APPENDIX A CREDIT CARD PROCEDURES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, BUREAU OF REHABILITATION SERVICES The Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, in the Department of Social Services, provides a wide array of purchased goods and services to individuals eligible for the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program. All purchases are based on the content of an individualized Employment Plan which is developed jointly by the eligible consumer and a staff vocational rehabilitation counselor. All of the goods and services provided under an Employment Plan are for the purpose of assisting the eligible consumer to enter or maintain employment. The following procedures describe how the state's purchasing card program will be piloted in the Bureau's Norwich District. We hope to demonstrate through the pilot that card purchasing can enhance consumer choice and improve customer service and timeliness in the procurement of certain goods. For the purposes of this pilot, the following are examples of goods that may be purchased with the card: ? Work apparel, uniforms, footwear ? Books, equipment, and supplies related to preparing for or entering employment ? Furnishings (for home-based and self employment) ? Assistive technology devices Procedures: 1. Authority to purchase the designated goods rests with either a Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor or with the Vocational Rehabilitation Supervisor. 2. When authorized counselors or the supervisor wish to recommend a credit card purchase, they will provide a card holder with an "RS-15 Worksheet," specifying the goods to be purchased, the preferred vendor (if appropriate), and pertinent information about delivery or any other special considerations. The signature of the authorized counselor or supervisor will signify to the card holder that the purchase is approved. The card holders will determine which purchase requests fall within the parameters of this program and proceed accordingly. 3. Designated cardholders will be Joseph Kane, District Director, and Nancy Normandin, the district Financial Administrative Assistant. 4. The cardholder will contact a vendor to place the order in conformance with the Cardholder Work Rules in Section 7 of the State Purchasing Card manual. Cardholder will state that the order is tax exempt (the Purchasing Card is pre-printed with the Department's tax exempt number). Cardholder will enter purchasing information on the purchasing log (CO501). 5. Cardholders will arrange delivery terms with vendor. In most cases the consumer will go to the vendor and pick up the goods. In rare cases, other delivery arrangements will be made. 6. Vendor will be requested to mail or fax the sales invoice, with the consumer's signature attesting to receipt, to the cardholder. Other acceptable arrangements will be for the consumer to deliver, fax, or mail a signed copy of the sales receipt to his/her counselor or the cardholder. 7. Upon receipt of documentation from the vendor or the consumer, the cardholder will verify that the goods are what was ordered, and that the consumer received them. Card holder will sign the documentation (packing slip, receipt, invoice) and file in the purchasing log envelope, attesting that the goods described are what was ordered and that the consumer has verified receipt by his/her signature. In the case of an error the cardholder will contact the supplier immediately and resolve the discrepancy. 8. District FAA will enter all card purchases (from each cardholder) on the Bureau's Integrated Client Information System (ICIS). This is a stand alone automated client data and fiscal system that will allow the Bureau to track expenditures by consumer and to have the necessary data to file required federal reports. Card purchases will be entered as commitments and payments simultaneously. (Any unresolved disputes that result in a void or a credit can be reconciled in ICIS as they occur). A designated code will be assigned and placed in the "batch number" space on the payment screen to distinguish it as a credit card purchase and to prevent duplicate payments. Vendors who elect to only do business via credit card will be designated as "Vendor Approved - N (no)" on the vendor entry screen. This will allow the Bureau to track credit card purchases by vendor and prevent other sources in the Bureau from issuing traditional authorizations to those vendors. 9. Agency coordinator may refer to the Internet site PVS Net to review agency transactions to assist in tracking, validating, and reconciling agency accounts. Agency Coordinator will provide a transaction report from PVS Net to each cardholder monthly or as needed by cardholder. 10. By the end of each month each cardholder will receive a monthly statement (direct from FNBC). 11. The cardholder will then compare each charge listed against the documentation on file in their Purchase Log Sheet envelope. If all entries agree, the original statement will be signed by the cardholder and inserted into the Purchase Log Sheet. The Purchase Log Sheet will be completed, signed by the cardholder, and will be sent (along with all original documentation inside) to Debbie McMullin, the department's purchasing card coordinator, in time for her to process the monthly payment without accrual of interest charges. The district office will retain copies of all logs and documentation. Payments from the two Bureau of Rehabilitation Services cards should be paid from either SID 601 or 947. Any entry that does not match will be noted in the "DISPUTED ITEM" column of the Purchase Log Sheet. A written statement describing the dispute will be submitted with the completed Purchase Log Sheet. This discrepancy will be addressed by the agency coordinator and an administrator from FNBC, and the charge in question will be credited to the account during the investigation. The cardholder will be notified of the result of the dispute and if the investigation is not resolved in the cardholder favor, the account will be charged for the disputed item. 12. If there is no activity during the billing cycle the Purchasing Card Coordinator will require a signed statement to that effect by the cardholder. USE OF STATE CONTRACTS The use of the Purchasing Card does not relieve the cardholder of the responsibility of using State Contracts. It is expected that the first choice for any procurement will continue to be State contracts. Most vendors who are awarded State Contracts will honor the Purchasing Cards as well as state purchase orders. Non-contract purchases will be allowed only when the use of a State Contract is not practical for each situation. CREDIT CARD LIMITS ? $3,000 per month per card ? 20 transactions per month per card ? 5 transactions per day per card ? single transaction purchase limit not to exceed $1,000