Purchasing Card Policy and Procedures

Each card will have an established monthly credit limit of $5,000 and a single transaction limit of $5,000. Lower limits and/or further restrictions may be established for cardholders if required by the Vice President for Business & Finance. The monthly credit limit can be adjusted based on need with budget manager approval. Transactions may not be split to get around the single transaction limit.

The Corporate Purchasing Cards may not be used for the purchase of airline, train or other travel charges. Rental cars and hotel/motel transactions are allowed. (Please see the SMCM Travel Policies for specific information regarding restrictions on Hotel charges.)

Specific restrictions apply to some Merchant Category Code Groups (MCCG). These codes are established by VISA and are utilized to organize vendors into broad categories. These restrictions are determined by GAD and are not revocable by the College. Some examples are:

• MCC 6100 through 7033 Service Providers: Financial Institutions, Securities Brokers;
• MCC 7221 through 7299 Personal Service Providers: Photographic Studios, Beauty and Barber Shops, Shoe Repair-Shine Shops, Funeral Services, Dating and Escort Services, etc. Exception: MCCG 7296 – clothing, costume and uniform rental is allowed;
• MCC 7832 through 7999 Amusement & Entertainment: Motion Picture Theaters, Bowling Alleys, Video Game Clubs, Betting, Golf, Recreation Services, etc.;
• MCC 5812 Eating Establishments (Restaurants, Bars, Taverns, Lounges);
• MCC 5814 Fast Food Restaurants;
• MCC5921 Package Goods Stores (beer, wine, and liquor);

In addition to the above, the following is a listing of other uses for which the Corporate Purchasing Card may NOT be used:

• Contracted Services–1099 Vendors (unincorporated service providers), i.e. honorariums;
• Cash Advances/money orders/gift cards are strictly prohibited;
• Fines – Fines and tickets may not be paid with the card.

A monthly billing period general ends on the 25th of the month. The State will automatically pay all charges/credits to US Bank and the College’s charges/credits will then be posted to the State’s central financial accounting. The Business Office will post these charges to the appropriate budgets in object 70500 around the first of the month.

A VISA statement will be sent to each cardholder after the billing period ends on the 25th of the month. The cardholder is responsible for reconciling the VISA statement, preparing the Cardholder Activity Log, attaching all original receipts, signing and submitting it to their authorized reviewer. The approved activity log with attachments shall then be forwarded to the Business Office within seven (7) business days of receipt of the statement.

All charges and credits on the VISA statement MUST be recorded on the Activity Log Sheet which will include the transaction date, merchant name, description of item purchased, quantity, and the amount.

• Appropriate budget numbers with object code MUST be provided for each purchase and credit.
• The VISA statement MUST to be signed by the cardholder AND the approving budget manager.
• Original documentation is required for all purchases and credits. Acceptable documentation must show what was bought and how much was spent. Examples would be as follows:
  • Itemized sales slip showing what was bought and the purchase price of an item or
  • Itemized packing slip showing the purchase price of an item or
  • Itemized cash register receipt showing the purchase price of an item or
  • Itemized repair order showing the purchase price of an item
  • Itemized hotel/motel receipt showing all charges associated with the stay. A reservation confirmation is not acceptable.

If any documentation is missing, reasonable attempts MUST be made to obtain a copy of the appropriate documentation from the vendor. If unsuccessful, a Transaction Problem form should be completed to document any missing receipts and attached to the activity log.
A pattern of missing documentation or the turning in late of a completed activity log to the Business Office will result in the loss of Corporate Purchasing Card privileges.

The Business Office is required to maintain a file containing the original monthly cardholder statements, activity logs, and documentation. This file is subject to periodic review by the State Office of Legislative Audits and shall be retained for four years or until audited. Cardholder records are retained at the cardholder’s discretion.

Cardholders must secure and control the card at all times. Each Cardholder is responsible for his/her own card security and is not to allow anyone else to use their card.

• The card vendor (US Bank) will reissue cards every thirty-six (36) months.
• Purchasing card accounts that have no activity for 12 months will be evaluated for their necessity.
• When a cardholder takes a sabbatical from the College, their purchasing card will be suspended temporarily while they are away from campus. The cardholder is to notify the Purchasing Card Program Administrator upon their return to campus so their card can be reactivated.

Every effort should be made to secure all purchase card account number information. This includes reports, statement packing slips, and receipts.

When a cardholder discovers an incorrect charge or a questionable purchase or transaction on their monthly VISA statement, the cardholder is responsible for resolving the problem with the vendor. If no resolution can be made with the vendor, a Cardholder Statement of Disputed Item form shall be completed. The form and instructions may be found under N:/Business Office/Purchasing Card/Dispute Form.doc. Regardless of any dispute actions that may be taking place the cardholder activity log MUST be completed and turned in on time. Resolution of any disputes will be reflected on future statements.
US Bank monitors card activity for possible fraudulent charges made to an account. If there are questionable charges, US Bank will notify the cardholder to resolve the fraudulent charges and issue a replacement card.

If a Corporate Purchasing Card is lost or stolen, the cardholder must telephone US Bank’s customer service immediately. The telephone number is 800-344-5696 and is available 24/7. Lost cards reported by telephone will be blocked immediately and a replacement card will be issued. The cardholder is to notify the Agency Card Recipient (Mindy Moran) immediately. The cardholder will be notified when a replacement card has been received.

If an employee abuses the Corporate Purchasing Card privilege or the provisions of the Corporate Purchasing Card agreement, the card may be forfeited and canceled and the employee is subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. The employee may also be ineligible for restoration of Corporate Purchasing Card privileges.

The College reserves the right to collect from a cardholder the cost of any improper purchases that are not in accordance with the policies and procedures of the College or the State. The collection may be accomplished through payroll deduction or any other collection process.

1. Purchasing Card Application and Instructions
2. Activity Log Sheet 
3. Study Tour Food Exemptions