Commercial Card Procedures

1. The College maintains a VCC C-Card Program Handbook (Handbook) that provides detailed information regarding security and compliance, e.g. how to use the C-Card; reporting; recording and reconciling expense claims; eligible and ineligible expenses, and important contact information.  


2. Each expense must be supported with an official invoice or receipt.  Expenses without an official receipt may not be approved.


3. If the C-Card is used inadvertently for an ineligible expense the Cardholder must immediately contact the C-Card Administrator for direction.


4. Automatic scheduled payments may be applied to a C-Card for VCC Library subscriptions or VCC Marketing advertising that cannot be paid through a purchase order.

Roles and Responsibilities

C-Card Administrator

5. Administers all aspects of the C-Card program including, but not limited to:
   
   
   
   1. Monitoring compliance and reporting concerns to the CFO
   
   
   2. Enrolling new Cardholders
   
   
   3. Training
   
   
   4. Collecting signed C-Card Cardholder Agreements
   
   
   5. Cardholder accounts:
      
      
      
      1. User IDs and passwords
      
      
      2. Profile information
      
      
      3. Monitoring transaction limits
      
      
      4. Reporting structure
      
      
      5. C-Card expiry dates
      
      
      6. Org code and Account Code maintenance
      
      
      7. Cancelling C-Cards
      
      
      8. Adjusting transaction limits with CFO approval.
      
      
      
      
   
   
   6. Evaluating program effectiveness
   
   
   7. Acting as the liaison between the bank and College.
   
   
   
   

Cardholder

6. Cardholders are responsible for:
   
   
   
   1. Reviewing the VCC C-Card Policy, Procedures and Handbook and signing the Cardholder Agreement.
   
   
   2. Adhering to the Cardholder Agreement, appropriate C-Card usage, record-keeping and deadlines.
   
   
   3. Confirming that expenses being charged to their C-Card are eligible at VCC and identifying any expense that is considered Statement of Financial Information eligible. Refer to the Handbook for details.
   
   
   4. All purchases and any fees associated with purchases on their C-Card.
   
   
   5. Including all required documentation, such as invoices and receipts, with each expense report
   
   
   6. Submitting reconciled Expense Report to their Approver by established deadlines.
   
   
   7. Advising the bank and C-Card Administrator if a C-Card is lost, stolen or compromised, such as the discovery of fraudulent transactions.
   
   
   8. Resolving transaction discrepancies and disputes directly with the merchant. Every effort must be made to resolve disputes within thirty (30) days of the transaction.
   
   
   9. Responding in a timely manner to inquiries from Financial Services regarding overdue expense reports, missing receipts or insufficient documents and questions regarding specific expenditures charged to the C-Card.
   
   
   10. Securing approval from the CFO via email for any request to temporarily increase the transaction limit.
   
   
   
   

Reviewer

7. Reviewers are responsible for:

1. Receiving expense reports and receipts from the Cardholder


2. Confirming that each transaction is compliant with policy


3. Submitting expense reports with relevant documentation to the Cardholder or Approver as required.

Note: Regardless of the assignment of a Reviewer, the Cardholder remains responsible for appropriate C-Card usage, accurate record-keeping, reconciliation of monthly statements and meeting submission deadlines.

Approver (Spending Authority)

8. Approvers are generally the Cardholder's direct manager/supervisor and are responsible for:
   
   
   
   1. ensuring each transaction is compliant with policy
   
   
   2. Reviewing monthly expense reports for completeness and accuracy and approving or rejecting as required by the established deadlines and their spending authority threshold.
   
   
   3. Confirming there is adequate budget for the transactions applied to C-Cards assigned in their area.
   
   
   4. Informing the C-Card Administrator upon termination of employment or internal job transfer of the Cardholder, or for any other reason that the C-Card should no longer be assigned to the said Cardholder. In this case, the Approver is responsible for reconciling and submitting the final expense report for this account. 
   
   
   5. If needed, assigning a delegate approver during their absence
   
   
   
   

Executive Director Finance and CFO

9. The Executive Director Finance and CFO is responsible for:
   
   
   
   1. Ensuring that appropriate financial controls are in place to manage and maintain the C-Card program.
   
   
   2. Designating a C-Card Administrator and delegates.
   
   
   3. Reviewing and providing second approval of C-Card requests and transaction limits, including exceptions to transaction limits.
   
   
   4. Ensuring the C-Card Policy, Procedures, Handbook and C-Card Cardholder Agreement are reviewed and updated regularly and are accessible to all College employees.
   
   
   5. Authorizing C-Card cancellations when there is sufficient evidence of intentional misuse and/or fraudulent activity.
   
   
   6. Authorizing temporary increases to per transaction and/or monthly limits.
   
   
   7. Determining appropriate action when violations to C-Card usage occur and/or for non-compliance with the C-Card Policy, Procedures or Handbook.
   
   
   
   

C-Card and Transaction Limits

10. Individual transactions are limited to $1,000 CAD and include freight charges and taxes.


11. Per transaction and/or monthly limits may be temporarily increased to accommodate a purchase, extensive travel and/or extraordinary circumstances as needed. Limits are returned to original defaults after the purchase is completed. 


12. If a transaction is over the Cardholders transaction limit, the Cardholder has the following options:
    
    
    
    1. Email Procurement Services and request to use their C-Card; or
    
    
    2. Email the CFO and request to temporarily increase the limit to allow the transaction to go through. 
    
    
    
    


13. Procurement Services should be contacted when:
    
    
    
    1. a purchase is beyond a Cardholder's limit;
    
    
    2. there is a query regarding Vendor accounts;
    
    
    3. anticipated spending will be more than $5,000 during the fiscal year with one vendor, even though a single transaction may be less than $1,000. This does not include memberships.
    
    
    
    

Application Process

14. C-Cards will be issued to employees who provide substantial evidence that a C-Card is required for the daily operation of their work.


15. To request a C-Card, employees must complete and submit the C-Card Request Form (available in the Financial Services Forms area of myVCC) to their direct manager/supervisor for initial approval. The direct manager/supervisor will forward the signed form to the CFO for final approval.

Violations

16. An Approver cannot approve their own expenses. It is considered a violation for Approvers to use another Cardholders C-Card for their own expenses, which they will ultimately approve. This includes purchases by a direct report on their behalf, (e.g. an administrative assistant incurs an expense on their C-Card for travel arrangements for their direct manager/supervisor, who is their Approver).


17. Employees are encouraged to report any misuse or unauthorized use of the C-Card, in good faith and without repercussions.


18. Late or non-approval of expense reports may be recorded as a violation.


19. Failure to adhere to College policies and the terms and conditions of the Handbook may result in appropriate consequences, including but not limited to:
    
    
    
    1. cancellation of the C-Card,
    
    
    2. termination of C-Card user privileges,
    
    
    3. reimbursement to the College of any unauthorized purchases, and/or
    
    
    4. disciplinary action, including termination of employment or prosecution.
    
    
    
    


20. The CFO reserves the right to remove all C-Cards at an individual or departmental level for non-compliance with notice.


21. The following steps may be taken if violations are found:

Step 1:  Warning – Cardholder and direct manager/supervisor are notified

Step 2:  6-month card suspension – Cardholder, direct manager/supervisor and Approver are notified

Step 3:  C-Card privileges withdrawn – Cardholder, direct manager/supervisor, approver and VP Administration are notified

22. Refer to the Handbook for examples of C-Card violations.