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FINANCE DEPARTMENT

POLICIES - Request for Payment

The new RFP  form is available on the Finance web site. After May 1st, all old RFPs will not be processed, but will be returned to the requestor. There are some very important changes to the new form that are required.

The Request for Payment form (F-4) may be used to initiate payments for which a University Purchase Order or payroll forms are not required.

The Finance Department processes all disbursements that are charged to a University account. Each payment must be determined to be an appropriate, allowable, properly authorized expense according to Finance policy.

Table of Contents

WHEN TO USE IT

WHEN NOT TO USE IT

HOW TO USE IT

A Request for Payment form (F-4) should be completed and signed by the department administrator or other authorized signer for the account being charged. Forward the Request For Payment and supporting original documentation (invoice, receipts or other evidence of charge) to Accounts Payable for processing at Towne House Suite 260 (RC Box 278958).

RFP FORM INSTRUCTIONS

The following RFP instructions are also contained in the Request for Payment form (F-4). Failure to provide information in any of the required fields will delay processing and payment to the payee/vendor. The following information is required:

Payee Information

Payee: The payee is the name of the person or company (also known as the vendor) that you want to be paid. Professional designations for people, such as MD, PhD or Dr, are not written on checks so please do not include them on the form.

Payee address: The payee's address is always required. For taxable payments, the payee's address must match the address on their W-9/8233. For federal and state reporting requirements the address must be their permanent home address. The information in this field should be the "remit to" address provided by the payee/vendor.

Payee type: This form cannot be used for any compensation to University or student employees. You must select the type of payee we are paying:

  • Select "Non-employee, Non-student" if the payee is not employed at the University and is not a student at the university.
  • Select "Employee" if the payee is an employee of the University of Rochester or one of its affiliates/subsidiaries. Student employees are also considered Employees.
  • Select "Student" if the payee is a University of Rochester student.

Date Submitted: For date submitted, you should enter the date you bring the completed RFP to Accounts Payable or the date you put it into the mail to Accounts Payable.

Protected Health Information: You must indicate whether or not the payee/vendor listed has access to Protected Health Information as defined by HIPAA.

Business Associate Agreement: If the payee/vendor does have access to PHI, then you must indicate whether or not a Business Associate Agreement has been obtained.

Transaction Detail

Total Amount of Check: Enter the total amount to be paid.

Account Number Distribution: You must enter each valid, active FRS ledger account number that you want charged and the amount to charge each account number. The total of the account number distributions must equal the total amount of the check. Your request will not be processed without complete account numbers. Please be sure that you have supplied us with valid, active account numbers since frozen or deleted accounts will reject and delay payment to the payee. If you cannot fit all your distributions on the form, please contact Accounts Payable at 275-3483 for further guidance.

Description on check: The description to be written on the check is limited to 15 spaces. Normally the account number the payee has assigned to us is used in the description since this is the best way for the payee to determine where to apply the payment when they receive it. Another good choice to use in the description field is the invoice number on the invoice. If neither of these exist, use a description that the payee will understand and be able to figure out what we are paying them for.

Business Purpose: In this field you need to explain how the payment is in support of University business. Sometimes the situation is straightforward and a description of what is being paid for is sufficient. For example, if the request is to pay for a conference registration then the business purpose should say the topic of the conference and what employee is attending. Otherwise, you need to provide a more detailed explanation of how the items or services are used in the course of performing University business. Auditors use this information when reviewing our transactions to ensure that we are applying our funds appropriately (according to policies and regulations).

Forwarding Information

You must choose what you want done with the check. Please note that the first choice "Mailed directly to payee" is the preferred method and is standard procedure.

  • Select "Mailed directly to the payee at the address above" in order to follow standard procedures.
  • Select "Mailed to the following" if you must have the check returned to you. Be sure to fill in the name and intramural address of the person the check needs to be mailed to. Also, a blue envelope with the name and address printed on the front should be attached to the RFP and documentation.
  • For Rush requests that are hand-delivered to Accounts Payable, the following option is available and will be selected by Finance as appropriate: "Picked up, blue envelope is attached. Please call". Be sure to fill in the name and address of the person the check needs to be mailed to. Also, a blue envelope with the name and address printed on the front should be attached to the RFP and documentation.

Requestor Information

Requested by: Name (printed) of person requesting the payment be made.

Title: Title (printed) of the Requestor.

Phone Number: Phone number of the Requestor (xxx-xxxx).

Department: Department for which the request is being completed.

Intramural address (box number): Intramural address (box number) of the Requestor

Requestor's Signature: Signature of the Requestor. Signatures must be original; photocopied/faxed signatures are not acceptable.

Date: Date of Requestor's signature.

Approval Information

Approved by: Name (printed) of the Approver. In all situations, the "next-level"/supervisor is an individual authorized/responsible for the general ledger account to which the payment is being charged. The Approver must be the "next-level"/supervisor to the Requestor if payment is to a vendor. The Approver must be the "next-level"/supervisor to the payee if the payment is to reimburse an employee for business expenses.

Title: Title (printed) of the Approver.

Approval Signature: Signature of the Approver. Signatures must be original; photocopied/faxed signatures are not acceptable.

Date: Date of Approver's signature.

Phone: Phone number of the Approver.

