Purchasing (P-Card) and Travel Card

Standard Operating Procedure

Procedure Details

Procedure Title: Purchasing (P-Card) and Travel Card
Procedure #: PUR.002
Revision #: 000

Unit Responsible: Purchasing
Individual Responsible: Purchasing Director

Effective Date: 09/01/2025
Initial Approval Date:
Last Review/Update Date:
Next Review Date:

*Does this procedure support a Board Policy? Yes
If yes, identify: 5.060-Purchasing

Board policies can be found at: LCC Board of Trustees Policy Page

*Does this procedure support HLC criteria and/or Assumed Practices? No
If yes, identify: N/A

HLC Criteria can be found at: HLC Accreditation Criteria
HCL Assumed Practices can be found at: HLC Assumed Practices

*Does this procedure support a State or Federal Regulation? No
If yes, identify: N/A

*Note: Standard Operating Procedures should be in furtherance of some LCC policy and/or accreditation criteria, even if the relationship is not direct. Assistance in determining this information can be obtained from the Academic Procedure Advisory Committee (APAC) and/or the Accreditation Liaison Officer.

Purchasing (P-Card) and Travel Card, BP 5.060

1. Purpose

To establish guidelines and responsibilities in order to delegate limited purchasing authority to authorized employees via a purchasing card program.

Relevant background information: The Board of Trustees has delegated the facilitation of all purchasing activities to the Purchasing Department through the establishment of a Purchasing Policy. The Board of Trustees has delegated the facilitation of all travel and business-related expenses and activities to the Financial Services Division in accordance with the approved College Travel and Business-Related Expense policy. Violations may be referred to the College’s Risk Management and Legal Services Department, if appropriate, for further review and follow-up.

Purchasing Policy
The P-Card program administration resides with the Purchasing Department as part of Purchasing Policy 5.060. The Purchasing Director or their designee determines the limits and usages of the P-Card. It is the responsibility of the Purchasing Director, Controller, their assigned designees, and the assigned P-Card Administrator to oversee and monitor all college P-Card activity. Any violations of the P-Card Program are reported to the Purchasing Director. A full audit of both card programs is conducted annually.
Travel and Business-Related Expense Policy
The Travel program resides with the Financial Services Division as part of the Travel and Business-Related Expense Policy 5.090. The Controller determines the limits and usage of the Travel Card in partnership with the Purchasing Director. It is the responsibility of the Controller or their designee to audit travel and business-related expenses and to report any violations to the Purchasing Director. A full audit of both card programs is conducted annually.

2. Scope

This document explains the processes and responsibilities of employees of the College that have been granted limited purchasing authority via the P-Card and Travel Card program as granted by the Purchasing Director or their designee.

Lansing Community College offers two credit cards to meet the needs of employees who make purchases and/or travel on behalf of the College – the P-Card and the Travel Card. These card programs have strict limits, allowable and non-allowable expenses, and require supervision and monitoring from the Cardholder, the Cardholder’s supervisor, and the P-Card Administrator.

The P-Card program was implemented as a cost-effective method to purchase small-dollar needs for non-inventory and non-capital items. A small-dollar purchase is below $1,500, and any purchases of goods or services (excluding travel or conference registration fees) that exceed $1,500 should be executed by the Purchasing Department through the requisition process. Transactions cannot be split to avoid the $1,500 transaction limit. It is a violation of the Purchasing Policy to intentionally purchase related items on different days from the same vendor to avoid the $1,500 transaction limit.

The Travel Card is restricted to travel merchants only and is for employees who travel, but do not make any other business-related purchases for their department/division. If you currently have a P-Card, you do not need to request a Travel Card as well.

Lansing Community College adheres to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for all requests for public information. Cardholders may have their transaction activity shared as part of the FOIA process, if requested. In accordance with MCL 15.243, FOIA disclosures will be reviewed to ensure that personally identifiable financial information is redacted in compliance with applicable law.

Please review the following guidelines and responsibilities to ensure you’re using your P-Card and Travel Card in a safe, secure, and responsible manner.

3. Prerequisites

College personnel who apply to participate in the P-Card and/or Travel Card Program must complete the list of internal training programs below before submitting the Application for P-Card/Travel Card Program. Employees requiring a reasonable accommodation to complete these training components should contact Human Resources.

