General Guidelines
The purpose of this PCard Policy is to provide Institute guidelines for the issuance and use of the PCard along with instructions for reconciliation and review of transactions. The Policy will be reviewed for adequacy by the Institute’s PCard Program Manager annually.

Safeguarding of the Institute's Assets

• Rebates or refunds from vendors shall be the property of the Institute and shall be paid promptly into the Institute’s accounts.
• Criminal and consumer credit checks will be performed in accordance with BOR and DOAS policy. The Institute will ensure that the results of background checks are provided the privacy protections required by law.
  • New cardholders, are required to have criminal and consumer credit checks prior to being issued a PCard. Additionally, credit checks must be done again at the time of card renewal.
• Cardholders will be required to personally reimburse the Institute for purchases made that are not appropriately documented.  Approving officials may be required to reimburse the Institute if the approving official approved the purchase.
• Habitual loss of receipts/documentation may require personal reimbursement by the cardholder and/or approver and may also result in termination of the PCard.
• Items of value purchased for distribution to students are allowed only in support of the educational objectives of the Institute.  Additionally, the cardholder must maintain sufficient documentation to identify the individual receiving an item.  The requirement to track individual recipients does not apply to items of de minimis value.
• Departments must ensure that PCards are promptly cancelled upon employee transfer or termination.
• PCard purchases can only be shipped to GT addresses. Items shipped to non-GT locations must have written approval from the cardholder’s supervisor and the PCard Administrator.
• Positions identified by the employing department as PCard cardholders will be considered to be "positions of trust".

Card Issuance

• PCards may be issued to “permanent, regular-status” employees only. No student employees, affiliates or Tech Temps may be issued cards. Only one card is allowed per employee.
• Authorization - A PCard Request Form is completed by/for the employee and then signed by Department Head to indicate authorization, cardholder spending limits, and cost allocation information. Spending limits should be determined based on the cardholder’s job responsibilities, anticipated card usage levels, historical spending patterns, and budget limitations. The completed form with the required signatures is submitted to PCard Administration by the PCard Coordinator.  After all background checks have been verified, the request will then be reviewed and approved by the CFO. Upon approval by the CFO, the PCard Administrator will order the card from the bank and maintain the form in a cardholder file.
• Distribution – PCard Administration will notify the cardholder and appropriate PCard Coordinator when the card has been received. Cards will be distributed to employees after completion of appropriate background checks, cardholder training and submission of the signed Employee Agreement Form.
• PCard Administration will review cardholder accounts annually to identify and close unused or low-usage cards for which there is no longer a business need.

Employee Agreement Form

Before being issued a PCard, a completed Employee Agreement Form, signed by the employee and Department Head must be submitted to Business Services. By signing the form, the employee acknowledges:

• Receipt of training and understanding of the regulations for use and protection of card.
• Understanding of responsibilities in reconciliation process and billing disputes.
• Understanding and acceptance of consequences for PCard violations.

Card Limits

• Since Georgia Tech, not the individual employee, will pay for the purchases made with the card, additional controls have been added to the card accounts. These limits are imposed at the point of sale when the card is swiped.
• Institute Limits – The PCard may be used for purchases not to exceed the cardholder’s single transaction or cycle limit in the PCard Plan. The cardholder’s Department Head working with the PCard Coordinator may identify additional limits based on card usage and budget limitations. These limits should be noted on the approved Request Form and kept in the cardholder’s file.
  • Increased Limit PCards may be used by department buyers and other specifically designated and pre-approved cardholders for purchases requiring increased limits on an as needed basis. Requests for transaction increased limits must be approved by the Department Head and submitted to the PCard Program Administrator for review and approval. The PCard Program Administrator will coordinate with the State Cards Program Manager when an exception to State PCard Policy is required. Increased Limit cards may not be used to circumvent the State’s no-bid limit.
• Cardholder Spending Limits – Adjustable limits per card are:
  • Dollar amount limit per transaction
  • Dollar amount limit per cycle (month)
• Changes to Limits - Requests for changes to card limits should be submitted on the “Limit Change Request” via ServiceNow ticket. Change requests will be kept in the cardholder’s file. Additional information can be found at the link to PCard Requisition Instructions and Exceptions for the requisition process and limit increases.
• Merchant Activity Type Limits - Specific types of businesses identified by a Merchant Category Code (MCC) are restricted on the card. If you have difficulty using your card with any particular vendor, please contact your department PCard Coordinator or the PCard Help Desk via ServiceNow.
• Policy Limits - In addition to the limits that are controlled at the point of sale by the card, Georgia Tech limits the use of the card through policy. The card may be used only for purchases that are made under delegated authority or items exempt from review and approval by the Procurement Department.

