1.4 General P-Card Usage Guidelines

  • The P-Card that the cardholder receives has his/her name embossed on the front of the card and will only be used by the cardholder. No other person is authorized to use that card.  
     
  • The P-Card transaction limit is $2,500 including 7.25% sales tax, applicable freight and/or installation charges and not to exceed $15,000 total purchases per month.  A single unit cost of $1000.00 or more that is considered equipment is not allowed.  Equipment must have a reasonable 2-year life expectancy. (no expendables, service or supplies)  A purchase requisition and purchase order are required for all equipment purchases.  NOTE: GIFT CARDS -  CPCC departments are not allowed to use College funds to purchase retail gift cards/debit cards to distribute to employees.  IRS regulations consider gift cards/debit cards to be a cash equivalent with a requirement to be added to an employee’s W-2 earnings as taxable income. 
  • As of July 1, 2007 please use non-state funds to purchase "Give-Away" items.  These items must be purchased out of a NON-STATE budget.  Pens, mugs, flash drives, portfolios, IPOD...etc. cannot be purchased with State funds.  As of October 17, 2008 (*memo from Kennon Briggs, NCCCS) the only funds that can be used for these purchases are "Special Event Funds."
  • With the use of special events funds only (not state), the purchase of postage stamps, cards, flowers for illness and death, food, plants, lamps, decorative items, coffee and bottled water services, etc., which are not necessary for the operation of a department's function may be made using the P-Card as method of payment.  Postage stamps are not approved for general purchase; all mail items should be sent through CPCC's Mail Services for handling.
     
  • Payments for a purchase cannot be split into multiple transactions so that previously mentioned limits or state purchasing guidelines are avoided.
  • It is the cardholder’s responsibility to routinely check their P-card monthly billing statement for all transactions on their card. For those transactions that are not valid please contact the P-card Administrator and bank immediately.
  • A CPCC Fuel Card is only for the purchases of fuel, services and parts for CPCC vehicles.
  • All items purchased "over the counter" must be immediately available at the time of the P-Card transaction. No backordering of merchandise is allowed.
  • The cardholder will inform the vendor that the goods are to be taxed at the rate of 7.25% even if the item is sold tax exempt.
  • P-Card cannot be used for airfare, hotel, cash advances, alcohol, rental cars, meals while in travel status, parking, limousine services, train, taxi, buses, ferries, shuttle buses, or any and all other travel related charges, (P-card is not to be used for any charges related to travel, local or otherwise) or equipment purchases.
Printing orders must have the approval of both CPCC Marketing and Community Relations and Campus Printing before outside vendors are contacted.
Faxed budget quotes are acceptable for your records.
Refer to www.cpcc.edu/procurement/ for equipment and bidding guidelines.