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Financial Management Newsletter #58

March 2009

Happy (Almost!) Spring!

This issue of the newsletter includes the following items:

* Procurement Services Forums * NEW!! "SEAMLESS" Procurement Customer Service! * ProCard Single Transaction Limits to $3,300 Possible Beginning May 1st * Preliminary Fringe Benefits Rates for 2010 * Sales Tax Rate Increase in April - New Rate will be 9.5% * American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) (Stimulus Package) Webpage * GCA/EIO Launch FAQ website * Management Accounting and Analysis (MAA) is Moving! * MyFD Transactions Update * GCA's GrantTracker Provides More Post Award Budget Information * Biennium Close is getting close - What do you need to know? * SFS has a new website! * SFS creates Student Data Base

********************************************************************************* Procurement Procurement Services Forums

Procurement Services (Purchasing, eCommerce, and Financial Services) is presenting the first in a series of forums to promote efficient and cost effective procurement at the University. Leaders from Procurement Services will provide updates on processes and best practices from Purchasing Services, Financial Services and eCommerce, and will introduce a new guideline for purchases under $3300.

Click below to register for one of the four sessions of the first forum.

March 23: Health Science Building D209 10:30-11:50 March 24: Health Sciences Building D209 8:30-10:50 April 14: HUB 106B 9:00-10:30 April 16:  HUB 106B 1:00-2:30

https://catalysttools.washington.edu/webq/survey/mjmackay/72366

The Procurement Forums are intended for all UW staff interested in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of procurement.   We hope you will encourage your staff to attend.  A general announcement to a broad group of UW staff involved with procurement will be sent later this week.

Please contact Jeff Follman at jfollman@u.wasington.edu or 543-3708 with any questions.

************************************************************************************* NEW!! NEW!! "SEAMLESS" Procurement Customer Service!

Have trouble determining whether you need to call Purchasing, eCommerce, or Accounts Payable? Or, feeling like a procurement/invoicing "ping pong ball"? We aim to fix that!! As part of ongoing organizational process improvements, Procurement Services has created a new centralized customer service unit to provide seamless service to our customers. The new unit called Procurement Customer Service will be the single point of contact for all procurement questions. Our representatives will receive/respond to your inquiries, help solve your problems, and provide training and outreach to help you stay on top of policy, process and best practices with regard to procurement.

Please contact Pramilla Chand at pchand@u.washington.edu or 616-9021 with any questions.

************************************************************************************* ProCard ProCard Single Transaction Limits to $3,300 Possible Beginning May 1st

Beginning May 1st, UW ProCurement Cards will be eligible to increase single transaction limits on individual cards to the direct buy limit of $3,300. Procurement Card transaction limits will not be increased without departmental approval. Department Administrators will be contacted to determine transaction limit increase strategies for their areas.

For more information go to: http://www.washington.edu/admin/finserv/procard//news_tips.htm

For questions, please contact the ProCard Office at: procard@u.washington.edu or 543-5252.

************************************************************************************* Preliminary Fringe Benefit Rates for 2010

We know that a great deal of forecasting activity is happening now all over Campus, due to the historic economic circumstances that we are confronted with. To help with the forecasting process, here is the link to preliminary fringe benefit rates for FY 2010:

http://www.washington.edu/admin/finacct/loadrate.html

You will note some significant increases in some of the rates. These increases are primarily due to increased retirement plan payments, increased health care costs and a "normalizing" of the temporary drop in rates we experienced this year. These rates might change somewhat in our negotiations with the Federal Agency (DHHS) that approves the rates; we will notify Departments immediately of any significant change. Please contact Bill Christensen at williamc@u.washington.edu or 543-8804 with any questions.

************************************************************************************* Sales Tax Sales Tax Rate Increase in April - New Rate will be 9.5%

Effective April 1, 2009, Washington State sales tax rates will increase five tenths of one percent (to 9.5% in King County and 9.3% for Tacoma). Attached are the new sales tax rates.

http://dor.wa.gov/Docs/forms/ExcsTx/LocSalUseTx/LocalSlsUseFlyer_Quarterly.pdf

Please contact Julia Shanahan at 616-3003 or jeshana@u.washington.edu with questions.

************************************************************************************* American American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) (Stimulus Package) Webpage

On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) or Stimulus Package to restart the economy. The package contains extensive funding for science, engineering research and infrastructure, and more limited funding for education, social sciences and the arts.

