BSC Solution Source Newsletter - March 2014

In this issue:

• Procurement Services:
  • PDME/Office Depot Partnership Generating Savings
  • Savings Realized from Preferred Hotel Vendors
  • Preferred Hotel Vendors Announced for Dallas Area
  • Tax Exempt Certificates Now Available Online
  • PCard Restriction for Computer Purchases
  • UNT System Strategic Sourcing Contracts
  • Travel Card Reminder
• Payroll:
  • BSC to Stop Distributing Printed Pay Advices from Direct Deposits
  • Payroll Reminders, Deadlines, & Dates
• BSC Notes:
  • Registering for Online Courses
  • BSC to Participate in Next UNT A-team Meeting
  • Employees Encouraged to Provide BSC Website Feedback

Procurement Services

PDME/Office Depot Partnership Generating Savings

Since PDME/Office Depot was announced as the preferred vendor for office supplies in November 2013, the UNT System has realized cost savings under purchases from previous vendors, and campuses are projected to save approximately $9,000 in early 2014.

According to PDME/Office Depot, campuses have spent at total of $205,408 since November 2013:

• Spend by Campus:
  • University of North Texas: $104,675
  • UNT Health Science Center: $86,661
  • UNT Dallas: $7,305
  • UNT System Administration: $6,767

The average order value is $180, which has predominantly been orders for paper, printer ink and toner. According to PDME/Office Depot, orders for paper have mostly been from the Office Depot “private label” brand. Purchases of Office Depot brand products save departments more than purchases of other commercial brands. Departments are encouraged to take advantage of other cost-savings tips from PDME/Office Depot:

• Plan ahead when ordering to ensure special handling products will be delivered when needed
  • Know if orders will be delivered from a third-party vendor; those deliveries may go directly to campus central receiving
• For last-minute needs, departments can make purchases at Office Depot locations with a department PCard and still receive preferred-vendor discounts

To realize savings from the preferred vendor, purchases must be made with the department purchasing card (PCard), which can take up to 48 hours for authorization through the PDME/Office Depot system. For questions related to the PDME/Office Depot partnership, call the BSC at 940-369-5500, toll free to 855-868-4357, or via email to bsc@untsystem.edu.

(Pictured at right) A quarterly review of the agreement and purchases made by UNT System campuses is reviewed between BSC Procurement Services staff, PDME representatives, and representatives from Office Depot. The quarterly review includes campus spend information, most commonly purchased items, and opportunities for improved savings.

Savings Realized from Preferred Hotel Vendors

In the three-and-a-half-months since the preferred hotel vendor program was officially kicked-off, University of North Texas (UNT) departments have saved more than $1,400 on 184 room bookings. The average savings per room was $7.70, representing a 9 percent savings below the state rate.

Currently, Courtyard Inn by Marriott and Holiday Inn & Suites in Denton are partnered with the UNT System as preferred vendors. The UNT System Business Service Center (BSC) is also proud to announce partnerships with Belmont Hotel in Dallas and Hampton Inn & Suites in DeSoto as the newest preferred vendors (read more below).

Negotiations are currently underway to develop partnerships in Fort Worth.

Preferred Hotel Vendors Announced for Dallas Area

The BSC has announced partnerships with the Belmont Hotel in Dallas and Hampton Inn & Suites in DeSoto as preferred UNT System hotel vendors for the Dallas area.

Campuses and departments in the UNT System wanting to arrange hotel rooms at the Belmont Hotel can make reservations by calling the front desk directly. When calling to make reservations, employees should note that the reservation is being made using the UNT System corporate rate. Employees will need to complete the Belmont Hotel credit card authorization form (see attached below) for each stay.

Reservations at Hampton Inn & Suites can be made online via special secure link (employees at UNT System campuses should contact their BSC buyer for the link), or by calling the front desk of the hotel directly. When making reservations, employees should state the reservation is for a UNT System campus and the Pcard is to be used for payment of reservation once the stay is complete.

