[{"id":2214,"date":"2026-09-08T14:37:45","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T18:37:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2214"},"modified":"2026-09-08T14:48:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T18:48:43","slug":"employee-tuition-benefit-and-applicable-taxes-webinar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/employee-tuition-benefit-and-applicable-taxes-webinar\/","title":{"rendered":"Tuition Benefit Taxation Overview Webinar"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In August 2026, VCU Human Resources and Payroll Services hosted a <strong>Tuition Benefit Taxation Overview Webinar<\/strong> to help employees better understand the tuition benefit program and its potential tax implications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The webinar covered program eligibility, the application process, the difference between tuition benefit and tuition reimbursement, and how the benefit may affect annual taxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Employees who would like to review the information, can watch the <strong>recorded webinar here<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/vcu.mediaspace.kaltura.com\/media\/VCU+Tax+Topics%3A+Tuition+Benefit+-+Aug+14%2C+2026\/1_ksfe0gen\">Tuition Benefit Taxation Overview Webinar<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For questions about the tuition benefit program, contact <a href=\"mailto:learndev@vcu.edu\">learndev@vcu.edu<\/a>. For questions regarding tax implications, contact Veronica King at <a href=\"mailto:vbking@vcu.edu\">vbking@vcu.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In August 2026, VCU Human Resources and Payroll Services hosted a Tuition Benefit Taxation Overview Webinar to help employees better understand the tuition benefit program and its potential tax implications. The webinar covered program eligibility, the application process, the difference between tuition benefit and tuition reimbursement, and how the benefit may affect annual taxes. Employees [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2216,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[355,356],"tags":[357,168,241,240],"class_list":["post-2214","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-human-resources","category-payroll","tag-human-resources","tag-payroll","tag-taxation","tag-tuition-benefit"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2214","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=2214"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2214\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2218,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2214\/revisions\/2218"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2214"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2214"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2214"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2211,"date":"2026-09-08T14:27:55","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T18:27:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2211"},"modified":"2026-09-08T14:27:56","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T18:27:56","slug":"navigating-vcus-updated-travel-policy-what-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/navigating-vcus-updated-travel-policy-what-you-need-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigating VCU\u2019s Updated Travel Policy: What You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Virginia Commonwealth University has updated its Business-Related Travel Policy. The revisions do not restrict business travel; instead, they modernize language and clear up gray areas around flexible work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What Stays the Same<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The core philosophy remains: spend university funds prudently on travel that directly aligns with VCU&#8217;s mission. Key procedural baselines include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>$500 Pre-Approval:<\/strong> Required for trips exceeding an estimated $500.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mandatory Contracts:<\/strong> Air and rail must be booked through VCU\u2019s contracted travel management company (TMC).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Work Station Radius:<\/strong> The official work station remains within a 25-mile radius of your base point.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Per Diem:<\/strong> Overnight meal allowances still follow GSA guidelines and do not require receipts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lodging Caps:<\/strong> Maximum reimbursement stays capped at 200% of the standard GSA base rate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>New Rules for Hybrid and Remote Workers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The updated policy explicitly defines travel origins and commuting boundaries to fit modern work environments:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Single Base Points:<\/strong> Employees cannot have multiple base points. Hybrid workers use their assigned on-campus address, while fully remote workers use their home address.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Commuting Mileage:<\/strong> Round-trip mileage between home and your base point on a scheduled workday is a personal, non-reimbursable expense.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Remote Travel Pre-Approval:<\/strong> Any campus travel requested by a fully remote worker now requires pre-approval, even if the cost is under $500.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Structural Updates &amp; New Deadlines<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The update introduces formalized definitions and a strict timeline to remove operational ambiguity:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Lowest Logical Fare (LLF):<\/strong> Replaces the vague &#8220;most direct route&#8221; mandate. It balances budget savings with practical business schedules so travelers are not forced into unreasonable routes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Duty of Care:<\/strong> Formally embeds VCU&#8217;s obligation to anticipate risks and protect traveler safety.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>30-Day Deadline:<\/strong> Reimbursement requests must now be submitted within 30 days of the last travel date, replacing the previous &#8220;as soon as possible&#8221; guideline.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ultimately, these updates do not change the core mission of university travel, but they do make compliance much clearer. By defining rules for remote work, introducing practical guidelines like Lowest Logical Fare, and setting a firm 30-day reimbursement deadline, VCU has removed the guesswork from the process. Before you book your next trip, take a moment to confirm your designated base point and secure any necessary pre-approvals to ensure a smooth, worry-free journey.