This section has been created to provide our customers with helpful information regarding all things related to procurement. Prior to engaging in procurement activities, please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with ASMSA’s Procurement Policies and Procedures.
As always, we are available to assist with all of your procurement needs. Please feel free to contact any employee in the Finance Department or email finance@asmsa.org if we can help.
Purchasing Life Cycle (Procure to Pay): Requisition Process
The first step taken when commodities or services are needed is the submission of a requisition. This business process (cradle-to-grave shown below) begins and ends in Workday.
Step 1 is completed by the requisition requestor, step 2 is completed by approvers, and steps 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are completed by thel finance department.
- Create and submit requisition
- Requisition is approved by all approvers
- Source goods/services
- Create and issue purchase order
- Create a receipt
- Create supplier invoice
- Match invoice to purchase order and receipt
- Pay supplier
Please allow 7-10 business days for steps 1-4 to be completed. Absences in the finance department may cause additional delays.
Procurement Guidelines and Procedures
Reimbursements to employees are for expenses that were paid by the employee using personal funds but are the legal obligation or property of ASMSA. An expense report in Workday is required for any reimbursement to be processed. All reimbursements must include the following:
- Valid itemized receipt(s) from the purchase(s) – attachment
- Details on why the purchase was made/needed – justification section
- How the purchase benefits ASMSA and/or the State of Arkansas – justification section
When an employee purchases memberships (see policy below), licensures, or professional development courses, webinars, etc. a justification must be submitted that addresses 1) how the purchase benefits the university and 2) why the purchase is needed.
Justifications may be submitted as either an attachment or in the memo section of the expense report.
Reimbursement for non-travel related meals is allowable. The following are examples of situations which warrant a reimbursement:
- Meal was part of an official function
- Meal was for a student trip
- Meal was purchased as a substitute for a meal provided at a university business conference or meeting where a meal was provided that an employee or student cannot eat for medical or religious reasons, or due to a conflict of interest
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of examples. There may be certain situations outside of the scopes defined above that can be reimbursed. Please contact our office if your situation is unique and you’re not sure if the purchase is reimbursable.
A special meeting form should be attached to expense reports for meal reimbursements.
Important notes:
- ASMSA, other state agency employees (includes state-affiliated colleges and universities) must adhere to the federal per diem rate established by the U.S. General Services Administration.
- Per diem includes the meal, tax, and up to a 15% tip.
Some reimbursements require that a special meeting form be attached to the expense report. The sections below provide information on different situations that require a special meeting form. Please note that there will be some situations that do not fit into any of the categories below.
Any attempt to acquire personal gain through public employment by conduct inconsistent with the proper discharge of the employee’s duties is a breach of public trust. It is a breach of ethical standards for any employee to: participate directly or indirectly in any matter pertaining to any contract, subcontract, or purchase order in which the employee or any member of his/her immediate family has a financial interest. Immediate family is defined as spouse, children, parents, brothers, sisters, and grandparents. Direct or indirect participation includes involvement through decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, preparation of any part of a procurement request (requisition or request for bid), influencing the content of any specification, rendering of advice, investigation, auditing, or in any other advisory capacity.
Any employee who benefits, in any way, from a State contract with a business in which the employee has a financial interest shall report such benefit to the Director of the Department of Finance and Administration.
Pursuant to Arkansas Code Annotated §19-11-709, it shall be a breach of ethical standards for any former employee, unless the former employee’s last annual salary did not exceed $15,000 to engage in selling or attempting to sell commodities or services, including technical or professional consulting services, to the state for one (1) year following the date employment ceased.
Any employee or non-employee who knowingly violates any of the ethical standards described shall be guilty of a felony, and upon conviction, shall be fined in a sum not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or shall be imprisoned in a penitentiary for no less than one (1) or no more than five (5) years, or shall be fined and imprisoned as outlined above.
Any attempt to acquire personal gain through public employment by conduct inconsistent with the proper discharge of the employee’s duties is a breach of public trust. It is a breach of ethical standards for any employee to: participate directly or indirectly in any matter pertaining to any contract, subcontract, or purchase order in which the employee or any member of his/her immediate family has a financial interest. Immediate family is defined as spouse, children, parents, brothers, sisters, and grandparents. Direct or indirect participation includes involvement through decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, preparation of any part of a procurement request (requisition or request for bid), influencing the content of any specification, rendering of advice, investigation, auditing, or in any other advisory capacity.
