Pursuant to authority delegated and the parameters established in MnSCU System Procedure 7.3.3, St. Cloud State University has developed the following purchasing card program policies and procedures. Exceptions to local p-card program policies may be made via written email instructions from the Vice President of Finance & Administration, Business Manager, or Director of Purchasing, as long as the exceptions are within the parameters of MnSCU Board Policies & System Procedures.
When being considered for this program, the cost center must have at least $1,000 in non-salary object codes (within the scope of the purchasing card policy) and have an expected usage of at least once a month. A card with 6 months of inactivity will be purged and cancelled by Elan Card Services.
For additional assistance with Purchase Card policies and procedures please review the Purchase Card Training Guide.
The following manual has been produced to guide you through most of your purchase card needs.
Each Purchasing Card will be subject to:
Only permanent employees are eligible to apply for and be issued a purchasing card.
Complete the application using your on-campus mailing address. The application also requires approval from the employee’s supervisor (responsible person for the account) and the Procurement Card Administrator.
A Delegation of Authority form signed by the President is also required to specifically delegate authority to the employee to obligate the college/university to the specific dollar limit of the purchasing card. This delegation requires the employee’s ongoing compliance with applicable statutes, rules and board policies.
The following statement is part of the application process at St. Cloud State University.
As the cardholder I understand I am required to adhere to all St. Cloud State University purchasing policies and procedures. Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System Policies & Procedures are specifically mandated but not limited to Minnesota Statutes 571.345, 16A & 43A applicable to the use of the card. The Supervisor (responsible person of the cost center) signature is approving the purchasing card issuance and agrees to fulfill the requirements as specified in the Purchase Card Policy & Procedures.
The Cardholder will be responsible for signing the card when it is received, the security of the card, and all transactions made against it. All purchase transactions processed against the Purchasing Card must be made by the employee to whom the card is issued and must be only for legitimate university/college business purposes. The card cannot be used by another person nor for personal use. The card cannot be transferred from one employee to another.
The Cardholder and the Supervisor will be responsible to attend purchasing card training, provided by the Purchasing Department and take a refresher training or quiz on an annual basis as long as they have a purchasing card and to score 90% or higher on the quiz each year in order to retain purchasing card privileges. Failure to take the annual training and quiz, or failure to pass the quiz, will result in the cancellation of the Cardholder’s purchasing card.
The Cardholder must request a copy of the vendor’s sales receipt or cash register slip if over the counter, or a packing list on shipped orders that is itemized and tax free. Any credited amount must have a credit memo showing the reason for this credit. The Cardholder’s individual purchasing card number and his/her name must be given for all orders processed and specific delivery instructions must be provided to the vendor.
Shipped or delivered orders must be directed to the designated area of the cardholder (building, room #) or the Central Receiving address: St. Cloud State University, 211 11th St. S, St. Cloud, MN 56301.
When a vendor requires an account to be created for order placement, a professional institutional account must be set up. Orders must not be made using personal accounts. (Examples: Amazon and PayPal)
The Cardholder must comply with the monthly report verification and reconciliation process and timelines as described in these procedures.
When making purchases, the Cardholder must inform the vendors of Minnesota State tax exemption status. If tax is charged, the Cardholder is responsible to get a credit from the vendor for the amount of the tax.
If an item purchased with a purchasing card is unacceptable or not allowed, arrangements must be made for a return for credit or exchange whenever feasible. A cash refund or check is prohibited unless the vendor insists that a refund must be by cash or check. In such cases, the funds must be deposited immediately in the appropriate university account. If a refund is issued in the form of a check, the check must be payable to the institution and also deposited in the appropriate university account.
Purchasing cards may be used to purchase eligible products or services required in association with the duties or responsibilities of the cardholder at the university. The single transaction limit for general Cardholders is $15,000. The monthly limit for general cardholders is $15,000.00. (However, please remember the restriction for the purchase of sensitive equipment or equipment costing $10,000 or more and the restriction for the purchase of printers and printer/copier supplies. Please also be sure to read the restrictions listed in Part 6.)
Purchasing Cards may NOT be used for the following transactions:
Cardholders must access and print their online reports each month when it becomes available. The CYCLE END DATE must have a date (“open” will not be accepted). This report can be printed by the 3rd of each month.
The cardholder must reconcile the printed report with their itemized receipts and his/her supervisor (responsible person for the account) must sign and date the report to confirm receipt and approval of all transactions on the report.
The signed report and receipts must be submitted by the supervisor to the Purchasing Office by 10th of the month. Not getting the report in by this deadline will violate the policy & procedures and action will be taken accordingly.
The Cardholder must contact Elan Customer Service at 1-800-344-5696 if there are discrepancies with any of the charges listed on the report. The Customer Service Representative (CSR) assists the cardholder in attempting to recognize the transaction prior to initiating the dispute. If the cardholder does not recognize the charge, the CSR conducts a short interview to gather the necessary information and identify the appropriate dispute reason. The cardholder will likely not have to complete any additional paperwork. The CSR will simply use the information gathered over the phone to process the dispute.
If the reason for the cardholder’s dispute is one of the following types, the cardholder must contact the merchant prior to initiating the dispute with Elan Services:
If any additional information or steps are required, the CSR will inform the cardholder of any action needed, but in many cases, the dispute can be processed and the transaction charged back to the merchant without having to contact the cardholder a second time.
Disputes must be reconciled within fourteen (14) days of the statement date. Final resolution of any dispute must be resolved within sixty (60) days of the statement date. The Cardholder must note any dispute information on the monthly report turned in to the Purchasing Office.
The Cardholder is responsible for the security of his/her card and any purchase made on the card. The Cardholder must immediately notify Elan Services 1-800-344-5696 if the card is lost, stolen or in the hands of an unauthorized person. Pertinent information regarding the lost or stolen card or improper use must be provided.
The Cardholder will make a reasonable attempt to recover the card from an unauthorized person. The card will be voided as quickly as possible. However, the Cardholder has primary responsibility for any unauthorized purchases made by the cardholder or any other person.
Any changes to a Purchasing Card must be requested through the Purchasing Office.
(Note: Supervisory approval is required for changes.)
Each Cardholder is responsible for the card issued to him/her. All purchasing card records are audited by the Purchasing Office upon submission and are subject to annual audit by external auditors like all other Minnesota State financial records. Minnesota State Auditors may conduct an audit at any time.
Failure to provide requested supporting documentation with the timeframe designated will result in a purchasing violation.
Cardholders that violate any part of these procedures, whether intentional or unintentional, will typically receive a written warning copied to their supervisor and their card status will be placed on probation for a 3 month period. A second violation within that probation period will automatically revoke the card for the rest of the three month period. Once a card has been revoked, the cardholder may apply for a new card after one year. Approval will be subject to review and approval by upper management. Reissued cards will not have a probationary period and any violation will result in permanent revocation.
Supervisors of cardholders are responsible for reviewing cardholder expenses and ensuring compliance with this procedure and any applicable college/university procedures. Supervisor duties include:
Any questions can be directed to:
Cindy James
Procurement Card Administrator
Business Services – Purchasing Dept. AS 123
320-308-4001
cajames@stcloudstate.edu