[{"id":2033,"date":"2026-06-23T14:29:36","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T18:29:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2033"},"modified":"2026-06-23T14:29:37","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T18:29:37","slug":"upcoming-realsource-downtime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/upcoming-realsource-downtime\/","title":{"rendered":"Upcoming RealSource Downtime"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To accommodate the FY26 fiscal year-end closure process, the RealSource system will be unavailable starting\u00a0<strong>Monday, June 29, 2026, at 5:00 PM<\/strong>. The system will be restored on\u00a0<strong>Wednesday, July 1, 2026\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0once Banner is back online.<br><br>If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to reach out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Business Solutions Team<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To accommodate the FY26 fiscal year-end closure process, the RealSource system will be unavailable starting\u00a0Monday, June 29, 2026, at 5:00 PM. The system will be restored on\u00a0Wednesday, July 1, 2026\u00a0or\u00a0once Banner is back online. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to reach out. Business Solutions Team<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2034,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[271,5],"class_list":["post-2033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement-services","tag-fy26","tag-realsource"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2033","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2024"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2033"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2033\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2034"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2033"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2033"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2033"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2031,"date":"2026-06-23T14:18:34","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T18:18:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2031"},"modified":"2026-06-23T14:18:36","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T18:18:36","slug":"before-signing-a-vendor-document","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/before-signing-a-vendor-document\/","title":{"rendered":"Before Signing a Vendor Document"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Departments may receive quotes, order forms, statements of work or other vendor documents that include a signature line. Please do not sign these documents unless you have delegated authority to sign on behalf of VCU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A signature may do more than confirm pricing. It may also accept vendor terms, renewal language, payment obligations, cancellation requirements or other conditions that require university review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Purchases of $10,000 or less<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the vendor does <strong>not<\/strong> require a signature:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Review the vendor document to confirm it matches what you intend to purchase.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Create a requisition in RealSource.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Attach the quote, order form, SOW or other supporting document.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Obtain approvals and allow the purchase order to be issued.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the vendor requires a signature:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Submit the vendor document through Contracts+ in RealSource via a Contract Request.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Contracts team will review, negotiate, and finalize the document as needed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>P-Card purchases<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">P-Card rules and thresholds still apply. If no signature is required, the purchase may proceed by P-Card when otherwise allowable. If a signature is required, submit the document through Contracts+ before moving forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Purchases over $10,000<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Submit a requisition in RealSource and attach all supporting documents. Once approved by the department, the requisition will route to Procurement Services. A buyer will review the order and coordinate with VCU Contracts if a signature or additional contract review is needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When in doubt, do not sign. Attach the document to the requisition or submit it through Contracts+.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Departments may receive quotes, order forms, statements of work or other vendor documents that include a signature line. Please do not sign these documents unless you have delegated authority to sign on behalf of VCU. A signature may do more than confirm pricing. It may also accept vendor terms, renewal language, payment obligations, cancellation requirements [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2032,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[44,305,306],"class_list":["post-2031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement-services","tag-contracts","tag-signature","tag-vendor-documents"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2031","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2024"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2031"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2031\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2032"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2031"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2031"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2028,"date":"2026-06-02T13:38:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T17:38:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2028"},"modified":"2026-06-02T13:39:01","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T17:39:01","slug":"index-reconciliations-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/index-reconciliations-update\/","title":{"rendered":"Index Reconciliations Update"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beginning in fiscal year 2027, the Finance and Research Dashboards are moving from the preferred method of documenting index reconciliations to the required method.