Any employee who benefits, in any way, from a State contract with a business in which the employee has a financial interest shall report such benefit to the Director of the Department of Finance and Administration.
Pursuant to Arkansas Code Annotated §19-11-709, it shall be a breach of ethical standards for any former employee, unless the former employee’s last annual salary did not exceed $15,000 to engage in selling or attempting to sell commodities or services, including technical or professional consulting services, to the state for one (1) year following the date employment ceased.
Any employee or non-employee who knowingly violates any of the ethical standards described shall be guilty of a felony, and upon conviction, shall be fined in a sum not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or shall be imprisoned in a penitentiary for no less than one (1) or no more than five (5) years, or shall be fined and imprisoned as outlined above.
Expenditures of this type fall under Board Policy 260.1 for “Official Functions” designations and associated expenditures. Gifts to individuals are not allowed by Procurement Services, with the exception of “Promotional Items” as stated in OSP Promotional Items Policy and gifts in lieu of payment for services or awards that fall under one of the categories below:
- Research incentive
- Student award (i.e.: placed 1st, 2nd, 3rd, in Poetry contest)
- Drawing at an Athletic or Student Event (i.e., drawing a seat or ticket number)
Gifts to employees are not allowed. In most instances, employees will not qualify for a gift card, unless the employee has been picked as part of a research incentive or random drawing event such as an athletic event. If that is the case, the employee will be taxed on the gift card value through Payroll.
Employees who qualify for a gift card will be taxed through Payroll regardless of the dollar amount, other recipients will receive a 1099-MISC form IF the total amount of payments for the individual reaches a dollar amount of $600. If the total dollar amount a non-employee receives is less than $600, it is the responsibility of the individual to report these earnings.
The following items may be purchased with state-appropriated funds (OSP State Procurement memorandum):
- Plaques for student achievements.
- Plaques for board or commission members upon the termination of service on a board or commission.
- Promotional items specifically authorized by language in a state or federal grant.
- Items purchased, the cost of which is reimbursed by students.
Gift Cards
Gift cards, shopping cards, and gift certificates are considered cash equivalents, therefore it is important that organizational units handle and account for these cards appropriately. Prior to purchase, written approval must be obtained from the Director of Finance. Requests for approval to purchase gift cards, shopping cards, gift certificates, etc., should include:
- Number of cards or certificates needed
- Amount of the cards or certificates
- Their purpose and the event associated with the purchase (if applicable)
- Who will be receiving the cards or certificates (faculty, staff, students, etc.)
- Method of procurement (requisition or P-Card)
Requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and evaluated on the appropriateness of the request in support of the university/departmental mission.
NOTE: Personal reimbursements are NOT allowable methods of purchase for gift cards, shopping cards, gift certificates, etc. Reimbursement is not guaranteed for such purchases unless an exception was made by the Director of Finance.
Upon approval, departments should enter a requisition in Workday, if using that method of procurement. The written approval and completed Gift Card Disbursement Form should be attached as supporting documentation.
If a P-Card is being used, then an itemized receipt for all gift cards/shopping cards/gift certificates must be attached to the corresponding transaction in Workday.
The recipient’s acknowledgment of the gift card receipt (signature, e-signature, email, etc.) should be attached as additional supporting documentation. The memo must include the recipient’s name, the title of the event, and the date of gift card relinquishment and amount of the gift card. When gift cards are given as an award a copy of the award roster should be attached as additional supporting documentation.
A copy of all documentation should be retained in the department or by the cardholder and forwarded to the Finance Department within 5 business days after the event.
The SInvR process is the exception, not the rule, and should be limited to only those transactions where there is no other means of purchasing available. If you are unsure if your spend fits this process, contact the Finance Department.
- Departments should plan ahead on spend to ensure the correct method of procurement is being used.
- Think it through, just because the process is available does not confirm compliance or best practice, and there may be implications for ASMSA.
- Lack of planning does not justify a SInvR transaction.
- All spend must be in compliance with State of Arkansas procurement/bidding laws and policy:
- All purchases, regardless of the source of funds, are subject to regulations and procedures as stipulated in Arkansas statutes.
- The finance department is the sole purchasing authority for the university.
- Only purchases authorized by this authority are legal obligations of the university.
- Purchases completed by this method may subject the university to unnecessary liabilities and risks.
- When spend is not tied to a purchase order or contract the university terms and conditions may not prevail.