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Virginia Commonwealth University has updated its Business-Related Travel Policy. The revisions do not restrict business travel; instead, they modernize language and clear up gray areas around flexible work. What Stays the Same The core philosophy remains: spend university funds prudently on travel that directly aligns with VCU&#8217;s mission. Key procedural baselines include: New Rules for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2213,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[352,354,353,10,3],"class_list":["post-2211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement-services","tag-lodging-caps","tag-mandatory-contracts","tag-per-diem","tag-pre-approval","tag-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2211","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=2211"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2211\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2212,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2211\/revisions\/2212"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2213"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2200,"date":"2026-09-08T12:02:34","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T16:02:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2200"},"modified":"2026-09-08T12:29:06","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T16:29:06","slug":"airgas-ecatalog-update-and-upcoming-training-sessions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/airgas-ecatalog-update-and-upcoming-training-sessions\/","title":{"rendered":"Airgas eCatalog Update and Upcoming Training Sessions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VCU Procurement Services is excited to announce the launch of the new Airgas RealSource e-catalog. Beginning September 21, 2026, departments scheduling gas orders and delivery will use the Aigas RealSource e-catalog \u2014 simplifying order placement, billing, and vendor coordination. VCU departments will be able to purchase industrial, medical and specialty gases, laboratory and safety products, welding supplies, and related items through the new Airgas eCatalog in RealSource. Airgas will offer two virtual training sessions covering catalog navigation, account selection, quotes and order placement:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When: Sep 10, 2026 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)<br>Register in advance for this meeting:<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/vcu.zoom.us\/meeting\/register\/7J6zX-_USH2Br1H2VKBuBw&amp;sa=D&amp;source=calendar&amp;ust=1789304824157759&amp;usg=AOvVaw2n6AEZzCfYHa8N7Jh2PUHx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/vcu.zoom.us\/meeting\/register\/7J6zX-_USH2Br1H2VKBuBw<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When: Sep 17, 2026 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)<br>Register in advance for this meeting:<br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/vcu.zoom.us\/meeting\/register\/M2EZ7mE6QV6PGgkKMIlpTg&amp;sa=D&amp;source=calendar&amp;ust=1789304826645152&amp;usg=AOvVaw22S0ivAodYCTdWXCHdxwCG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/vcu.zoom.us\/meeting\/register\/M2EZ7mE6QV6PGgkKMIlpTg<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Questions? Contact Abigail Zaremba, Senior Category Manager at: <a href=\"mailto:apzaremba@vcu.edu\">apzaremba@vcu.edu<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>VCU Procurement Services is excited to announce the launch of the new Airgas RealSource e-catalog. Beginning September 21, 2026, departments scheduling gas orders and delivery will use the Aigas RealSource e-catalog \u2014 simplifying order placement, billing, and vendor coordination. VCU departments will be able to purchase industrial, medical and specialty gases, laboratory and safety products, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":1835,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[204,87,4,5,289],"class_list":["post-2200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement-services","tag-airgas","tag-ecatalog","tag-purchasing","tag-realsource","tag-training-sessions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2200","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=2200"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2200\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2208,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2200\/revisions\/2208"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1835"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2200"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2196,"date":"2026-09-08T11:56:14","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T15:56:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2196"},"modified":"2026-09-08T11:57:48","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T15:57:48","slug":"before-you-submit-a-requisition-in-realsource","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/before-you-submit-a-requisition-in-realsource\/","title":{"rendered":"Before You Submit a Requisition in RealSource"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A little information up front can make a requisition easier to review and process. Before submitting in RealSource, include the documentation and details Purchasing will need to understand the request and determine the appropriate procurement path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What to include<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on the purchase, this may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A clear description of the goods or services<\/strong> being purchased, including quantities, dates, deliverables, or other important requirements. For a declining balance PO under an existing contract, include the dates the DBO is expected to cover.\u00a0 See Link to <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/declining-balance-orders-best-practices-for-smooth-procurement\/\">Declining Balance Orders: Best Practices for Smooth Procurement<\/a> for more information.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Supplier documentation<\/strong> such as a quote, proposal, scope of work, estimate, pricing sheet, or invoice.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Supplier contact information<\/strong> if it is not already included in the supporting documentation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>All applicable quotes or proposals<\/strong> when multiple quotes or other competition documentation are required.