&nbsp; To request an exemption from use of the dashboards, email the Controller&#8217;s Office at&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:controller@vcu.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">controller@vcu.edu<\/a>. The exemption request should include where your reconciliations will be documented and why this method is superior to the dashboards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Beginning in fiscal year 2027, the Finance and Research Dashboards are moving from the preferred method of documenting index reconciliations to the required method.&nbsp; To request an exemption from use of the dashboards, email the Controller&#8217;s Office at&nbsp;controller@vcu.edu. The exemption request should include where your reconciliations will be documented and why this method is superior [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2029,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[161],"tags":[301,302,304,303],"class_list":["post-2028","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-controllers-office","tag-dashboards","tag-exemption","tag-finance-and-research","tag-fy2027"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2028","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2024"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2028"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2028\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2029"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2028"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2028"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2026,"date":"2026-06-02T13:30:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T17:30:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2026"},"modified":"2026-06-02T13:30:18","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T17:30:18","slug":"know-before-you-buy-new-restricted-manufacturer-lookup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/know-before-you-buy-new-restricted-manufacturer-lookup\/","title":{"rendered":"Know Before You Buy: New Restricted Manufacturer Lookup"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A handful of federal lists restrict purchases of equipment from specific <strong>manufacturers<\/strong> \u2014 even when you&#8217;re buying through a familiar reseller like Amazon Business, B&amp;H, or Grainger. Drones, network gear, video surveillance cameras, and certain lab equipment are the most common cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To make these easier to catch before checkout, we&#8217;ve put together a quick lookup tool. Type a manufacturer or brand name in the search box and see whether it appears on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>DoD Section 1260h<\/strong> \u2014 Chinese military companies list<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>FCC Covered List<\/strong> \u2014 restricted telecom, surveillance, and drone equipment<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>NDAA Section 889<\/strong> \u2014 covered telecommunications and video surveillance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The tool refreshes automatically each week from the federal sources, so it stays current as entities are added or removed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udd0d <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/14zZ02k0dgYaJeSCaZY2tNGwWPmXTdwbdWcJ4rR9rxuM\/edit?usp=sharing\"><strong>Restricted Manufacturer Lookup <\/strong><\/a><strong>\u2192<\/strong> \u2014 bookmark it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A few things worth knowing:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A match doesn&#8217;t automatically mean &#8220;don&#8217;t buy.&#8221; The actual restriction depends on the list, the funding source, and the intended use. Some items may still be purchased with state funds even when federal funds are off the table.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aliases work. Searching &#8220;DJI&#8221; pulls up the full corporate name; searching &#8220;Jonhon&#8221; surfaces the AVIC affiliate. Use whatever&#8217;s on the box.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This tool sits alongside the standard vendor screen we already run at registration \u2014 it&#8217;s the manufacturer-layer companion, not a replacement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Final purchasing decisions remain the responsibility of the requesting department \u2014 this tool is a check, not a clearance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Questions, or got a match you&#8217;re not sure about?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Office of Research Security and Export Compliance owns this space and can help you figure out next steps for your specific situation, funding source, and intended use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2709\ufe0f VCU EXPORTCTRL &lt;<a href=\"mailto:exportctrl@vcu.edu\">exportctrl@vcu.edu<\/a>&gt;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2709\ufe0f <a href=\"mailto:burkhartj@vcu.edu\"><strong>Jason Burkhart<\/strong><\/a>, Director of Research Security and Export Compliance&nbsp;\u2709\ufe0f <a href=\"mailto:landsmanpt@vcu.edu\"><strong>Peter Landsman<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Director, Export Compliance Program<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A handful of federal lists restrict purchases of equipment from specific manufacturers \u2014 even when you&#8217;re buying through a familiar reseller like Amazon Business, B&amp;H, or Grainger. Drones, network gear, video surveillance cameras, and certain lab equipment are the most common cases. To make these easier to catch before checkout, we&#8217;ve put together a quick [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2027,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[296,158],"tags":[300,4,299],"class_list":["post-2026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-office-of-research-and-innovation","category-procurement-services","tag-lookup-tool","tag-purchasing","tag-restricted-purchases"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2026","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2024"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2026"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2026\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2027"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2026"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2026"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2026"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2015,"date":"2026-05-26T14:28:36","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T18:28:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2015"},"modified":"2026-05-26T14:28:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T18:28:38","slug":"america-to-go-catering-training-begins-may-27","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/america-to-go-catering-training-begins-may-27\/","title":{"rendered":"America To Go Catering Training Begins May 27!