Questions have arisen concerning the proper use of Service Provider and Independent Contactor for Honorarium agreements.  The following with provide clarification for your using these agreements.

Service Provider Agreements- Employees doing work for the College outside their normal course and scope of duties will be paid through payroll via the Service Provider agreement.  While we can potentially have an employee be an independent contractor, if the employee has a business license, TIN, etc., this practice should be a very rare occurrence and is discouraged.

Independent Contractor for Honorarium– This Form is used to for contract work of an honorarium nature and services cannot exceed $600 in value.  Contracting for professional services is not permitted using this form.  Examples of honorarium services include: 

• Boehm Gallery Speaker
• Professional Development Speaker/Trainer
• Performer/Speaker at Special Event (e.g., Pow Wow, Martin Luther King, Jr. Dream Day, Orientation)
• Presenter of Tech-Prep Workshop
• One-Time Classroom Speaker
• Official at Athletic Events

If you have any questions regarding Service Provider and Independent Contractor for Honorarium agreements please see the forms and guides at http://www.palomar.edu/fiscal_services/AP/APForms.htm or contact Susan Coleman at ext. 2116.

Please note that all professional consulting agreements and agreements exceeding $600 must be processed through Business Services to ensure that contract form is appropriate, an authorized signature is obtained, and insurance certificates are in-place prior to any work being performed.  Please contact Eileen Poole at ext. 2697 for assistance with these agreements.

IMMEDIATE CHANGE FOR AIRLINE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS - May 4, 2006

In order for the District to obtain California State Travel fares (YCAL / VCAL fares), we must utilize an eligible travel agency (per DGS - the California Department of General Services).   The District has been notified by DGS that we may not contract with Plaza Travel for State Travel Fares.

Effective immediately, the District is now working with eligible travel agency HOUSE OF TRAVEL INC., which is located in Sacramento:

House of Travel, Inc.
1107 L Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

Toll Free:  800-444-9996
E-Mail:  info@hotvacations.com

ALL DISTRICT TRAVEL USING STATE FARE RATES MUST BE BOOKED THROUGH HOUSE OF TRAVEL.

Because State rates encompass a large number of in-state, out-of-state and international travel, we recommend that for all airfare travel arrangements you contact House of Travel to ensure that any available State fare is obtained for the District.

Our existing travel procedures will remain the same for our District departments except that the travel agent is changing.  Updated travel booking procedures are as follows:

Departments may contact House of Travel at their toll-free number 800-444-9996 or via e-mail at info@hotvacations.com to obtain itinerary and price information. The Department should ask House of Travel if any of the travel is subject to State rates, and how long the temporary reservation can be on hold subject to District Purchasing authorization (a District PO#) before it will be cancelled.

If NONE of the airline travel on the reservation is being charged at State Rates, then a Department may use its CalCard to purchase the airline ticket, subject to their CalCard’s transaction limitations.

IF ANY OF THE AIRLINE TRAVEL IS CHARGED AT STATE RATES (or if a CalCard can not be used for non-State-rate airfare), then a District Purchase Order Number must be used to officially finalize and book the airline reservation with House of Travel.

The initial temporary reservation with House of Travel must be finalized by issuance of a District PO# within 24 hours (or longer if the Air Fare rules permit) before the reservation will lapse.

To quickly obtain a District PO#, the Requestor/Department must submit a Requisition to Purchasing as follows:

1. Immediately obtain a Requisition Number off of the “Requisition Form” section of the Purchasing Requisition website at : http://www.palomar.edu/businessservices/Forms.html
2. Then immediately call Teri Amavisca, Buyer, at Ext. 2192, to obtain a verbal Purchase Order Number for that Requisition that is currently in process.  (Exception:  CCCSAT and e-Conferencing must submit hard copy requisitions signed by Berta Cuaron to Purchasing before Purchasing will give out a PO number.)
3. With the verbal PO# from Purchasing, the Requestor/Department can then again contact House of Travel with that PO# so that House of Travel can officially ticket/book the airline reservation.
4. The Department will promptly submit the hard copy signed Requisition to Purchasing.  The Requisition should reflect the PO# on it that Teri had assigned, and have a copy of the itinerary attached.   The requisition total cost should include the airfare cost (includes taxes), Security Fees, Passenger Facility Charge, and a $15.00 House of Travel Processing Fee.

If your trip, such as a special large group trip, requires you to book your travel arrangements with a travel agency other than House of Travel, complete a Purchasing Requisition and attach all pertinent information.  If a pre-payment needs to be made to the travel agency, also attach a Pre-Payment Authorization Form that is available from Purchasing.

If you have any questions regarding CalCards, please contact Chris Wick at Ext. 2122.  If you have any questions about Travel Requisitions, please contact Teri Amavisca, Buyer, at Ext. 2192 (or in Teri’s absence, contact the Purchasing front desk at Ext. 2121).

Thank you for your efforts to keep the District’s travel costs at reduced rates.

PAY VOUCHERS

Our independent Auditors, while conducting the 2003-04 audit, discovered that a few Departments made purchases using vouchers that were in violation of District policies or procedures. The Auditors recommended management action to ensure District purchasing policies and procedures are followed.  To accommodate this recommendation the following procedure is effective April 1, 2005.

Pay Vouchers may only be used for:

• Subscriptions under $250
• Memberships under $250
• Employee Reimbursements for emergency supply items - under $250.  No reimbursement for purchases of equipment, rentals or services is allowed unless granted as an exception by Purchasing.  A statement of justification for the emergency supplies purchase must accompany the Pay Voucher
• Refunds to students
• Payments to Campus Food Services/Aramark under $500

In all the above cases except the refund to students the Cal-Card could be used and in fact is the preferred method.  The Cal-Card, if used properly, is very convenient for staff, saves the District significant overhead costs, and is less work for almost everyone.  It is important that the use of vouchers and the Cal-Card be closely monitored.  Questions regarding the processing of Pay Vouchers should be addressed to Susan Coleman in Accounts Payable.  If you have any concerns or questions with implementing the procedure above, please contact Kenneth Jay, Director of Business Services, at Extension 2125.

ATTENTION:  ALL CAL CARD HOLDERS/APPROVING OFFICIALS   

It has come to our attention that some cardholders have received emails that look like they are from US Bank.  These emails are asking the cardholder to go to a link and update their account information.  These emails are fraudulent.  Please be aware that US Bank will never contact you by email or phone and request that you verify any information regarding your account.  If you receive these types of emails please delete them or forward them to fraud_help@usbank.com.

If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to call Business Services at Ext. 2121.

ATTENTION ALL CAL CARD HOLDERS:

In conjunction with the general email regarding the purchase of AV equipment, we are making a change to our Authorized/Prohibited Purchases page.  Effective immediately, AV equipment may no longer be purchased with the cal card.  You will need to submit a purchasing requisition for all AV equipment purchases.  Following is a list of what is considered AV equipment:

TV's, VCR's, mounts, screens, carts, projectors (overhead, data/video, slide, 35MM), CD players, DVD players, tape recorders, boom boxes, PA systems, camcorders, tripods, etc.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call Chris Wick at extension 2122.