For preferred vendors only and regardless of which preferred vendor, room reservations can be paid for using a departmental PCard with no need to do a requisition. Use of the PCard at other hotels is not allowed, and will be considered a purchasing card violation.

The Belmont Hotel is located at 901 Fort Worth Ave., Dallas, Texas 75208. Weekday and weekend rates are:

UNT System employees with questions regarding room rates or accommodations should contact Lena Liles, Belmont Hotel Sales Manager, at 214-393-2330.

Hampton Inn & Suites is located at 1311 East Center Park Blvd., DeSoto, Texas 75115. Nightly rates are:

Amenities include:

• Complimentary breakfast
• Complimentary manager’s reception Monday-Thursday evenings from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• Complimentary shuttle service to and from the UNT Dallas campus

Tax Exempt Certificates Now Available Online

Tax Exempt Certificates for University of North Texas, UNT Health Science Center, UNT Dallas, and UNT System Administration are now available in the Forms Library on the BSC Website. Access the forms online at http://bsc.untsystem.edu/tax-exempt-certificates-0.

Certificates are for business only and are not to be used for private purposes under penalty of law. Select the Tax Exempt form for the appropriate campus, sign and date the form, and provide it to the vendor for university purchases made on a PCard.

PCard Restriction for Computer Purchases

Effective immediately, desktop computers, laptops and tablets may no longer be purchased using the PCard. This is due to the implementation of System Regulation 06.200, Personal and Tablet Computer Standardization. These items may be procured through the ePro requisition process.

The regulation is posted on the UNT System website under Policies and Reports, accessed online at http://untsystem.edu/policies-regular.htm.

UNT System Strategic Sourcing Contracts

The BSC Procurement Services Strategic Sourcing team announces contracts currently available or coming soon for all campuses in the UNT System:

• Uniform and Linen Rental Contract COMING SOON – A re-negotiated contract with Aramark is coming soon with new pricing and better service. The new contract covers most items in the Aramark rental catalog, including the items we already use.
• Denton and Dallas Hotels – Preferred hotels offer negotiated room rates for UNT System guests where payment will be made either via PCard or purchase order. Amenities for hotels in Denton and at the Hampton Inn & Suites in DeSoto include:
  • complimentary shuttle to campus
  • complimentary breakfast
  • complimentary wired/wireless internet
• Fort Worth Hotels COMING SOON
• Event Equipment Rental – This contract is for the rental of equipment for events such as commencements, banquets, and parties. Available equipment includes tents, tables, chairs and linens.
• Outgoing Freight and Shipping – Online shipping service for the UNT System is eShipGlobal. Using eShipGlobal as the source for all shipments, domestic, and international, will ensure departments receive the best discounted pricing available from FedEx, UPS, Lone Star Overnight and DHL while obtaining 100 percent HUB credit for purchases.
• Office Supplies – System-wide office supply contract with PDME in partnership with Office Depot offers exceptional contract pricing on all office supplies, user friendly customized UNT System online ordering system, next day delivery, and your purchases will also receive 100 percent HUB credit. The PCard can be used at local retail stores and receive the same UNT System contract pricing.
• Oligo Services, PCR Reagents, Cell Culture Products – Sigma-Aldrich, under a preferred supplier agreement, provides up to 50 percent discount off of list pricing, no freight charges, fixed pricing for 12-month-periods, future price increase caps, and product-quality guarantees.
• Equipment Maintenance Agreements – Specialty Underwriters is contracted to implement a UNT System-wide Equipment Maintenance Management Program (EMMP). UNT System departments are guaranteed minimum discounts of up to 30 percent-off of current eligible equipment maintenance agreements. In addition to the savings, this initiative provides a consolidated approach with a single toll-free number for all service requests while allowing department’s to retain their current service providers or to utilize an alternative vendor of their choice.
• Bottled Water Service COMING SOON – Preferred supplier agreement with Ozarka to provide a unified discounted pricing structure for all UNT System campuses.