- SInvR spend may expose ASMSA to fraudulent purchases.
- Continued inappropriate purchases may result in disciplinary action.
The SInvR process should only be used if an invoice has been issued and all work is completed and/or all items have been received. If any portion of the invoice is to remain due or any portion of the services/good is not complete/received, you will need to complete a requisition. DO NOT use the SInvR process for deposits.
- The initiator must complete the SInvR in Workday using the “Create Supplier Invoice Request” task. A quick reference guide can be located in here.
- All supporting documentation, including written approvals, justifications, and the invoice must be attached to the SInvR. If the documentation is missing the request may be sent back.
- Once the Supplier Invoice Request is submitted, it is routed for approval. The approver(s) will be determined by the selections made in the request.
- Reviewers and approvers should follow these guidelines to help streamline the process.
- Note that once the SInvR is submitted the worktags cannot be changed. Check all grants (grants may need to be opened) and worktags before submitting.
- A Supplier Invoice is created upon approval of the Supplier Invoice Request.
- The requester can view the completion status of the Supplier Invoice Request by searching and selecting ‘My Supplier Invoice Requests’ from the search bar.
Some circumstances may arise that call for the use of a SInvR. Please note that all Workday SInvRs must include an internal comment/justification and may be returned if omitted. Examples of those circumstances are:
- Direct payments which do not require a purchase order
- Copier overages
- Annual institutional membership fees
- Guest lecturers, performers, or speakers
- Aladdin payments
The SInvR process should not be used to circumvent State, Federal, UA System, or University policies.
- Repeated regular purchases should not be completed on SInvR.
- Examples: monthly subscription fee, pest control service, Data plan
- Goods or commodities should not be purchased without written prior approval from the Finance Department.
It is the policy of the State of Arkansas to support equal opportunity as well as economic development in every sector. In accordance with the Minority and Women-Owned Business Economic Development Act, ASMSA shall support, to the fullest extent possible, the participation of companies owned and controlled by minority persons and women in state-funded and state-directed public construction programs and in the purchase of goods and services to meet an annual goal of fifteen percent (15%) of the total expended:
- Ten percent (10%) for minority business enterprises with two percent (2%) allocated for service-disabled veteran-owned minority business enterprises, and eight percent (8%) for all other minority business enterprises, and five percent (5%) for women-owned business enterprises
Pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 19-11-229, 19-11-230, and 22-9-203 the State of Arkansas encourages all small, minority, and women-owned business enterprises to submit competitive sealed bids and proposals for university projects, including capital improvement projects. Encouragement is also made to all general contractors that subcontract portions of their work as consideration is given to the identified groups.
All employees of the school are encouraged to assist in this very important program by utilizing the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) Minority and Women-Owned Business Directory to research businesses by name, description, etc. and to help facilitate your bid requests (including competitive quote bids). If you are aware of any minority firms that can provide goods or services to the university, please contact Procurement Services.
NOTE: Purchases of up to $40,000 can be made without competitive solicitation if using an AEDC certified minority business or AEDC certified women-owned business enterprise.
Minority-Owned Business is defined by Arkansas Code Annotated § 15-4-303 as a business that is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned by one (1) or more minority persons who are lawful permanent residents of the State of Arkansas:
- African American
- Hispanic American
- American Indian
- Pacific Islander American
- Asian American
- A Service-Disabled Veteran as designated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Women-Owned Business is defined by Act 1080 of the 91st General Assembly Regular Session 2017 as a business that is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned by one (1) or more women who are lawful permanent residents of the State of Arkansas.
AEDC Business Certification Process
The AEDC conducts a certification process for minority-owned and women-owned businesses. If certified, the Prospective Contractor’s Certification Number should be included with quotes or on the bid signature page.
The AEDC encourages the employment of small business and minority business enterprises pursuant to the provisions of Part 19 of the Federal Acquisition Regulations.
Office Depot is ASMSA’s preferred source for office supplies. Office Depot is in Workday as a punchout contract that streamlines the purchasing process. Punchouts also allow you, as requisitioners, to obtain better pricing and other benefits established through agreements with Staples and Office Depot.
