Business Services at Samford University

When making purchases for your department or area, we encourage you to take advantage of Samford’s cooperative contract pricing by using the preferred vendors listed below. You’ll find a wide range of vendors, built-in tax exemptions, and better overall supplier pricing and product value. Utilizing the cooperative memberships below will result in significant savings for your department and for the University as a whole.

Amazon Business Prime

Samford PCARD users are eligible to enroll in the University’s Amazon Business Prime account. Using the Samford Amazon Business Prime account results in immediate access to the following:

Amazon Prime/Free Shipping
Sales tax exemption
Business pricing and quantity discounts
Access to a specialized customer service team available by calling 1-866-486-2360.

There are some important policies to remember when purchasing through the University’s Amazon Business Prime account.

Amazon Business accounts require payment with your Samford PCARD. No other payment types are accepted.
Be very careful not to use your Samford PCARD for purchases through a personal Amazon account. Samford PCARDS may only be used for purchases through a Samford Business Prime account.
Your Samford Business Prime account will be tied to your Samford email address. Personal Amazon accounts should not be tied to a Samford email address. Be sure to use a personal email address for personal Amazon accounts.
Samford Business Prime purchases must be shipped to a Samford address. Do not ship Business Prime items to a residential address. Repeated offenses could put the tax-exempt status of Samford’s Amazon Business Prime account in jeopardy, so please help us all by abiding by this important policy.

To be added as a Samford Amazon Business Prime user, email your request to purchasing@samford.edu.

Bulldog Buys

Bulldog Buys is a modern shopping platform available to all Samford PCARD users. Samford PCARD holders should register using Samford credentials for access.

Here are a few of the benefits you’ll discover when purchasing through Bulldog Buys:

One-stop shopping with a single username and password; no more logging into multiple sites
Pre-approved contract pricing resulting in cost savings for your department
Steadily growing number of suppliers, including many already familiar names such as Staples, Lowes, Grainger and many more

Additional Cooperative Purchasing Consortiums

Samford participates in several other cooperative buying consortiums. Contact Business Services Director Wade Walker for additional information about the following:

Promoting Independent Higher Education
AAICU, OMNIA Partners
A Better Way to Buy
Group Purchasing, GOVMVMT
Cooperative Purchasing Organization
Cooperative Contracts for Education

Purchases of goods or services in excess of $1,000.00 made on behalf of the University require a Banner purchase order for payment to be issued. Securing a purchase order begins by entering a requisition in Banner. Once a requisition has been entered and completed, it is then forwarded to the designated University officials for approval via electronic approval queues. A PO number will be emailed to the requestor upon assignment by a member of the Business Services team.

Receiving – All purchase orders over $1,000 require receiving.

Special Instructions Document Text – If a vendor requires a copy of the purchase order, please include these instructions in the document text block.

Standing Orders – During the requisition entry process, include “STANDING ORDER’ in the comments box located in the date section if the requisition needs to be a standing order.

Video tutorials are available in the Banner Training Module of Canvas. You may also contact a member of the Business Services team for assistance at purchasing@samford.edu or extension 4068.

New Vendor Requests

To have a new vendor added to Banner, complete the New Vendor Request Form below. A member of the Business Services team will process the request and notify the requester of the Banner vendor ID number via email.

Processing times depend upon how quickly the vendor provides a completed W-9. If the vendor has provided a completed W-9 directly to the requester, please forward the document to purchasing@samford.edu upon completion of the New Vendor Request Form. Otherwise, the Business Services office will contact the vendor for a completed W-9 on the requestor’s behalf.

New Vendor Request Form

Vendor Information Updates

Email vendor address change requests to purchasing@samford.edu with the subject line VENDOR ADDRESS CHANGE. Please include the vendor’s Banner ID number and new address information with your request.

If the address change is due to new ownership or restructuring of the company, a new W-9 will also be required.

