This issue of the newsletter includes the following items:

* New Ethyl Alcohol Ordering Process Coming!
* Electronic Payment Mysteries Revealed!
* New Cash Handling Procedures!
* Rebudgeting Grants and Contracts
* Cost Transfer Minimum Threshold

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New Ethyl Alcohol Ordering Process Coming!

As a result of a successful collaboration with the Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB), legislation was passed in the last session to authorize the UW to order ethyl alcohol for research/medical purposes directly from scientific suppliers. The new law is effective June 11, 2008.

Department approvers will be established in eProcurement. Ordering through eProcurement will be fast, cost effective (no more WSLCB markup!) and efficient.

Please look for more information at:
http://www.washington.edu/admin/purchstores/alcohol.php. If you have questions, please contact Alex Belov at 206-543-0816 or lexa@u.washington.edu.

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Electronic Payment Mysteries Revealed!

Do you have a payment that should have arrived more than 60 days ago by electronic transfer (wires or Automated Clearing House, or ACH, transfers) that has not been credited to your budget?

If so, help maybe just a finger click away! Check the Unclaimed Wires website at:

http://gcaserver.finance.washington.edu/gca/idwires.asp

This site lists unidentified payments received electronically. If you see a wire/ach on the listing that belongs to your unit, please send an email to bankrec@u.washington.edu. In the email, include the item# from the site above, the credit budget number, and the nature of the payment.

Questions may be referred to Evelyn Jagoring at 206-543-8826 or evelynj@u.washington.edu

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New Cash Handling Procedures on the Way!

Financial Management has been working on a consolidated cash policy/procedure website so that you can easily find helpful information about cash handling, such as appropriate recording and deposit of payments, separation of duties, etc. Look for that new guidance in the next few months. In the meantime, we wanted to send a reminder that the basics of cash handling can be found at:

http://www.washington.edu/admin/finmgmt/sfs/cash/cashhandling.html

The State Auditor's Office found some issues with departmental cash handling in several areas during last year's audit. This year's audit has already begun and the auditors are performing surprise cash counts at various departments, so please review the guidelines above.

As a related reminder, you should always ask for identification of people who arrive at your office and want access to cash. Feel free to contact Jeff Follman at 206-543-3708, or jfollman@u.washington.edu or Internal Audit at
206-543-4028 to verify the legitimacy of the auditor.

For questions regarding the cash handling policy, please contact Sandie Rosko at
206-685-3517 or sandier@u.washington.edu.

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Rebudgeting Grants and Contracts

In order to expedite rebudgeting (when sponsor approval is not required), please send your requests directly to GCA for processing. When sponsor approval is required, the request should be sent to the sponsor via the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), the official signatory for the University.

More information, including a new form that will expedite your request, can be found at:

http://www.washington.edu/research/gca/spend/rebudget.html

Questions can be referred to Ted Mordhorst at 206-616-8678 or tedm2@u.washington.edu.

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Cost Transfer Minimum Threshold

Recent audits have found that the University processes a significant number of "low dollar" cost transfers that place strain on already over-burdened administrative processes, both in your departments and centrally. To help alleviate this strain, a minimum threshold has been approved.

Thus, effective immediately, processing individual Cost Transfers equal to or less than $10 are no longer necessary. However, departments should monitor the volume of these transactions on an individual budget to ensure they do not become material in relation to the award amount.

This new policy does not apply to overexpenditures, which must be continued regardless of the dollar amount.

See attachment to GIM 15 Attachment B for full details:
http://www.washington.edu/research/osp/gim/gim15.html or contact Ted Mordhorst at 206-616-8678 or tedm2@u.washington.edu.