Effective Date: June 20, 2023
Last Reviewed: June 20, 2023
Purpose and Scope
It is the policy of Stonehill College to establish appropriate internal controls and accepted best practices in the disbursement of funds for the College.
This policy describes the general obligations placed on the College and its individual departments to ensure that vendors are paid. Payment for the purchase of goods or services is based on the supplier's invoice(s). Payment to the supplier is issued when there is reasonable assurance that the commodity or service has been received, is as specified on the order, and is in acceptable condition. The department has the responsibility to ensure goods and services ordered have been received prior to payment.
College Responsibilities
Unless otherwise indicated by vendor terms, the College’s payment terms are to pay the vendor within the vendor payment terms based on the receipt of an original invoice. The date of the check is deemed to be the date payment is made. This policy does NOT cover situations where a vendor is believed to have failed to fulfill its part of an agreed transaction for any reason.
Departmental Responsibilities
College departments must conduct their procurement activities in such a way that their invoices can be paid on time and must resolve any invoice problems promptly. It is College policy that all invoices with all proper approvals must be received by Accounts Payable the week before the invoice is due, at the latest. A W-9 Form must be submitted to Accounts Payable for any new vendors to the College before payment can be processed.
It is the College’s preferred practice to make vendor payments by ACH transfer. Departments are encouraged to collect direct deposit information from new or existing vendors.
The payment performance of an individual department may compromise the ability of all other College departments to do business with the same vendor(s). Many vendors will, for example, refuse to accept orders from one College department because of another department's delinquent account.
Departments are responsible for staying informed about current processes and procedures for purchasing and paying for goods and services.
Whenever a problem arises that may cause payment to be delayed departments are expected to work closely with the vendor in question and the Controller’s Office to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.
If Accounts Payable is unable to process an invoice for payment on time, the vendor can bill for interest. Any interest penalty must be paid out of departmental funds.