When placing your order from these or other suppliers, please note the following restricted items:
- Office paper (contact Procurement Services with exception requests)
- Computers and wireless devices
- Software from Adobe, Computer Associates, Corel, IBM, McAfee, Microsoft, Oracle, Symantec, and Trend Micro
- Envelopes
- All printing
- Drinks (i.e. water, coffee) and food purchases
- Mandatory state contract items
- Taggable fixed assets
Events that fit one or more of the categories listed below fall within the Official Functions designation as outlined in Board Policy 260.1:
- Meetings of institutional departments, committees, and advisory groups
- Official faculty and staff functions
- Student functions
- Official Board functions
- Miscellaneous functions in support of the University’s mission not obviously fitting one of these categories
When asking for reimbursement for meals that fall under the Official Function Policy 260.1, an itemized meal receipt is always required. Any gratuity, regardless of the description, shall not exceed 20% of the total bill without authorization and approval by the Director or Director of Finance. When requesting approval for an exception to the gratuity policy, the rationale for the increased amount must be included for consideration.
Special meeting forms are required for official functions.
If you need to take the P-Card to a store for a purchase, your request should be initiated with a requisition. Please put in the internal memo that you are requesting to use the P-Card in store along with any other details that may be useful to our office (i.e. date/time you would like to take use the card). Once your requisition is approved by all approvers, the finance department will contact you to let you know that your request is approved. If you have an urgent need to use the p-card please put in your requisition and then contact the finance department (Alicia - 5112) for assistance in expediting the availability of the card.
ASMSA employees are prohibited from taking advantage of the university’s procurement process (Purchase Order, P-Card, reimbursement, or charging of any kind to university accounts) to procure goods or services for personal use or consumption. In addition, under no circumstances should ASMSA’s Tax I.D. number be used to set up an account for personal purchases.
Items falling in this category include, but are not limited to:
- Aspirin, etc. for general day-to-day use
- Candy
- Coffee makers and supplies
- Coffee service
- Cooking appliances
- Microwaves
- Flowers (except for official university functions)
- Refrigerator Units
- Supplies and food for office parties or non-student break areas
Under state law 19-4-1206, no payment should be made for goods or services prior to receipt of the goods or performance of the service.
A punchout is a contract that has been integrated into Workday and allows you to “punchout” of Workday to the supplier’s website, create your order, then pull that information to your requisition.
- The punchout automatically issues the purchase order to the supplier once the requisition has been fully approved.
- An order-from connection should not be used on punchout requisitions. This will remove the integration and the order will not process.
Available Workday Punchout Contracts
Office Depot/Office Max: Office Equipment and Supplies
American Paper and Twine (Mandatory State Contract): Bathroom Tissue, Facial Tissue, Paper Towels
*Other punchouts are available in Workday, but are not necessarily set up for use by ASMSA please contact the finance department if the company you are interested in using is not listed here but is found on Workday.
All types of purchases from ASMSA accounts are subject to regulations and procedures as stipulated in Arkansas statutes. The finance department is the sole purchasing authority for ASMSA. Purchases not authorized by this authority are not legal obligations of ASMSA. Any individual making a purchase without proper authority first being given is assuming a personal obligation to the supplier for which he/she may be held personally liable.
Any purchase for goods or services made without adhering to state procurement laws and regulations is an illegal purchase. When it is apparent that something was procured incorrectly the buyer will request a justification memo explaining why the purchase was made, what happened, and how it will be prevented in the future. Once the request is submitted to the finance department it will be reviewed and approved, if and only if, it meets the following two criteria:
- The person that completed the purchase did not act fraudulently or in bad faith, and
- Doing so is in the best interest of ASMSA.
If the request is approved the purchase will be ratified and affirmed allowing payment of invoices. If the request is not approved the person responsible for the purchase will be held accountable for payment.
State law requires that all procurement records, including purchase orders, contracts, and all backup documentation be kept on file for a minimum of five years. Files for all purchase orders and contracts executed and administered by the Finance Department will be maintained by the Finance Department for the required period.
ASMSA Finance
One role of finance department is to provide administrative support to the campus for authorizing the purchase of goods and services in accordance with the State of Arkansas Procurement Law and Procedures (Arkansas Code of 1987, Title 19, Chapter 11). Our main objective is to offer the highest level of customer service to the campus community and to support the educational mission of ASMSA while maintaining compliance at all times with state and federal laws, university policies, and ethical guidelines.
