Allowable & Unallowable PCard Travel Purchases

The PCard may be used to pay for University business travel, excluding meals. Acceptable uses include airfare, lodging, and transportation costs (taxi, rental car, etc.). All travel must be allowable under University Business Policy 4030.

You may purchase travel from any source, including online sources like Priceline.com or Expedia.com, a travel agency, or directly from the airline/hotel/ground transportation company. When purchasing airfare on United Airlines, be aware that some reservations will require that the PCard be presented at check-in. If the PCard is required at check-in the Cardholder may either meet the traveler at the ticket counter and show the card or contact customer service to explain the situation and have a new ticket issued. Click here for more information.

While airfare is allowable, be advised that additional fees for early check-in, preferred seating, and first or business class upgrades are not allowable. Should a traveler wish to pay for one of these conveniences, they may do so out of pocket and it will not be reimbursed.

Lodging

If lodging will be paid by PCard, please be advised that no incidentals may be charged to the PCard. Incidentals include charges that are not room rates or taxes - for example, pay-per-view movies, room service or mini-bar charges. The traveler should provide the hotel with a personal credit card for incidentals. If incidentals are charged on the PCard, the Cardholder will receive an infraction notice which could result in suspension of card privileges and the traveler must reimburse the University for all incidentals immediately upon returning from travel. Some hotels may require that the card being charged be presented at time of check-in. If the traveler is not the cardholder, this may result in the traveler having to pay for lodging using their personal credit card and being reimbursed by the University after travel is completed. In order to avoid this situation, please verify the hotel policy when the room is reserved.

If you would like to use the PCard to pay for more than ten rooms at a time, you must submit a PCard Special Exception Request form prior to making the room reservations.

Vehicle Rental

Vehicles may only be rented for those persons who are "Allowed" on the following matrix. The University has contracts with Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National. If the traveler is not the Cardholder and the department wishes to pay for a rental vehicle with the PCard, Enterprise Rent-A-Car or National must be used. Click here for more information. If the traveler is the Cardholder and finds a price lower than our negotiated contract, the vehicle may be rented from another company - follow normal procedures for reserving and renting the vehicle. For more information on vehicle rentals, please click here. UNM Automotive vehicles are rented with a Fuel Card.

Fuel is allowed on the PCard only when a vehicle is rented from Enterprise or other rental agency. Fuel is never allowed on PCard for personal vehicles. When using a personal vehicle mileage is reimbursed using the DP-EZ.

For insurance purposes, the State of New Mexico treats rental cars rented by University employees as if they were UNM vehicles. Consequently, no additional insurance should be purchased from the rental car contractor. For Liability purposes, UNM is covered by the Tort Claims Act. For Physical Damage, UNM's damages are capped at only $1,000 ($250 from the renting department, $750 from Safety & Risk Services). The State of New Mexico's Risk Management Division will pay any damages over the $1,000 cap. Payment for additional coverage from University funds is not allowed.

Ground Transportation

Ground transportation includes shuttle bus service or taxi service. Ground transportation is allowed on PCard for approved University business travel and must be allowable under UNM Business Policy 4030.

Foreign Travel

Foreign travel is allowed on PCard. To avoid any potential declines, the cardholder should call the bank before the trip to notify them that the card will be used in another country. Cardholders can reach the bank 24 hours a day at 877-451-4602 (Toll Free) and 509-353-6656 (Collect).

The following matrix will detail which individuals you may and may not purchase travel for using the PCard.

 


