GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION, INC. DISBURSEMENT PROCEDURES AND INSTRUCTIONS

Transcription

1 GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION, INC. DISBURSEMENT PROCEDURES AND INSTRUCTIONS George Mason University Foundation voucher, available upon request from the Accounts Payable Manager in the Foundation Business Office (Mason Hall D 201, MSN 1A3, x38686), is used for requesting payment of expenses from Foundation accounts. PAYMENT PROCESSSING AND ACCOUNTS PAYABLE ADMINISTRATION Checks will be cut on Tuesdays and Thursdays. To meet this deadline, all vouchers are due by noon on Fridays and Tuesdays. All vouchers must be reviewed and signed by the Project Director before submission. All emergency requests for checks on a non-scheduled check processing day, or after a batch has been processed on scheduled check processing days, must be approved by the Controller of the Foundation. If the rush is deemed a legitimate emergency there is a $100 fee to be charged to the requester s Foundation account for this service. The Foundation cannot be responsible for delays due to the University s mail room. If a check is needed quickly, it is best to hand deliver the voucher to the Foundation and request that you be called for pick up when the check is ready. Checks will be mailed directly to the payee through U.S. mail unless otherwise specified by the originator of the voucher. Please include remittance forms so they can be mailed with the checks. The yellow copy of the voucher will be mailed back to the individual as notated on voucher. The green copy may be kept in your office as a control copy. If you do not want the check mailed to the payee, select from alternate options of campus mail or call for pick-up in the upper left corner of the voucher. Complete your name and Ext. # or MS#. Vouchers submitted with requests for payment of expenses older than one year from the date of receipts/invoices will be returned to the unit or department as unpayable. Stop payments may be made on lost checks. A fee of $15 will be charged to the expensed Foundation account at the time of the service. A current signature card containing the signatures of those authorized to disburse funds must be on file with the Foundation before checks can be cut. The Project Director or contact person is responsible for immediately notifying the Foundation in writing of any changes in signature authority. The Foundation is exempt from Virginia sales tax on tangible items (something that can be touched, held or felt). It is the responsibility of the Project Director to provide vendors with a copy of the Retail Sales and Use Tax Certificate of Exemption; available from the Foundation Accounts Payable Manager. Exceptions to the exemption include all food and beverage purchases, including restaurant and catering charges. Items from other states are not exempt from sales and use tax. Items must be purchased within the Commonwealth of Virginia to be eligible for the exemption. VOUCHERS HOW TO COMPLETE Vouchers should be submitted to the Foundation Accounts Payable Manager with the original receipt or invoice attached. Please type or clearly write all vouchers. A receipt is required for each expense. The Foundation does not reimburse on a per diem basis. (Before an individual begins travel he should be advised in writing by the Project Director that he will be held accountable for all receipts. This includes meals, taxis, hotels, car rentals, conference fees, copying, etc.) If the original receipt is not available, provide an explanation on the voucher. Example: original receipt submitted to state account for partial reimbursement.