To achieve this, the finance department is charged with the responsibility for the following:
- Authorize procurement of goods and services needed for official business or are necessary for the efficient maintenance and operation of ASMSA
- Assist requestors with supplier selection and methods of solicitation for obtaining best prices
- Creating, evaluating, and processing competitive quote and formal bids
- Provide purchasing support concerning requisitions, purchase orders, and payments to suppliers
- Ensure compliance with all purchasing laws, policies, and regulations of the State of Arkansas and the UA System
- Administer the P-Card program and provide P-Card training
- Administer travel programs and procedures and provide travel training
End-User Departments
To attain compliance with these procurement procedures it is essential that there exists a high degree of cooperation between end-user departments and the finance department. The following are cited as representative of the types of responsibilities of end-user departments to assure the most efficient service from procurement services:
- Anticipate requirements for goods and services and to communicate such requirements to finance far enough in advance to allow for appropriate procurement methods and processes to be completed.
- Seasonal constraints must also be considered when applicable.
- Provide accurate and complete information for purchasing requests.
- Inform finance of unusual projects, scheduled maintenance, etc. that will require assistance from finance staff members.
ASMSA is not exempt from paying sales or use tax except on those items that are specifically exempt by law. If an out-of-state supplier is not set up to collect Arkansas sales tax, this amount will be accrued and remitted to the State of Arkansas, Department of Finance & Administration.
Any contracts, lease agreements, maintenance agreements, and other purchasing documents are secondary to a purchase order and may only be signed by the Director or Director of Finance. No other individual may sign on behalf of ASMSA.
Regardless of dollar value, university property may not be traded, sold, salvaged, destroyed, transferred to other state agencies, or cannibalized without the prior approval of Marketing & Redistribution (M&R).
Please contact the Finance Department for assistance with property disposals.
Requests for a donation of surplus property must receive the permission of the Office of State Procurement.
The end of a fiscal year (FY) is on June 30 of each year, thus the expenditure of funds for each fiscal year must be made on or before this date. In addition, the items or services must have been received on or before this date to be eligible for payment out of the current fiscal year funds.
Notifications are sent out each year, reminding employees of deadlines for purchase requisitions and P-Card purchases. These deadlines involve cutting off spending by a particular date in order to ensure proper fiscal year processing and receipt of goods.
Planning ahead by all areas is essential in order for Procurement Services to meet departmental requirements.
Reimbursements to employees are for expenses that were paid by the employee using personal funds but are the legal obligation or property of ASMSA. An expense report in Workday is required for any reimbursement to be processed. All reimbursements must include the following:
- Valid receipt(s) from the purchase(s) – attachment
- Details on why the purchase was made/needed – justification section
- How the purchase benefits ASMSA and/or the State of Arkansas – justification section
When an employee purchases memberships (see policy below), licensures, or professional development courses, webinars, etc. a justification must be submitted that addresses 1) how the purchase benefits the university and 2) why the purchase is needed.
Justifications may be submitted as either an attachment or in the memo section of the expense report.
Payment of Dues for Membership in Professional Organizations Policy
Memberships in an organization where ASMSA is listed as the member or where the ASMSA designates an institutional representative in an organization may be paid from appropriated funds. Appropriated funds may not normally be used to pay individual membership dues, assessments, or any other levy in professional organizations, honorary societies, civic clubs, or other organizations where the membership is in the name of an individual. However, individual membership fees can be considered for payment in cases when ASMSA will clearly benefit from the membership, and one or more of the following criteria prevail:
- the organization does not offer an institutional membership;
- the individual membership fee is less than the institutional membership fee;
- individual license fees are necessary to meet or maintain a specific job description requirement; or
- individual memberships are required to achieve other benefit(s) desired by ASMSA.
A letter of justification from the supervisor of the individual requesting the membership(s) should accompany the purchase requisition defining the benefit to be achieved by ASMSA from the membership(s) and which of the above criteria are relevant to this purchase request. All memberships are subject to availability of funds and administrative approval.
Reimbursement for non-travel related meals is allowable. The following are examples of situations which warrant a reimbursement:
- Meal was part of an official function
- Meal was for a student trip
- Meal was purchased as a substitute for a meal provided at a university business conference or meeting where a meal was provided that an employee or student cannot eat for medical or religious reasons, or due to a conflict of interest
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of examples. There may be certain situations outside of the scopes defined above that can be reimbursed. Please contact our office if your situation is unique and you’re not sure if the purchase is reimbursable.
A special meeting form should be attached to expense reports for meal reimbursements.
Important notes:
- ASMSA, other state agency employees (includes state-affiliated colleges and universities) must adhere to the federal per diem rate established by the U.S. General Services Administration.
