Non-Aramark Payments Procedure

When an on-campus food event exceeds $500, a department must submit a service request to Aramark. If Aramark declines to service the event, departments must contact an outside vendor for direct billing or have someone cover the payment and request reimbursement after the event.

When the outside vendor allows direct billing, the department must process payment through MTSU’s procurement system. If direct billing is not an option, someone must pay for the food and request reimbursement via the Food Purchase Authorization form.

Per Policy 661: 

• All food purchased must have an appropriate business purpose supporting the mission and purpose of the University.
• University Funds may not pay for alcoholic beverages. As approved, departments must submit alcohol purchases using MTSU Foundation funds.
• Departments may not purchase food for staff meetings with University funds.
• The University permits food and beverage payments for approved retreats or extended training sessions, assuming the events meet specific criteria. These events typically occur only once per semester and last most of a business day. Faculty and staff must attach an agenda to the Food Purchase Authorization (under the “Receipts and Support” field).

Per Policy 661: 

Non-Aramark food and drink purchases are allowed for off-campus events and for on-campus events for which the total is less than $500.

In some cases, Aramark may decline an event due to several factors. In this case, the department must submit a screenshot of the Aramark e-mail declining the event and attach it to the Food Purchase Authorization form.

Pepsi is the University’s contracted beverage provider for on-campus events. MTSU cannot reimburse drink purchases directly competing with Pepsi (i.e., Coca-Cola, Dr. Pepper, 7-Up, etc.). This does not apply when the event is hosted at a restaurant; in this case, the University may reimburse the purchase of any non-alcoholic drink with state funds.

The Claimant is the person responsible for the event.

For reimbursement requests, the Claimant is the Payee (the person who paid for the food). The Claimant must have attended the event.

When the University pays a food vendor directly, the Claimant is an individual who is present at the event, is directly related to the University, and has an MTSU email address. If the department head is not the Claimant, the department should list the department head as the approver for the Food Purchase Authorization form. If the department head is the Claimant, the authorization will be the Claimant’s supervisor or next-level approver.

For Non-P-Card (Accounts Payable) payments, departments should submit Food Purchase Dynamic Forms after the date of the event. Before booking an event, departments must have prior approval from a supervisor/department head.

1. Provide the Payee’s name using the format “Last Name, First Name” (ex. “Doe,  John”) and provide the Payee’s M-Number.
2. Provide the date of the event.
3. Provide the event name and location.
4. Provide the event’s purpose. This is meant to describe the “appropriate business purpose supporting the mission and purpose of the University.”
5. Provide the relevant index number responsible for payment. This could be a University or Foundation index. When alcohol is purchased, a Foundation index must always be used.
6. Provide the relevant account code for the event. If the event is paid from a University account, the account code will always be 74980.
7. Select the number of approvers needed for the event. Enter their name and email in the fields that populate. If you are unsure who needs to be listed as an approver, please contact your supervisor or department head for more information. If a Foundation index is used, please list either Jackie Morton (Jackie.Morton@mtsu.edu) or Nancy Martin (Nancy.Martin@mtsu.edu).
8. If you are not the claimant (as defined above), you should check “No” and list the claimants name and email address.
9. List any payment instructions given by the vendor in the “Special Handling Instructions” field.
10. Attach any support for the payment and event in the upload section. This includes invoices, receipts, attendance lists, event flyers, etc. If you have more documentation than is allowed via the fields, combine them into one PDF file.

In order to use a P-Card to purchase food and/or beverages, you must complete the Food Purchase Authorization form then attach the completed Food Purchase Authorization form to the Food Purchase Routing – P-Card Dynamic Form.

Food Purchase Authorization Interactive PDF Instructions

1. Give a descriptive name for the event, the event location, and the event date.
2. Give a descriptive purpose of the event. This is meant to explain how the event has an “appropriate business purpose supporting the mission and purpose of the University” as per policy 661.
3. Give the number of attendees that are expected from the following categories: employees, students, and external guests (prospective students, guest speakers, etc.) as well as all expected attendees in the space provided.
4. You should check the box of the index type that you are planning to use. As noted on the form, Foundation Indices cannot be used on a P-Card. The Index number will vary based on department and event type. If you do not know the index number you should contact your department head.
5. “Requesting Payment with P-Card” should be selected if you plan on using a P-Card.
6. List all vendors that will be providing food/beverages for the event.
7. Provide the date of food purchase. Note: You should be submitting this 5 or more days in advance of purchasing food or beverage with a P-Card to allow time for review so that your purchase can be authorized.
8. Provide the Cardholder’s Name, Department, Phone Number, and the submission date. The cardholder should also sign the PDF either by signing it via a PDF editing application or by printing the form and signing and scanning it back into a PDF.

This Form should be attached to the Food Purchase Routing – PCard Form

Food Purchase Routing Form – PCard:

1. If you are not the cardholder, change the cardholder’s first and last name to that of the cardholder. Otherwise, those fields should auto-fill with the correct information.
2. Provide today’s date and the name of the department.
3. Provide the same Event Name and Event Date given on the Food Purchase Authorization PDF.
4. Provide the Start and End time of the event.
5. Attach the Food Purchase Authorization PDF.
6. If you have a list of expected attendees and the event agenda, you should also attach those in the relevant attachment fields.
7. Give the name of your approver. This is likely the head of your department. 
8. Confirm that you have read Policy 661 and that no alcoholic beverages will be included, then click next to sign the form.

Once the request has been reviewed for adherence to the Food and Beverage Policy 661, an FPA# will be assigned to the food purchase request and emailed back to the cardholder indicating that the food purchase may be completed.