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Complete supporting forms or documents <\/strong>such as a Sole Source, Emergency Purchase justification, or other required documents.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Service details<\/strong> such as deliverables, start and end dates, location, and total cost when relevant.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The applicable contract in RealSource, when one already exists.<\/strong> Linking the contract helps connect the requisition and resulting PO to the agreement being used. See<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/link-the-contract-before-submitting-your-realsource-requisition\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\"> Link the Contract &amp; Protect the Deal in RealSource<\/a>\u2060 for more information.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prior PO or contract information<\/strong> for renewals, extensions, or related purchases (optional).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Applicable prerequisite reviews or approvals<\/strong> when they are required for the purchase.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Plan ahead.<\/strong> Purchasing timelines vary based on the procurement method, complexity, and required reviews. See<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/start-ahead-stress-less-a-simple-way-to-keep-purchases-moving-%F0%9F%97%93%EF%B8%8F\/\"> Start Ahead, Stress Less: A Simple Way to Keep Purchases Moving<\/a>\u2060 for additional guidance on timing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Helpful comments are welcome<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The comments field can also help Purchasing understand how the requisition should be handled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If the requisition is being submitted so Purchasing can conduct a solicitation, note that clearly \u2014 such as <strong>\u201cRequisition submitted for BVA\u201d<\/strong> or <strong>\u201cRequisition submitted for RFP.\u201d<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you are already working with a particular buyer or team, include a note such as <strong>\u201cATTN: Jane Doe.\u201d<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include other useful context such as a required deadline, cooperative contract number, or other circumstance that may affect the purchase.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These details are not needed on every requisition, but they can save time when there is something Purchasing should know at the start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A useful rule of thumb<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before submitting, make sure the requisition gives Purchasing enough information to answer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What are we buying, what will the cost be, and what documentation supports the request?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And when there is something else that will help us route or understand the request, add a quick note in the comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Related posts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/start-ahead-stress-less-a-simple-way-to-keep-purchases-moving-%F0%9F%97%93%EF%B8%8F\/\">Start Ahead, Stress Less: A Simple Way to Keep Purchases Moving<\/a>\u2060<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/link-the-contract-before-submitting-your-realsource-requisition\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">Link the Contract &amp; Protect the Deal in RealSource<\/a>\u2060<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/choosing-the-right-procurement-path\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">Choosing the Right Procurement Path<\/a>\u2060<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/before-the-vendor-starts-five-things-to-check\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">Before the Vendor Starts: Five Things to Check<\/a>\u2060<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/before-signing-a-vendor-document\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">Before Signing a Vendor Document<\/a>\u2060<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/new-quick-reference-guide-available-for-realsource-2026\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\">New Quick Reference Guide Available for RealSource (2026)<\/a>\u2060<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/declining-balance-orders-best-practices-for-smooth-procurement\/\">Declining Balance Orders: Best Practices for Smooth Procurement<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A little information up front can make a requisition easier to review and process. Before submitting in RealSource, include the documentation and details Purchasing will need to understand the request and determine the appropriate procurement path. What to include Depending on the purchase, this may include: Helpful comments are welcome The comments field can also [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2197,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[44,348,4,5,346,347],"class_list":["post-2196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement-services","tag-contracts","tag-costs","tag-purchasing","tag-realsource","tag-requisition","tag-thresholds"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2196","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=2196"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2196\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2199,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2196\/revisions\/2199"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2189,"date":"2026-08-25T15:24:19","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T19:24:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2189"},"modified":"2026-08-25T15:24:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T19:24:21","slug":"before-the-vendor-starts-five-things-to-check","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/before-the-vendor-starts-five-things-to-check\/","title":{"rendered":"Before the Vendor Starts: Five Things to Check"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before telling a vendor to begin work or place an order, make sure the appropriate VCU purchasing method is approved and in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For most purchases requiring a purchase order, that means the vendor should have the VCU PO before work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Five quick checks<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Use the right purchasing method.<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong> Determine whether the purchase should use a PO, P-Card or another approved method.