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As mentioned in 5-11.1, due to the nature of a particular purchase or commodity, purchase⁄SCM teams may decide to use a means other than invoicing to ensure performance and payment. Situations where use of a means other than invoices may be justified include the purchase of goods or services where payment is traditionally made in arrears, recurring or periodic payments are an industry standard, purchases where the use of delivery⁄receiving reports would be much more efficient than the processing of individual invoices, and purchases that utilize electronic billing methods such as reviews of scan information or electronic data file interchange. In all cases, the contract terms and conditions must provide for confirmation of delivery or performance; processes must be transparent enough to allow for effective contract monitoring and administration; and controls must be in place to ensure that USPS receives the goods and services called for and that payments are made at the rate specified in the contract. When payments are made in arrears or recurring⁄periodic payments are used, the contract must include the basis for payment, the frequency, and payment amount.
Whenever the purchase⁄SCM team decides to use a billing and payment method that does not require invoices, the contracting officer must ensure that the method addresses the concerns noted above in an effective manner and must coordinate with the Controller, Accounting, SOX Program Office, and SCM Strategies as appropriate.
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