University Procurement System

Doing Business with University of Arkansas e-Business Partners

HOTZ HALL
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Revised August 14, 2007

What and Who are e-Business Partners?
e-Business Partnership with Staples

e-Business Partnership with VWR International

e-Business Partnership with U.S. Bank (Procurement Card)

University of Arkansas Procurement Card Employee Agreement

Form for Lost/Unobtainable Procurement Card Receipt

Procurement Card Transaction Log

Cardholder Dispute Form

Cardholder Delegation Form



Information Regarding e-Business Partnership with UMB (Travel Card)



University of Arkansas Travel Card Employee Agreement

Form for Lost/Unobtainable Travel Card Receipt

Travel Card Transaction Log

TCard Cardholder Dispute Form

TCard Cardholder Delegation Form



Processes: How-To for Departmental Users
Processes: How-To for Office of Business Affairs
Command Reference: Online Functions

What and Who are e-Business Partners?

e-Business Partners are vendors with which the University of Arkansas has established a relationship which allows pre-approved University of Arkansas employees (at least an active wage rate) the ability to purchase goods via a Procurement Card or other form of purchaser identification defined by the e-Business Partner.

As purchases are made, the charges for purchases made by individuals will be electronically transmitted. Once charges have been downloaded to the BASIS system, departments will have the ability to approve the charges along with redistributing the cost to other 'pre-defined' cost centers as desired. Disputed charges may be identified as such, but regardless, payment will still be made to the e-Business Partner. If credits are not received in current billing cycle, they will be received in the following cycle.

Currently the following vendors have been identified as potential e-Business Partners. Please Note: Although these vendors have been identified, each vendor will have a specific timeframe in which they will become available for use. The Office of Business Affairs will notify the campus as each e-Business Partner is available for use.

Overall Program Administration

The responsibility for the administration of the Procurement Authorization process will take place in Business Affairs. There are individuals within Business Affairs designated as 'administrators' for the various eBusiness Partners. For example: An individual within this office has been assigned to serve as the Procurement Card Administrator for the PCard. Another individual has been assigned as 'administrator' for Staples. Administrators will post-audit purchases made with e-Business Partners. In addition, Business Affairs will select a monthly random sample for futher review.

Marla Misamore, Staples Administrator
Ph: 479/575-5088 email address: mmisamo@uark.edu

Connie Oberg, Procurement Card and VWR International Administrator
Ph: 479/575-6279 email address: coberg@uark.edu

Carol Wade, Travel Card Administrator
Ph: 479/575-7951 email address: cawade@uark.edu


How do I Obtain Authorization to Make Purchases with an e-Business Partner?

The Procurement Authorization function - PA is the TARGET transaction facility for requesting, approving, and establishing authority for University of Arkansas employees (anyone with an active wage rate) to make purchases on behalf of the university with certain vendors who have a special relationship with the university, known as an e-Business partnership.

A separate effective dated Authorization is required for each individual for each e-Business Partner. Data related to that Authorization is maintained through this function and through the Procurement Authorization Preapproved Cost center function - PAPC.

After an Authorization has been approved, the individual will be assigned a unique indentification and will be sent an e-mail notification. Details related to required training and to receipt and activiation of cards, purchaser identification, and any associated passwords will vary depending upon the e-Business Partner. Although restricted by any limititations associated with a particular Authorization, the individual will be authorized to purchase goods and services from the specific vendor without the requirement of a purchase order number. Each e-Business Partner will electronically submit charges for purchases made.

It is also important to note that regardless of whether or not a department approves the charges the employee(s) have made, the invoice will be paid. Those charges that have not been approved, will be flagged as such and will be subject to audit review and possible suspension of privilege.

e-Business Partnership with Staples

The University of Arkansas has entered into an agreement with Staples to purchase Office Supplies via the web. Although it is not mandatory to purchase your office supplies through Staples, you are encouraged to use this process due to significant cost savings and convenience of ordering. Once your Procurement Authorization has been approved, within 24 hours you will receive a Procurement Identification number along with a password via e-mail notification.This identification number and password must be utilized in order to gain access to the Staples catalog utilizing U of A contract pricing.

The first time you enter the Stapleslink site you will be required to change your password.

The Office of Business Affairs will download charges made via StaplesLink each day for orders shipped the day before. Those charges will then be available for each dept. to approve. Although charges will be downloaded daily, the U of A will make one monthly payment to Staples for the total amount of charges made for a given month.

e-Business Partnership with VWR International

The University of Arkansas has entered into an agreement with VWR International to purchase scientific supplies and equipment via the web for those orders which have a unit price less than or equal to $2288.00 with a maximum of each order not to exceed $25,000. Items that have a unit price greater than this amount will be purchased via a U of A Purchase Order or by a phone order using a PCard.

