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Permanent Note: On May 1, 2006, the Interim Internal Purchasing Guidelines were replaced by the Postal Service’s Supplying Principles and Practices (SPs and Ps).
Effective February 1, 2015, the following parts and sections of the SPs and Ps have been revised:
5 Manage/Measure Supply
- 5-11 Process Invoices — has been reorganized, revised, and retitled “Invoices and Other Billing Information.” In the opening paragraph, the text has been revised to state that not every contract will require suppliers to submit an invoice, and that, depending on the payment and billing business method used, the purchase/SCM team may have to coordinate its efforts with the Controller, Accounting, the SOX Program Office, and SCM Strategies.
- 5-11.1 Billing Methods — is a new section that outlines what contracting officers must ensure if methods other than invoices are used. Section 5-11.2, Invoices, provides a definition of the term, states that invoices are processed by the designated individual specified in the contract or order, references paragraph g of Clause 4-1, General Terms and Conditions, or Clause B-20, Invoices, for general information.
- 5-11.3 Processing Invoices — is a new section that combines parts of current sections 5-11.1, Receive Invoices, 5-11.2 Verify Invoice Amount, and 5-11.3, Approve Invoice. In addition, this section reiterates that invoices must be sent to an individual designated in the contract or order, that the method of invoice submittal will depend on the particular contract, and that invoices not sent to the designated individual or not containing the relevant and necessary data, will not be considered as having been properly submitted. This section also states that the contracting officer and purchase/SCM team must devise a process whereby the invoices are reviewed, approved and retained and that these tasks may be accomplished by electronic or non-electronic means. Regardless of the method used, all applicable records must be retained. In addition, if the individual reviewing and approving invoices is not the contracting officer (CO) or the contracting officer’s representative (COR), the CO must ensure that the individual is fully apprised of his or her responsibilities. Lastly, text has been revised to state that the CO is responsible for ensuring at contract close-out that all necessary records are retained and can be accessed and retrieved.
- 5-11.5 Means Other Than Invoices — is a new section that discusses business situations where means other than invoicing may be used. These situations include when payments are made in arrears, when recurring or periodic payments are an industry standard, and when delivery or receiving reports or electronic billing methods offer more efficiency than traditional invoicing methods. This section also states that regardless of the method used, certain standards must be met to ensure effective oversight and administration, that certain controls must be in place to ensure that the Postal Service receives the goods and services called for in the contract, and that payments are made at the rate specified in the contract.
- 5-11.6 Payments Made by Third-Party Providers — is a new section that discusses the use of such providers and the responsibilities of the CO to ensure that the contract contains detailed processes and procedures for invoicing and payment and controls to ensure for review and verification of billing and payment information.
- 5-12 Make Payment — incorporates a new section that replaces current sections 5-12.1, Payment Type and 5-12.2, Payment Time Frame. This section has been revised for clarity and to stress that the CO is responsible for ensuring payments are made.
- 5-12.1 Payment Time Frame — is a new section that replaces current sections 5-12.1, Payment Type and 5-12.2, Payment Time Frame. This section includes language addressing the alternate time frames in which construction progress payments, payments to certain mail transportation suppliers, and payments for certain commodities such as regulated utilities, are made. This section also states that the purchase/SCM team must document in the purchase plan its business rationale when it anticipates the use of payment terms less than thirty days (or fourteen days for construction).
- 5-12.1.1 Discounts — is a new section that provides a discussion on the use of discounts.
- 5-12.3 Progress Payments — has been renumbered (formerly 5-12.4) and is no longer discussed in this section; rather, users are directed to the information contained in section 2-17, Determine Need for Progress or Advance Payment.
7 General Practices
- 7-11 Debarment, Suspension, and Ineligibility — throughout this section, references to the General Services Administration (GSA) Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) and the Postal Service’s List of suspended, debarred, and ineligible suppliers have been replaced by the term GSA System for Award Management (SAM), which has replaced the EPLS and the Postal Service List.
- 7-11.3 Supplier Recourse — has been deleted as the processes previously addressed in this section are now addressed in 39 CFR 601.113. Paragraphs 7-11.4 through 7-11.6 have been renumbered as 7-11.3 through 7-11.5.
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