December

Important updates to payments for services under $10,000

Accounts Payable rolls out pilot program improving the ICPS form; attend an upcoming training to learn more.

By Lindsey Coulter

December 3, 2018

Services provided by people other than Metropolitan State University of Denver employees are an important component of the University’s success. For years, the University has used ICPS forms — a series of institutional, state and federal forms — to verify subcontractor eligibility and work completed and to initiate payment. However — given the various forms, the sensitivity of personal information and the multiple levels of approval required — the process often caused confusion.

In response to the pain points shared by the campus community, Accounts Payable has spent the past year working with select departments to test a type of workflow, with a secure SharePoint site accessible by departments, Human Resources and A/P. The more streamlined system will ensure ease, efficiency and security, eliminating the runaround and confusion.

“It has simplified everything tremendously,” said Terri McLaggan, Accounts Payable manager for MSU Denver. “We still have similar paperwork, but it’s reformatted and all together in one packet with clear instructions and automated notifications. The idea was to make it simple and make sure we do things in the right order.”

The packet is now referred to as an NPS (Non-Employee Personal Services) and is used for any individual or company that provides services to the University for less than $10,000. Services exceeding $10,000 must still go through a Purchase Requisition.

If a department expects to use the same contractor multiple times during the year, that department can indicate a non-purchase order number on the form, which is a way to encumber the funds just like an special purchase order, or SPO. If only a single payment is being issued, no NPO number is necessary.

In contrast to emailing the old ICPS form, submitters now simply drag and drop their completed NPS packet into a secure site for Non-Employee Personal Services. This allows HR staff to easily download the packet and complete the state-required approval process, after which the packet is submitted directly into an A/P workflow, a secure site where payments are tracked and processed.

“It’s not being emailed anywhere; it’s in a secure environment to protect the subcontractor’s sensitive information,” McLaggan said. “All the department user does is fill out everything they need and submit it.”

Additionally, A/P has developed an easy-to-navigate submission-instruction packet that guides proficient users and novices through each step of the process, including specific naming conventions that link each submission to its specific department.

“One of the pain points for campus users was that they didn’t have a clear way to follow the path of their request or paperwork,” McLaggan said.