Procurement Cards

The purpose of the Procurement Card program is to simplify and expedite purchases less than $1,000.00. The Procurement Card program is intended to supplement the purchasing process, not replace the purchase order program. The Procurement Card is a VISA card issued through Bank of America.

The benefits of the Procurement Card program include a reduction in the number of small-value requests for payment. The cardholder also acquires increased control and freedom in daily activities. One payment is made to Bank of America for the total dollar amount of VISA card purchases within a billing cycle.

The process of the Procurement Card program allows the cardholder to make a purchase from a vendor who initiates the charge that goes to the bank. The transactions are sent weekly to Advantage from the bank through the Works program. The cardholders, administrators and managers are responsible for reviewing the receipts for the transactions and processing the transactions in Advantage at least monthly, but preferably weekly. One payment is made by Wake County to Bank of America for all of the transactions made in a billing cycle.

A.	Procurement Card: A charge card issued to a regular or probationary employee of the County for the purpose of making authorized purchases on the County’s behalf. The County will issue payment for charges made with the Procurement Card.

B.	Cardholder: County employee whose name appears on the Procurement Card and is accountable for all charges and the appropriate documentation of all charges made with that card.

Procurement Card Program Administrator: This is the person responsible for the operation of the Procurement Card program for the County. This person orders cards and handles cardholder inquiries. This person will act as a liaison between the Bank and the cardholder. The Procurement Card Program Administrator is Camille Schaffer and she can be reached at 856-6558. Sandy Carrington, Assistant Administrator, is able to assist cardholders and she can be reached at 856-6143.

Administrator: This is a new role in the Procurement Card process. This person has security access to Advantage to complete the accounting transaction for the cardholder within their department. This person must understand accounting and budgeting procedures. The administrator must make sure that all goods and services are purchased within the Procurement Card and purchasing guidelines. The cardholder may serve this role for him or herself but it is preferable to have accounting staff perform this function. The Manager must approve all transactions made by the Administrator.

Manager: Individual who reviews and approves a cardholder’s monthly statement of account. This person has the responsibility of knowing that the purchase was made for legitimate County business and was for a public purpose. The manager must review each original receipt and make certain all documentation is appropriate before signing the original paper statement and sending to Disbursement Services.

F.	Purchase Limit: The Procurement Card limits are $1,000 per single purchase and $5,000 for a month (billing cycle). Increases in these limits must be approved in advance by the Department Head and the Finance Director or Deputy Finance Director.

H.	Central Bill: The monthly statement for all transactions for Wake County. This bill is paid by the Finance Department at the first of the month following the end of the previous billing cycle.

This form must be completed to request a Procurement Card. The card requestor must complete pertinent information and submit the form to the Department Head for his/her approval. The form is then forwarded to the Procurement Card Program Administrator to order the card.

Complete this form for any changes in the initial request for a card, i.e., changes after submission of Attachment A and receipt of Procurement Card.

This form is required to be signed by the cardholder prior to the receipt of the Procurement Card. Your signature indicates that you agree to comply with stipulated terms and conditions regarding the use of the card.

The Cardholder is solely responsible for activity and safeguarding of the card. No other person is authorized to use the card. The cardholder may make purchases on behalf of others within the department, but the cardholder is held accountable for all transactions associated with his/her card.

o	Review Monthly Statements timely to ensure that all charges represent bona fide services or received goods and that any credits or adjustments have been made. The statement will be compared with transaction records, signed, and submitted to their manager for signature.

The Administrator is the individual who is responsible for accounting for the transactions in Advantage and is the primary contact for Department questions concerning the Procurement Card.

o	Record accounting transactions timely in Advantage and assign the transactions to the appropriate accounting code(s). A cardholder may serve as his/her own Administrator but an accounting background is highly recommended and is preferred.

The Manager is the initial contact for approval for Procurement Card set-up and transactions. The Manager is the primary approval for the Procurement Card Program.

Completing the Procurement Card Request Form (Attachment A) for new cards or the Procurement Card Maintenance Form (Attachment B) to change or cancel existing cards for employees he/she supervises. These forms are submitted to the Department Head for approval, and then submitted to the Procurement Card Program Administrator in the Finance Department.

o	Reviewing each receipt and signing the original paper statement on a monthly basis.. The Manager’s signature attests that the manager is knowledgeable of the transaction and it was for legitimate County business and served a public purpose.

The Department Head is the steward of card activity and shall maintain active involvement with the transactions for his/her department. The Department Head has ultimate authority to authorize the issue of a card and may terminate the use of a card as well as invoke disciplinary action when appropriate.

o	Approve each Procurement Card Request Form (Attachment A) form and Procurement Card Maintenance Form (Attachment B). The Department Head may have a designee to perform this role; however, the request must be submitted in writing to the Finance Director.

The Procurement Card Program Administrator is the primary contact for Procurement Card questions within the Finance Department.