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Start early.<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong> Leave enough time for any required competition, contract review and approvals.\u00a0 For more information visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/procurement.vcu.edu\/i-want-to\/make-a-purchase\/understand-the-procurement-methods\/\">website<\/a> and our <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/bring-procurement-services-in-early-before-you-sign\/\">blog post<\/a> on starting early.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Wait for the PO.<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong> <strong>A requisition is not a purchase order.<\/strong> Submitting or approving a requisition does not mean the vendor has authorization to begin.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Check the scope and amount.<\/strong><strong><br><\/strong> Make sure the PO covers what you are asking the vendor to provide and the amount you expect to spend.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Stop if the purchase changes. <\/strong>If the scope or cost increases, review the revised total against VCU\u2019s procurement thresholds and complete any required departmental approval, Purchasing review or RealSource Change Request before authorizing additional work<strong>.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why this matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Getting the purchasing process completed first gives VCU an opportunity to address pricing, contract terms, competition and other requirements <strong>before the university or vendor is committed<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It also helps avoid additional review, payment delays and after-the-fact corrections later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What about P-Card or emergencies?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not every purchase requires a PO. Approved P-Card transactions and true emergency procurements follow different processes. The key is to use the appropriate purchasing method rather than placing the order first and addressing the process later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Need help?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Contact <strong>University Purchasing at <\/strong><a href=\"mailto:purchasing@vcu.edu\"><strong>purchasing@vcu.edu<\/strong><\/a> or <strong>VCU Corporate Card Services at <\/strong><a href=\"mailto:corpcard@vcu.edu\"><strong>corpcard@vcu.edu<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>before committing to a purchase if you are unsure which process applies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Related guidance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/procurement.vcu.edu\/i-want-to\/use-a-p-card\/use-a-p-card-to-make-a-purchase\/\">Use a P-Card to Make a Purchase<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/procurement.vcu.edu\/i-want-to\/use-a-p-card\/know-what-i-can-and-cannot-purchase\/\">Know What I Can and Cannot Purchase with a P-Card<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/procurement.vcu.edu\/i-want-to\/make-a-purchase\/make-a-purchase-of-10000-or-less\/\">Make a Purchase of $10,000 or Less<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Before telling a vendor to begin work or place an order, make sure the appropriate VCU purchasing method is approved and in place. For most purchases requiring a purchase order, that means the vendor should have the VCU PO before work begins. Five quick checks Why this matters Getting the purchasing process completed first gives [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2190,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[343,345,344,56,4,60],"class_list":["post-2189","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement-services","tag-5-tips","tag-p-cards","tag-purchase-methods","tag-purchase-orders","tag-purchasing","tag-vendors"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189","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=2189"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2193,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189\/revisions\/2193"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2189"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2189"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2189"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2181,"date":"2026-08-25T14:28:24","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T18:28:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2181"},"modified":"2026-08-25T14:31:19","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T18:31:19","slug":"unlock-fast-track-southwest-a-list-status-for-vcu-business-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/unlock-fast-track-southwest-a-list-status-for-vcu-business-travel\/","title":{"rendered":"Unlock Fast-Track Southwest A-List Status for VCU Business Travel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Frequent flyers at VCU have another reason to book their next trip on Southwest Airlines. A new business promotion lets you fast-track your way to VIP treatment and bonus rewards points on trips booked and flown before October 31.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether you travel occasionally across the state or fly nationwide every month, this promotion makes elite status easier to reach than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How the Fast-Track Promotion Works<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Southwest has built two milestone tiers into this offer. Travelers can register for both promotions simultaneously\u2014your qualifying segments will count toward both, and whichever milestone you hit first unlocks your reward:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Tier 1: Earn A-List Status<\/strong>\u00a0Book and fly\u00a0<strong>2 qualifying round trips<\/strong>\u00a0(or 4 one-way flights) between now and October 31 to unlock promotional A-List status valid through December 31, 2026.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tier 2: Earn A-List Status + 20,000 Bonus Points<\/strong>\u00a0Book and fly\u00a0<strong>4 qualifying round trips<\/strong>\u00a0(or 8 one-way flights) between now and October 31 to secure A-List status through December 31, 2026,\u00a0<strong>plus a bonus of 20,000 Rapid Rewards points<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Perks of Southwest A-List Status<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earning A-List status takes the stress out of airport days. Benefits include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Priority Boarding:<\/strong>\u00a0Automatically reserve an A-group boarding position for every flight.