Using an LCC Credit Card - Curriculum
- Choosing the Right FOAPAL
- Concur Expense Reconciliation
- Conflict of Interest with Vendors
- Finance and Purchasing 101
- Traveling on College Business

4. Responsibilities

Cardholder Responsibilities
LCC P-Card and Travel Card holders are delegated limited purchasing authority by the Purchasing Director in order to make small-dollar purchases or travel arrangements for business purposes only. Cardholders are responsible for using their P-Card and Travel Card in a manner compliant with all college policies.
1. Cardholder Do’s:
  1. Attend in-person training and sign a Cardholder agreement outlining your responsibilities with an assigned Purchasing Department representative,
  2. Activate your P-Card or Travel Card within thirty (30) days of receiving it,
  3. Review your P-Card or Travel Card charges frequently,
  4. Maintain an accurate record of the charges,
  5. Keep your receipts to submit with your expense reports,
  6. Keep your P-card or Travel Card in a safe location at all times,
  7. Use your P-card or Travel Card for LCC business purposes only with prior approval from your direct supervisor,
  8. Shred all information or paperwork that has the Cardholder’s information on it,
  9. Notify vendors of the College’s tax exemption,
  10. Reconciling your P-Card or Travel Card within ten (10) business days of the transaction or completion of the trip,
  11. Notifying the P-Card Administrator or Chase of erroneous charges, disputes, lost or stolen cards,
  12. Understand that misuse of the P-Card may require reimbursement and could result in discipline or legal consequences.
2. Cardholder Do Nots:
  1. Write your P-Card or Travel Card number down,
  2. Share your P-Card or Travel Card number with anyone,
  3. Include your P-Card or Travel Card number in your Concur Expense Report or any other correspondence,
  4. Split transactions or deliberately purchase related items on different days to avoid the transaction limits,
  5. Use your P-Card or Travel Card without supervisor approval.
Supervisor Responsibilities
1. Supervisors Do’s:
  1. Review and approve or deny all transactions prior to purchase being executed,
  2. Notify the Purchasing Director when a purchase has been made that was not approved,
  3. Review and approve all transactions via Concur in a timely manner,
  4. Ensure spending is in support of LCC business and compliance with policies and procedures,
  5. Ensure Cardholders have provided adequate documentation to support business purpose,
  6. Collect cards from terminated employees or those transferring to new positions and notify the Purchasing Department of such changes at FS-Pcard@star.lcc.edu. Cards can be sent to the Purchasing Department for proper disposal.