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In February, we announced <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/a-new-catering-partner-for-vcu-introducing-america-to-go\/\">VCU\u2019s collaboration with <strong>America To Go (ATG)<\/strong><\/a> to streamline catering orders, improve compliance, and strengthen visibility into university catering spend. Since then, Procurement Services has been working closely with ATG to prepare the campus community for a smooth transition to the new RealSource e\u2011catalog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We are now ready to begin the next phase of implementation- <strong>training sessions<\/strong> for departments and event planners across campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Upcoming Training Opportunities<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To support users as they begin placing orders through the ATG platform, we will offer <strong>virtual<\/strong> training sessions. Each session will include a live demonstration, Q&amp;A segment, and guidance on navigating the ordering process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>&nbsp; &nbsp; Session Type<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Date &amp; Time<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Registration<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83d\udcbb Virtual Session&nbsp;<\/td><td><em>5\/27 @10am<\/em><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/calendar.google.com\/calendar\/event?action=TEMPLATE&amp;tmeid=NTMwaXFhZWU3dGJyMGh1cGYwMmZkZGU1MWMgamNhcnJpY29AdmN1LmVkdQ&amp;tmsrc=jcarrico%40vcu.edu\">\ud83d\udd17 <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/vcu.zoom.us\/meeting\/register\/t8N48qy5TOmuqrPSIKF_fg\">May 27th, 10AM<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83d\udcbb Virtual Session&nbsp;<\/td><td><em>5\/27 @2pm<\/em><\/td><td>\ud83d\udd17<a href=\"https:\/\/vcu.zoom.us\/meeting\/register\/6YkEcwJ2R7Sx6elEhZWqsA\">May 27th, 2PM<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83d\udcbb Virtual Session&nbsp;<\/td><td><em>5\/28 @10am<\/em><\/td><td>\ud83d\udd17<a href=\"https:\/\/vcu.zoom.us\/meeting\/register\/0AsjgK5MSa-eQgsS-Oml-g\">May 28th, 10AM<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83d\udcbb Virtual Session&nbsp;<\/td><td><em>5\/28 @2pm<\/em><\/td><td>\ud83d\udd17<a href=\"https:\/\/vcu.zoom.us\/meeting\/register\/eLcttmG0RI2DFRK1FsjcGg\">May 28th, 2PM&nbsp;<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\">\ud83d\udc49 <em>Register to reserve your spot! All sessions will contain the same information so please only register for one session.<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What You\u2019ll Learn<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During these sessions, the following topics will be covered:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Navigating the <strong>ATG RealSource e\u2011catalog<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Selecting caterers and building compliant orders<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Understanding billing, documentation, and approval workflows<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Managing changes, cancellations, and delivery issues<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ensuring purchases follow VCU\u2019s procurement and audit requirements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether you coordinate events regularly or only occasionally, this training will help ensure a smooth and compliant ordering experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Important: <\/strong>Beginning May 27th, all applicable university catering orders should be placed through ATG in RealSource.&nbsp;Thank you for your engagement as we transition to this new catering platform. If you have questions, please contact <strong>Justin Carrico<\/strong> at <a href=\"mailto:jcarrico@vcu.edu\"><em>jcarrico@vcu.edu<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In February, we announced VCU\u2019s collaboration with America To Go (ATG) to streamline catering orders, improve compliance, and strengthen visibility into university catering spend. Since then, Procurement Services has been working closely with ATG to prepare the campus community for a smooth transition to the new RealSource e\u2011catalog. We are now ready to begin the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":1881,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[215,214,117,50,5,289,290],"class_list":["post-2015","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement-services","tag-america-to-go","tag-atg","tag-catering","tag-procurement","tag-realsource","tag-training-sessions","tag-virtual-training"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2015","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2024"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2015"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2015\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2015"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2015"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2015"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2023,"date":"2026-05-26T14:26:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T18:26:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2023"},"modified":"2026-05-26T14:34:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T18:34:24","slug":"united-airlines-checked-bag-fee-increase-domestic-and-international","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/united-airlines-checked-bag-fee-increase-domestic-and-international\/","title":{"rendered":"United Airlines Checked Bag Fee Increase (Domestic and International)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">United Airlines has increased its checked baggage fees by $10 for tickets purchased on or after <strong>April 3, 2026. <\/strong>The fee increase applies to all domestic flights, short flights to Latin America, or flights from the US to Canada, Caribbean and Mexico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For most passengers, the first checked bag is now $50 when paid at the airport ($45 prepaid). The second checked bag is $60 at the airport ($55 prepaid).