Per 1252 – Policy on Small Order Purchase Via Purchasing Card, small order purchasing via purchasing card (P-Cards) can now be used in the procurement of gift cards for study subject incentives on sponsored projects.
This new P-Card type will be used strictly for the purchase of gift cards for the payment of study subject/participant incentives on sponsored projects and must be approved by the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP).
OSP and the P-Card Office are holding an initial application phase to process as many requests as possible for departments to receive approved cards by June 30.
Beginning June 2, campus users may submit a request for a P-Card to be used to purchase study incentives via an online submission form. All requests must be submitted to OSP by June 15 in order for campus to receive cards by June 30.
The request process for a departmental P-Card will be ongoing after June 15 and more details will follow once this initial application phase has been completed.
Initial Application Process
- Complete the form: Initial P-Card Approval Request for Use on Sponsored Programs.
- Complete the Finance P-Card Application, and applicable training if you are a new P-Card accountholder.
- Complete and submit required forms to the Online Initial P-Card Approval Request for Use on Sponsored Programs form.
- OSP will review the request for use on sponsored projects and send approved applications to the P-Card Office for processing.
- P-Card Office will review and request the cards by June 30.
Note: These INITIAL requests do NOT need to be submitted via InfoPorte.
Tips for the Initial Request
On this initial request form, departments may request that multiple projects be approved for study subject incentives, but all projects must have the same Principal Investigator (PI). If you need to request a P-Card limit for projects with different PIs, please use a separate form for each PI.
Departments may also request more than one P-Card per account holder if they prefer to manage certain projects on different cards. That account holder will need to submit a new Online Initial P-Card Approval Request for Use on Sponsored Programs form for each card being requested.
Pick-Up Person
Departments may assign one person to pick up multiple cards by ensuring that the Pick-Up individual is accurately identified in all online submission forms. The P-Card Office will reach out to the Pick-Up person via email once the cards are ready to be received.
Application Process after June 15, 2023
More information on the ongoing application process, P-Card procurement guidance and reconciliation process will be forthcoming. Below is a highlight of how the process differs from this initial application phase.
Step 1 – Complete Required Forms
- Complete the P-Card Approval Request for Use on Sponsored Programs form (OSP P-Card Form), and submit the completed OSP P-Card Form to SponsoredPrograms@unc.edu. If approved, OSP will email the approved form back to the requester.
- Complete the Finance P-Card Application and P-Card Accountholder Training (if applicable for new card holders).
Step 2 – Submit P-Card Application in InfoPorte
- Work with your department’s Access Request Coordinator to submit the following requested forms via Infoporte:
- Campus Finance Systems Access Form
- Approved OSP P-Card Form
- P-Card Application Form
- Certificate of P-Card Accountholder Training, if applicable
For questions regarding P-Cards, please email UNC’s P-Card Office at pcard@unc.edu and for all other general inquiries, email SponsoredPrograms@unc.edu.