More information can be found on the BSC website under Procurement Services>Purchasing>Co-ops & Contract Pricing, online at http://bsc.untsystem.edu/contract-pricing.

Travel Card Reminder

UNT System corporate travel card holders are reminded that the travel card - also called the Individually Billed Travel card (IBT) - is ONLY for travel related expenses in the conduct of university business. Cardholders will be contacted directly with this reminder, and should note that continued unauthorized use may result in card termination.

Payroll

BSC to Stop Distributing Printed Pay Advices from Direct Deposits

As of May 1, 2014, the UNT System Business Service Center will no longer distribute printed pay advices for employees who have elected to receive their pay through direct deposit.

Pay advices – sometimes referred to as the “check stub” – include various details regarding employee pay, tax withholdings, and deductions. The printing service will be discontinued as part of the EIS upgrade in May 2014. Employees who receive their paycheck through direct deposit will receive this notification along with what will be the final printed pay advice in April 2014.

Pay advices are available online on the day the paycheck is direct-deposited into the employee’s bank account. Employees can use Employee Self Service to view or print a copy of the pay advice:

1. Log in to:
   • MyUNT: https://my.unt.edu/psp/papd01/GUEST/ENTP/h/?tab=DEFAULT
   • MyHSC: https://my.unt.edu/psp/papd01/EMPLOYEE/EMPL/h/?tab=HS_GUEST
   • MyLaw: https://my.unt.edu/psp/papd01/LAWGUEST/ENTP/h/?tab=DEFAULT
2. Click the “Human Resources” tab or link
3. Click “View Paycheck” in the Payroll and Compensation section of the Employee Self-Service block
4. Select the Pay Check Date for the advice you wish to view

Payroll Reminders, Deadlines for March

Payroll deadlines for March and April 2014 are available online at https://bsc.untsystem.edu/payroll_deadlines.

BSC Notes

Registering for Online Courses

All on-line courses for the BSC can be found on Blackboard Learn by logging-in using your EUID and Password at https://learn.unt.edu/.

1. After logging in to Blackboard Learn, click the “Organizations” tab.
2. Click the UNT System link in the Organization Catalog
3. Click on BSC under the “Browse Categories” drop-down menu
4. Click the double arrow icon next to the desired Organization ID link
   • For example: BSC Purchasing, Timekeeper Training or Archived Training Sessions
5. Click the arrow next to the course title
6. Select “Enroll”
   • Ensure you select Enroll; this step is often overlooked by employees wanting to take online courses
7. Click “Submit”
8. Click “Ok”

The landing page will provide a matrix outlining the modules that are required based on your role. A handout is available to help navigate the enrollment process, and is available online http://bsc.untsystem.edu/sites/default/files/BSC_Blackboard.pdf. If you need any further assistance, contact a BSC Customer Service Representative at 940-565-5500, toll free to 855-868-4357, or via email to bsc@untsystem.edu.

(Pictured at right) “Enroll” is a step often overlooked by employees wanting to take online courses.

BSC to Participate in Next UNT A-team Meeting

The next University of North Texas A-team meeting will include presentations from the BSC regarding payroll, payments and purchasing issues.

The meeting will be 3-5 p.m., March 21 in the Business Leadership Building, Room 180. A videoconference for the meeting will also be available at Discovery Park, Room F219.

Employees Encouraged to Provide BSC Website Feedback

In an effort to improve search functionality for the BSC website at http://bsc.untsystem.edu, the BSC is requesting help from regular users. Please take a few minutes to answer the questions below and send your answers to bsc@untsystem.edu.

• What online forms or pages do you often use on the site?
• What terms or keywords do you use when searching and expect to find these pages or forms?
• Which forms or pages have you had difficulty locating on the BSC website site in the past?

After collecting new terms that users associate with pages, we will add keywords to these pages to help similar users find what they are looking for in the future.

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