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fly By Priority Lanes:<\/strong>\u00a0Breeze through Southwest check-in desks and security lines at select airports.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Free Same-Day Dedicated Standby:<\/strong>\u00a0Switch to an earlier flight on the day of travel without paying a fare difference.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>25% Earnings Bonus:<\/strong>\u00a0Earn 25% more Rapid Rewards points on every qualifying flight.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How to Participate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Be sure to register for the promotions prior to booking your travel to ensure every segment counts toward your target. Check the official promotion flyer linked below for registration links, full terms, and qualifying fare details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1U9uS_n1_GntSUIUWh3DicyHe_iWMJV9o\/view?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Southwest A-List Status<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Frequent flyers at VCU have another reason to book their next trip on Southwest Airlines. A new business promotion lets you fast-track your way to VIP treatment and bonus rewards points on trips booked and flown before October 31. Whether you travel occasionally across the state or fly nationwide every month, this promotion makes elite [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2187,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[342,341,3],"class_list":["post-2181","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement-services","tag-a-list","tag-southwest-business","tag-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2181","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=2181"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2181\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2188,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2181\/revisions\/2188"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2181"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2181"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2181"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2171,"date":"2026-08-18T15:23:26","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T19:23:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2171"},"modified":"2026-08-25T09:01:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T13:01:02","slug":"%e2%9c%88%ef%b8%8f-announcing-vcus-new-american-airlines-partnership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/%e2%9c%88%ef%b8%8f-announcing-vcus-new-american-airlines-partnership\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2708\ufe0f Announcing VCU\u2019s New American Airlines Partnership"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We are thrilled to announce a new corporate agreement with <strong>American Airlines<\/strong> to bring exclusive discounts and perks to VCU business travelers.&nbsp; Whether you\u2019re heading across the country for a conference or flying overseas for research, traveling on university business just got smoother, cheaper, and a lot more comfortable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What\u2019s Included in the New Agreement?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This partnership doesn&#8217;t just cover American Airlines\u2014the benefits extend to key partner airlines <strong>British Airways<\/strong> and <strong>Iberia<\/strong>, making international university travel just as seamless. Here is what you can look forward to on your next university trip:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Upfront Airfare Discounts:<\/strong> Enjoy direct savings on flights! Discount percentages vary depending on the fare class booked.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Complimentary Preferred Seating:<\/strong> Get access to better seats at no extra charge. <em>Note: You must be an AAdvantage member to qualify (joining is fast and completely free!).<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Priority Check-In &amp; Security:<\/strong> Skip the long wait times and breeze through airport lines faster.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Priority Disruption Recovery:<\/strong> Flight delays and cancellations happen, but VCU travelers will now receive priority flight re-accommodation to get you back on track with minimal hassle.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Don&#8217;t Forget Our Southwest Airlines Partnership<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a reminder, VCU also maintains a robust partnership with <strong>Southwest Airlines<\/strong>. This relationship serves as the perfect complement to our new American Airlines agreement, offering competitive corporate rates for flexible, cost-effective domestic and regional trips.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Looking Ahead<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our goal is to provide you with the most comprehensive, flexible, and affordable travel network possible. Procurement Services is actively negotiating with other major legacy and regional carriers to expand our portfolio. We look forward to sharing more exciting updates and new airline partnerships in the coming months!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ready to Book?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These American Airline benefits are available immediately for all approved VCU business travel. Be sure to use standard university booking channels to ensure your flight automatically receives the corporate discounts and priority perks. Please be aware that corporate discounts and any priority statuses cannot be applied retroactively to flights booked outside of these channels.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We are thrilled to announce a new corporate agreement with American Airlines to bring exclusive discounts and perks to VCU business travelers.