PURCHASING CARD PROGRAM

CARDHOLDER POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Welcome to the State of South Carolina/College of Charles ton Purchasing Card Program. As an agency of the State of South Carolina, the College of Charles ton is participating in a program designed to help you better manage low-dollar, routine supply purchases and brings many benefits to you, the College, and our vendors.

The success of the Purchasing Card Program and its continuing use depends on your participation and cooperation. Please be sure to read and follow the program guidelines as specified within this manual.

What is the Purchasing Card?

The Purchasing Card is a Visa credit card issued by Bank of America. It is a fast, flexible tool which offers an extremely efficient and effective method for purchasing and paying for small purchases with a total value of $2,500 or less. The card is to be used only for official College purchases. It may not be used for personal purchases.

The Visa Purchasing Card will enable you to purchase non-restricted commodities directly from the vendors, in person or by telephone, fax, internet, or mail. It will eventually eliminate the need for issuing low dollar purchase orders, many blanket purchase orders, and the use of many Direct Expenditure Vouchers (EA's).

The Visa Purchasing Card will be issued in the approved employee's name with the State of South Carolina emblem, the wording "For Official Use Only" and the College of Charles ton clearly indicated on the card.

The Purchasing Card program brings many benefits to...

Cardholders - You will be able to obtain supplies directly from your vendors without using a purchase order. This streamlines the purchasing process and can help improve turnaround time on receipt of your order. It significantly reduces the workload and processing costs related to the purchase and payment of supplies.

The College - The Purchasing Card program provides a cost-efficient, method for purchasing low-dollar supplies. Built-in card features make the program easy to control and manage and reduces processing costs at all levels by reducing the number of requisitions, purchase orders, invoices and checks. The Purchasing Card enables all departments to focus on higher yield, value-added activities.

Vendors - The Purchasing Card will be welcomed by vendors who accept VISA. When they accept the card for business purchases, vendors need not send invoices or statements to the College, and they will receive payment directly from Bank of America within 48 hours.

PARTIES INVOLVED

 Agency - the College of Charles ton who arranges with the card issuer for the issuance of Purchasing Cards to approved College employees and agrees to accept departmental liability for the employees' use of the cards.

Cardholder - an employee of the College who is approved by his/her department head to use the Purchasing Card to execute purchase transactions on behalf of the College.

Card Issuer - Bank of America was selected by the State of South Carolina to issue Visa Purchasing Cards to College employees, to bill the College for all purchases made on the cards, and to collect payment from the College on behalf of the vendors/suppliers.

Department Head - College official who must approve employee's request for a Purchasing Card, assign Departmental Liaison, designate a default account number for the Purchasing Card, and submit application to the College Purchasing Card Coordina tor. Department Head approval delegates transaction authority to the Cardholder.

Departmental Liaison - an employee in each department responsible for proper use of the Purchasing Card within that department. Each Cardholder will be assigned a Departmental Liaison, and the Liaison will be responsible for reviewing transactions of individual Cardholders to make sure the transactions are classified as an appropriate college expense.

Purchasing Card Coordina tor - the central coordina tor located in the College of Charles ton's Procurement Department who coordinates the Purchasing Card program for the College and acts as the College's intermediary in correspondence with the card issuer.

Vendor/Supplier - the merchant from whom Cardholder is making a purchase.

PURCHASING CARD REQUIREMENTS AND ISSUANCE PROCEDURES

In order to receive a College purchasing card all applicants must meet the following three requirements:

Ø      Applicant must be a College employee;

Ø      Applicant must have his/her department head approval;

Ø      Applicant must have a department liaison assigned.

The applicant completes the Card Request Form.  On the form, the Department Head will provide the name of the Departmental Liaison to whom Cardholder will be assigned and the default College account number for the Purchasing Card.   The approved request is sent to the College Purchasing Card Coordinator.

Before receiving a Purchasing Card, applicants are required to attend a training session, achieve a minimum score of 85% on the electronic test, and sign the College’s Purchasing Card Cardholder Agreement. By signing this agreement you indicate that you understand the intent of the program, and will comply with all College policies and procedures.

KEY CARDHOLDER RESPONSIBILITIES

 The following are several key areas that require on going Cardholder support. A Cardholder must:

• Ensure the Purchasing Card is used only for legitimate business purposes. Misuse (inappropriate, unauthorized, or fraudulent use) of the card will subject Cardholder to disciplinary action per College policy.

