Employees

Credit Cards

Because purchases are made directly by the Cardholder and not by the Purchasing Department, certain added responsibilities come with the use of the Credit Card. It is incumbent on the Cardholder to insure that the District’s Purchasing Policies are being followed and that purchases are made within established Purchasing Procedures. Cardholders should use the following guidelines when making Procurement Card purchases:

1. Determine if the transaction is an acceptable use of the card and if it is within the cardholder’s spending limit.
2. Identify the supplier and call, fax, or visit the supplier to place your order. If order is by mail, specify cardholder name, District name, department name and shipping instructions. Also, specify the purchasing card number, expiration date and name as it appears on the card. Request that a hard copy of the pricing and freight be faxed to the cardholder and/or included in the shipment of supplies.
3. If a supplier requests a purchase order number, use a combination of initial and surname and phone number; e.g. John Britt, Honors, 6438 would be purchase order number “Jbritt6438-1”. Request that the supplier indicate your name and the words “P-Card” on all packing lists and box labels. This will enable the receiving department to facilitate delivery of your supplies.
4. Cardholders should attempt to make purchases from vendors that hold District-Wide Contracts whenever possible. A pre-approved list of these vendors will be posted on the Purchasing web site. Since the Purchasing Department has established these contracts through a formal bid process, no further competition is required on the part of the Cardholder.
5. Cardholders should be aware that not all District-Wide Contracts are available for Purchasing Card use. Some vendors will not accept Purchasing Card transactions. Purchases from these vendors must be made through the normal Purchase Order process. Cardholders should contact the Purchasing Department if there is a question as to the status of a District Contract or if the Cardholder needs assistance in identifying a District Contract vendor.
6. In the event a purchase is required and there is no District Contract available, Cardholders must follow the procurement steps listed below:
   1. If the total purchase amount is less than $1,000, the purchase can be made with any vendor within the approved vendor list. If your vendor is not listed, contact the Purchasing Department for possible addition or alternate sourcing.
   2. If the total purchase is between $1,000 and $2,500, the Cardholder is required to solicit quotes from at least three (3) vendors prior to making a purchase. The quotes must accompany the monthly Cardholder Account Statement along with the original receipt(s) and affidavit.
   3. When multiple vendors are available, each vendor should be provided with the same specifications and alerted that the purchase will be made using a Procurement Card.
   4. The purchase should be make from the vendor offering the lowest price submitted in accordance with the specifications as issued by the Cardholder.
   5. The Cardholder should attach all quotes received and forward them to purchasing with their receipts.
   6. The Procurement Card use is prohibited for purchases greater than $10,000.00 unless the purchase is covered by a District Contract.
   7. When determining what sort of competitive process will be required for a purchase, it is important to remember that the aggregate college purchases of a particular category of related items (such as office or instructional supplies) must be submitted to formal bidding by the Purchasing Department when the aggregate purchase for the District will total $10,000 or more over a twelve month period. Only those purchases that fall within the delegated limit of the Cardholder are authorized for Purchasing Card use.
   8. Board Policy CH(L) states that “Persons making unauthorized purchases shall assume full responsibility for all such debts.” Further, the Texas Education Code provides for criminal penalties for persons who intentionally circumvent the purchasing contracts law by making split, separate, and sequential or component purchases.

If there is any question pertaining to Purchasing policies and/or procedures or if the Cardholder needs purchasing related assistance, the Cardholder should contact the Purchasing Department (281-425-6320), prior to the purchase.

These examples are for illustration only. Your department may have more specific guidelines for acceptable purchases.