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Baggage fees on international United Airline flights (Africa, Asia, Europe and South America) increased on tickets purchased on or after <strong>May 12, 2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The exact cost of your baggage depends on your destination, fare class, and loyalty status. However, for Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Pacific routes, the 1<sup>st<\/sup> bag is free for most seat classes (excluding Basic Economy).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2<sup>nd<\/sup> Baggage &#8211; $100 (Economy), Free (Premium Economy and above)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All standard checked bags must not exceed 50lbs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other fees apply for extra checked bags or overweight and oversized bags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.united.com\/en\/us\/fly\/baggage\/checked-bags.html\">https:\/\/www.united.com\/en\/us\/fly\/baggage\/checked-bags.html<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>United Airlines has increased its checked baggage fees by $10 for tickets purchased on or after April 3, 2026. The fee increase applies to all domestic flights, short flights to Latin America, or flights from the US to Canada, Caribbean and Mexico. For most passengers, the first checked bag is now $50 when paid at [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2024,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[294,295,3,293],"class_list":["post-2023","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement-services","tag-checked-bag-fee","tag-checked-bag-increase","tag-travel","tag-united-airlines"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2023","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2024"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2023"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2023\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2024"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2023"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2023"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2023"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2020,"date":"2026-05-19T15:24:03","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T19:24:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2020"},"modified":"2026-05-19T15:24:04","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T19:24:04","slug":"mail-services-rate-update-for-alternate-delivery-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/mail-services-rate-update-for-alternate-delivery-services\/","title":{"rendered":"Mail Services Rate Update for Alternate Delivery Services"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Effective July 1, 2026, the monthly cost for non-mandatory mail pickup and delivery services (alternate delivery) for VCU, VCU Health, and MCVP departments will increase to $66 per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The current rate of $60 per month has remained unchanged since the service was first established through outsourcing in July 1996. This adjustment reflects operational cost increases and ongoing support for campus mail delivery services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Departments that would prefer to transition to department-managed pickup and delivery of outgoing mail may arrange to utilize a campus satellite location at Valentine House or the VMI Building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For questions or to discuss delivery options, please contact Donnette Haynes, Service Delivery Manager, at&nbsp;<a>haynesds@vcu.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Effective July 1, 2026, the monthly cost for non-mandatory mail pickup and delivery services (alternate delivery) for VCU, VCU Health, and MCVP departments will increase to $66 per month. The current rate of $60 per month has remained unchanged since the service was first established through outsourcing in July 1996. This adjustment reflects operational cost [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2021,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[159,161,158,160],"tags":[291],"class_list":["post-2020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-budget","category-controllers-office","category-procurement-services","category-treasury-services","tag-rate-change"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2020","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2024"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2020"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2020\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2021"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2018,"date":"2026-05-12T15:05:39","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T19:05:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2018"},"modified":"2026-05-19T15:10:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T19:10:56","slug":"celebrating-years-of-dedication-at-gc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/celebrating-years-of-dedication-at-gc\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating Years of Dedication at G&amp;C"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We invite you to share your appreciation and&nbsp;<strong>congratulations to Delois Alexander-Garnes<\/strong>, who will be<strong>&nbsp;retiring this summer&nbsp;<\/strong>after many years at G&amp;C. Delois has been instrumental in helping with process improvements, training fellow team members and creating a collaborative environment both within our team and at VCU. We will miss having her charismatic personality around daily!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We will be transitioning Delois&#8217;s awards to other team members in the upcoming months. If you have any questions, please contact\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:gcagamma@vcu.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">gcagamma@vcu.edu<\/a> \u00a0or Nancy Nicholson, Gamma Team Manager.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We invite you to share your appreciation and&nbsp;congratulations to Delois Alexander-Garnes, who will be&nbsp;retiring this summer&nbsp;after many years at G&amp;C. Delois has been instrumental in helping with process improvements, training fellow team members and creating a collaborative environment both within our team and at VCU. We will miss having her charismatic personality around daily!