Purchasing Cards
What is a P Card?
P Cards are an established, well-recognised and
simple-to-use form of payment. The P Card supplier for West
Sussex County Council (WSCC) is the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).
They supply a charge card (not a credit card) that looks similar to
the familiar personal debit or credit cards. P Card uses ‘chip
and pin’ technology to validate transactions and have monthly and
single transaction limits.
What is a P Card used for?
A purchase card is just one of the options
available to buy goods and service. The primary tool for purchasing
goods and services is through SAP SRM (Supplier Relationship
Management) with a purchase order, however there are times when
there is a need for a different option for items costing less than
£500. These could be online purchases, one off purchases or an
urgent requirement, where an immediate payment method is required
(at point of sale).
P cards are for immediate or urgent purchases of items up to
£500 in value. They are to be used to pay suppliers that are not a
contracted supplier with WSCC. P Cards cannot
be used for certain items where centralised contracts already exist
(for instance stationery or fuel).
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What are the benefits?
Suppliers receive payment in 4 working days,
improving their cash flow. The administrative cost of producing and
posting invoices is also removed.
What is a lodged/embedded Card?
A lodged/embedded card is a centrally-managed P Card. It is
linked to a specific supplier, against which the supplier can
request payment for all goods and services. Using a lodged/embedded
card as a payment method is an alternative to the submission of
invoices.
The criteria for a lodged/embedded card are:
- The supplier is under contract to WSCC with appropriate
controls and measures for the resolution of disputed delivery,
quality and payment issues.
- The supplier is able to supply transaction data at Level 3
(Line Item Detail (LID). This enables electronic receipt of
supporting information such as product details at line level and
VAT breakdown.
How do I apply for a lodged/embedded P Card?
In the first instance contact the person who you regularly deal
with in WSCC, who will contact Procurement.
Who do I contact if I query regarding a payment made by P
Card?
Contact RBS in the first instance on their help desk
number 0870 909 3702 (Monday -
Friday 8.00am-6.00pm; Saturday 9.00am-1.00pm).
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