5. Procedure

Applying for a P-Card or Travel Card
1. Navigate and log in to Dynamics Forms either via the myLCC work tab - Employee Tools - Purchasing Forms, or via the Purchasing Department Webpage - Campus Customers - Work Instructions - Forms,
  1. Temporary and student employees are not permitted to have a P-Card or Travel Card;
  2. Payment for purchases where there is a signed agreement may not be placed on a P-Card;
2. Complete the Application for P-Card/Travel Card Program,
  1. Once your application is approved by the responsible Executive Leadership Team (ELT) administrator, it is reviewed by the Purchasing Director or their designee,
  2. An active job description must be submitted with the application in order to determine if the position requires any limited purchasing activities or requires traveling on behalf of the division/department to conduct college business.
    1. If it is determined that the position does not require direct purchasing activities or traveling, the application may be returned for additional justification and/or declined;
3. If/when the application is fully approved, you will receive notification that the application was approved and in-person training needs to be scheduled and completed prior to receiving the P-Card and/or Travel Card.
Training with the Purchasing Department
1. Once the P-Card and Travel Card application is approved, the Cardholder will be contacted by a member of the Purchasing Department to schedule a mandatory in-person training session. This training will be hosted by Purchasing and Accounts Payable and will cover a deeper dive into the responsibilities of using the P-Card or Travel Card. Upon completion of the training session and signing of the P-Card and Travel Card User Agreement, the Cardholder will be able to pick up their card from the Purchasing Department.
2. At a minimum of every three (3) years, the card program requires all Cardholders to complete P-Card and Travel Card training to ensure all Cardholders are kept informed of updated or changed processes. Training is offered virtually or in-person. The date required to complete training coincides with the month and year in which your card expires. If the refresher course is not completed by the end of the month, your card expires, and your purchasing privileges may be suspended until course completion.
Limits on the P-Card and Travel Card
LCC P-Card and Travel Card have embedded limits and merchant code restrictions. These limits and codes are reviewed quarterly and are adjusted based on spending history or approved requests.
1. Single vs Monthly
  A single transaction limit is the amount that can be spent per purchase transaction. A monthly transaction limit is the amount that can be spent within a billing cycle. Please note, it is a purchasing violation reportable to Human Resources and the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees if purchases are broken down into smaller transactions to circumvent a single transaction limit. This violation may result in your purchasing privileges being suspended.
2. Merchant Category Codes
  Merchant category codes (MCCs) or merchant classification codes are a four-digit identifier that describes the type of goods or services a business provides. Each LCC P-Card and Travel Card is assigned an MCC Group. The P-Card MCCs that are not generally considered valid for LCC business purchases are blocked. The Travel Card is restricted to travel-related MCCs only.
3. If a purchase is declined, it could be for several reasons:
  1. You are using your card to purchase things that have a blocked MCC,
  2. The purchase is over your single transaction limit,
  3. Your monthly balance is maxed out,
  4. Your card expired,
  5. The incorrect CVC or expiration date was entered,
  6. The billing address entered does not match the billing address on file in JP Morgan Chase,
  7. JP Morgan has suspended your card for suspicious activity,
  8. The P-Card Administrator has suspended your card,
  9. There is an issue on the vendor’s end.
4. P-Card or Travel Card Change Requests
  Using the Change Request to My P-Card or Travel Card Form, via Purchasing’s Dynamic Forms, Cardholders are able to request the following changes:
  1. Increase my single or monthly transaction limit,
  2. Suspend my card,
  3. Cancel my card,
  4. Update my cardholder profile.
Please note that some requested changes will require detailed justification and are subject to the final approval from the Purchasing Director or their designee.
Approved Vendor List for P-Card Purchases
These vendors have a negotiated agreement with the College through the Purchasing Department and are approved for P-Card purchases, not to exceed $1,500. Please make sure you are using the College business account when placing order(s). If the request exceeds $1,500, the purchase should be executed by the Purchasing Department through the requisition process.
Approved P-Card Vendor List
- Amazon
- Lowes
- Walmart
- CDW-G
- SurveyMonkey
- Dentsply
- Mailchimp
- ezCater
- Office Depot
- 4imprint
- Medline
- Best Buy
- Digi-Key
- Menards
- Home Depot
- Shop LCC Stars
- B&H Photo
- Slick Shirts
- Patterson Dental
- Grainger
- Sherwin-Williams
Travel
All travel for LCC must follow the LCC Travel and Business-Related Expenses Policy and procedures. For questions regarding approved card usage during travel, please reference the Travel and Business-Related Expenses Standard Operating Procedure or contact Accounting at 517-483-1732 or FS-APPAYABLE@star.lcc.edu.

