Centralization Commonly Asked Questions With Reponses
1. For credit cards like AT&T, Best Buy, Texas A&M Bookstore, Stores Card, Office Depot, Office
Max, Wal-Mart, etc. do we need to destroy the cards? Do we need to turn over any receipts or
other records associated with these cards?
All Purchases need to go through Procurement Services except food and travel expenses. There
should not be a need to have any of these charge accounts still active. I would keep the TAMU
Bookstore and Stores Card. Those could be used in special cases with prior approval. The
AT&T sounds like a calling card??? That is different and not included with this group, thus you
may keep it. That is a Telecomm issue. As an option, do a usage and cost analysis and consider
cell phone allowances for those who are using the AT&T card.
2. If we want to email a completed requisition form, do we send it to SOProcurement@tamu.edu?
Yes, or have a hard copy delivered to SOBA.
3. What about the purchase of meals for working lunches during on-site project-related day
meetings (e.g., will I still order, do I have to send you a form, etc.)?
The purchase of food for small meetings or conferences will be handled the same as in the past.
You will order as normal unless the order or event you are planning is expected to exceed
$5,000, then we need to be involved. However, if at anytime during the process of planning an
event, the vendor (restaurant, caterer, hotel, etc.) requests that a contract be
completed/signed/executed, etc. you will need to contact SOBA Procurement Services for
assistance.
4. How do we handle advertising for Competitive Sealed Proposals or employment opportunities in
newspapers?
Advertising is classified as an “Exempt” purchase. Therefore, you may make those orders.
AFTER you have placed the order, send the information for the order on the Requisition Form
with any necessary documentation. Please note on the requisition that order has been placed.
Procurement Services will do an E-doc in FAMIS to encumber the cost. I realize that is after the
fact, but that will be our mechanism to get the funds encumbered.
5. Our department has several publication subscriptions. When these subscriptions need to be
renewed, would the purchase requisition form need to be completed?
The purchase of subscriptions will be handled the same as in the past. Documentation should be
submitted to SOBA as soon as possible in order to encumber the funds in FAMIS.
6. If I understand the instructions we will still make commercial air, vehicle, and hotel reservations.
Do I need to complete the form for these expenses when the invoice arrives or before?
Yes. We need information as soon as a reservation is made and prices are known. A document
will be entered in FAMIS to encumber the expenses.
7. If we are using TAMU services, such as Transportation Services or CIS, do we still need to
complete the purchase requisition form before obtaining these services?
No, purchase requisition forms do not need to be submitted prior to obtaining the services. Once
transitioned, and after you have placed the order, you should submit a requisition form along with
any documentation. Please note on the requisition that the order has already been placed.
SOBA Procurement Services will prepare an on-line purchasing document in FAMIS to encumber
the cost.
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8. When we run out of coffee or paper plates, someone in the department purchases those items
and is then reimbursed. Since personal reimbursements will now be limited to business meals,
how do we handle this? Can items such as coffee be requested on the purchase form?
The purchase of coffee and paper plates for departmental use will be handled the same as in the
past. Documentation should be submitted to SOBA as soon as possible in order to encumber the
funds in FAMIS.
9. When we purchase items like National Fire Protection Association life safety code manuals or
CD-ROMs, do I complete the same form as we do for offices supplies?
Yes.
10. The memo says your department has credit cards to use when items must be paid for in advance
(like most conference or seminar registration fees). How do we handle those situations since we
don’t have the card?
Use the Requisition Form and the long description block down at the bottom to enter the data and
if that is not enough room, send an e-mail to the soprocurement@tamu.edu with all the pertinent
info.
11. We also have questions about what to put in some of the blanks on the Purchase Requisition
Form, particularly about the not-to-exceed information. I would guess UOM stands for Unit of
Measure, but there’s also a space for quantity so I’m not sure what UOM we’d use?
UOM = Unit of Measure and Quantity = the # of units selected in UOM. So if you need 3 pens,
we need to know if you need 3 boxes, packages, each, etc. A drop down menu will give you all
the various UOM available.
12. What do we put in the fields in the upper left corner (Dept, acct number, object code)?
Dept = Department Code. A drop down menu will allow you to pick your dept’s code.
Acct. number is the account which will pay for the order.
Object code = the expense object code. There is a drop down menu of all the codes. We can
give you a listing of the most common codes and what they represent. For a complete list that
includes a description see http://www.tamus.edu/apps/objcodes/
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Revised: 9/11/2006