- Per diem includes the meal, tax, and up to a 15% tip.
Some reimbursements require that a special meeting form be attached to the expense report. The sections below provide information on different situations that require a special meeting form. Please note that there will be some situations that do not fit into any of the categories below.
Memberships in an organization where ASMSA is listed as the member or where the ASMSA designates an institutional representative in an organization may be paid from appropriated funds. Appropriated funds may not normally be used to pay individual membership dues, assessments, or any other levy in professional organizations, honorary societies, civic clubs, or other organizations where the membership is in the name of an individual. However, individual membership fees can be considered for payment in cases when ASMSA will clearly benefit from the membership, and one or more of the following criteria prevail:
- the organization does not offer an institutional membership;
- the individual membership fee is less than the institutional membership fee;
- individual license fees are necessary to meet or maintain a specific job description requirement; or
- individual memberships are required to achieve other benefit(s) desired by ASMSA.
A letter of justification from the supervisor of the individual requesting the membership(s) should accompany the purchase requisition defining the benefit to be achieved by ASMSA from the membership(s) and which of the above criteria are relevant to this purchase request. All memberships are subject to availability of funds and administrative approval.
It is the policy of the State of Arkansas to support equal opportunity as well as economic development in every sector. In accordance with the Minority and Women-Owned Business Economic Development Act, ASMSA shall support, to the fullest extent possible, the participation of companies owned and controlled by minority persons and women in state-funded and state-directed public construction programs and in the purchase of goods and services to meet an annual goal of fifteen percent (15%) of the total expended:
- Ten percent (10%) for minority business enterprises with two percent (2%) allocated for service-disabled veteran-owned minority business enterprises, and eight percent (8%) for all other minority business enterprises, and five percent (5%) for women-owned business enterprises
Pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 19-11-229, 19-11-230, and 22-9-203 the State of Arkansas encourages all small, minority, and women-owned business enterprises to submit competitive sealed bids and proposals for university projects, including capital improvement projects. Encouragement is also made to all general contractors that subcontract portions of their work as consideration is given to the identified groups.
All employees of the university are encouraged to assist in this very important program by utilizing the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) Minority and Women-Owned Business Directory to research businesses by name, description, etc. and to help facilitate your bid requests (including competitive quote bids). If you are aware of any minority firms that can provide goods or services to the university, please contact Procurement Services.
NOTE: Purchases of up to $40,000 can be made without competitive solicitation if using an AEDC certified minority business or AEDC certified women-owned business enterprise.
Minority-Owned Business is defined by Arkansas Code Annotated § 15-4-303 as a business that is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned by one (1) or more minority persons who are lawful permanent residents of the State of Arkansas:
- African American
- Hispanic American
- American Indian
- Pacific Islander American
- Asian American
- A Service-Disabled Veteran as designated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Women-Owned Business is defined by Act 1080 of the 91st General Assembly Regular Session 2017 as a business that is at least fifty-one percent (51%) owned by one (1) or more women who are lawful permanent residents of the State of Arkansas.
AEDC Business Certification Process
The AEDC conducts a certification process for minority-owned and women-owned businesses. If certified, the Prospective Contractor’s Certification Number should be included with quotes or on the bid signature page.
The AEDC encourages the employment of small business and minority business enterprises pursuant to the provisions of Part 19 of the Federal Acquisition Regulations.
Staples is ASMSA’s preferred source for office supplies. Staples is in Workday as a punchout contract that streamlines the purchasing process. Punchouts also allow you, as requisitioners, to obtain better pricing and other benefits established through agreements with Staples and Office Depot.
When placing your order from these or other suppliers, please note the following restricted items:
- Office paper (contact the Finance Department with exception requests)
- Computers and wireless devices
- Software from Adobe, Computer Associates, Corel, IBM, McAfee, Microsoft, Oracle, Symantec, and Trend Micro
- Envelopes
- All printing
- Drinks (i.e. water, coffee) and food purchases
- Mandatory state contract items
- Taggable fixed assets
Events that fit one or more of the categories listed below fall within the Official Functions designation as outlined in Board Policy 260.1:
- Meetings of institutional departments, committees, and advisory groups
- Official faculty and staff functions
- Student functions
- Official Board functions
- Miscellaneous functions in support of the University’s mission not obviously fitting one of these categories
When asking for reimbursement for meals that fall under the Official Function Policy 260.1, an itemized meal receipt is always required. Any gratuity, regardless of the description, shall not exceed 20% of the total bill without authorization and approval by the Director or Director of Finance. When requesting approval for an exception to the gratuity policy, the rationale for the increased amount must be included for consideration.