&nbsp; We [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2019,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[161,188],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-controllers-office","category-grants-and-contracts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2018","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2024"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2018"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2018\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2011,"date":"2026-05-12T12:18:43","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T16:18:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2011"},"modified":"2026-05-12T12:18:44","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T16:18:44","slug":"were-moving-grants-contracts-accounting-new-address","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/were-moving-grants-contracts-accounting-new-address\/","title":{"rendered":"We&#8217;re Moving! Grants &amp; Contracts Accounting New Address"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">G&amp;C is excited to share that we are moving to the Monroe Park Campus to cohabitate with the rest of our Controller&#8217;s Office colleagues at the Stagg &amp; McAdams houses. All the same, we are going to miss being down the hall from our OVPRI colleagues in Biotech and on the MCV campus with our Health Sciences colleagues. Our last day in our current suite will be Thursday, May 28th.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beginning June 1st, please route all mail through interoffice mail, to our new address: Grants &amp; Contracts Accounting, 912 West Franklin Street, BOX 843039, Richmond VA 23284-3039.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Come by to see us off, grab a sweet treat, and drop off any last minute checks, on\u00a0Tuesday, May 26th between 11am-2pm at Biotech 1 Suite 3100.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>G&amp;C is excited to share that we are moving to the Monroe Park Campus to cohabitate with the rest of our Controller&#8217;s Office colleagues at the Stagg &amp; McAdams houses. All the same, we are going to miss being down the hall from our OVPRI colleagues in Biotech and on the MCV campus with our [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2012,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[161,188],"tags":[200,268,288,286,285,287],"class_list":["post-2011","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-controllers-office","category-grants-and-contracts","tag-grants","tag-grants-and-contracts","tag-mcadams-house","tag-monroe-campus","tag-new-address","tag-stagg-house"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2011","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2024"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2011"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2011\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2012"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2011"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2011"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2007,"date":"2026-05-12T11:55:25","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T15:55:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2007"},"modified":"2026-05-12T11:55:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T15:55:27","slug":"invoice-submission-reminder-use-trustflow-for-all-invoice-intake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/invoice-submission-reminder-use-trustflow-for-all-invoice-intake\/","title":{"rendered":"Invoice Submission Reminder: Use Trustflow for All Invoice Intake"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For questions regarding invoices, payment status, or invoice-related support requests, RAMS Central remains the appropriate resource for departmental assistance and issue resolution. However, to support a more streamlined and efficient Accounts Payable review process, invoices should be submitted directly through AP\u2019s centralized Trustflow intake process rather than attached to RAMS Central tickets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Please save the AP invoice intake email for future submissions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udce7&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:VCU.Invoices@trustflowds.com\"><strong>VCU.Invoices@trustflowds.com<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Emailing invoices directly to <a href=\"mailto:VCU.Invoices@trustflowds.com\"><strong>VCU.Invoices@trustflowds.com<\/strong><\/a> helps ensure invoices are routed as efficiently as possible, while also improving invoice visibility, reducing duplicate submissions, and minimizing delays associated with misrouted documentation. This process applies to all invoice submissions, including new invoices, past-due invoices, and invoices previously submitted through other channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Departments are encouraged to review invoice status in RealSource by invoice number or PO number <em>prior<\/em> to resubmitting documentation. In many cases, invoices may already be in workflow, pending review, or previously processed for payment. Avoiding unnecessary resubmissions helps reduce duplicate invoice exceptions and supports more timely processing across the payment cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If an invoice is rejected through Trustflow and you have confirmed it is not a duplicate submission, please contact your AP Payment Officer for further guidance and resolution support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For additional invoicing guidance, including invoice requirements and payment information, please review:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/procurement.vcu.edu\/for-suppliers\/vendor-invoicing--payment\/\"><strong>Vendor Invoicing &amp; Payment<\/strong>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For questions regarding invoices, payment status, or invoice-related support requests, RAMS Central remains the appropriate resource for departmental assistance and issue resolution. However, to support a more streamlined and efficient Accounts Payable review process, invoices should be submitted directly through AP\u2019s centralized Trustflow intake process rather than attached to RAMS Central tickets. Please save the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2010,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[21,284,76,4,60],"class_list":["post-2007","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement-services","tag-accounts-payable","tag-invoice-processing","tag-invoices","tag-purchasing","tag-vendors"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2007","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2024"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2007"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2007\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2010"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2007"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2007"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2007"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}]