Please note that all travel costs paid by the College to non-College employees (i.e., speakers, consultants, or college guests) must be negotiated and agreed to by the Purchasing Department prior to travel. These services should not be paid with a P-card.
Meals and Refreshments for Non-Travel
1. On-Campus: College funds may be used to purchase meals or refreshments on campus in the following circumstances when approved within the guidelines of this procedure in advance by the appropriate ELT member:
  1. Division or Department-wide meetings,
  2. Meetings with community members, students, and outside vendors/partners,
  3. Employee farewells; refreshments only with a limit of $75,
  4. Employee retirement; refreshments only with a limit of $75,
  5. College funds cannot be used to purchase meals or refreshments for standard/regularly scheduled department meetings,
    1. This includes not only meals but also coffee, water and other snacks and refreshments,
  6. College funds cannot be used to purchase meals or refreshments for virtually hosted meetings or events.
2. Off-Campus: College funds may be used to purchase meals or refreshments off campus in the following circumstances, when approved within the guidelines of this procedure in advance by the appropriate ELT member:
  1. Special employee retreats,
    1. Retreats can be held quarterly at the maximum,
    2. They are to be one-day events (no overnight hotel stays),
    3. They are to be held within the LCC District Area. See the LCC District map.
  2. Special student events,
  3. Speaker for special event or training: Prior to the invitation of a speaker or performer, the department must work with the Purchasing Department on parameters and required documentation that must be approved and processed before the invitation is extended.
  4. College funds cannot be used for off-campus holiday or birthday celebrations.
Gifts and Flowers
1. Gifts for Births and Deaths – employee or employee’s immediate family:
  1. College funds may be used to send flowers, baskets, or cards (to the funeral home or the family home) in the case of an employee’s death, the death of an employee's immediate family, or the birth or adoption of a first child to an employee's family,
    1. Immediate family is defined as mother, father, sister, brother, daughter, son, grandfather, grandmother, grandchild, step-parent, step-child, current spouse, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and other legal dependents.
  2. Departments may request that the Division Office send flowers, etc., on behalf of the Division and Department, if the President’s Office or the Board of Trustees has not already sent flowers,
  3. These purchases should be limited to $80 (including delivery charges);
2. Gifts for Illness/Injury – serious and/or long term:
  1. College funds may be used to send flowers, baskets, cards, etc. to employees with a serious illness or injury,
  2. Departments may request that the Division Office send flowers, etc. on behalf of the Division and Department,
  3. These purchases should be limited to $50 (including delivery charges);
3. Appreciation Gifts:
  1. The Human Resources Department administers all gifts in recognition of years of service or for retirement,
  2. Small gifts, if less than $25, may be given annually for recognition and/or appreciation,
    1. Please note, these gifts cannot be in the form of gift cards, cash, or cash equivalents.
4. Gift Cards/Certificates:
  1. IRS guidelines state that cash or cash equivalents given to an employee are a taxable payment,
  2. Gift cards and gift certificates cannot be purchased using LCC funds and given to an employee,
  3. Gift cards cannot be used in lieu of payment for services to any vendor.
Information Technology (IT) Purchases
Purchases of information technology hardware (including desk printers) and software must be reviewed and approved by the Information Technology Services Division. Approval documents must be obtained before an IT purchase is made. The approved form must be submitted when reconciling expenses in Concur. The IT Purchase Request form and an approved IT software list can be found in the 5Star Service Center.
Delivery of Items
All purchases must be delivered to Lansing Community College. Items purchased using LCC funds may not be delivered to personal addresses unless the Purchasing Director grants prior approval. The approval email must be submitted when reconciling expenses in Concur.
1. LCC Shipping Address:
  411 N. Grand Avenue
  Gannon Bldg. Dock 1
  ATTENTION TO: Recipient Name (this is required)
  Lansing, MI 48933
2. LCC Billing Address:
  309 N. Washington Square
  Suite 203
  Lansing, MI 48933
Missing Receipts
All efforts must be made by the Cardholder to obtain receipts for purchases. In the event that a receipt cannot be obtained, the Cardholder should contact Accounts Payable immediately (517-483-1732 or FS-APPAYABLE@star.lcc.edu).
Returns, Credits, and Disputes
It is the responsibility of the Cardholder to contact the vendor for any erroneous charges, disputed items, or returns. Cardholders must understand the terms of service/purchase prior to executing the purchase. Cardholders should never receive cash back for refunds or exchanges, or keep manufacturers’ rebates. Contact LCC’s P-Card Administrator at FS-Pcard@star.lcc.edu if additional help is needed.
