Material & Disbursement Services (MSD)
Policy 9A
Effective Date: 01/01/2000
Last Modified Date: 02/17/2004
Description
Purchasing Services is responsible for the procurement (purchasing) card program. The purchasing card (P-card) is to be used under the rules of the Office of the State Controller for small purchase transactions (up to $2,500 per transaction). The purpose of the program is to use the card to replace local purchasing transactions. Purchasing provides training and oversight of the procurement card program.
Restrictions
The P-card cannot be used for the following:
- Orders over $2,500
- Travel expenses
- Services
- Research gases
- Radioactive materials
- Printing [all printing services (printing, binding, copying, composition of art work, etc.) must be referred to UNC Printing Services]
- Items carried in University storerooms
Obtaining a Card
A P-card will be issued only at the request of the department head and when the appropriate applications have been completed, and mandatory training sessions attended, by both the cardholder and the reconciler (who are not to be the same person).
Departmental Restrictions
Departments may request specific limitations up to the maximums listed below:
- Dollar amount per purchase: max $2,500 by statute
- Dollar amount per billing period: max $5,000 unless higher limit is justified
Departments are encouraged to select limits at the lowest level consistent with expected usage.
Personal Responsibility
The P-card received by the department is assigned specifically to a cardholder and becomes that cardholder's personal responsibility. New cards must be picked up at the P-card program coordinator's office, where the new cardholder will be trained. Lost or stolen cards must be immediately reported to the program coordinator and to MBNA (the issuing bank) so that the card can be cancelled.
Use of Card
The cardholder to whom the card is issued is the only person authorized to make purchases using the card. The cardholder may use the card to directly purchase supplies or to have them delivered to the University department. Purchases must not be delivered to Central Receiving or to a personal residence. The cardholder must obtain and keep a receipt at the time of purchase (a faxed receipt if a phone order, or a screen print of order confirmation for an online order).
Additional Information
See also MSD Procedure 13, Small Order Purchase via Purchasing Card.
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