• Adhere to the purchase limits and restrictions of the Purchasing Card and ensure that the total transaction amount of any single transaction does not exceed $2,500. Furthermore, the Cardholder must ensure that all purchases are within all other spending and vendor guidelines established by the College.

• Ensure that the Purchasing Card is only used by the approved Cardholder. Use by anyone other than the approved Cardholder is strictly prohibited. The Purchasing Card is not transferable between cardholders or departmental personnel.

• Obtain all sales slips, register receipts, and/or Purchasing Card slips and provide to Departmental Liaison for reconciliation, approval and allocation of transactions. A Cardholder must also notify the Departmental Liaison if the default account number should be changed on an individual transaction.

• Attempt to first resolve a dispute or billing error directly with the vendor.  If cardholder cannot resolve the dispute or error with the vendor directly, then cardholder should fill out a dispute form and forward the Purchasing Card Coordinator and their Departmental Liaison. A Cardholder must also ensure that an appropriate credit for the reported disputed item(s) or billing error appears on a subsequent Cardholder Memo Statement. Under no circumstances should a Cardholder accept cash in lieu of a credit to the Purchasing Card account.

• Call Bank of America at l-877-451-4602 immediately (24 hours a day, 365 days a year) to report a Purchasing Card lost or s tolen. A Cardholder must also notify the College Purchasing Card Coordina tor about a lost or s tolen Purchasing Card at the first opportunity during business hours.

• Return Purchasing Card to Departmental Liaison upon request to forfeit card, terminating employment or transferring Departments.

KEY DEPARTMENTAL LIAISON RESPONSIBILITIES

Each Department Head must designate a Departmental Liaison(s) for his/her department. The Department Head will assign a Departmental Liaison for each Purchasing Card application approved for his/her employees. All cardholders must have a liaison assigned. If cardholder is a one-person department, someone in another area or their supervisor must be assigned to act as their liaison. A Departmental Liaison may not be a liaison for his/her own card. The Departmental Liaison must be trained before any individuals in the department may receive a Purchasing Card. Responsibilities include:

• Collecting all vendor sales receipts and purchasing card receipts from Cardholders and reconciling to Bank of America billing statements.

• Retaining all charge slips and receipts for audit by internal and external audi tors.

• Approving and/or updating default account number, object code and cost-sharing information on billing distribution of individual Cardholder accounts in advance of the monthly default cut-off date for approvals established by the College Purchasing Card Coordina tor.

• Identifying transactions which require the submission of use tax to the South Carolina Department of Revenue.

• Attempting to resolve any disputes with vendor and/or Bank of America not resolved by Cardholder.

• Notifying College Purchasing Card Coordina tor in 3 to 5 days of any unresolved disputes, noting the reason for dispute and brief statement of steps taken.

• Authorizing College Purchasing Card Coordina tor to change default account for individual cards as needed and approved by Department Head and to manage these changes internally when a desk top software program is available to them.

• Notifying Controller’s Office or College Purchasing Card Coordina tor when an out-of-state vendor has charged sales tax to billing.

• Notifying College Purchasing Card Coordina tor of lost or s tolen cards.  

• Requesting College Purchasing Card Coordina tor to cancel a Cardholder's card e.g. (terminated employees, loss of purchasing card privileges) as requested by Department Head.

• Collecting canceled cards from Cardholders and forwarding to College Purchasing Card Coordina tor.

COLLEGE PURCHASING CARD COORDINATOR RESPONSIBILITIES

The College Purchasing Office has assigned coordina tors who a re responsible for the over-all management of the Purchasing Card program. Responsibilities include:

• College liaison with Bank of America

• Utilizing Bank of America software and training Department Liaisons to use the software, as appropriate.

• Reviewing Department approved applications for completeness of required information

• Submitting completed application to Bank of America and receiving Purchasing Card from Bank of America

• Training Departmental Liaisons before releasing Purchasing Cards

• Training Cardholder before releasing Purchasing Card

• Having Cardholder sign Cardholder agreement, signifying agreement with the terms of the Purchasing Card program

• Handling disputed charges/discrepancies not resolved by Cardholder or Departmental Liaison

• Initiating change of Purchasing Card default account number upon request of Department Liaison as approved by Department Head

• Securing revoked Purchasing Cards and submitting information to Bank of America

• Processing upload of bill to accounting system to allocate departmental charges

• Approving payment to Bank of America and submitting invoice to accounting

• Reconciling College accounting statements to Bank of America and charges to individual departments

• Reviewing usage of Purchasing Card for appropriateness

• Performing random audits of Department’s purchasing card records.