Multiple P-Card Purchases with a Single Vendor
Divisions/Departments should not spend over $10,000 with any single vendor over a fiscal year unless an agreement with the vendor is in place (see 6.I. for approved vendor list). Divisions/Departments that exceed $10,000 with a single vendor not listed on the approved vendor list must go through a competitive bid process with the Purchasing Department. Contact LCC’s P-Card Administrator at FS-Pcard@star.lcc.edu if additional help is needed.
Correcting Purchases Made for Personal Use or In Error
All efforts must be made to ensure the Cardholder is using their P-Card or Travel Card for LCC business purposes only. If a purchase is made in error, the Cardholder must take the proper steps to correct, return the item for a refund, or reimburse the College directly; include detailed comments on the expense report submitted. Contact LCC’s P-Card Administrator at FS-Pcard@star.lcc.edu if additional help is needed. In cases of personal or accidental use, the Cardholder is required to reimburse the College in full.
Fraudulent Charges
Always be aware of fraud and phishing scams; never provide your personal information. If you feel you have received a scam or fraudulent email, contact spam@star.lcc.edu and FS-Pcard@star.lcc.edu immediately. Please include as many details of the last known transaction when you report the card activity.
Twelve (12) Months of No Activity
All cards with no activity for twelve (12) consecutive months will be reviewed and cancelled or suspended as appropriate. The Cardholder and Cardholder Supervisor will receive notification when a card has been cancelled or suspended due to non-activity.
Lost or Stolen P-Card or Travel Card
A lost or stolen card must be reported immediately by contacting J.P. Morgan Chase Customer Service at 1-800-316-6056 and LCC’s P-Card Administrator at FS-Pcard@star.lcc.edu. With prompt notification, the lost/stolen card will be suspended.
Cancelling a P-Card or Travel Card
The P-Card or Travel Card must be closed if the Cardholder accepts a new position at the College, terminates employment with the College, is deceased, assumes different duties that do not require the use of the P-Card or Travel Card, or the card is revoked by an ELT member, the P-Card Administrator, the Controller, and/or the Purchasing Director.
Suspending a P-Card or Travel Card
The Cardholder’s P-Card or Travel Card could be suspended for a lack of use, misuse, not reconciling expenses within 10 business days, a leave of absence, or if there is an open Human Resources investigation for the employee.
Transferring to a New Position
Cardholders who transfer to another Division/Department will need to reconcile any charges made on their current LCC P-Card or Travel Card prior to leaving their current position. Once reconciliation and new position transfer are completed, the P-Card or Travel Card will be closed. If a LCC P-Card or Travel Card is required in their new position, the process for requesting a new P-Card or Travel Card should be followed. Training may need to be re-completed based on the amount of time that has passed since the training was originally completed.
Terminating an Employee
All P-Cards or Travel Cards are to be turned in to the College prior to the point of termination. It is the employee’s responsibility to notify the P-Card Administration or their immediate supervisor. All receipts for outstanding purchases should be turned in to their supervisor for reconciliation of the Cardholder’s final statement. Departments must confirm P-Card collection and reconciliation during the offboarding process and notify Risk Management and Purchasing if there are any outstanding concerns.
P-Card and Travel Card Expiration
LCC P-Cards and Travel Cards expire every three (3) years. A new card will automatically be ordered, and the Cardholder will be notified to schedule a refresher course either virtually or in-person with a Purchasing representative. Once the refresher course is completed, the Cardholder can pick up the new card from the Purchasing Department. Please note that if the refresher course is not completed by the end of the month your card expires, your purchasing privileges may be suspended until course completion.
P-Card and Travel Card Abuse and Violations
LCC Cardholders are delegated limited purchasing authority by the Purchasing Director to make purchases for LCC business needs/purposes only. Cardholders are accountable for using their P-Card or Travel Card prudently and responsibly and for complying with all College policies and procedures. Abuse of your P-Card or Travel Card may result in the revocation of your card and appropriate disciplinary action up to and including employment termination. Misuse of a college-issued P-Card may be subject to additional penalties, including personal reimbursement obligation and potential disciplinary or legal consequences. Using the P-Card or Travel Card in a manner that may constitute criminal misuse of public funds, including but not limited to potential violations under MCL 750.174 (embezzlement) or MCL 750.218 (false pretenses).

