Some items purchased by the College require documentation at the time a purchase order is requested and when the purchase order is submitted for payment. Descriptions of these items, required documentation, and procedures are as follows:
Alabama State Contract Purchases
Documentation is required when a purchase is made using the Alabama State Contact. Proper documentation would be the following:
1. The first page of the state contract showing the state contract number.
2. The page of the state contract showing the price or percentage off.
3. The page out of the vendor’s catalog showing a picture of the item and the suggested retail price.
At the time a purchase order is requested, submit proper documentation to the Purchasing Agent. An approved purchase order will be issued when the documentation is received by the Purchasing Agent.
Expenditures to be Made for a Person or Group of Persons
At the time items are submitted to the Accounts Payable Office for payment, the name or names of persons for whom expenditures are requested are required to be included before payment can be made. If the expenditure involves out-of-state travel a copy of the approved Request for Out-of-State Travel must also be provided. Examples of these expenditures are: hotel room, bus rental, vehicle rental, tour fee, airline ticket, membership, admission, t-shirt, award, Honors Day award, plaque, meal money, meal–any amount expended for an individual or a group of persons.
If a purchase order is received in the Accounts Payable Office without the name or names provided, it will be returned to the Budget Manager with a note stating the documentation required. This can unfortunately delay payment for at least a week.
Food and Related Supplies for Any Meetings, Classes, or Events
Documentation is required when food and related supplies–cups, plates, napkins, etc.–to be used for entertainment purposes during a meeting, class, or event are requested to be purchased. This applies to such items purchased by purchase orders and petty cash vouchers. (Petty cash vouchers are used to make allowable and legal purchases. No more than $50.00 may be reimbursed using a petty cash voucher.)
When requesting a purchase order for these items, submit the following listed documentation to the Purchasing Agent:
1. what – agenda or statement giving the business purpose
2. who – a list of names of those expected to attend or the name of the group to attend (students, etc.)
3. when
4. where
5. When food is not purchased from the Wallace Drive Cafeteria, a statement that the food was not available at the cafeteria is required. This statement is to be signed by the Cafeteria Manager.
6. If requesting a purchase order for a meal that is to take place at a restaurant within Gadsden city limits other than the Wallace Drive Cafeteria or to be catered by a restaurant within Gadsden city limits other than the Wallace Drive Cafeteria, a request is to be approved by the Dean of Financial and Administrative Services.
An approved purchase order will be issued when the documentation is received by the Purchasing Agent.
Click here to access a documentation form which can be completed and submitted as proper documentation.
When the invoice is submitted to the Accounts Payable Office for payment, submit an accurate list of the names of the persons who were in attendance–no matter how small or large the meeting. A sign-in sheet can be used to obtain a list of names. For an event as large as graduation, a sufficient list of names of persons in attendance would be “graduates, graduates guests, faculty,” and the names of scheduled speakers.
When a petty cash voucher for food and related supplies is submitted to the Business Office for reimbursement, provide the proper documentation.
Speaker Fees
Determine if a speaker is to be paid through the Payroll System or through the Accounts Payable System by reviewing independent contractor/employee information.
Click here for further independent contractor/employee information
When requesting a purchase order for a speaker fee, submit the following listed documentation to the Purchasing Agent:
1. what – agenda or statement giving the business purpose
2. who – a list of names of those expected to attend or the name of the group (students, etc.)
3. when
4. where
An approved purchase order will be issued when the documentation is received by the Purchasing Agent.
Click here to access a documentation form which can be completed and submitted as proper documentation.
When the invoice is submitted to the Accounts Payable Office for payment, submit an accurate list of the names of the persons who were in attendance–no matter how small or large the meeting. A sign-in sheet can be used to obtain a list of names. For an event as large as graduation, a sufficient list of names of persons in attendance would be “graduates, graduates guests, faculty,” and the names of scheduled speakers.
Promotional Items (Object Code 667)
Documentation is required when promotional items–tee shirts, pens, cups, hats, note pads, etc., to be distributed to students or the community–are requested to be purchased.
