Cellular Phone Services Purchasing Procedures

Introduction

Purchasing Procedure

Individual/Department Responsibilities

Payment Process for Nextel, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verzion Wireless

Payment Process for AT&T Wireless Accounts

INTRODUCTION

The University recognizes that a cellular phone in some cases may aid an employee in the performance of his or her job duties. Administrative units are responsible for determining when the utilization of this communication tool is appropriate, and will enhance or increase work performance/efficiency.

The Purchasing Department cellular buyer for your campus is responsible for monitoring the procurement of cellular phones. These procedures have been developed to manage the acquisition process and to provide guidelines for the approval of phone requests.

The individual requesting the cellular phone is responsible for completing a "Cellular Phone Order Form" for the requested service provider which includes a phone/rate plan selection sheet. This information will become the phone specification and used by the Purchasing Department cellular phone buyer for your campus to place the order upon approval. If needed, the requestor can contact the appropriate sales representative for clarification and/or assistance in determining which plan best meets their needs. Questions pertaining to these procedures should be directed to the Purchasing Department cellular phone buyer located on your campus.

PURCHASE PROCEDURE

• The "Cellular Phone Order Form" (CPOF) for the requested service provider can be obtained by:
  
  • Downloading from the Purchasing Department web page at http://purchasing.rutgers.edu/locked/cellularphones.html
  • Calling the Purchasing Department cellular phone buyer within the purchasing office located on your campus.
    
• The requestor submits a completed "Cellular Phone Order Form" that includes the phone/rate selection sheet to the appropriate dean, director or department head for approval and signature. The following criteria will be considered by the approver when reviewing the CPOF:
  
  • Do the requestor’s daily duties require him or her to be frequently out of the office and immediate and/or continuous communication with the office or others at the university is essential to the business function of the department?Does the individual frequently work in remote locations and communication is essential to the business function of the department?Do the individual’s responsibilities within the department include making critical day to day business decisions that would require immediate and/or continuous communication with others at the university?Will the acquisition of a cellular phone increase the productivity of the department or individual?
  • Does the business purpose for the phone fit the rate plan (number of minutes) requested and is within the department budget?
  
  If approved, the CPOF is forwarded to the Purchasing Department cellular phone buyer located on your campus.

• The Purchasing Department cellular phone buyer located on your campus will verify approvals and review the business justification of the CPOF to ensure that the criteria established in these guidelines have been met.

• Approved forms are forwarded to the selected service provider. The service provider will fill the order as specified on the order sheet.

INDIVIDUAL/DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• Complete a CPOF and obtain approval from the applicable dean, director, or department head.

• Review and approve the request. Consideration will be given to business justification and availability of funds.

• The user will receive and review a monthly-itemized bill from the service provider.

• The user must reimburse the university for all personal phone calls exceeding the rate plan within fifteen days from receipt of the invoice.

• Supervisors are expected to periodically review monthly-itemized bills to ensure compliance with this policy.

• All university cellular phone accounts are subject to internal and external audits.

• Voice mail must be setup on all cell phones right after the phone is activated.

PAYMENT PROCESS FOR NEXTEL, SPRINT, T-MOBILE AND VERIZON WIRELESS

• The user will receive a monthly-itemized bill from the service provider.
• The user will review the bill for accuracy.
• A Quick Order will be completed by the department in RIAS and submit with the itemized bill to to Carol Dombrowski in the Office of Budget Management.
• If applicable, the user will issue a check made payable to Rutgers, The State University for any personal phone calls exceeding the selected rate plan within fifteen days from receipt of the itemized bill which will be deposited in the department’s university account.

PAYMENT PROCESS FOR AT&T WIRELESS ACCOUNTS

The following is the single billing payment procedure for university owned cellular phones serviced by AT&T Wireless:

• Each month, AT&T Wireless will submit a single invoice to University Accounting for process and payment.The user's account will be charged for their cellular phone usage as provided by AT&T Wireless.The cellular phone charge will appear in the user's account as a mobile phone charge (object code #3030) with a reference code of MP.Each department will receive a monthly report detailing their cellular phone usage from the office of Budget Management.

  Users will review the detailed report for accuracy and call AT&T Wireless's customer service representative, Crystal Blaine, at 1-800/261-6065 to report any discrepancies.

• If applicable, the user will issue a check made payable to Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey for any personal calls made that exceed the selected rate plan within fifteen days from receipt of the detailed report which will be deposited in the department's university account.

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