PURCHASING CARD MAINTENANCE AND CLOSURE

All contact with Bank of America for card set up, maintenance and closure (except for reporting lost or s tolen cards) will be handled by the College Purchasing Card Coordina tor who is located in the College Procurement Department (953-5510).

The College Purchasing Card Coordinator is required to close an account if a Cardholder: (a) transfers to a different College department; (b) moves to a new job in which a Purchasing Card is not required; or (c) terminates College employment;

The College Purchasing Card Coordina tor is required to adhere to, and enforce, College policy and the disciplinary plan in the following circumstances:

• The card is used for personal or unauthorized purposes.

• The card is used to purchase alcoholic beverages or any restricted substance, material, equipment or service (see list of restricted items) which violates policy, law or regulation pertaining to the College.

• The Cardholder allows the card to be used by another individual.

• The Cardholder splits a purchase to circumvent the limitations of the South Carolina Consolidated Procurement Code.

• The Cardholder uses another Cardholder's card to circumvent the purchase limit assigned to either Cardholder or the limitations of the South Carolina Consolidated Procurement Code.

• The Cardholder fails to provide Departmental Liaison with required receipts.

• The Cardholder fails to provide, when requested, information about any specific purchase.

• The Cardholder does not adhere to any of the Purchasing Card policies and procedures.

A request for closing a Cardholder account will be submitted to Bank of America by the College Purchasing Card Coordina tor. If the Purchasing Card account being closed has an outstanding plastic card, you should return it to your Departmental Liaison immediately.

HOW THE PURCHASING CARD WORKS

When using the Purchasing Card there is no need to submit any other form. If an unnecessary form such as a Requisition or Expenditure Authorization form is submitted for something bought by a Purchasing Card and a duplicate shipment is received (or other problems occur) the Cardholder is responsible for resolving the issue(s).

The card works just like your personal credit card, except all charges are paid in full by the College. It is to be used for the purchase of supplies and services that do not require a contract to spell out complicated specifications. College of Charles ton spending parameters for each Purchasing Card issued are to be set at a maximum of $2,500 per transaction and $5,000 per month per card. The College of Charles ton will adjust monthly limits as determined by demonstrated need.

State and/or College Contracts:  When a State or College contract is in place for specific commodities, Cardholder MUST purchase these goods from the contract supplier. Contact the appropriate buyer in the Purchasing Department to determine what contracts are available. In addition, State contract information is available via the Internet  http://www.state.sc.us/mmo/contract/spsclist.htm.

The State of South Carolina requires that certain types of vendors be blocked from Purchasing Card use. Among these are travel, entertainment, and cash transactions. Please refer to the listing in the back of this manual for the types of vendors at which the Purchasing Card may not be used. Transactions will be blocked at the point-of-sale level.

PURCHASING CARD/ACCOUNT NUMBER SECURITY AND STORAGE

Cardholders should always treat the College Purchasing Card with at least the same level of care as one does their own personal credit cards. Treat it as if it were cash. The card should be maintained in a secure location and the card account number should be carefully guarded. The only person entitled to use the card is the person whose name appears on the face of the card. The card may not be lent to another person for any reason. It is not a Departmental card.  However, a cardholder may use his or her card to make purchases for Departmental faculty or staff.

Cardholder's vendor receipts/packing slips/charge slips will be sent to and maintained by the Departmental Liaison assigned to the card. All other documentation concerning the Purchasing Card program will be maintained by the College Purchasing Card Coordina tor located in the College Procurement Department. This documentation includes, but is not limited to, applications, Cardholder agreements, agency billing statements, reconciliation of accounting statements, software programs, and copies of transmittals and correspondence with Bank of America.

CARDHOLDER LIABILITY

The Purchasing Card is a corporate charge card. Your personal credit is not checked nor affected by the Purchasing Card. It is your responsibility to ensure that the card is used within stated College Policies and Procedures. Failure to comply with program guidelines may result in permanent revocation of the card, notification of the situation to the administration, and further disciplinary measures that may include termination. These are listed in detail under the Inappropriate, Unauthorized, or Fraudulent Use of Purchasing Card section and in Disciplinary Action Process.

