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Procurement Card (PCard) Departmental Readiness Checklist

Use this checklist to make sure your department is ready to participate in the PCard program.

Factors Considerations

Commitment

Has your central business office approved participation and indicated commitment to following program guidelines? Does your supervisor, CAO, CFO, chair and/or dean approve?

Processes and controls

Does your department have processes and controls in place that will allow for:

  • Reviewing individual purchases for procurement policy compliance?
  • Prompt submission of receipts and packing slips by cardholder?
  • Timely reconciliation and submission by both cardholder and the cardholder's approver?
  • Verifying charges by reviewing transactions?
  • Proper record retention?
  • Consideration of any special funding conditions?

Training

Is your department willing to:

  • Invest time in learning a new process?
  • Reconcile PCard transactions on a biweekly basis through the Concur system?
  • Contact the PCard support team when questions arise?

Control features

Does your department understand that the PCard is a valuable tool for purchasing a broad range of products and services, but policy and best practices require certain controls? They include:

  • Transaction amounts limited by each individual department up to program limit maximums (including tax, freight and handling charges).
  • Built-in controls prohibiting restricted commodities.
  • No personal purchases.
  • Designated fund sources (not all fund sources are appropriate for use with the PCard).
  • A single cardholder—cards can only be assigned to a person, not to a department or unit. Cards may not be lent or shared. A cardholder can make purchases on behalf of other members of the department.
  • Use of the Procurement Card should not replace procuring items:
    • From contracted suppliers
      • Catalogs in BruinBuy
    • Sourcing Agreements, UC Systemwide Agreements, or Restricted Blanket Agreements;
    • Through orders placed by Campus Purchasing or Campus Services units.