&nbsp; Whether you\u2019re heading across the country for a conference or flying overseas for research, traveling on university business just got smoother, cheaper, and a lot more comfortable. What\u2019s Included in the New Agreement? [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2172,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[338,339,101,340,3],"class_list":["post-2171","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement-services","tag-american-airlines","tag-british-airways","tag-business-travel","tag-iberia","tag-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2171","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=2171"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2171\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2178,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2171\/revisions\/2178"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2171"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2171"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2171"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2167,"date":"2026-08-18T15:19:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T19:19:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2167"},"modified":"2026-08-18T15:25:03","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T19:25:03","slug":"before-engaging-a-firm-and-authorizing-work-to-be-performed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/before-engaging-a-firm-and-authorizing-work-to-be-performed\/","title":{"rendered":"Before Engaging a Firm and Authorizing Work to be Performed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A purchase order or signed agreement may not be the only step required before a firm begins work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Contractor work can trigger access, data, technology, insurance, VCU Facilities Management review, and compliance reviews. Identify those needs before services begin.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Identify early whether the contractor will:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Perform work on campus<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Need access to VCU systems or networks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Handle personal, student, health, financial, or university proprietary information<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Collect, process, or transmit payment card information<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Need parking, building access, or contractor identification<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use VCU logos, trademarks, or branding<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide technology, hosted services, software, or online platforms<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Require access to restricted locations, equipment, or systems<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Reviews that may apply<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on the engagement, VCU may need to address:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Accessibility and Section 508 requirements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Payment Card Industry security standards<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Certificates of insurance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Background checks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Network access<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Data-handling requirements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Export control<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SOC reports<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>FERPA\/ HIPAA<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Permitting requirements and Facilities Management involvement<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Addressing these details early helps align the agreement, scope of work, contractor access, and implementation timeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\ud83d\udccc <strong>Need help?<\/strong> Contact purchasing@vcu.edu and itsc@vcu.edu. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A purchase order or signed agreement may not be the only step required before a firm begins work. Contractor work can trigger access, data, technology, insurance, VCU Facilities Management review, and compliance reviews. Identify those needs before services begin. Identify early whether the contractor will: Reviews that may apply Depending on the engagement, VCU may [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2169,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[148,336,337,56,4],"class_list":["post-2167","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement-services","tag-compliance","tag-contractors","tag-facilities-management","tag-purchase-orders","tag-purchasing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2167","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=2167"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2167\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2174,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2167\/revisions\/2174"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2169"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2167"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2167"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2167"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":2162,"date":"2026-08-18T15:06:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T19:06:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=2162"},"modified":"2026-08-18T15:07:06","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T19:07:06","slug":"why-after-the-fact-purchases-create-problems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/why-after-the-fact-purchases-create-problems\/","title":{"rendered":"Why After-the-Fact Purchases Create Problems"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When a vendor starts work before the appropriate purchasing method is in place, the problem often shows up later\u2014when the invoice arrives.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Without a valid purchase order, the invoice may not have the information needed to route and match correctly in Digital Mailroom (DMR). That can leave Accounts Payable trying to determine who ordered the goods or services and where the invoice belongs.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-src=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1257\/2026\/08\/image-1024x768.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2163 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1024px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1024\/768;width:563px;height:auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1257\/2026\/08\/image-1024x768.png 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1257\/2026\/08\/image-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1257\/2026\/08\/image-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1257\/2026\/08\/image.png 1448w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>An after-the-fact purchase can result in:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Invoice delays. <\/strong>The invoice may sit unresolved while AP researches the purchase.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Additional follow-up. <\/strong>AP may need to contact departments to identify the purchaser, obtain documentation or determine the correct PO.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Late vendor payments.