INAPPROPRIATE, UNAUTHORIZED, OR FRAUDULENT USE OF PURCHASING CARD

General

The following guidelines are established for various types of Purchasing Card infractions or exceptions. Administra tors should review these guidelines so they are aware of the range of disciplinary standards and what possible disciplinary actions may be taken against employees, and be able to pass that awareness on to their employees.

Guidelines

The circumstances surrounding an offense, such as the severity of the infraction, the number of times it has occurred and any previous counseling, will suggest what action should be taken. A record of this action with the employee’s and the supervisor’s signatures will be placed in the employee’s personnel file and in a "discipline" file maintained by the Purchasing Card Administra tor. The individual circumstances of the charge and the Cardholder’s his tory will be taken in to account by the Purchasing Card Administra tor to determine an appropriate disciplinary action. At management’s discretion, individual offenses calling for counseling and written reprimands could cumulatively result in suspension or termination of card privileges.

Disciplinary Action Process

When a Purchasing Card exception or discrepancy is discovered the Purchasing Card Administra tor will investigate the circumstances surrounding it and make a recommendation for appropriate discipline to the Direc tor of Purchasing based on the Purchasing Card Progressive Discipline Guidelines and the Purchasing Card Program Policy. The Direc tor will determine what action will be taken up to suspension of card privileges.

Should stronger disciplinary action be deemed appropriate it will require approval by the Sr. VP of Business Affairs and shall be taken under the authority and signature of the Sr. VP with the Purchasing Card Administra tor initiating such action.

A written notice of action taken will be sent to the Internal Audi tor and the appropriate Dean or Department Head.

* In the event that a Cardholder loses or misplaces a receipt it is the Cardholder’s responsibility to obtain a duplicate receipt within a reasonable period of time or reimburse the College for the amount expended.

The above-indicated actions in response to specific offenses are to be used as a guide and are not intended to be all-inclusive. At the occurrence of any of the listed offenses, or any that are not listed, the appropriate discipline shall be determined after the particular circumstances of the case have been carefully considered.

LOST, MISPLACED OR STOLEN PURCHASING CARDS

Report any lost or s tolen Purchasing Card immediately to Bank of America toll-free at 1- l-877-451-4602. Bank of America representatives are available to assist you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Be sure to notify your Department Liaison and/or the College Purchasing Card Coordina tor about the lost or s tolen card at the first opportunity during normal business hours.

MAKING PURCHASING CARD TRANSACTIONS

A.  Purchases in Person

1. Follow proper internal procedures specific to your department to obtain authorization to make the purchase and to ensure adequate budgetary resources.
2. Determine whether the Purchasing Card is the most appropriate tool to use for this purchase (check the list to make sure it’s not a restricted item, and determine whether a State or College contract is available).
3. Be certain that the total amount (including all shipping, handling, postage, freight, etc.) will not exceed your card’s single purchase limit of $2,500.
4. Determine that the price quoted is the best you can obtain.
5. Ensure that sales tax is charged for in-state vendors (see Sales and Use Tax section for further instructions)
6. Obtain a receipt at the time of purchase
7. If asked for your billing address, it will always be:  your name, your department, College of Charles ton, 66 George Street, Charles ton, SC  29424.
8. Notify Department Liaison as soon as possible after purchase of alternate account number or cost sharing information if purchase should be charged to account other than the default account number assigned to the Purchasing Card.
9. Follow your Department Liaison’s instructions regarding recording the purchase, and turn in   receipts to the Department Liaison.

B.  Shipping/Delivery

      Remember to give the supplier your name, department name, phone number, and complete        delivery instructions as follows if you are not picking up the goods. Tell the shipper all packages must be marked "PCP":

1.   Recommended method: Have goods shipped directly to your campus address via UPS,          Federal Express, or other method as suitable for the purchase. Be sure to use correct zip code         for delivery address. If you are not sure what yours is please call the Purchasing Card         Coordina tor (29424 is our mail room zip code only).

2.   If direct shipment is not possible, please use the following address:

                        College of Charles ton Central Receiving

                                Attn: (PCP + Your Campus Address & Name)

                                4750 Goer Drive, Units D&E

                                North Charles ton, SC 29406

            If this is not done correctly your goods may be returned to the supplier as undeliverable.