When requesting a purchase order for these items, submit the following listed documentation to the Purchasing Agent:
1. what – the promotional purpose
2. who – to whom the items will be distributed (names) or the name of the group (students, etc.)
3. when
4. where
5. The item’s worth after use is to be stated in the documentation. It may be stated that after the item has been used the item will no longer have value. If the item will have some remaining value, such as blazers purchased for members of a club, the items are to be returned to an authorized College employee for accountability and future use.
An approved purchase order will be issued when the documentation is received by the Purchasing Agent.
Click here to access a documentation form which can be completed and submitted as proper documentation.
If an employee of the College is to receive a promotional item such as a t-shirt, further documentation is required explaining the business purpose of the College providing the item to the employee. Also, a statement should be included in the documentation that after the employee has used the specified item at the time given in the documentation, the item will no longer have value.
When the invoice is submitted to the Accounts Payable Office for payment, submit an accurate list of the names of the persons who received the promotional items. If the promotional items were not ordered for specific persons, a description of the group receiving the items, such as “students attending job fair,” would be sufficient.
Advertisements, Printing, Radio Broadcasts
When requesting a purchase order for advertisements to be published, include in the description section of the request “original tear sheet must accompany invoice.”
When submitting the advertisement invoice to the Accounts Payable Office, a tear sheet (the original full page of the publication on which the advertisement appears) is to accompany the invoice and purchase order. Or, an affidavit can be used as documentation. An affidavit must:
- be an original document
- be signed by the vendor
- be notarized
- list the dates the advertisement appeared
- have an original of the advertisement attached
This provides the Accounts Payable Office with documentation of the advertisement which was published for the College.
When submitting an invoice for items printed–brochures, business cards, forms, stamps, etc.–to the Accounts Payable Office, attach one of the items printed to the purchase order and invoice. To provide a sample of a stamp, stamp the invoice with the stamp. This provides the Accounts Payable Office with documentation of the item which was printed for the College.
When submitting an invoice for radio broadcasts to the Accounts Payable Office, the invoice is to list the dates and times of broadcasts and an affidavit of services rendered is to be printed on the invoice. The affidavit must:
- be an original document
- be signed by the vendor
- be notarized
This provides the Accounts Payable Office with documentation of the radio broadcasts which were aired for the College.
Plaques and Awards (Object Code 666)
Documentation is required when plaques and awards are requested to be purchased.
When requesting a purchase order for plaques or awards, submit the following listed documentation to the Purchasing Agent:
1. what – the purpose
2. who – to whom the item will be distributed (name) or the name of the group
3. when
4. where
The College is unable to purchase plaques, framed certificates, or other items for recognition of an employee of the College.
At the time a purchase order is requested, submit proper documentation to the Purchasing Agent. An approved purchase order will be issued when the Purchasing Agent has received the documentation.
Click here to access a documentation form which can be completed and submitted as proper documentation.
When the invoice is submitted to the Accounts Payable Office for payment, submit an accurate list of names of persons who received awards.
Travel
Items that may be purchased for travel purposes are registration fees, hotel fees, and airfare. At the time a purchase order is requested for such an item, submit proper documentation to the Purchasing Agent. An approved purchase order will be issued when the Purchasing Agent has received the copy of the approval.
Proper documentation for In-State Travel is the approved request for travel.
Click here for further in-state travel approval information
Proper documentation for Out-of-State Travel is the approved request for travel.
Click here for out-of-state travel approval information
Proper documentation for Student Travel is as follows:
- approved request for travel (used for out-of-state travel)
- a list of the participants which includes chaperons
- agenda of the activities providing where activities will take place and when.
Click here for further student travel information
Travel items submitted to the Accounts Payable Office for payment should be submitted with documentation attached as follows: approved request for travel (used for out-of-state travel) and a list of the persons for whom the College is paying travel costs. The proper documentation is to be submitted with request to pay registration fees, hotel fees and airfare as well as the travel reimbursement form. The College is able to make payment once the event has occurred. If pre-payment of fees is approved on the Request for Out-of-State Travel Approval, registration and airfare fees can be pre-paid.