New process begins May 1
Laboratory organizations can use their purchase card (PCard) to obtain goods and services they need to host local meetings or events, under a new process scheduled to begin May 1. This includes purchases of food and beverages, which have been prohibited until now.
“This new process gives Laboratory organizations full control over the timing and organization of their events,” said Nick Perry of Purchasing (ASM-PUR). “We recognize that event logistics can change on short notice, and this new PCard process allows Laboratory hosts and event coordinators a flexibility that we cannot offer with the traditional purchase order process.”
“This new process better serves our laboratory organizations. Writing a purchase order for an event was cumbersome and not responsive to our internal customer needs,” added ASM Division Leader Kevin Chalmers.
For now, the new PCard process can be used for most local events – those held within a 50-mile driving distance from the host Laboratory organization’s normal workplace. Although the new process applies primarily to offsite events, Laboratory organizations may purchase food/beverages for onsite events, provided that they pick up the food and or beverages themselves, said Perry.
For example, if a Laboratory organization purchases food or beverages from Hot Rocks Java Café, a Lab employee must pick up the items from Hot Rocks.
For events outside the 50-mile driving distance, ASM will open up the new PCard process when the latest meal policy revisions become effective May 14. In the meantime, Laboratory organizations may use the PCard if they are willing to follow the process developed for local events, said Perry.
Conferences are excluded for now, but ASM plans to open up the new PCard process to conferences in the near future.
To help requesters with the new process for meetings/events, ASM has published detailed instructions on a new form – the Offsite Event PCard Source Document. To help the designated procurement representatives, ASM also has published an instruction sheet and a training guide. All three documents are available on ASM’s Purchase Card Program Web page.
Employees are reminded that whether for offsite or onsite meetings/events, requesters who order food/beverages need to comply with the meal policy detailed in ISD 815-1 Allowable Cost Manual, Meals, Refreshments, and Beverages.
For questions or for more information, contact the Procurement Help Desk at 6-0368 or PHDhelp@lanl.gov by electronic mail.
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