3.  When receiving the goods, whether via direct delivery or through Central Receiving, always                    retain all boxes, containers, special packaging slips, etc. until you are certain you are going                 to  keep the goods. The Cardholder is responsible for inspecting the goods upon arrival (see                         Returns, Damaged Goods, Credits section).

C. Purchases by Phone, Fax, Mail, or Internet

            When making phone, fax, mail, or internet orders the Cardholder should instruct the vendor to:

1. not write the credit card number on the shipping slip.
2. note on the shipping slip that the package is a credit card purchase.
3. note on the shipping slip that the package is to the attention of the Cardholder.
4. include the credit card slip inside the package.

Phone

A written record must be made when placing a telephone order. S tore this record in the same          manner that you s tore receipts.

Remember, the Cardholder is the only person authorized to place the order. You may, when necessary, have someone else pick up the goods (the person picking up the items should only sign shipping or receiving papers, not the credit card slip).

      Procedure:

      Follow the applicable instructions for making Purchases in Person, including shipping/delivery.             In addition:

1.      When you call, state that you are calling from the College of Charles ton and that you will be making your purchase with a Visa Purchasing Card.

2.      For in-state orders, emphasize that the College is not tax exempt from sales tax (see Sales and Use Tax section  for additional information).

3.      Record the name of the person taking the order, place the order, and give the supplier your Purchasing Card number and expiration date.

4.      Give the supplier your name, department name, phone number, and complete delivery instructions (as indicated in previous section). Make sure to include "PCP" in address information.

5.      Request that a receipt and/or packing slip be sent with the purchase. Retain this with your record of the purchase.

Fax

      Procedure:

      Follow the applicable instructions for making Purchases in Person, including shipping/delivery.             In addition:

1.      Retain a copy of the order form and fax confirmation (if available) for your records.

2.      You are urged not to mail the original to the supplier, to prevent a duplicate order. If the supplier requires that the original be sent be sure to clearly mark it "Confirmation Only - Order Placed By Fax."

3.      Do not leave any paperwork containing the account number in fax area.

Mail

            Procedure:

      Follow the applicable instructions for making Purchases in Person, including shipping/delivery.             In addition:

1. Retain a copy of the order form and the address it was mailed to, and request that a receipt be sent to you for your records.

Internet

Many companies offer the option of making purchases via the internet. The Purchasing Card            may be used to make these types of purchases as long as care is taken in at least these areas:

1.      Make sure that the company is a bona fide company (i.e. someone you were doing business with previously that now has a Web page would be a better risk than a company you "discovered" via the internet, unless you are able to verify that the new company is a responsible supplier).

2.      If supplying your card number via the internet be sure it is encrypted in an acceptable manner. If the information is not encrypted, or if you are not comfortable giving your card number over the internet, many companies offer the option of placing the order over the internet and then giving the card number via telephone after the order has been received (preferably you would call them as anyone could "receive" the order and then call you back for the card number).

As with other purchases, the Cardholder is ultimately responsible for purchases made with their card and is therefore responsible to determine whether the website is the most appropriate           method to use to make a given purchase.

Also, Cardholders must follow any guidelines set within their department for internet purchases (i.e. some may not allow it, others may allow it only for "approved" companies, etc.)

RETURNS, DAMAGED GOODS, CREDITS

If goods purchased with a Purchasing Card need to be returned, the Cardholder should work directly with the supplier. Here are some tips:

1.      Always retain boxes, containers, special packaging, packing slips, etc. until you are certain you are going to keep the goods. Some items, such as software or fragile pieces, cannot be returned without the original packaging materials.

2.      Read all enclosed instructions carefully. Often a phone number and other instructions are included on the packing slip and/or receipt.

3.      Many suppliers require you to obtain a "Return Authorization Number" before they will accept a return. If you neglect to get this number when it is required the package may be refused and/or no credit issued to your account.

4.      If something is being returned due to a supplier error or problem, the supplier should pay any fees involved in the return. In a case where something is being returned for any reason other than supplier error or product defect, you should get your department liaison’s approval since there may be a res tocking fee (usually a percentage of the purchase price). You may use the Purchasing Card to pay this fee as long as it does not exceed any of your limits.

5.      If you need help in packaging goods for return, limited assistance may be available through the Central Warehouse, 727-6430.

