APO Purchasing and Travel Procedures

• Vendors
• Purchase Requests (sample)
• Tax and NMSU
• Petty Cash (NMSU, SDSS, APO)
• NMSU Procurement Cards (sample)
• Purchases: $0 - $2499
• Purchases: Capital Equipment $1000 - $2499
• Purchases: $2500 and Over (sample)
  • Sole Source
  • Quotations
• Travel (sample)
• Reimbursement Vouchers (PDF)
• Direct Pay Request - non-APO personnel
• Receiving

APO operates using NMSU's Business Manual. NMSU will not reimburse an expense which does not follow procedures specified for NMSU.

Contact Gretchen Van Doren to determine if your vendor is on NMSU's electronic system.

If you want to add a vendor, contact Gretchen Van Doren.

For ALL methods of APO/SDSS purchasing processed through NMSU or ARC, i.e. petty cash, procurement card, or purchase orders, an e-mail approval must be generated. Approved purposes for purchases are: 3.5m, 2.5m, site, stock, etc. with a minimal explanation to include words like wash, clean, repair, maintain, etc.

Under $200, to Gretchen Van Doren
email to include only Purpose and scanned or electronic copy of a paid receipt

Over $200, the Site Operations Manager or designee
email to include Purpose, vendor name, item description, quantity, price, total

After approval, the order is placed according to information in the request.

If the order is for labor/work on site, you will need to place the order and arrange for the onsite work. Please coordinate site activities with the Site Operations Manager.

NMSU does not pay tax on any materials purchased through their system, including petty cash, procurement cards, or purchase orders.

Tax is paid on labor only

When making your purchase, please advise the vendor that you are associated with NMSU-Astronomy and that tax is not applied. If the vendor has a non-taxable certificate for any other NMSU department, the certificate is good for all departments -- in Alamogordo or Las Cruces.

If you pay tax, it will be reimbursed through SDSS and APO petty cash.

-- using APO/NMSU cashbox: Cash only with a receipt. Reimbursed up to $100 for any single receipt. Tax (except on labor) is not reimbursed. Meals cannot be purchased.

-- using SDSS check book: Check only with receipt(s). An individual can be reimbursed up to $3,000 on a single receipt. Tax reimbursed. Purchases over $50 require prior approval. Food will be reimbursed.

-- using APO check book: Check only with receipt(s). Prior approval for any purchase must be obtained from the Site Operations Manager.

Procurement cards are processed using an approved e-mail request.

PROCUREMENT CARDS CANNOT BE USED for purchases of capital equipment $1000 or greater; this requires a purchase order (see below)

Travel and meal expenses cannot be applied to this card.

If purchase is < $200: submit request to Gretchen Van Doren AFTER you have obtained an electronic paid receipt. In the body of the message include only the purpose for the purchase and a scanned copy of the paid receipt. You will receive an approved email at the end of every credit card cycle.

If the purchase is >$200: PRIOR TO PURCHASE submit request to Site Operations Manager that includes purpose, vendor name, contact, item description, quantity, price, and total price for the request. He will send approval back to you and purchase will proceed according to the requestors instructions. After the item is received, the email is forwarded to Gretchen Van Doren with a scanned copy of the paid receipt.

Upon request and department approval, NMSU issues VISA procurement cards to NMSU employees. Several APO staff have these cards. Purchases cannot exceed $2500 for any one purchase and $10,000 for any one billing cycle. With the cardholder's prior approval, purchases can be made by other individuals.

For complete information, read NMSU Procurement Card.

If a vendor requires a hard copy of a purchase order or your order exceeds petty cash or procurement card limits, please use this procedure:

- send an electronic purchase request for approval, the request will be forwarded, the order will be placed, and you will receive an e-mail confirmation with a copy of the purchase order.

Purchases: Capital Equipment $1000 or greater

Capital equipment stands alone and operates independently. Purchases of capital equipment $1000 and greater requires a purchase order. Please submit a purchase request through the Site Operations Manager and a written quote from the vendor. A purchase order will be faxed to the vendor.

Purchases: $2500 and over

All purchases $2500 and over require a purchase order.

Quotations: hard copies or e-mail, addressed to APO containing commodity, price, delivery date.

If you know the commodity and have chosen a vendor, provide 3- verbal/email quotes with purchase request. NMSU will process.

If you know the commodity and have not chosen a vendor, supply a purchase request, any quotes you may have received, and NMSU will process.

If the order is greater than $10,000, a bid process will be conducted by NMSU.

Sole Source: an NMSU form used when a specific vendor is required to acquire the commodity.

To specify a particular vendor for orders greater than $2500, complete a Sole Source Request: proposed vendor, product, description and estimated price, plus Statement Part 1 (A & B) and Part II (A only). Be sure to sign and date. Attach a quote from the vendor (on vendor's letterhead), and forward to Site Operations Manager or designee. Fax or e-mail quotes are acceptable.

ARC's policy is to reimburse APO/SDSS staff actual expenses for domestic or international travel. A travel request is required to be processed (just like a purchase request) with the following basic information:

• traveler's name
• purpose of travel
• dates of travel
• cost of airfare, lodging, meals
• cost of incidentals (tips, registration, etc)
• total cost of trip

Requests should be submitted for approval to the Site Operations Manager or designee prior to travel.

When traveling under actual expenses ALL receipts must be saved to be reimbursed. If traveling under per diem, no receipts need to be saved except an airline ticket or hotel lodging receipt (proof that you actually went).

Many international and domestic cities have NMSU-approved meal rates; using this rate does not require receipts. see Meal tables

Foreign travel requires pre-approval by ARC. Domestic travel is identified as within the boundaries of the United States. Contact Gretchen Van Doren for travel approvals and processes.

Mileage rates are .56/mile for business; .19/mile for relocation.

NMSU per diem can be paid on domestic or international travel when rates cover the estimated costs of the trip.

This NMSU form is used to reimburse travel expenses or other pre-approved expenses incurred by APO/NMSU staff only.

Complete form by hand and compute all your expenses. Attach signed receipts and turn in to Gretchen Van Doren. NMSU is no longer accepting handwritten copies and these must be typed.

You will receive the typed copy for your signature; when signed, place in Site Operations Manager's mailbox for approval. Make copies of your voucher and receipts; be sure your name is printed clearly on each signed receipt.

Foreign travel requires proof of currency exchange rate for dates of travel.

Direct pay requests are issued to cover fees and services for non-APO personnel, visitors, consultants, or technicians. These are to be handled solely through the Site Operations Manager. Please send an e-mail request with the same information as a purchase request.

Forms to be completed are: Direct Pay Setup, Direct Pay Voucher and examples and explanation on completing the voucher.

Please follow these easy steps when receiving your items:

• check your items for damage;
• if there is damage, contact the vendor directly and follow their procedures for exchange or return;
• if no damage is found, initial the packing slip, indicate complete, the date received, and put in Gretchen Van Doren's mailbox.

Log freight shipments received at APO in the log located in the Service area/Ops building (right drawer). Please notify people who receive packages to come and pickup.

Revised November 29, 2011