2 Please see Appendix A - GMU Foundation travel reimbursement procedure guide for specific regulations/policies related to travel. The payee column of each voucher should include the full name of the payee, the full home address for individuals or full billing address for businesses. If the payee is an University employee or student, please include the University G number. This information should be on each voucher submitted even if the payee s name has been submitted in the past. Social Security numbers are only needed for payment of services in honorariums to non-gmu employees or students. Account holders may use one voucher for multiple receipts payable to the same payee, if payable from the same account. Itemize each receipt on the voucher and attach. Include dates, descriptions and amounts. Separate vouchers are necessary for each unique Foundation account being charged. Vouchers that are submitted without the necessary Project Director s signature, information and documentation as outlined above, will be returned to the Project Director for complete information before a check will be issued. When the payee of a voucher is the Project Director, the voucher should be co-signed by the payee s supervisor. Reimbursements to Academic Deans/Directors must be signed by the Provost. Reimbursements to non-academic Directors or Vice Presidents must be signed by the Senior Vice President or University Chief of Staff, as appropriate. The Foundation President s reimbursements must be signed by the Foundation s Chairman or University Chief of Staff. The University President s reimbursements must be signed by the Foundation President. Scholarships should be made payable to the student s account. Please fill out the voucher to read GMU for John Doe, complete address, social security number and University G number. Each scholarship request must be accompanied by a letter of congratulations with the award amount included. If the scholarship or award is for a non-us citizen, please submit to the International Tax Coordinator x32969 at MSN 4C3 to determine the eligibility of the recipient. Please indicate the name of the scholarship and the date of the semester (e.g. Fall 2008 or Spring 2009). If a scholarship is to be split between two semesters, please indicate this on the voucher. All scholarship requests made payable to the student s account must first be submitted to the Financial Aid Office for coordination with Liz Carter, x Financial Aid will forward the approved vouchers to the Foundation for payment. The check will be forwarded to the Financial Aid Office for deposit in the student s account. If an award is to be given directly to a student, please include a W-9 (available on the IRS website) signed by the student, a copy of a tax accountability letter (see attached), signed by both the student and the Project Director, and a congratulatory letter signed by the Project Director. When calculating sales tax to apply to partial reimbursements of a personal receipt, please use 2.5% for food items and 5% for non-food items. FOUNDATION REPORTING REQUIREMENTS TO GMU FOR GIFTS AND OTHER STAFF BENEFITS Gift items or other fringe benefits paid through the Foundation and given to University employed students, faculty, or classified staff must be reviewed against the IRS payroll reporting guidelines. Taxable items will be reported by Foundation staff to University payroll. When requesting payments for gift items for staff and students, please provide the University G#, name and amount for each recipient (unless the item falls into the non-reportable category as defined below.) GMU has defined certain gift items that the Foundation does not have to report to the University. These gifts must only be given for special occasions (or one-time for retirement) to qualify as non-reportable. Flowers, fruit and food baskets (if less than or equal to $100). Books (if less than or equal to $100.) Morale building items single event tickets to theme parks, sporting events or movies (if less than or equal to $100) Page 2

3 Logo clothing Mason t-shirts or polo shirts (if less than or equal to $100.) Engraved/ Mason logo gifts (if less than or equal to $100.) Retirement gifts (if less than or equal to $400). Gift cards or certificates provided to employees are taxable regardless of dollar limit, regardless of gift purpose. Portions of club dues may qualify as a working condition fringe benefit. Payroll is currently reviewing the rules for these items and the Foundation will report payments for Foundation paid activity as directed by the University. Telephone and internet payment requests must be reviewed against the GMU Foundation Policy on mobile devices and internet service connectivity payments. This supports the University s new policy # 2113: Payment of Telework or Remote-work Expenses. Both policies are effective January 1, PROHIBITED EXPENDITURES Parking decals and/or tickets Non-coach class air or train travel reimbursements including upgrades (see Appendix A), per diems, and gas reimbursement in lieu of mileage. Salaries or wages to GMU personnel or individuals. These must be processed through the University payroll system. GMUF can reimburse such payments directly to the related org/fund. Honorariums/independent service payments to University employees or students. Personal expenses Third party payments. All payments to a third party whether for an honorarium/independent service or reimbursement should be made directly to that person or group by the Foundation. Honorariums, scholarships, wages, and fellowships to non-us citizens, without the approval from the Office of International Programs and Services. Please call the International Tax Coordinator at x32969 to obtain information on how to pay the individual through the University system. Foundation accounts may be used to reimburse state accounts for such payments. Reimbursements to non-us citizens are permitted provided the payee is a resident alien, green card holder, and provides to the Foundation a signed W-9. If the payee is not a green card holder a reimbursement may be allowed if the payment is first approved by the Office of International Programs and Services. Moving and re-location expenses Mailing lists for solicitation purposes Donations to another non-profit organization (includes 527- political organizations) Any expenses exceeding one year as of receipt date Use of State credit cards for Foundation related expenditures PAYMENTS TO FOREIGN NATIONALS All payments to Foreign Nationals must be approved by the Office of International Programs and Services prior to processing. Departments should contact the Office of International Programs and Services well in advance of arrival of the payee in this country to discuss length of activity; Page 3