The ARRA website (a joint project of OSP and GCA) offers UW administrators and researcher's important links and current information on the ARRA, and outlines some of the critical issues where the University is awaiting guidance. While few details are known on how agencies will set up their funding programs, points that have been announced are listed by agency name and in the right sidebar under What Do We Know? The scrolling box in the center of the webpage features New and Updated Information.

http://www.washington.edu/research/gca/recovery/

For more information, please contact Tami Sadusky (tamis@u.washington.edu) or Lynne Chronister (lchronis@u.washington.edu).

************************************************************************************* GCA/EIO GCA/EIO Launch FAQ website

The new GCA/EIO FAQ website, launched in February, has received rave reviews from campus. This user-friendly site, designed with campus input, helps answer many post-award research administration questions.  The site is updated daily and reflects user suggestions on new categories and FAQs, format of the website, etc.

http://www.washington.edu/research/gca/faq/faq01.html

For more information, please contact Tami Sadusky (tamis@u.washington.edu).

************************************************************************************* Management Accounting and Analysis (MAA) is Moving!

On Friday, March 20th, MAA moved into new space in Roosevelt Commons. MAA's new address is:

Box 354988 4311 11th Ave NE, Suite 620 Seattle, WA 98195

MAA will also have a drop box located outside the southeast ground level entrance.  We encourage you to use this when dropping off effort reports and recharge proposals after hours. Please contact Mike Anthony at mda1213@u.washington.edu or 616-1379.

************************************************************************************* MyFD MyFD Transactions Update

There are only three MyFD Transactions classes scheduled for March/April. If you still need training, register for one of the classes. The MyFD Customer Support Team will soon be doing very limited Transactions training, so don't wait!

All Transactions training classes include MyFD Transactions functionality and the online transfer process; how to locate, prepare, submit, and review online salary and non-salary transfers (formerly RST, RTE, and JV); introduction to the new Query Templates; best practices; access/roles; FAQ's and help resources.  Students should be comfortable with the MyFD Reporting application before coming to class.

Visit our online training pages for detailed course descriptions and registration information.

http://www.washington.edu/admin/finacct/office/fd/help/v2/training.html

As of April 15, 2009, Payroll will no longer process OSET transactions. All transactions need to be processed through MyFD by your department. If you have question regarding the process, contact Payroll, Mike Fleming at 543-9213 or tticd@u.washington.edu.

************************************************************************************* GCA's GCA's GrantTracker Provides More Post Award Budget Information

GrantTracker, also launched last month, is the new GCA online application. Campus has welcomed the update, which was designed to reduce the amount of time to close budgets, provide information in a timely manner, and decrease the number of requests for information to and from GCA.

Please take a look at:

http://www.washington.edu/research/gca/budget/granttracker.html

For more information, please contact gcagt@u.washington.edu.

************************************************************************************* Biennium Biennium Close is getting close - What do you need to know?

Many of the Financial Management groups are busy preparing for the closing of the 2007-2009 biennium. This year, we're trying out a few new ways to keep you informed with clear, simple and timely communications.  Some ways we're doing this are via:

o     Monthly Newsletters (April 2009 - July 2009) o     Enhanced web resources, including policy info and cut-off dates o     eLearning (web based training, when you need it) o     Support teams who are ready to answer your questions

In the next Financial Management newsletter, you'll find links to our new web resources and special edition biennium close newsletters. Stay tuned for more information!

************************************************************************************* SFS has SFS has a new website

Please come visit our new site at  http://f2.washington.edu/fm/sfs/

Our goal is to assist our variety of customers to find information quickly and for the information to correct and concise. Let us know what you think!

************************************************************************************* SFS SFS SFS creates Student Data Base

Student Fiscal Services has been working with its process partners to create Student Data Base (SDB) training. The SDB Training Team piloted their training in Autumn and Winter quarter 2009 and trained over 83 individuals. You can find the online training modules for SDB at http://f2.washington.edu/fm/sfs/node/115.

Please contact Sandie Rosko at sandier@u.washington.edu with questions.


Ann Anderson, Associate Vice President / Controller, Financial Management Group (andera@u.washington.edu or 543-4993)

V'Ella Warren, Senior Vice President, Finance and Facilities (vwarren@u.washington.edu or 543-8765)