DPA
MEETING NOTES
January 2003
TOPICS
ANY
PROPERTY PROCEDURES YOU'D LIKE TO SEE CHANGED?
FEBRUARY 2003 MEETING
COST VS. PRICE
DEPRECIATION REPORTS ON DW
"NOTIFY DPA BEFORE DISPOSAL" LABELS
RECEIPT OF EQUIPMENT PURCHASED ON A CONTRACTS
CREDIT CARD
DONATION PROCESS
HOW DO YOU ADDRESS PROPERTY MISINFORMATION
IN YOUR DIVISION?
ANY
PROPERTY PROCEDURES YOU'D LIKE TO SEE CHANGED?
- In the first few DPA meetings of each calendar year we ask DPAs
to identify Property procedures they would like to see modified.
While we must meet Government regulations and agreement terms
and conditions, we can often modify procedures so long as they
continue to result in compliance. Therefore, please be thinking
about aspects of UCAR's Property procedures you would like to
see modified. Bring your ideas for change. If you see a problem
but don't know how to fix it, bring it up and let's brainstorm.
Some of the best changes in the last few years have come from
DPAs. Feel free to e-mail or call me if you want to do a little
pre-meeting brainstorming. Also, check with your division staff
for their ideas. The goal is to keep making things better. Thanks
for your participation.
FEBRUARY
2003 DPA MEETING - The February 2003 meeting
will be Thursday, February 27, 2003, 9:30-11:00 AM at SCD Conference
Room (ML 40).
COST
vs. PRICE - There is frequent confusion regarding
the possible difference between the price on a Req and the cost
recorded in the GL and Fixed Asset Database (FADB). We are required
by OMB A-110 to track based on cost, not price. Here's
the difference.
Price is the amount
quoted by the vendor to the division and/or Contracts and it appears
on the Req and PO. Cost is the actual amount invoiced and paid
by UCAR to the vendor. It sometimes is not the same as the price
quoted (especially in DELL purchases). It is this actual cost
that will appear as the paid amount in the GL and be downloaded
to the FADB.
DEPRECIATION
REPORTS ON DW - If you or someone else in your
department track depreciation charges that hit division keys,
please be aware (and pass it along) that there are a couple of
new depreciation reports in DW on the Web. If anyone in your division
wants me to walk through the reports with them or otherwise provide
an explanation, I would be glad to do so. Just have them e-mail
or call me
"NOTIFY DPA
BEFORE DISPOSAL" LABELS - We now have black-on-yellow
labels that read "Notify DPA Before Disposal" (or some
variation). These are available in quantities for all divisions
and should be placed on all equipment, not just fixed assets,
as a reminder to staff that they should contact their DPA before
disposing of any equipment. If you don't have some for your division
yet, call Chris (ext. 8573) or Janet (ext. 8858) and we'll send
some out. The response so far has been very positive.
RECEIPT
OF EQUIPMENT PURCHASED ON A CONTRACTS CREDIT CARD
- When a division sends a Req to Contracts and they purchase equipment
on a credit card (only Contracts may do this), the Property Office
does not have an electronic mechanism for tracking receipt. In
non-credit card purchases, the DPA is responsible for
contacting the Property Office when equipment arrives but if s/he
doesn't, we can tell by a PO receiving report that the equipment
is in.
Since we don't have
this backup mechanism for tracking receipt, we depend entirely
on DPAs for this information. Therefore, if we know equipment
has been purchased on a Contracts credit card, we will e-mail the
DPA a reminder to contact the Property Office as soon as the equipment
is received.
DONATION
PROCESS - When a division wants to dispose of
equipment and makes it available through "dpaalias@ucar.edu",
they may get a response that a school or other non-profit would
like to receive the equipment as a donation, if it is not claimed
for internal use. This is because some UCAR employees are on the
"dpaalias@ucar.edu" distribution so they can watch for donation
opportunities. If this occurs, and the equipment is not claimed
for internal use, send me (via e-mail)
I will send a donation
e-mail requesting a written acceptance reply and let them know
they can arrange pickup with you (or someone else if you so designate).
We hope to expand
UCAR equipment donations and will share more about that in the
coming months.
HOW
DO YOU ADDRESS PROPERTY MISINFORMATION IN YOUR DIVISION?
- Each DPA is their divisions point of contact for Property questions/issues.
If your division staff has misunderstandings about how property
is managed at UCAR it is your responsibility to correct those
misunderstandings. The Property Office is available to assist
in any way we can so let us know what we can do to help. As we
visit divisions we often hear of misconceptions about Property
at UCAR. When we explain, the usual response is that rules "keep
changing" which, again, is a misconception. Please clarify
property misconceptions in your division whenever you hear them.
You'd be amazed at some of the ideas that get passed along and
embellished, causing significant frustration unnecessarily. Thanks
for your diligence in addressing this.
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