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The Postal Service uses a wide variety of business methods to achieve transactional cost reductions and streamline invoicing and billing processes. These include electronic commerce and electronic data interchange, electronic invoicing, payments made in arrears, recurring/periodic payments, use of third parties for payments, and the adoption of emerging technologies in the marketplace. While contracting officers and purchase/SCM teams have wide latitude to determine which method best meets the requirements of a particular business situation, any method of ensuring performance and payment must have effective controls and procedures to ensure proper inspection and acceptance and must provide for proper billing and payment to safeguard the interests of the USPS and suppliers. Depending on the nature of the contract and the payment and billing method used, the purchase/SCM team may have to coordinate its efforts with the Controller, Accounting, the SOX Program Office, and SCM Strategies, as appropriate, and should provide enough time in the purchasing process to resolve any issues. In all cases and regardless of the billing and payment method used, the contract must contain appropriate terms and conditions to ensure the proper inspection and acceptance of goods and ensure that services are delivered and payments are issued in accordance with the contract.
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