Special meeting forms are required for official functions.
Use of Finance P-Card
If you need to take the P-Card to a store for a purchase, your request should be initiated with a requisition. Please put in the internal memo that you are requesting to use the P-Card in store along with any other details that may be useful to our office (i.e. date/time you would like to use the card). Once your requisition is approved by all approvers, the finance department will contact you to let you know that your request is approved. If you have an urgent need to use the p-card please put in your requisition and then contact the finance department for assistance in expediting the availability of the card.
In addition to using the P-Card in store, some Purchase Orders may be paid for with the central P-Card. The determination of if it is appropriate to use a P-Card online will be made by the Director of Finance or Assistant Director of Finance.
P-Cards held by employees
Employee-held P-Cards are the responsibility of the employee who is the account holder. Employees should not allow anyone to utilize their P-Card as the employee who is issued the card is personally liable for all unallowable charges.
Charges on employee-held P-Cards should be verified in Workday by the employee within 5 business days of the charge. Charges are loaded in Workday by integration daily. Itemized receipts MUST be attached to the P-Card verification. If charges do not appear in Workday within 5 business days of the purchase please contact the Assistant Director of Finance for assistance.
ASMSA employees are prohibited from taking advantage of the school’s procurement process (Purchase Order, P-Card, reimbursement, or charging of any kind to university accounts) to procure goods or services for personal use or consumption. In addition, under no circumstances should ASMSA’s Tax I.D. number be used to set up an account for personal purchases.
Items falling in this category include, but are not limited to:
- Aspirin, etc. for general day-to-day use
- Candy
- Coffee makers and supplies
- Coffee service
- Cooking appliances
- Microwaves
- Flowers (except for official university functions)
- Refrigerator Units
- Supplies and food for office parties or non-student break areas
Under state law 19-4-1206, no payment should be made for goods or services prior to receipt of the goods or performance of the service.
A punchout is a contract that has been integrated into Workday and allows you to “punchout” of Workday to the supplier’s website, create your order, then pull that information to your requisition.
- The punchout automatically issues the purchase order to the supplier once the requisition has been fully approved.
- An order-from connection should not be used on punchout requisitions. This will remove the integration and the order will not process.
Available Workday Punchout Contracts
Staples
- American Paper & Twine
- Amazon Business
*Other punchouts are available in Workday, but are not necessarily set up for use by ASMSA. Please contact the finance department if the company you are interested in using is not listed here but is found on Workday.
All types of purchases from ASMSA accounts are subject to regulations and procedures as stipulated in Arkansas statutes. The finance department is the sole purchasing authority for ASMSA. Purchases not authorized by this authority are not legal obligations of ASMSA. Any individual making a purchase without proper authority first being given is assuming a personal obligation to the supplier for which he/she may be held personally liable.
Any purchase for goods or services made without adhering to state procurement laws and regulations is an illegal purchase. When it is apparent that something was procured incorrectly the buyer will request a justification memo explaining why the purchase was made, what happened, and how it will be prevented in the future. Once the request is submitted to the finance department it will be reviewed and approved, if and only if, it meets the following two criteria:
- The person who completed the purchase did not act fraudulently or in bad faith, and
- Doing so is in the best interest of ASMSA.
If the request is approved the purchase will be ratified and affirmed allowing payment of invoices. If the request is not approved the person responsible for the purchase will be held accountable for payment.
Ratifications will be performed by the APO at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
State law requires that all procurement records, including purchase orders, contracts, and all backup documentation be kept on file for a minimum of five years. Files for all purchase orders and contracts executed and administered by the finance department will be maintained by the finance department for the required period.
ASMSA Finance
One role of the finance department is to provide administrative support to the campus for authorizing the purchase of goods and services in accordance with the State of Arkansas Procurement Law and Procedures (Arkansas Code of 1987, Title 19, Chapter 11). Our main objective is to offer the highest level of customer service to the campus community and to support the educational mission of ASMSA while maintaining compliance at all times with state and federal laws, university policies, and ethical guidelines.