<\/strong> The vendor may be waiting while the underlying purchase is corrected.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>More work for everyone.<\/strong> Departments, Procurement Services and AP may all become involved in resolving a transaction that could otherwise have been processed normally.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lost opportunity for review. <\/strong>Pricing, contract terms, competition and other requirements may not be reviewed until after VCU is already committed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Compliance concerns. <\/strong>Payment may not be approved in some circumstances, and serious or recurring issues may require additional review or corrective action.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Exposure to Legal and Financial Liabilities<\/strong>. Bypassing any formal legal review of terms may inadvertently appear as VCu agree to the vendor\u2019s standard online terms or &#8220;click-wrap&#8221; agreements. These often contain clauses illegal for public institutions, such as mandatory binding arbitration, out-of-state governing law, or waivers of sovereign immunity.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The key point<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A purchase order is not just procurement paperwork. It authorizes the purchase and helps the resulting invoice get to the right place and get paid correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Need help?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Contact University Purchasing at purchasing@vcu.edu before authorizing work if you are unsure which purchasing process applies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When a vendor starts work before the appropriate purchasing method is in place, the problem often shows up later\u2014when the invoice arrives. Without a valid purchase order, the invoice may not have the information needed to route and match correctly in Digital Mailroom (DMR). That can leave Accounts Payable trying to determine who ordered the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":2166,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[335,110,76,56],"class_list":["post-2162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement-services","tag-after-the-fact","tag-dmr","tag-invoices","tag-purchase-orders"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2162","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=2162"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2162\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2165,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2162\/revisions\/2165"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2166"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2162"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2162"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":302,"date":"2026-08-13T08:43:25","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T12:43:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/?p=302"},"modified":"2026-08-13T08:44:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T12:44:23","slug":"your-questions-our-answers-virtual-office-hour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/your-questions-our-answers-virtual-office-hour\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Questions, Our Answers: Virtual Office Hour"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When: Tuesdays, 1PM-2PM via Zoom<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Do you have burning questions or need expert advice to tackle your latest procurement need? Look no further!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\">Why Join Our Virtual Office Hour?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Expert Guidance<\/strong>: Get personalized advice from our procurement experts who are eager to share their knowledge and experience.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Networking Opportunities<\/strong>: Connect with like-minded professionals and expand your network.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Flexible and Convenient<\/strong>: Join from anywhere!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Interactive Sessions<\/strong>: Engage in lively discussions, ask questions, and get real-time feedback.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\">What to Expect<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Insightful Discussions<\/strong>: Dive deep into procurement topics that matter to you, from travel, accounts payable, RealSource, vendor management, and purchasing. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Problem-Solving<\/strong>: Bring your procurement challenges, and we\u2019ll help you find solutions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Join<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Register<\/strong>:<a href=\"https:\/\/vcu.zoom.us\/meeting\/register\/dbBT3o4zQCmWzXxVzIglWQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> Sign up for our next session here.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Prepare<\/strong>: Think about the questions or topics you want to discuss.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Join<\/strong>: Log in at the scheduled time and get ready to engage!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Don\u2019t miss out on this opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with our specialists in Procurement Services! \ud83c\udf1f<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When: Tuesdays, 1PM-2PM via Zoom Do you have burning questions or need expert advice to tackle your latest procurement need? Look no further! Why Join Our Virtual Office Hour? What to Expect How to Join Don\u2019t miss out on this opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with our specialists in Procurement Services! \ud83c\udf1f<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2024,"featured_media":281,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[158],"tags":[334,75],"class_list":["post-302","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement-services","tag-office-hour","tag-virtual-office-hour"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302","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=302"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2152,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302\/revisions\/2152"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/281"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=302"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=302"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.vcu.edu\/procurement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=302"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}]