Authorized Uses of PCards

All purchases made with a PCard must be for official Institute business.  Cardholders and approving officials are designated as Institute purchasing agents and are subject to the provisions of O.C.G.A. § 45-10-1 et.seq. (State Employee Code of Ethics, Conflicts of Interest, etc.). 

The PCard may be used for:

• Equipment: Single units under the cardholder’s single transaction limit Equipment over $3000 (single unit) is considered a capital asset and should be purchased via the Georgia Tech E-Procurement System.
• Supplies, Materials, and Services may be purchased for less than the cardholder’s single transaction limit.  The Institute will monitor activity for purchases for the same supplies, materials, or services from the same vendor so as not to exceed $9,999.99 per year unless competitively procured as detailed in Georgia Tech, DOAS regulations and BOR policies and procedures.  Supplies and materials purchased may also include items purchased for resale.
• Purchases from Statewide and Agency Contracts are permitted. 
• Conference Registration Fees for Institute personnel on official Institute business with the requirement that employees not request reimbursement for meals paid with the conference registration fees.
• Departments must ensure that conference registration fees for employees paid pursuant to this section are recorded as required by Institute Travel Policy.  
• Student food, student travel, and food for instructional uses is permitted as outlined in the Institute Policy 5.2.1.9 and 6.16 subject to the documentation requirements outlined in this policy.  Additionally, food purchased for sponsored research use as approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) is permitted.
• Employee food may be purchased with a PCard in alignment with GT Policy 5.2.1.9. Employees participating in off-campus events or in a travel status must request reimbursement. 
• Repairs and maintenance are authorized for Institute vehicles.  All costs associated with vehicle repair and maintenance must be reported in accordance with DOAS fleet management regulation..

Note: Exceptions may be granted by the PCard Manager.

Prohibited Use of PCards

The PCard may not be used for:

• Personal items.  The use of the PCard for personal expenditures is strictly prohibited.  Cardholders who violate this rule must reimburse these funds and, if the violation is determined to be intentional, may be subject to both losses of employment and criminal penalties.
• Employee Travel expenses (lodging, transportation, meals).
• Entertainment expenses (must be done as a reimbursement through the Foundation or GTRC).
• Alcoholic beverages or tobacco products.
• Motor vehicle fuel (except for authorized rental vehicles for official student program group travel).
• Professional services as listed in BOR Business Procedures Manual (BPM) Section 3.1.2 including certified public accountancy, architecture, professional engineering, doctors & registered nurses, lawyers, and veterinary medicine.
• Gift cards, funding the GT BuzzCard, stored value cards, prepaid cards, calling cards, gift certificates, or other cash equivalent items.
• Food except as authorized under BFM Section 5.2.1.9.(PCard cannot be used for purchases of bottled water, beverage/coffee service, snacks, or entertainment)
• Cash advances, cash refunds, or “store credit.”
• Memberships and/or fees to wholesale shopping clubs or “warehouse type” retailers.(e.g. Sam’s, Costco, Amazon Prime)
• Agency (funds held on deposit) or affiliated organization expenditures except as permitted for Study Abroad Programs as detailed in BPM Section 21.4.
• Purchases made from units of the Institute. No internal Institute charges are allowed on the PCard. This includes, but is not limited to, OIT printing services, Library, and Parking. Please note: The PCard may be used for official Institute business at outsourced businesses including the GT Bookstore, VWR, and Aramark.
• Split purchases. Dividing one purchase into two or more to circumvent the single transaction limits and procurement requirements previously enumerated is not allowed.(more than one transaction to the same vendor on the same day which exceeds the single transaction limit of the cardholder) 
• Sales tax.  Sales tax should not be paid for purchases made from vendors within the State of Georgia using institutional funds.  Institutional funds used to further institutional business purposes are not subject to sales tax as outlined in O.C.G.A. § 48-8-3 (8).  Sales tax may be paid when required for vendors out of state.

Note: All purchases must align with the Allowable Cost Matrix. 