6.      Either the cus tomer or the vendor might be responsible for the cost of returning shipments depending upon the circumstances. If the cus tomer is responsible, the mode of shipment, to some degree, is at the discretion of the cus tomer. For example, the cus tomer could choose to return material via the United Parcel Service (UPS), Federal Express (FedEx), or even via the U. S. Postal Service (USPS). The cus tomer should ensure the method of shipment is acceptable to the vendor (some vendors, for instance, cannot accept returns via the USPS). Remember, P.O. box numbers are not sufficient addresses for any carrier except USPS.

      If the cus tomer is responsible for the cost of return, material can be returned via UPS and                      FedEx through the College Books tore. Shipments should be accompanied by a properly                 completed IDTso the Books tore can charge the cus tomer’s account. Contact the                          Books tore for additional information/specific questions.

      If the vendor is responsible for the cost of shipment, they may choose to provide a "call              tag," which is essentially a shipping label with billing information to charge the vendor’s                  account with the carrier. If the cus tomer is provided a "call tag," (usually sent to                              cus tomer by mail or carrier) the carrier may be contacted directly to pick up the material                 or the cus tomer can deliver it to the Books tore to be consolidated with other outbound                        shipments (no IDT required since the vendor is paying for shipping). A vendor might                   also direct a cus tomer to return material "freight collect" and this can also be done, for                UPS and FedEx, through the Books tore. Some "local" companies (e.g. Office Max,               Charles ton Supply) provide local delivery service and will pick up material to be returned                   as well with prior liaison.

      While this is not a comprehensive summary of all possible return scenarios, it does                     describe those most common. For additional assistance or answers to specific questions                         cus tomers may contact the Central Warehouse directly at 727-6430.

7.   Lastly, make sure that the charge for the returned items never appears on your monthly                          statement, or, that it is credited properly, and that you retain a credit slip/memo for your                       records.

If this does not happen refer to the Disputes and Billing Errors section on how to resolve the problem.

The vendor should issue a credit to your card account for any item they have agreed to accept for return. This credit will appear on a subsequent statement. Under no circumstances should you accept cash in lieu of a credit to the Purchasing Card account.

ERRONEOUS DECLINES

There may be certain situations when a vendor receives a decline message when processing your Purchasing Card transaction. To determine the reason for the decline, contact Bank of America at

1-800-352-4027 for an explanation of the decline. If the decline was in error, the Cardholder should notify the College Purchasing Card Coordina tor for assistance. If the purchase is being made outside of normal College business hours, the employee must find an alternate payment method or terminate the purchase and contact the College Purchasing Card Coordina tor during normal College hours.

EMERGENCY TRANSACTIONS OR OVER LIMITS PURCHASES

Emergency transactions over $2,500 may not be handled with the Purchasing Card due to State procurement regulations. For any transaction that does not meet the spending controls assigned to the card, the Cardholder must contact the College Procurement Office for assistance.

DISPUTES & BILLING ERRORS

You should always attempt to resolve any disputes or billing errors directly with the vendor.  In most cases, the vendor will issue a credit to the card account.  If an agreement cannot be reached with the vendor, you should download and fill out a “Dispute Form” (available on the Procurement website), send a copy to the Purchasing Card Coordina tor, and give a copy to your departmental liaison.  The Procurement Card Coordina tor will forward it to the bank for action. The dispute process may take several months to resolve, so you must be patient and vigilant.

SALES & USE TAX

Purchases From Vendors Located In South Carolina - The vendor is responsible for collecting retail sales tax at the point of sale. The amount of sales tax should be indicated on the receipt provided by the vendor.

Purchases From Vendors Located Outside South Carolina - The College is responsible for paying use tax on tangible personal property purchased from vendors located outside the state and brought in to South Carolina. This includes items purchased by telephone order or mail order.

VENDOR PARTICIPATION

If a vendor frequently used by College employees does not accept the Visa card, the College will assist in recruiting the vendor to take the necessary steps to begin acceptance of the card. Cardholders should contact the College Purchasing Card Coordina tor when encountering vendors who do not accept the card.