If you find that you need to purchase more than 25,000 worth of supplies at one time please contact the Office of Business Affairs, if you want to purchase these supplies online.

Once your Procurement Authorization has been approved, within 24 to 48 hours you will receive a Procurement Identification number along with a password via e-mail notification. This identification number and password must be utilized in order to gain access to the VWR catalog utilizing U of A contract pricing.

The first time you enter the VWR.com site you should change your password.

The Office of Business Affairs will download charges made via VWR.com each day for orders shipped the day before. Those charges will then be available for each dept. to approve and distribute to appropriate cost centers. Although charges will be downloaded daily, the U of A will make one monthly payment to VWR for the total amount of charges made for a given month.


e-Business Partnership with U.S. Bank (Procurement Card)

The purpose of the State of Arkansas Procurement Card program is to establish a more efficient, cost effective alternative for departments to make supply type purchases. The procurement card should greatly reduce, if not eliminate, the need for blanket Purchase Orders, which are now being used.

Using the procurement card will be a benefit to the University, its suppliers, you, and your department. The University will save time and money by consolidating paperwork, suppliers will receive payment more quickly, and you and your department will get the supplies you need without unnecessary delays.

As a University employee, you are being entrusted and empowered with the ability to make small dollar purchases on behalf of your department. Along with this empowerment comes responsibility. Cardholders are expected to make sound business decisions in the best interest of the University and always comply with the polices and procedures as set forth in this User Manual. PERSONAL CHARGES ARE STRICTLY FORBIDDEN. The adherence to policy allows continued process savings, accountability, and auditability of purchases.



How Does the Procurement Card Work?

Procurement Cards are for business use only!

The Procurement Card is a special VISA credit card. It works similarly to your personal credit cards, except the charges are billed directly to the University and payment made by the University Business Office.

As purchases are made, cardholders should maintain a log of all transactions. This log should be kept along with all receipts and packing slips provided by suppliers. This information will prove helpful in keeping track of all purchases made using the Procurement Card. Should it be necessary to return any supplies or resolve billing disputes, this information is also needed to document University expenditures and also available for review by internal and external auditors.

More information related to retention of receipts may be found under What do I do with my Receipts?

The Procurement Card will display the cardholder's name along with the words: STATE OF ARKANSAS.

Improper use of the Procurement Card will result in consequences ranging from suspension of card to termination of employment and criminal prosecution.


Obtaining a Procurement Card

Any employee for which a Procurement Card is going to be requested must first complete an online Procurement Authorization within the BASIS system. Once this Procurement Authorization has been submitted and approved by the Cost Center managers for the default cost center entered via TARGET, information will be given to U.S. Bank to setup a cardholder account.

For a Step by Step of how to enter a Procurement Authorization please see How to Submit a Procurement Authorization

Prospective Cardholders MUST attend a training session and sign a Cardholder Agreement Form before receiving their Procurement Card.

Procurement Cards are not transferable. If someone's card use is discontiued, the Procurement Card MUST be sent to the 'administrator' of the Procurement Card program and the Procurement Authorization in BASIS must be cancelled.


Maximum Spending Limits on Procurement Cards

The following limits are the maximum amounts allowable for a Procurement Card. When the Procurement Authorization is requested, these amounts may be lowered, but not raised.


Cardholder Responsibilities

University Procurement Cardholders are responsible for:

  1. Attending training and signing Cardholder Agreement PRIOR to issuance of a Procurement Card
  2. Keeping their Procurement Card and Card Account Number confidential. The only person authorized to use a Procurement Card is the person to whom it is issued.
  3. ONLY USING THE PROCUREMENT CARD FOR UNIVERSITY BUSINESS
  4. Understanding that intentional misuse or abuse of the Procurement Card will result in the immediate revocation of charging privileges and possible disciplinary and criminal prosecution.
  5. Not splitting transactions to avoid maximum per transaction dollar limits
  6. Obtaining receipts for each transaction and turning those receipts into the person in department responsible for approving the charges in the BASIS system.
  7. Reporting a lost or stolen Procurement Card immediately to the Procurement Card Administrator at 479-575-4158 and US Bank at 1-800-344-5696.
  8. Not accepting cash in lieu of a credit to the Purchasing Card account when returns are made.

Authorized Purchases

The employee whose name appears on the Procurement Card is authorized and responsible for all charges on the card. It is the responsibility of every Cardholder to safeguard their card and card number against use by unauthorized individuals within or outside of the University.

Cardholders are authorized to use the Procurement Card to purchase merchandise required as a function of their duties at the University. Under no circumstances may the Procurement Card be used for items of personal use or Non-University purposes.


Restricted Commodities

Your Procurement Card CANNOT be used for the purchase of the following items (check with PCard Administrator for updated list):