Limitations on Vendors

High Risk Vendors:

• Georgia Tech does not encourage the use of high risk vendors such as PayPal and eBay. If no other form of payment is accepted by the vendor, then the PCard High Risk Vendor Purchase Authorization Form (high risk vendors are listed on the form) must be completed, signed, and approved prior to each purchase and appended with the receipt as part of the accountable documentation for the PCard Statement. Violations of policy will be evaluated as noted in the Violations of Policy section of this policy.

Additional Restrictions:

• Cardholder must not make PCard purchases from vendors where the cardholder has a financial interest.
• Cardholder must not accept any gift or gratuity from any source when it is offered, or appears to be offered, to influence your decision-making regarding PCard purchases. 

Cost Allocation

Charges must be reconciled to the appropriate Worktag through the Institute's E-Procurement system. PCard transactions are loaded daily by the bank and once transactions are available in the E-Procurement system cardholders should reconcile them immediately, and no longer than 30 days. 

Training
Department PCard Coordinators are required to complete the annual PCard Training and Certification online training tutorial. Cardholders are required to complete the “PCard Cardholder Training & Certification” online training tutorial prior to receiving a card.

Cardholders are required to re-certify annually. Failure to re-certify will result in card suspension until the re-certification is completed. Departments must ensure that Approvers complete the “PCard Cardholder Training & Certification” online training tutorial initially and annually thereafter.

Georgia Tech's E-Procurement System Training
Cardholders and Pcard Cost Center Managers must complete the Georgia Tech’s E-Procurement System Pcard Training module prior to taking on either role.

Departments are responsible for ensuring Cardholders and Approvers are trained in internal departmental PCard policies and procedures. Departments should ensure that non-procurement personnel are acquainted with small value purchase procedures.

Card Security

The cardholder should use basic security measures, as outlined below, to prevent unauthorized use and limit the potential for fraud.

• Sign the card as soon as you receive it.
• Always keep PCards and account numbers in a secure place.
• Safeguard the PCard as you would your personal credit card.
• Be aware of your surroundings when using the card.
• Monitor card activity in Georgia Tech's E-Procurement System.
• Reconcile and submit monthly statements in a timely manner.

Lost or Stolen Cards

• Lost, stolen, or fraudulently used PCards must be reported to Bank of America via the number on the back of the card as soon as possible after discovering the loss, theft, or fraudulent use.  The cardholder’s approving official and the PCard Coordinator must also be notified. Evidence of fraudulent use may be requested to include transaction detail. Lost or stolen cards require card cancellation. Failure to report the loss, theft, or fraudulent use of the PCard may result in increased financial loss to the institution.
• The PCard Coordinator has the responsibility for communicating the information to PCard Administration.

Surrendering the PCard

• The Pcard is the property of the State of Georgia. The cardholder is to surrender the PCard to the PCard Coordinator upon request, retirement, termination, or transfer to another department if the PCard is not required for the new role. 
• The PCard Coordinator should destroy (cut up) the card and notify PCard Administration via email to cancel the PCard.

Documentation Requirements

Requisition Form:
Unless covered by an approved exception, every purchase requires two prior approvals prior to purchase.  These prior approvals must be documented via a requisition form designated by Procurement and Business Services. If the purchase is approved, the cardholder may make the purchase. The signed requisition form must be appended to the receipt image during the reconciliation process. 

Receipts:
For each transaction, accountable documentation (i.e. a sales draft or receipt) must be obtained as proof of purchase. This documentation will later be used to verify the purchases shown on the cardholder's transaction in Georgia Tech's E-Procurement System. The documentation must contain line item description and line item pricing for the purchase. The documentation should include:

• Vendor name
• Transaction amount
• Date of the purchase
• Itemized list of items purchased
• Other information as required by the department

If a sales draft or receipt does not provide a description, the cardholder should write the description on the document. For items such as subscriptions and registrations, where a receipt is not normally generated by the merchant, a copy of the ordering document may be used so long as it contains a description and price. Copies or facsimiles of the original receipt may be acceptable if the original is not available.

If the documentation for a transaction has been lost, it is the cardholder’s responsibility to obtain a duplicate from the vendor. If a duplicate cannot be obtained, the cardholder should complete the PCard Receipt Replacement Form for to serve as the receipt. The PCard Receipt Replacement Form should contain the itemized information for the transaction, as listed above, and describe the cardholder’s attempt to obtain a duplicate from the vendor. PCard Receipt Replacement Forms may only be used on an exception basis. Excessive use of the form (defined as more than three times in one fiscal year), may result in suspension of card privileges.