 
Air/Lodging
Vehicle Rentals
Bus/Shuttle/Taxi
UNM Employee (excluding independent contractors)
Allowed Allowed Allowed
UNM Students (including foreign nationals)
Allowed Not Allowed on PCard. Reimbursement only. Allowed
UNM Student Recruits (excluding foreign nationals)
Allowed Not Allowed on PCard. Reimbursement only. Allowed
UNM Job Applicants (excluding foreign nationals)
Allowed Not Allowed on PCard. Reimbursement only. Allowed
Honorarium Recipients (excluding foreign nationals)
Allowed Not Allowed on PCard. Reimbursement only. Allowed
Guest Speakers (excluding foreign nationals)
Allowed Not Allowed on PCard. Reimbursement only. Allowed
Lecturers (excluding foreign nationals)
Allowed Not Allowed on PCard. Reimbursement only. Allowed
Independent Contractors
Travel Exception Request Form Not Allowed on PCard. Reimbursement only. Travel Exception Request Form
Foreign National Guest Speakers
Foreign National Travel Request Form Not Allowed on PCard. Reimbursement only. Foreign National Travel Request Form
Foreign National Lecturers
Foreign National Travel Request Form Not Allowed on PCard. Reimbursement only. Foreign National Travel Request Form
Foreign National Honorarium Recipients
Foreign National Travel Request Form Not Allowed on PCard. Reimbursement only. Foreign National Travel Request Form
Foreign UNM Student Recruits
Foreign National Travel Request Form Not Allowed on PCard. Reimbursement only. Foreign National Travel Request Form
Foreign UNM Job Applicants
Foreign National Travel Request Form Not Allowed on PCard. Reimbursement only. Foreign National Travel Request Form


Payments for Foreign Nationals

Special procedures exist when using a PCard to pay travel expenses for foreign visitors.

  • Approval must be obtained prior to the travel.
  • The department obtains this approval by submitting the Foreign National Travel Request Form.
  • The Taxation Issues Group in Unrestricted Accounting, Main requires the following information to approve the form:
    • A business purpose for the visit that benefits UNM.
    • The letter/email of invitation.
    • The proposed length of the visitor's stay.
    • The type of visa the visitor will use to enter the U.S., if known.
  • Please Note: If the travel has already occurred, it is possible that the Taxation Issues Group may either require additional information, or deny the request for approval altogether dependent on the visa type of the visitor and the circumstances of the trip. This process should always be done in advance of travel!
  • If Taxation approves the Foreign National Travel Request Form, the department may then book the travel using their PCard.
  • The department must attach a copy of the Foreign National Travel Request Form and the approval email to the backup and keep it in their PCard log. (Note: this form will be retained by the department and included with the monthly PCard reconciliation sent to Purchasing.)
  • Account code 3850 should be used on the zero-balance DPEZ to clear the PCard usage.
  • A copy of the visitor's visa and Form I-94 should be attached to the zero-balance DPEZ.
  • If the traveler is a foreign Independent Contractor (IC) a Service Provider Questionnaire (SPQ) must be attached to the paper PR. Approval of the General Accounting department is required prior to seeking Taxation department approval.

For more information regarding tax issues, call 277-2018 or visit the Taxation Issues site.

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Travel Exception Requests

Payments for Independent Contractor travel on the PCard require a pre-approved travel exception. Travel exception requests should be submitted using the Travel Exception Request form. Travel exception requests are not approved until Purchasing contacts the Cardholder.

Upon receipt of the request, the Purchasing Card Administrator will obtain proper approval, lift appropriate card restrictions and send approval by email to the Cardholder.

Once the IC travel is complete, the department will process a DP-EZ and will select the travel charge from the list of available transactions in the section of the Travel DP-EZ titled "Pre-paid PCard Travel". Travel expenses paid by PCard should never be manually entered on a DP-EZ. Click here to view a demonstration.

In cases where there will be no additional expenses, the department must submit a zero balance DP-EZ that will be kept on file with the appropriate accounting office. The DP-EZ must include a certification that the traveler is a US citizen in the Business Purpose. Note: When submitting a zero balance DP-EZ, it is no longer necessary to request the traveler's social security number. However, asking the traveler for the last four digits of the SSN helps us avoid entering duplicate records in Banner.

The DP-EZ number must be entered on the Transaction Log.

If the DP-EZ number is not available because travel has not yet occurred, enter a note on the Log and a date when the DP-EZ number will be available.

The accounting office will review the DP-EZ. If the DP-EZ is approved by both the departmental approver and the accounting office, the DP-EZ will be released for payment on the payment due date.

The Cardholder is required to include a copy of the special exception approval received from Purchasing with the PCard Transaction Log.

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