Samford’s purchasing card program is administered by the Business Services Department in partnership with Regions Bank. A Samford PCARD allows the user to make non-restricted retail purchases of $1,000 or less without a purchase order. Approved cardholders may also use PCARDs for travel-related expenses.

PCARDs are issued only with the approval of an employee’s supervisor and may be rescinded at any time by a departmental supervisor or University program coordinator. To request a new PCARD, return a completed and signed Purchasing Card Set-up Form to purchasing@samford.edu

Purchasing Card Manual

PCARD Policy Highlights

New purchasing cardholders are required to participate in an individualized policy review session with a Business Services team member before activation of a new PCARD. The following general guidelines apply to all PCARD users.

PCARDs may be used for non-restricted retail purchases under $1,000 three times per day with a maximum of $2,000 during a 30-day billing cycle.
PCARDs are for Samford business use only; no personal use.
Cardholders should be vigilant to avoid excessive spending on food and entertainment, particularly when employees are the only participants. The following should not be placed on a University PCARD:
- Regular staff meetings
- Non-work related departmental or divisional gatherings, such as birthdays, retirements, introduction of new staff, and Christmas parties
- Meals for individual employees unless they are out of town on University business
- Meals for spouses, unless spouses of guests have been included and there is an appropriate purpose for such inclusion
- Purchase of drinks, coffee and snacks, unless part of an approved meal in accordance with the guidelines provided herein
Samford University is recognized as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization which allows the University to be sales tax exempt on tangible items. The University sales tax exemption number is printed on all PCARDs. It is the responsibility of the cardholder to ensure vendors do not charge sales tax inappropriately.

Visa Spend Clarity

Visa Spend Clarity is Samford’s program for reconciling PCARD charges. Spend Clarity is accessible through a web browser and mobile app. Business Services will provide cardholders with Spend Clarity set-up information and instructions during the initial PCARD orientation session. PCARD users should upload itemized receipts including business purposes for each charge before the 5^th of the month following the purchase. Extensive Spend Clarity instructions and guidance are available within the program’s online help section.

Forms

The University's Purchasing Policy is designed to streamline the vendor search process and reduce costs for departments. Contact Wade Walker, Director of Business Services, with any questions. pwalker@samford.edu (205) 726-2916.

SU Purchasing Policy

All purchase orders valued at over $1,000 require receiving before being paid by accounting. The receiving process functions to ensure appropriate expenditure of university funds.

The requisition’s creator should view and inspect all items to verify receipt and condition. Upon verification of receipt of goods or services, the receiver should complete the receiving process in Banner. Once a receiving number has been assigned, add the “Y number” to the invoice and email to invoices@samford.edu with a subject line including the first letter of the vendor’s name. If the Banner requestor is unsure of receipt of goods or services, supporting documentation from another employee who can verify receipt should be obtained.

Receiving should be completed promptly upon receipt of merchandise or services. Delayed receiving will delay Samford’s payment to the vendor.

For additional guidance on completing receiving, review the tutorial video below or contact a Business Services team member at ext. 4068 or purchasing@samford.edu.

Receiving Process Video Training

Samford University travelers are encouraged to book their business travel using their pcard through the Christopherson Business Travel Management Tool. This travel management tool provides our travelers with access to their integrated technology platform AirPortal^®. When making travel arrangements such as airline tickets, hotel rooms, and car reservations, travelers can use one simple login and securely manage all of their business travel needs.

Travel Profile

Employees can create their profile after logging into the Samford Portal. The Travel Profile link is listed under Employee Resources

Enterprise Reservation

If only reserving a vehicle use this Enterprise link for your reservation to avoid a service charge of $5.00.

Emerald Club

Sign up for the premier rental program designed to offer you the benefits and rewards you deserve.

Car Rental

Request a local rental vehicle

Enterprise Rent-A-Car 15-passenger van requests should be made as soon as possible to guarantee the availability of the van. More notice ensures less difficulty.