Policy violations include, but are not limited to:
1. Purchasing items for personal use,
2. Using your LCC P-Card or Travel Card for unauthorized/non-allowable purchases,
3. Purchasing items without prior approval from your supervisor,
4. Failing to retain proper documentation,
5. Failing to process your P-Card or Travel Card charges within ten (10) business days,
6. Using your P-Card to avoid or negate the other requirements of the Purchasing Policy (i.e., splitting purchases),
7. Failing to return your LCC P-Card or Travel Card when reassigned, terminated, or upon request.

Allowable/Non-Allowable List
Card Limit

Non-Traveler	Traveler
$1,500 single transition and $3,000 monthly; splitting charges to avoid limits may result in card termination.	$2,500 single transaction and $5,000 monthly; splitting charges to avoid limits may result in card termination.

Allowable Expenses

Non-Traveler	Traveler
Advertising Expenses/Logo with prior Marketing Approval	Travel and travel-related expenses, including: Hotels Train Fare Bagging Fees Car Rental Travel Parking Gas for Rental Vehicle Flights Taxis Always reference the Travel Policy and Standard Operating Procedure prior to using your Travel Card to ensure compliance.
Automotive Repair Parts (under $5,000)
Aviation Repair Parts (under $5,000)
Books and Magazines
Campus-wide Business Accounts
Classroom Supplies and Materials
Computer Hardware/Software with prior ITS Division Approval
Conference Registration Fees
Copying/Printing Services
Freight Expenses and Postage Charges
General Repair Services (under $5,000)
Gift Certificates for student giveaways or specific grant allowable purchases ONLY
Gifts and Flowers (see the College’s guidelines prior to purchasing to ensure compliance)
Hosting Expenses (see the College’s non-travel meal guidelines prior to purchasing to ensure compliance)
Office Supplies
Promotional Materials from Contracted Vendors ONLY
Small Dollar Equipment
Textbooks
Trophies

Non-Allowable Expenses

Non-Traveler	Traveler
Alcoholic Beverages	Personal Purchases
ATM/Cash Advances of any type	P-Cards should not be used behind an application on a phone or an account with a vendor.
Capital Project Expenses	Transportation Services such as Uber and Lyft
Cell Phones and Hand-Held Devices	Travel Meals These are reimbursed via per diem after the conclusion of the trip.
Consulting Services
Donations
Firearms, Weapons, and Ammunition
Gasoline for Personal Vehicles
Gift Cards for Employees/Staff, and/or Gift Cards for students/vendors in lieu of payment through the Purchasing Process
Independent Contractors or Consultants
Long-term Rentals
Leases and Contracts
P-Cards should not be used behind an application on a phone or an account with a vendor.
Personal Purchases
Professional Services
Purchases from Conflict-of-Interest Vendors
Purchases/Contracts of any type that require a signature
Purchases that may require a long-term contract
Pyramiding Purchases or Splitting Purchases
Radioactive and Hazardous Materials
Reimbursement of any type
Restricted Merchant Category Codes (MCC)
Recurring or Scheduled Payments of any type (unless approved by the Purchasing Director)

6. Reference

Purchasing Policy 5.060,
1. Standard Operating Procedure;
Travel and Business-Related Expenses Policy 5.090,
1. Standard Operating Procedure;
Campus Customers
1. Work Instructions – Purchasing and Travel Card Procedures;
Accounting Services Department
1. Travel Guidelines and Procedures,
2. LCC Meals and Refreshments for Non-Travel Guidelines,
3. LCC Gifts and Flowers Guidelines;
LMS Training
1. LMS Required Trainings for P-Card and Travel Card Application;
B-Ops-Purchasing@star.lcc.edu or FS-PCard@star.lcc.edu
1. Email contact for questions, to speak with the P-Card Administrator, and to schedule your training sessions with a Purchasing Department representative;
FS-APPAYABLE@star.lcc.edu
1. Email contact for questions related to travel guidelines and procedures,
2. Contact for questions about Concur,
3. Contact to request a Tax-Exemption form;
Concur
1. Concur is the platform LCC uses for expense reconciliation and travel booking.
Michigan Freedom of Information Act, MCL 15.243 (re: redactions of personal data).
Michigan Penal Code, MCL 750.174 and MCL 750.218 (re: misuse of public funds).

7. Definitions

Purchasing Card (P-Card)
A type of commercial credit card used by agencies to streamline the payment process for low-value goods and services, eliminating traditional requisition and invoice processes.

Travel Card
A type of commercial credit card designed for employees to cover business travel expenses, such as flights and lodging directly with vendors, bypassing the traditional purchase order and invoice process.

Merchant Category Code
A four-digit number that categorizes a business based on the products or services it provides.

Single Transaction Limit
The maximum dollar amount allowed for one transaction.

Monthly Transaction Limit
The maximum total value of transactions allowed in a given month.

Fraudulent Charges
Any purchase on a purchasing card to which the authorized cardholder has not given knowledge or approval, or a transaction that violates the College’s policies.