To achieve this, the finance department is charged with the responsibility for the following:
- Authorize procurement of goods and services needed for official business or are necessary for the efficient maintenance and operation of ASMSA
- Assist requestors with supplier selection and methods of solicitation for obtaining best prices
- Creating, evaluating, and processing competitive quote and formal bids
- Provide purchasing support concerning requisitions, purchase orders, and payments to suppliers
- Ensure compliance with all purchasing laws, policies, and regulations of the State of Arkansas and the UA System
- Administer the P-Card program and provide P-Card training
- Administer travel programs and procedures and provide travel training
End-User Departments
To attain compliance with these procurement procedures it is essential that there exists a high degree of cooperation between end-user departments and the finance department. The following are cited as representative of the types of responsibilities of end-user departments to assure the most efficient service from procurement services:
- Anticipate requirements for goods and services and to communicate such requirements to finance far enough in advance to allow for appropriate procurement methods and processes to be completed.
- Seasonal constraints must also be considered when applicable.
- Provide accurate and complete information for purchasing requests.
- Inform finance of unusual projects, scheduled maintenance, etc. that will require assistance from finance staff members.
ASMSA is not exempt from paying sales or use tax except on those items that are specifically exempt by law. If an out-of-state supplier is not set up to collect Arkansas sales tax, this amount will be accrued and remitted to the State of Arkansas, Department of Finance & Administration.
Any contracts, lease agreements, maintenance agreements, and other purchasing documents are secondary to a purchase order and may only be signed by the Director or Director of Finance. No other individual may sign on behalf of ASMSA.
The SInvR process is the exception, not the rule, and should be limited to only those transactions where there is no other means of purchasing available. If you are unsure if your spend fits this process, contact the Finance Department.
- Departments should plan ahead on spend to ensure the correct method of procurement is being used.
- Think it through, just because the process is available does not confirm compliance or best practice, and there may be implications for ASMSA.
- Lack of planning does not justify a SInvR transaction.
- All spend must be in compliance with State of Arkansas procurement/bidding laws and policy:
- All purchases, regardless of the source of funds, are subject to regulations and procedures as stipulated in Arkansas statutes.
- The finance department is the sole purchasing authority for the university.
- Only purchases authorized by this authority are legal obligations of the university.
- Purchases completed by this method may subject the university to unnecessary liabilities and risks.
- When spend is not tied to a purchase order or contract the university terms and conditions may not prevail.
- SInvR spend may expose ASMSA to fraudulent purchases.
- Continued inappropriate purchases may result in disciplinary action.
The SINVR process should only be used if an invoice has been issued and all work is completed and/or all items have been received. If any portion of the invoice is to remain due or any portion of the services/good is not complete/received, you will need to complete a requisition. DO NOT use the SInvR process for deposits.
- The initiator must complete the SInvR in Workday using the “Create Supplier Invoice Request” task. A quick reference guide can be located in here.
- All supporting documentation, including written approvals, justifications, and the invoice must be attached to the SInvR. If the documentation is missing the request may be sent back.
- Once the Supplier Invoice Request is submitted, it is routed for approval. The approver(s) will be determined by the selections made in the request.
- A Supplier Invoice is created upon approval of the Supplier Invoice Request.
- The requester can view the completion status of the Supplier Invoice Request by searching and selecting ‘My Supplier Invoice Requests’ from the search bar.
Some circumstances may arise that call for the use of a SInvR. Please note that all Workday SInvRs must include an internal comment/justification and may be returned if omitted. Times when an SINVR is the best method of payment:
- Non-travel related registration (i.e. All-State music registration)
The SINVR process should not be used to circumvent State, Federal, UA System, or ASMSA policies.
- Repeated regular purchases should not be completed on SInvR.
- Examples: monthly subscription fee, pest control service, Data plan
- Goods or commodities should not be purchased without written prior approval from the Finance Department.
Regardless of dollar value, university property may not be traded, sold, salvaged, destroyed, transferred to other state agencies, or cannibalized without the prior approval of Marketing & Redistribution (M&R).
Please contact the finance department for assistance with property disposals.
Requests for a donation of surplus property must receive the permission of the Office of State Procurement.
The end of a fiscal year (FY) is on June 30th of each year, thus the expenditure of funds for each fiscal year must be made on or before this date. In addition, the items or services must have been received on or before this date to be eligible for payment out of the current fiscal year funds.
Notifications are sent out each year, reminding employees of deadlines for purchase requisitions and P-Card purchases. These deadlines involve cutting off spending by a particular date in order to ensure proper fiscal year processing and receipt of goods.
Planning ahead by all areas is essential in order for Finance to meet departmental requirements.