pay for any foreign travel expense.  This includes registration fees or Rental Car outside the USA.   Contact the Travel Office for questions. 

Can I use the card to pay for gas?

No, the procurement card cannot be used to purchase gas unless special permission is given in advance by the P-card Administrator. All university owned vehicles should have a Fuelman card associated with it. This card should be used to fuel these vehicles. If a rental vehicle is used, the individual must pay for the gas and be reimbursed through the Travel Office.

 

Who do I contact with questions about Resolve?

Contact Rayonne Grant at 601-266-6711 or email at pcardFREEMississippi.  

 

Who should I contact if the card is stolen or lost?

To report a lost or stolen card, immediately call (888) 934-1087. As soon as possible, you should contact the Procurement Card Administrator in the Purchasing Department.

 

How can I obtain a Visa Procurement Card?

You must follow the steps described in the Getting Started at the beginning of this manual.

 

What do I do if a vendor charges sales tax?

The cardholder is responsible for obtaining a credit from the vendor for the amount of the tax. The University’s  Tax Exemption Letter is located on the  USM Tax Compliance website. If there is a problem obtaining a credit for the tax charged, please contact Procurement Services for assistance.

 

Do I have to break out shipping and others expenses?

Shipping cost must be broken out in Resolve under account code 605260. It is the cardholder’s/proxy’s responsibility to break this cost out if it is rolled up in the transaction amount.  If different types of commodities and/or services reside on the same transaction, they must be broken out in to separate line items by account code.  (ex.  Labor and materials; office supplies and lab supplies; furniture and supplies).

 

What do I do with my original receipts after I have uploaded them into Resolve?

Itemized invoices/receipts should be uploaded in Resolve. If a receipt is not itemized, you will need to indicate on the receipt what was purchased. Signature reports should be printed at the end of each month, receipts stapled to them, and you should file them away. You will eventually be audited by the Internal Audit Department and should be able to produce both receipts and signature report. Do not send to Procurement and Contract Services

 

What do I do if I was charged more than once for the same order?

Notify the vendor and have them issue a credit for the duplicate order. You will need to process both charges. When the credit is issued, you will need to upload the receipt in Resolve.

 

Will my account remain open if I do not use the card?

If you have 12 months of inactivity the card is automatically canceled on the 13th month.

 

What do I do if I lose a receipt or do not receive one with my order?

If you lose a receipt or do not receive one with your order, complete the  Missing Document Affidavit

(Attachment C)

 

What account code(s) should I use?

A complete  listing of available account codes has been provided at the Office of the Controller

 

Where can I print tax exemption information?

A link to the  Tax Exemption Certificate is provided on the USM Tax Compliance section of the  Office of the Controller web site.

 

How will the Receiving Department know where to deliver my items if there is no purchase order associated with the delivery?

Make sure the vendor includes the following information to ensure the Receiving Department can properly deliver the goods:

  • Department name
  • Departmental contact name and phone number
  • Physical location of the department (building and room number)
  • Identify the item as a “Procurement Card Purchase”

 

Can I purchase from international vendors?

Yes

Contact Us

Procurement and Contract Services
214 Bond Hall

Hattiesburg Campus

Campus Map

Email
procurementFREEMississippi

Phone
601.266.4131

Contact Us

GCRL Procurement Services
Oceanography Building
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory

Campus Map

Email
procurementFREEMississippi

Phone
228.872.4245