The Purchasing limit is the dollar limit per transaction and per month. The single transaction amount is $1,000. The monthly limit is $5,000. Exceptions can be made in limits with Department Head and Finance Director or Deputy Director’s approval. Some departments have a cardholder order in volume for the department. Examples of this are in Information Services and General Services Fleet Services. Other times when limits may be increased are when one cardholder is making travel arrangements for several employees. The requests for limit increases can be time limited or ongoing. A department may also ask for stricter limits. All exceptions to policy are required to be submitted in writing on Procurement Card Maintenance Form (Attachment B).

The Finance Director has approved an Emergency spending profile of $5,000 per single transaction and $10,000 per month. When the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is activated, Procurement Cardholders identified by their Department Heads may be assigned to that profile by the Finance Director.

It is the cardholder's responsibility to safeguard the Procurement Card and account number to the same degree that a cardholder safeguards his/her personal credit information.

The unique Procurement Card that the cardholder receives has his/her name embossed on it and shall be used by the CARDHOLDER ONLY. NO OTHER INDIVIDUAL IS AUTHORIZED to use the assigned card. If it is determined that this policy is not followed, the cardholder shall have the card withdrawn. The cardholder may make transactions on behalf of others in their division. However, each cardholder is personally responsible and held accountable for the use of his/her card.

Please note that the vendor may not accept a card from someone other than the cardholder.

The cardholder must not allow anyone to use his/her account number. A violation of this trust will result in that cardholder having his/her card withdrawn and disciplinary action, which may include termination.

Lost and stolen cards shall be immediately reported to the Bank at 1-888-449-2273. Representatives are available twenty-four (24) hours a day. Advise the representative that the call is regarding a VISA Procurement Card. The Procurement Card Program Administrator and the cardholder’s manager shall be notified of the lost or stolen card as soon as possible.

The cardholder shall not be personally held liable for charges incurred from a lost or stolen card if the loss has been properly and timely reported.

A new card shall be promptly issued to the cardholder after the reported loss or theft. A card that is subsequently found by the cardholder after being reported lost shall be forwarded to the Procurement Card Program Administrator.

The Department Head may propose personnel to be cardholders by submitting the signed and approved Procurement Card Request Form, (Attachment A) to the Procurement Card Program Administrator who orders the card from the Bank. The Finance Director reserves the right to run credit and/or criminal records checks on an employee before a card is issued or at any time while the employee has a Procurement Card. The request form must have the approvals of the cardholder, Manager, and Department Head prior to ordering the card from the Bank. If an exception to the standard spending limits is requested the Finance Director or Deputy Finance Director shall approve. It takes approximately five (5) business days for the Procurement Card Program Administrator to receive the cards. The Procurement Card Program Administrator will notify the Department Administrator after the card has been received from the Card Issuer (Bank).

The Procurement Card Program Administrator shall maintain all records of Procurement Card requests, limits, cardholder transfers and lost/stolen/destroyed card information. If new to the program, call the Department Administrator within your Department for information and setup materials.

The cardholder shall be trained by the department trainer and will be issued a copy of this Policy and Procedure, and upon receipt of their card, shall be required to sign the Department Procurement Card Employee Agreement (Attachment C), indicating that the cardholder understands the procedures and the responsibilities of a cardholder. The Employee Agreement must be signed by the cardholder upon receipt of the Procurement Card and returned to the Procurement Card Program Administrator.

If the cardholder moves from one Department to another within the County, he/she does not have to get a new card. The new department will complete the Procurement Card Maintenance Form (Attachment B) and forward it to the Procurement Card Program Administrator (Camille Schaffer) so that she may update the information in Advantage and the Bank of America website.

The departments may set up any internal process of checks and balances in addition to the items listed in these procedures.

Procurement procedures permit acquisitions of products if their value is within the limits set for the cardholder. It is not required, but highly recommended that the cardholder seek competition when making purchases.

Please remember the card is a privilege not a right and the same purchasing policies and rules apply to the Procurement Card.

1)	Cardholder makes a purchase and obtains proper documentation from the vendor. It is extremely important that all purchases be sent to the cardholder ordering the merchandise, as this will ensure that the documents necessary for the record keeping are readily available to the cardholder.

Whenever a Purchase Card purchase is made, either over the counter or by telephone/internet, documentation shall be retained as proof of the purchase. Such documentation will be used to verify the purchases listed on the cardholder's monthly statement of account. When the products are received, retain all shipping documentation with the following information on the receipts:

A.	When the purchase is made over-the-counter, the cardholder shall retain the invoice and "customer copy" of the charge receipt. The following information should be listed on the receipt.

B.	To acquire goods over the Internet, the cardholder must obtain an electronic confirmation from the vendor and print the screen that should include information indicated under A. above. This must be submitted along with the packing slip/receipt. Be sure the vendor charges to the correct card number.

C.	To acquire goods over the phone, the cardholder should obtain a faxed/e-mailed confirmation order from the vendor with the name of the person taking the order. This must be submitted along with the packing slip/receipt. Details to document are as follows:

3)	CARDHOLDER SENDS A COPY OF THE RECEIPTS AND PACKING SLIPS, AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION RELATED TO THE TRANSACTIONS TO THE ADMINISTRATOR IN ORDER FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR TO BE KNOWLEDGABLE OF THE TRANSACTION AS HE/SHE DOES THE ACCOUNTING TRANSACTION IN ADVANTAGE.