Important Notes

  • Supporting documentation must always accompany a completed RFP form. To facilitate processing, please include:
    • Original supporting documentation, such as invoices, receipts, or other evidence of charge.
    • When requesting reimbursements, proof of payment is required. Acceptable forms of proof of payment include:
      1. Original cancelled check
      2. Original credit card statement showing charge
      3. Original receipt from organization
      4. Copy of check and copy of bank statement showing check cashed
  • Payments that are income/compensation to the payee are taxable. A Form W-9 is required for US citizen and Resident Alien payees. A Form 8233 is required for Nonresident Alien payees.
    • Taxpayer Identification Number: A TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number) is only needed when the payment is taxable to the payee. For more information about what payments are taxable, federal and state requirements, as well as additional information regarding Form W-9 and Form 8233, please see Taxable Payments to Individuals.
  • Enclosure(s) to be sent with payment: Mark this box if enclosures must be sent with payment to the payee. Enclosures may be copies of registration forms, invoice payment stubs, or other paperwork that will help the payee determine how to apply the payment. Please include an extra copy of everything to be enclosed with the payment.
  • For payment to vendors, only one invoice can be paid per RFP. If you have multiple invoices to be paid, you need to complete a separate RFP for each invoice. When the RFP process is being used, vendors are much more likely to correctly apply our payments when we send them payment for one invoice per check.
  • The only fields you are not required to fill in are:
    • Code: This field is for Finance use only
    • Reviewed by: This field is for Finance use only
  • In some rare situations, with prior Finance approval, you can request payment by wire or in a foreign currency.
    • Foreign currency: Please clearly note which currency the payee would like to receive.
    • Wire payment: In these situations additional information is needed. Please contact Accounts Payable at 275-3483 for further guidance.

STANDARD RFP PROCEDURES

  1. RFPs are received at Accounts Payable either by hand delivery or through interoffice mail.
  2. RFPs are date and time stamped.
  3. RFPs are distributed to the Accounts Payable team for processing.
  4. AP Associates process RFPs for payment the business day after they are received in AP.
    • If there are any problems with processing payment for the RFP the Requestor is called for resolution.
    • If our calls are not answered within 2 business days we mail the RFP back to the Requestor for resolution.
  5. RFP data is entered into FRS.
  6. Check prints over night.
  7. The business day after the RFP data is entered into FRS, AP verifies there were no problems with the check by completing the Daily Balance.
  8. Check is mailed to the payee.

Please note that mailing a check back to the Requestor/Department or picking the check up at AP is not standard procedure, even if it is a Rush.

Standard RFP Timeframes

Starting Event Ending Event Timeframe
RFP received at AP RFP distributed to AP team <1 business day
RFP distributed to AP team RFP reviewed <2 business days
RFP reviewed and no problems present Data entered into FRS <2 business days
Data entered into FRS Check ready for mail 1 business day
Check mailed via US Postal Service Check received by payee/vendor 2-5 days

This means, with few exceptions, it will take 3-6 business days from the time an RFP is received at AP until the time it is mailed out of our office.

EXCEPTIONS TO STANDARD RFP PROCEDURE

The Finance Department defines a Rush Check as the following:

  • A Rush Check is for a request for payment that due to extenuating circumstances, following standard procedure, payment will not reach the vendor by the due date.
  1. Requests for Rush checks must be hand delivered to Accounts Payable no later than 1:00 p.m. to be processed and mailed the following business day.
  2. Request placed in Rush inbox
  3. Rush inbox checked at 1:15pm for that day's requests
  4. Team Leader determines if request is complete
    • If there are any problems with processing payment for the request the Requestor is called for resolution.
  5. Team Leader prepares payment
  6. Data entered into FRS
  7. Check prints over night
  8. The business day after the RFP is entered into FRS, AP verifies there were no problems with the check by completing the Daily Balance.
  9. Check mailed to payee

Please note that mailing a check back to Requestor/Department or picking the check up at AP is not standard procedure, even if it is a Rush.

Rush Timeframes

Starting Event Ending Event Timeframe
RFP received at AP by 1:00pm RFP reviewed Same day
RFP reviewed Data entered into FRS Same day
Data entered into FRS Check ready for mail 1 business day
Check mailed via US Postal Service Check received by payee/vendor 2-5 days

This means that rushes received by 1:00 p.m. will be mailed from our office the next business day.

Check Pickup

There are a few situations when checks may be picked up. Picking checks up from AP is not standard procedure, even if it is a rush, because checks are less likely to be lost if they are mailed directly to the payee/vendor. If pickup is being requested, it is required that a blue envelope, with name and phone number of the person to contact for pickup, be attached with the RFP and documentation. The Finance Department is not responsible for supplying blue envelopes or addressing them for requestors.

Instead of the check being mailed to the payee:

  1. Accounts Payable calls the Requestor for pick up
    • Accounts Payable will always call the Requestor if pickup is requested
  2. Checks may only be picked up 2:00-4:00pm each business day. Please remember that:
    • Proper University ID must be shown when picking up a check.
    • Vendors are not allowed to pick up checks under any circumstance.
  3. If the check is not picked up on the day it is ready, Accounts Payable will place a second call the following morning to the department informing them of the next pickup time. Check pickup is every business day 2:00-4:00pm.
  4. All checks not picked up by 4:00 p.m. on the second business day will be mailed back to the Requestor/Department.

Check Mailed to Requestor/Department

There are a few situations when checks may be mailed back to the Requestor/Department. Having checks mailed to the Requestor/Department is not standard procedure because checks are less likely to be lost if they are mailed directly to the payee/vendor.

Instead of the check being mailed to the payee, the check is put into intramural mail using the addressed blue envelope supplied when the RFP was submitted. It is required that a blue envelope, with name and address, be attached with the RFP and documentation. The Finance Department is not responsible for supplying blue envelopes or addressing them for requestors.

Interoffice Mail Timeframe

Check put in interoffice mail Check received by payee/vendor 2-3 days

Taking into consideration the Standard RFP timeframe (3-6 business days from the time an RFP is received at AP until the time it is mailed out of our office) this means the check will be received back through interoffice mail 5-9 business days after it is received in AP. Any questions can be directed to Accounts Payable at 275-3483, or Purchasing at 275-2002.

Page updated 11/03/2006
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