AUDITS

1. State and Federal Audits - All records retained by the Department are subject to the review and scrutiny of State, Federal, and Independent Audi tors as part of their review of College financial records. Documentation for Federal grants must be maintained for seven (7) years. All other documentation must be maintained for a minimum of three (3) years.
2. Internal Audit - The College’s Internal Audi tor will make regular periodic audits to ensure compliance with College policies and procedures.
3. Courtesy Audit – Procurement and Accounting personnel will visit departments on a random and scheduled basis to review Purchasing Card records retained by the Departmental Liaison and may make recommendations to the Cardholder, Departmental Liaison, and Department Head to improve record keeping. Serious deficiencies in record keeping may result in Purchasing Card termination and/or disciplinary action against the Cardholder.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Bank of America Cus tomer Service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at 1-888-449-2273 for:

• Reporting a lost or s tolen card
• Disputes or billing errors
• Account information

For all other questions or issues, please contact the College Purchasing Card Coordina tor located in the College Procurement Department, telephone 953-5510.

RESTRICTED PURCHASE TRANSACTIONS

Restricted Items – Items you CANNOT Purchase with the Procurement Card

• Purchases exceeding the $2,500 small-purchase limit
• Travel Expenses, including:

Ø       Hotel Room Charges

Ø       Airline Tickets

Ø       Conference Registrations

Ø       Car Rentals

• Any items for personal use or consumption
• Employee meals
• Items or supplies that are considered employee “Perks,” including:

Ø       coffee supplies

Ø       gifts

Ø       flowers

Ø       plaques

Ø       birthday cakes/cards

Ø       holiday decorations/cards

Ø       party supplies

• Microwaves, refrigera tors, freezers for employee use
• Art objects exceeding $1,000
• Computer equipment and parts, including peripherals, memory, hard drives, etc. (This equipment must be tagged and made network-ready by the College IT Department)
• Consultant services over $1,500
• Telephone/cell phones (These types of purchases must be coordinated with the College IT Department)
• Furniture for President or Senior Vice President offices or adjacent conference rooms exceeding $500

The above list is provided as a guideline and is in no way comprehensive.  Cardholders should call the Procurement Office whenever they have a question concerning the appropriateness of procurement card use.

Purchases exceeding the $2,500 small-purchase limit, or for restricted items, must be made by submitting an IDT/Requisition to the Procurement Office.  All travel-related expenses are paid for or reimbursed by submitting the appropriate forms to the Controllers Office.

All purchases, whether made with the Procurement Card or some other method, must be approved and allowable by the Department Head.

BLOCKED VENDORS

 The State of South Carolina requires that certain types of vendors be blocked from Purchasing Card use. Transactions will be blocked at the point-of-sale level. You may not use your card to make purchases from the following types of vendors.

