Tax Exemption

All purchases made on behalf of the University are exempt from Texas state sales tax.  The Card Administrator will supply the cardholder with a tax exemption form at orientation and each time a purchase is made, the tax exemption must be requested from the vendor.  Hotel stays in the state of Texas on University business are also exempt from state sales tax and a separate form must be filled out and signed by the cardholder and presented to the hotel upon check-in. A "Tax Exempt Number" does not exist and is not necessary to receive our tax exemption, but if the vendor insists upon receiving a number, please contact Purchasing and we will give you our Federal ID Number.

Receipt of Materials and Service

The cardholder is responsible for ensuring receipt of materials and services and to follow up with vendors to resolve any delivery problems, discrepancies, and/or damaged goods for purchases made with the Purchasing Card.

Returns, Credits, and Disputed Charges

It is the responsibility of the cardholder to resolve any disputes with a vendor.

If a problem arises with a purchased item, service or charges, every attempt should be made to first resolve the issue directly with the supplier.  Review of future statements is vital to ensure the account is properly credited for returns, credits and disputed charges.

The returned, credited or disputed item should be noted on the Purchasing Card Transaction Log.

• Returns:  If a cardholder needs to return an item to a supplier, contact the supplier and obtain instructions for return.  Note that some suppliers may charge a restocking fee for returns.  All returns should be indicated in the transaction log.
• Credits:         If an item is accepted as a return by the supplier, a credit for this item should appear on the next month's statement.  All credits should be indicated in the transaction log.
• Disputed Charges: If a cardholder finds a discrepancy on a monthly statement, the cardholder should contact the supplier and attempt to resolve the problem directly.  All disputed items should be indicated in the transaction.

If a cardholder cannot resolve a disputed item directly with the vendor, the cardholder should contact the Card Administrator, who will then contact Bank of America.  The bank will place the charge in a "State of Dispute" and the account may be given a provisional credit until receipt of adequate documentation from the vendor.  If the documentation appears to be in order, the transaction will be re-posted to the account and the dispute considered closed.  If the charge is suspected to be fraudulent, the card will be immediately blocked, continue to have a provisional credit (if given) and an investigation of the charge will continue.  A new card will then be reissued to the cardholder, if appropriate.  If the charge appears to be legitimate, the transaction will then post to the new account.

Reporting a Lost or Stolen Purchasing Card

 The cardholder is responsible for reporting the loss/theft of his/her card immediately to Bank of America, the Card Administrator and his/her Budget Officer.

The cardholder should notify the bank immediately if the Purchasing Card is lost or stolen by calling 1-888-449-2273.  The cardholder should also notify the Card Administrator via Email or by memo.

Upon the cardholder's telephone call, the bank will immediately suspend the Purchasing Card and reissue the card with a new account number.

It is imperative that the cardholder contact the bank immediately for suspension of the Purchasing Card so that there are no liability questions.

Card Termination

When a cardholder terminates employment with the University, the department has the specific obligation to reclaim the Purchasing Card and return it to the Card Administrator prior to the employee's termination date.  Failure to do so may result in revocation of all department privileges.  If a terminated employee continues to use this card, the department will be liable for all charges.

Budgetary deficits in a department's account will result in revocation of all department cards.

The use of a University purchasing card for personal purchases may result in card removal and/or disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.