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Wellness Center offers Suitcase Fitness class on April 17

Sports Car Club del Valle Rio Grande conducting driving school on April 27

Sangre de Cristo Chorale concludes its concert season with "Never Only A Capella"

Volunteers needed for horseback riding program

Friday, April 12, 2002

May brings changes to purchase card program

Bank One also will provide the Lab with more detailed data on purchase card usage, explained Arleen Roybal of Procurement (BUS-5). The new purchase cards will be activated May 1.

The existing purchase cards from Bank of America will be deactivated May 31. Roybal said purchase-cards holders — there are about 1,200 Labwide — will need to monitor their card usage and reconcile their purchase-card statements from Bank of America and the new banking institution, she added.

Purchase-card holders were notified last month through a memo about the impending change. Additional information about the new purchase cards is being placed on the Purchase Card Program Office's Web page at http://businternal.lanl.gov/bus5/pcard/pc1.htm online.

Roybal said the Lab makes between $35 million and $40 million in purchases annually through the purchase-card program. Purchase-card holders across the Laboratory can use purchase cards to buy a myriad of items; there are dollar limits for certain types of purchases.

The change to Bank One purchase cards also means the Lab will better be able to track purchases made in-state and outside New Mexico, said Roybal. "Bank One will provide enhanced merchant reporting and statistical data that can be provided to the Laboratory," said Roybal.

She added that purchase card holders are reminded of the advantages of making purchases from Northern New Mexico businesses. The new purchase card will give the Lab detailed data on such purchases. "We are working with the Small Business Office to make card holders more aware of resources in Northern New Mexico that they can reach rather than going out of state for these purchases," Roybal said. "They can save on delivery time by buying locally."

Roybal added that new purchase-card holder training includes a segment emphasizing local purchases whenever possible.

In the meantime, the Purchase Card Office is updating its records to ensure that purchase-card holders are accurately identified. Roybal asked that nonactive purchase-card holders evaluate their continued need to hold a card. Those purchase card holders who no longer need a card should notify the Purchase Card Program Office so their card can be deactivated.

--Steve Sandoval

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