7311	Advertising Services
0763	Agriculture Co-operative
3000 - 3299	Airlines
4511	Airlines, Air Carriers (Not Elsewhere Classified)
4582	Airports, Flying Fields, Airport Terminals
4119	Ambulance Services
7996	Amusement Parks, Circuses, Carnivals, Fortune Tellers
5937	Antique Reproductions
5932	Antique Shops
7998	Aquariums, Sea Aquariums, Dolphinariums
8911	Architectural, Engineering & Surveying Services
5542	Au tomated Fuel Dispensers
5521	Au tomobile and Truck Dealers (Used Only)
8675	Au tomobile Associations
7523	Au tomobile Parking Lots & Garages
7295	Babysitting Services
7929	Bands Orchestras, Entertainers
7230	Barber & Beauty Shops
7995	Betting (Including Lottery Tickets, Casino Gaming Chips, Off-track
5940	Bicycle Shops - Sales & Service
7932	Billiard & Pool Establishments
4457	Boat Rentals and Leases
7933	Bowling Alleys
4131	Bus Lines, Including Charter, Tour Buses
8244	Business & Secretarial Schools
7399	Business Services (Not Elsewhere Classified)
7278	Buying-Shopping Services, Clubs
5441	Candy, Nut, and Confectionery S tores
7512	Car Rental Agencies (Not Elsewhere Classified)
7542	Car Washes
5811	Caterers
8351	Child Care Services
8049	Chiropodists, Podiatrists
8041	Chiroprac tors
5993	Cigar S tores & Stands
7941	Commercial Sports, Professional Sports Clubs, Athletic Fields, Sports
7372	Computer Programming, Integrated Systems Design & Data Processing
7321	Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies
8241	Correspondence Schools
7277	Counseling Service - Debt, Marriage, Personal
4215	Courier Services -- Air or Ground, Freight Forwarders
5451	Dairy Products S tores
7911	Dance Halls, Studios & Schools
7273	Dating & Escort Services
8021	Dentists, Orthodontists
7393	Detective Agencies, Protective Services, and Security Services
5960	Direct Marketing Insurance Services
5962	Direct Marketing Travel-Related Arrangement Services
5963	Direct Selling Establishments/Door- to-Door Sales
8011	Doc tors
5813	Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) Bars, Taverns, Cocktail Lounges,
5309	Duty Free S tores
5997	Electric Razor S tores - Sales & Service
8211	Elementary and Secondary Schools
7361	Employment Agencies, Temporary Help Services
7833	Express Payment Service Merchants - Motion Picture Theaters
7524	Express Payment Service Merchants - Parking Lots
7342	Exterminating & Disinfecting Services
6011	Financial Institutions - Au tomated Cash Disbursements
6010	Financial Institutions - Manual Cash Disbursement
6012	Financial Institutions - Merchandise & Services
5422	Freezer & Locker Meat Provisions
7261	Funeral Service & Crema tories
5681	Furriers & Fur Shops
5947	Gift, Card, Novelty & Souvenir Shops
7992	Golf Courses - Public
7298	Health & Beauty Spas
7280	Hospital Patient Personal Funds Withdrawal Accounts
8062	Hospitals
3501 - 3722	Hotels and Motels
7375	Information Retrieval Services
6399	Insurance (Not Elsewhere Classified)
6381	Insurance Premiums
6300	Insurance Sales & Underwriting
7211	Laundries - Family & Commercial
7210	Laundry, Cleaning & Garment Services
8111	Legal Services, At torneys
4111	Local/Suburban Commuter Passenger Transportation, Including Ferries
7011	Lodging - Hotels, Motels, Resorts, Central Reservation Services
5948	Luggage & Leather Goods S tores
7392	Management, Consulting and Public Relations Services
7297	Massage Parlors
7997	Membership Clubs (Sports, Recreation, Athletic), Country Clubs, Private
5599	Miscellaneous Au tomotive Dealers (Not Elsewhere Classified)
7299	Miscellaneous Personal Services (Not Elsewhere Noted)
5271	Mobile Home Dealers
7519	Mo tor Home & Recreational Vehicle Rentals
5592	Mo tor Home Dealers
5571	Mo torcycle Dealers
6051	Non-Financial Institutions -- Foreign Currency, Money Orders (not wire)
8050	Nursing & Personal Care Facilities
8044	Optical Goods & Eyeglasses
8043	Opticians
8042	Op tometrists, Opthamologists
8031	Osteopaths
5966	Outbound Telemarketing Merchant
6611	Overpayments
5921	Package S tores - Beer, Wine & Liquor
4112	Passenger Railways
5933	Pawn Shops
5172	Petroleum & Petroleum Products
8651	Political Organizations
5094	Precious S tones & Metals, Watches & Jewelry
4225	Public Warehousing - Including Farm Products, Refrigerated Goods,
4011	Railroads
7999	Recreation Services, (Includes Swimming Pools, Miniature Golf and Driving Ranges
5561	Recreational & Utility Trailers, Camper Dealers
8661	Religious Organizations
6760	Savings Bonds
6211	Security Brokers/Dealers
5541	Service Stations (with or without ancillary services)
7251	Shoe Repair Shops, Shoe Shine Parlors, and Hat Cleaning Shops
5598	Snowmobile Dealers
7032	Sporting & Recreational Camps
5972	Stamp & Coin S tores - Philatelic & Numismatic Supplies
4411	Steamship/Cruise Lines
7339	Stenographic Services
7276	Tax Preparation Service
4121	Taxicabs/Limousines
4814	Telecommunication Service Including Local and Long Distance Calls, Credit
4821	Telegraph Services
7922	Theatrical Producers (Except Motion Pictures), Ticket Agencies
7012	Timeshares
4784	Toll and Bridge Fees
7549	Towing Services
7033	Trailer Parks & Camp Grounds
4789	Transportation Services (Not Elsewhere Classified)
4761	Transportation/Travel-Related Arrangement Services-Mail or Telephone
4722	Travel Agencies
7513	Truck & Utility Trailer Rentals
4723	TUI Travel
0742	Veterinary Services
7993	Video Amusement Game Supplies
7994	Video Games Arcades/Establishments
4815	VisaPhone
8249	Vocational & Trade Schools
4829	Wire Transfer - Money Orders
5935	Wrecking & Salvage Yards