Receipts are attached to each transaction in Georgia Tech's E-Procurement System by uploading the receipt and attaching it to the transaction.

Maintaining PCard Documentation

Documentation will be retained in accordance with records retention and fund requirements.  

Using the PCard - Making the Purchase

The PCard can be used to make purchases over the counter, by mail, by fax, by telephone, or by Internet at any vendor that accepts Visa. The following procedures should be followed for PCard purchases.

Obtain Best Value

When accepting a PCard, the cardholder becomes an authorized purchaser for the Institute with specific responsibilities for expending public funds. The cardholder should ensure the purchase is appropriate and in accordance with all Institute and State rules and regulations. Additionally, PCard purchases must comply with requirements of the Georgia Procurement Manual concerning Order of Precedence and Competitive Bidding. When purchasing goods or services, the order of precedence that should be followed in selecting the appropriate vendor is: (1) Statewide Mandatory Contracts, (2) GT Agency Contracts, (3) Georgia Correctional or Georgia Enterprises, and then (4) Statewide Convenience Contracts and the open market.

After verifying the item is not available on a Statewide or Agency contract, the cardholder must utilize lowest cost based on requirements, quality, and availability to obtain the maximum value of each dollar expended.    

Vary the suppliers to give fair treatment to all suppliers and to assure that the price obtained is reasonable. Transactions you make may be on behalf of Federal sponsors. Purchasing on behalf of government clients requires special sensitivity on the part of the purchaser to obtaining fair and reasonable prices, spreading purchases among many suppliers including small, small-disadvantaged, and women-owned businesses, and adhering to strict ethical conduct.

Sales Tax

When using the PCard, the cardholder should inform the vendor that the purchase is for official State of Georgia purposes, and therefore, may not be subject to Georgia state or local sales tax. If requested by the vendor, cardholders must present an “AP - Sales & Use Tax Certificate of Exemption / Georgia Form”. The form is available online in the Forms section of the Business Services website at:  http://www.procurement.gatech.edu

If sales tax is erroneously charged by the vendor, cardholders should make every effort to obtain a credit directly from the vendor. Documentation of attempts to obtain credits should be maintained with the transaction receipt by appending to the receipt. Please note: Sales tax may not be disputed through the bank.

Making the Purchase - Over the Counter

• Verify that supplier accepts the Visa. (Note: If not and it is a supplier you will need for future purchases, notify PCard Administration.)
• Provide the PCard for payment.
• Inform the clerk that the purchase is for official State of Georgia purposes, and therefore, exempt from state and local sales tax. The PCard indicates sales tax exemption, but cardholder should verify that clerk does not charge sales tax.
• Verify the dollar amount is correct and no sales tax has been included, then sign the sales draft.
• Retain your copy of the sales draft and receipt. If the copy does not provide a description of item(s) being purchased, the cardholder should write the description on sales draft or receipt.
• Follow PCard transaction/documentation process established by the department. 

Making Purchase - Mail, Fax, Telephone, or Internet Orders

• Provide supplier with requested card information.
• Inform supplier that the purchase is for official State of Georgia purposes, and therefore, exempt from state and local sales tax.
• Give supplier detailed shipping instructions. It is recommended that you have the goods shipped directly to your campus address (this would normally be the cardholder’s Billing Address). Please note: Goods should be shipped to official Georgia Tech business addresses only. Occasionally, researchers will be in the field at a sponsor’s site and will need the goods shipped to that location or the location specified, (never a home address). Shipments to an address other than a campus Georgia Tech address must be approved by PCard administration via email from the PCard Coordinator, with the cardholder’s supervisor’s approval included. This documentation should be appended to the receipt as accountable documentation.
• Retain documentation for purchase. Acceptable documentation includes: a copy of order form, copy of catalog page showing cost, or email/faxed order confirmation showing price along with packing slip, print out of the online order form, print out of the online order confirmation, or a print out of the e-mail confirmation. 