4 appropriate immigration status and what can or cannot be paid. Please call the International Tax Coordinator, at x32969 to obtain information on how to pay the individual through the University system. Foundation accounts may be used to reimburse state accounts for such approved payments. The Foundation may pay individuals who are not U.S. citizens providing they meet the following criteria: 1. Place of residence is in a foreign country. 2. Services to GMU take place in that foreign country. 3. The payee s address is in the foreign country. (The Foundation will send the check to the Department. Due to issues with mailing to a foreign country, the Department will forward the check to the recipient.) All other requests for payment to non-us citizens must first go to Office of International Programs and Services. CONTRACT PAYMENTS George Mason University employees or students cannot be considered contractors for payment from George Mason University Foundation. For assistance with university payments to staff or students, please contact GMU Human Resources/Payroll at x All payments for contractual services must be made to the party performing the work. The following items must be included with each voucher: 1. Social Security Number on IRS Form W-9 2. Project Director signed copy of University s Employee/Independent Contractor Evaluation Form (see attached). 3. A copy of the contract with the party doing the work. If none exists, please include a brief description of the work performed. ACCOUNT BALANCES Account balances are available online. If you have questions regarding the online access of your account please call Molly Marshall at x SODEXO/BOOKSTORE PURCHASE ORDERS If credit services are required of Sodexo or the GMU Bookstore, call the Foundation beforehand to get a Foundation Purchase Order number (FO). If outside vendors are used, please be sure to have department/contact name placed on billing so that the invoices will reach you. You are required to submit the proper paperwork and voucher to the Foundation Office, MSN 1A3, for payment. If you need any additional information or clarification on the above procedures, please feel free to call our staff at any time: Mildred Carter, Accounts Payable Manager x38686 Susan Van Leunen, Controller x38702 Erin Kozanecki, Senior Accountant x38617 Our office is located in Mason Hall, Suite D-201 (top floor). Page 4

5 APPENDIX A George Mason University Foundation, Inc. Travel Disbursement Procedures 1. The Foundation does not reimburse on a per diem rate. Reimbursements are based upon an exact receipted amount of expense. 2. If travel is to a foreign country, when requesting reimbursement please state the rate of exchange used and calculate the amount into US dollars for the date of each receipt using oanda.com. Print the screen conversion and attach it to each receipt. If a previous voucher has been submitted for an advance and a subsequent voucher is submitted for the balance due please provide the original receipts and a complete set of copied receipts so that a set of receipts may be filed with each voucher. 3. Mileage is reimbursed at $0.50 per mile (rate is subject to change based on IRS guidance). If travel mileage exceeds 250 miles, the lesser of a 21-day advance coach class airfare or train ticket will be reimbursed. Supporting documentation should include exact mileage obtained through sources such as Mapquest, Yahoo Maps, or Google Maps. 4. Individuals that use frequent flyer miles will be reimbursed 75% of the actual cost of a 21-day advance coach class airfare ticket. Note: Frequent flyer reimbursements are subject to change based on IRS regulations. 5. Air travel tickets will be reimbursed on the 21-day advance coach class rate. 6. Train travel tickets will be reimbursed at the coach class rate. 7. Reimbursement of tips for hotel assistants, drivers/taxis, waiters/servers, etc. may not exceed a customary 20% of total charge. 8. Personal expense reimbursement for movies, health/fitness, mini-bar, laundry, towing/locksmith, parking/speeding tickets or other luxury items will not be reimbursed. 9. Travel advances will be paid to faculty, staff or students for a maximum of $500 and must be approved by the project director only. If project director is the payee, the project director s supervisor must also approve the advance. Receipts supporting the travel advance must be submitted to the Foundation within seven days of completion of travel. If the travel expenses exceed the advance, the unit should submit receipts equaling the advance amount and submit a voucher for the difference. If travel expenses are less than the advance, the traveler should submit expense receipts and personal check payable to GMUF to reimburse the account used for the original advance disbursement. 10. Rental vehicles reimbursements will not exceed the cost of economy or mid-size class rate. 11. Each traveler is limited to one personal call per day for reimbursement. 12. Reimbursement for fares to/from airport to home cannot exceed the cost from the individual s University office to/from airport. Fares will not be reimbursed if the total mileage to/from home to airport is equal to a work day commute to/from home to the University office. 13. All travel reimbursements must be submitted within one year of receipt date. 14. When reimbursing the difference between state per diem and actual expense, please include a copy of the University reimbursement form with final costs allowed by State. Please itemize difference by listing state per diem rate and actual expense to show the difference. 15. The Controller of the Foundation must approve any exceptions to the above stated regulations prior to travel with supporting documentation being provided. Page 5