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IMPORTANT: If the Cardholder does not have documentation of a transaction, he/she shall print and attach the accounting lines for the transaction from the JCPC document and write a full description of the item(s) purchased and public purpose of the purchase. The cardholder and Manager must signoff on this information before the documentation is sent to Finance with the statement and other receipts . These signatures indicate that the cardholder and manager know that the items were purchased for county business, the items were received and that a public purpose was served.

1)	Administrator processes the transactions in Advantage at least monthly by the 18th of the month but as frequently as weekly using receipts and other documentation sent in by the cardholder.

2)	Central bill is sent to the Procurement Card Program Administrator. Individual statements are sent to the cardholders that will list the cardholder's transaction(s) for that period.

The cardholder shall verify each transaction listed with copies of the receipts and/or any shipping documents to verify the monthly statement. The careful matching of complete supporting documentation to the monthly statement is vital to the successful use of this program. After this review, the cardholder shall sign the monthly statement and present the statement and receipts to his manager for approval and signature. The approving manager shall check the cardholder's monthly statement and confirm with the cardholder the following items:

The total value of a single transaction shall not exceed a cardholder's single purchase limit. A purchase SHALL NOT be split into multiple transactions to stay within the single purchase limit. Spending limits shown on the agreement form (Attachment C) will be adhered to by all cardholders. When paying registrations to conferences, booking airlines/transportation tickets, and paying for hotel rooms it is acceptable to process as separate transactions by participant if paying as a group would exceed the single purchase limit. The cardholder needs to plan ahead in these situations to be certain that the monthly limit will be adequate for the total expense. Permission to increase the monthly limit will have to be processed on Attachment B.

o	It is an expectation that the cardholder will submit all required documentation for the transactions to the Manager for approval. This information is to be sent to the Finance Department no later than the 18th of the month following the statement cycle.

Office supply purchases made with a Procurement Card should be made with the County’s authorized office supply dealer (currently Office Depot) to take advantage of the County discount of 60% on office supplies. The Cardholder should use the suppliers’ website for on-line orders as much as possible. The 60% discount does not apply for in store purchases..

Office Depot’s website to obtain the discount is: https://bsd.officedepot.com.

C. The Procurement Card may be used for travel purposes (hotels, airfare, etc.) if the Department Head has authorized that use for the cardholder. Use Procurement Card Request Form (Attachment A) or Procurement Card Maintenance Form (Attachment B).

The Finance Director reserves the right to increase or decrease liberties or limitations on card use as deemed necessary.

The Finance Director and/or Department Head reserve the right to revoke use of the Procurement Card at any time. Having a p-card is a privilege not a right.

A cardholder who makes unauthorized purchases, divides purchases to avoid maximum limits or carelessly uses the Procurement Card may be liable for the total dollar amount of these transactions plus any administrative fees charged by the Contractor in connection with the misuse.

If the cardholder violates any of the requirements for use of the Procurement Card, any combination of the following will occur at the discretion of the Finance Director:

For willful and/or gross negligent use of a Procurement Card, an employee may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal in accordance with Wake County Human Resources policy.

Procurement Card Returns: If items purchased with the Procurement Card are found to be unacceptable, received in error, damaged and/or defective, duplicate order, etc., the cardholder should contact the vendor to explain the problem and inquire about return policies. This would include obtaining replacement or correction of the item as soon as possible. If the vendor has not replaced or corrected the item by the date the cardholder receives his/her monthly statement, then the purchase of the item will be considered in dispute. A credit will be issued for the required amount upon resolution of the dispute. If an item has been returned and a credit voucher received, the cardholder shall verify that this credit is reflected on the next monthly statement.

If credits are not listed on the monthly statement, the appropriate transaction documentation shall be retained by the cardholder or administrator until the credit is downloaded to the Procurement Card System and shows on the next monthly statement.

If by mistake a personal purchase is made on the Procurement Card, notify the Division Card Administrator and immediately call the vendor to delete the charge to the VISA card. Make sure a credit slip is issued and the purchase is charged to the personal credit card. If the cardholder realizes at a later date that a personal charge was placed on the card the cardholder must notify the administrator, manager and the Procurement Card Program Administrator and reimburse the County for the charge. If personal charges are placed on the card a second time the card will be suspended for up to 60 days. After the card is reinstated, if another personal charge is made on the card, the card will be permanently revoked and disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, may be taken.

Prior to separation from the County, the cardholder shall surrender the Procurement Card to the Manager along with any outstanding receipts. The Manager is required to notify the Procurement Card Program Administrator immediately of the employee’s final date of employment so that the card account can be closed. The Manager may destroy the card. The Manager should send the Procurement Card Maintenance Form to Finance indicating that the card has been destroyed.