Returning Purchases Made With PCard

If you determine that the material is defective or incorrect, notify the supplier that the item needs to be returned and request an address to ship to, and a Return Authorization Number. Request that the supplier process a credit transaction through the PCard. Document that the goods have been returned for credit and communicate information through proper channels within your unit. Ensure that the credit appears in Georgia Tech's E-Procurement System. If not, process the charge as a Disputed Transaction.

It is a good practice to keep original boxes, containers, and special packaging until you are certain you are going to keep the goods. Some items must be returned in the original packaging.

Disputed Transactions

It is the cardholder’s responsibility to resolve discrepancies and ensure credits are received. When a cardholder discovers an incorrect amount has been charged for goods or services received, or a questionable purchase or transaction appears for verification in Georgia Tech's E-Procurement System, the cardholder must immediately seek to resolve the problem with the vendor. Any communications should be documented and the documentation including dates, persons involved, and a brief description of the problem should be either appended to the receipt or appended to the PCard Dispute Form.

If the cardholder is unable to resolve the problem with the vendor, a PCard Dispute Form should be completed and faxed directly to Bank of America at the fax number on the form. The PCard Coordinator should be notified of the dispute and a copy of the dispute form should be appended to the monthly statement. The cardholder should check the following month’s statement to ensure that credit was received. Please note: Disputes must be submitted within 60 days of the statement date.

Reconciling PCard Transactions
General:
Pcard Transactions post to Georgia Tech’s E-Procurement System for verification on a daily basis. As the transactions post to Georgia Tech’s E Procurement System, the cardholder should review the transactions and attach receipts to the transactions. If the cardholder believes a transaction listed on the statement is incorrect, the procedures outlined in the “Dispute Transactions” section should be followed.

Approval Workflow:
All PCard transactions must be reconciled (verified) in Georgia Tech’s E Procurement System.  All transactions must be submitted for approval by the cardholder.  At a minimum a PCard Cost Center manager must also approve each transaction.

Timeliness and Escalations:
The PCard Office will provide direction on how/when transactions should be reviewed, submitted and approved in the online system. This direction will be provided to ensure that transactions are fully verified and posted to the ledger within sixty days of the transaction post-date.

Delinquency:
Cardholder’s cards whose online transaction verifications have not been submitted and completely approved within the 45 day time-frame may be suspended. Repeated non-compliance will result in card cancellation. Cards will be suspended/canceled as follows:

• First Offense - PCard(s) suspended 7 days or until written notification (email is acceptable) is received that the reconciliation package is complete and the cardholder is in compliance, whichever is greater. PCard Coordinator notified of suspension.
• Second Offense - PCard(s) suspended 30 days or until written notification (email is acceptable) is received that the reconciliation package is complete and the cardholder is in compliance, whichever is greater. Cardholder must re-certify by completing the on-line “PCard Cardholder Training & Certification” tutorial. PCard Coordinator and Department Head notified of suspension.
• Third Offense - PCard(s) cancelled. Department Head may request cardholder be re-instated after 90 days provided written notification (email is acceptable) is received that all reconciliation packages are complete. Cardholder must re-certify by completing the on-line “PCard Cardholder Training & Certification” tutorial. PCard Coordinator, Department Head, and OHR notified of cancellation.

Please note: In extenuating circumstances (such as extended travel, on leave, etc), departments may request that specific cards be exempted from suspension for a brief period.

Reviews/Approvals

Monthly review and approval of PCard transactions is required at the department level. The Department Head/PCard Coordinator will determine who the approvers will be for their departments.

Departments are responsible for reviewing all transactions to:

• Ensure the appropriateness of purchases and funds being utilized.
• Verify the completeness of documentation (detailed receipts, disputed transactions, approved requisition forms).
• Identify any policy violations and take appropriate action. 

Payment

Business Services will receive a consolidated monthly billing statement from Bank of America for all Institute cardholders. The statement will be reconciled and processed for payment, in accordance with a plan on file in Business Services.

Compliance Reviews

Business Service and Internal Audit Reviews:
Transactions will be reviewed online in accordance with plans on file in Business Services and Internal Auditing. Cardholder files will be reviewed in accordance with a plan on file in Business Services. Internal Auditing periodically conducts on-site compliance reviews in each department. These visits will be designed to:

• Review departmental records and record keeping practices
• Monitor adherence to policy guidelines
• Identify opportunities for process enhancements
• Offer “best practice” procedures

Results of these reviews will be used to enhance Georgia Tech’s PCard processes and will be shared with the Department Heads.