Certain purchases require prior approval. Examples include food and clothing. To obtain prior approval, complete the form below. If you are uncertain if your purchase requires prior approval, consult the Procurement Office. It is always better to complete the form if you are unsure whether or not you need prior approval.

Special Expense Request

Special Expense Procedures and Guidelines

General categories for which approval for special expenses are required:

  • Food purchases (Please refer to Special Expense Guidelines for Common Purchases)
  • Giveaways, door prizes, incentives
  • Clothing/uniforms
  • Excessive expenses (example: meals exceeding normal travel thresholds)

Special Expense Request Procedures

If in doubt as to whether or not you need pre-approval, please submit the special expense request form.

A special expense request form normally needs to be submitted at least one week in advance of the event. Late submissions may be grounds for denying the request and must include an explanation of the late submission.

Items are not to be ordered until the special expense is approved. If items are ordered prior to approval, the person who did the ordering may be personally liable for the expense.

Special Expense Request Submission

Approved special expense requests should be:

  • Forwarded to the purchasing office if they pertain to a purchase order or p-card purchase
  • Attached to your employee expense report if you paid with personal funds

Agency Approval

The following have delegation to sign under “Agency Approval”:

BSU

  • Vice President for Student Development and Enrollment
  • Vice President of Enrollment Management
  • Dean of Each College for Academic Affairs
  • Provost of Academic Affairs
  • The President
  • Vice President for Finance and Administration

NTC

  • The President
  • Provost
  • Vice President for Finance and Administration

Approved Special Expenses

Special Expenses that would generally be approved:

  • Refreshments or meals that are part of a meeting with citizens; members of boards, commissions, task forces or workgroups; foreign, federal, state or local governmental officials and/or employees.
  • Meetings that are composed primarily of individuals who are not BSU/NTC employees (e.g. commencement meals, receptions for speakers or performers).
  • University or College meetings held annually or each semester during start-up.
  • System-wide training sessions, held on campus, with an external party conducting the training.
  • Refreshments for the Center for Professional Development meetings or other campus-wide organizations, when the meetings deal with important issues that have campus-wide significance. Generally, these meetings would need to be at least two hours long to meet the criteria in the MnSCU procedure for special expenses.
  • Departmental retreats or other non-routine meetings that generally are two hours long or longer, and deal with long-range planning or other substantive issues that will have departmental or campus-wide significance, funded through a departmental account.
  • Survey incentives for students.
  • One meal for up to four members of faculty or administrator search committees who are meeting with a candidate, at a reasonable cost, but in no case to exceed twice the standard reimbursement rate.

Unlikely Approvals

Special Expenses that likely would not be approved:

Requests for refreshments submitted after the event has taken place.

Disallowed Special Expenses

Special expenses that are specifically not allowed:

  • Refreshments or meals for routine staff meetings (e.g. weekly or monthly departmental meetings).
  • Employee parties (including holiday parties).
  • Requests for serving alcohol.

Note: These guidelines do not apply to funding requests from Foundation accounts. Those accounts follow Foundation rules and designations associated with the particular account, and some expenses not allowed by MnSCU policy may be acceptable expenses from some Foundation accounts.

Special Expense Guidelines for Common Purchases

Food for a Student Group Activity to engage students (primary purpose for students, no employees) (Note: The term “students” includes any and all students, Upward Bound students, Admissions recruits, high school and other school students.)

  • Special Expense Request & Approval Required? YES for a p-card. NO for a P.O. However, in the PO memo enter a description of the event and the name of participating student or the student group name.
  • If Special Expense Approval is Received and Purchase is Below $10,000, Can P-Card be Used? YES – If the vendor accepts P-cards. (ARAMARK does not accept p-cards.)
  • Object code recommended: 2710

  • Special Expense Request & Approval Required? YES Special Expense Request must include Vendor Name & Type and a list of employees who are participating.
  • If Special Expense Approval is Received and Purchase is Below $10,000, Can P-Card be Used?
  • Object code recommended: Retail Store, 3000 Prepared Food, 1850

Note: Per MnSCU Procedure 7.3.3 Part 6, Subpart A, P-cards are not to be used for food and beverages for individual employees.

  • Special Expense Request & Approval Required? YES Special Expense Request must include Vendor Name & Type and a list of employees who are participating.
  • If Special Expense Approval is Received and Purchase is Below $10,000, Can P-Card be Used? YES – If the vendor accepts P-cards. (ARAMARK does not accept p-cards.)
  • Object code recommended: Retail Store, 3000 Prepared Food, 1850

Note: Per MnSCU Procedure 7.3.3 Part 6, Subpart A, P-cards are not to be used for food and beverages for individual employees.

  • Special Expense Request & Approval Required? Answer may vary depending upon circumstances. Consult your Vice President.
  • If Special Expense Approval is Received and Purchase is Below $10,000, Can P-Card be Used? YES – If the vendor accepts P-cards. (ARAMARK does not accept p-cards.)
  • Object code recommended: Retail Store, 3000 Prepared Food, 1850

  • Special Expense Request & Approval Required? YES – Gift cards and gift certificates may only be purchased via PO from vendors that BSU/NTC have an exclusive relationship with such as ARAMARK, the BSU/NTC bookstore, and the Beaver Dam merchandise store.
  • If Special Expense Approval is Received and Purchase is Below $10,000, Can P-Card be Used? No – Gift cards and gift certificates NOT allowed on p-card under any circumstances.
  • Object code recommended: Purchase Orders Only, Exclusive Relationship Vendors Only 3000

  • Special Expense Request & Approval Required? YES
  • If Special Expense Approval is Received and Purchase is Below $10,000, Can P-Card be Used? YES
  • Object code recommended: 2710

For promoting general university and program purposes (includes clothing and survey tokens of appreciation)

  • Special Expense Request & Approval Required? YES
  • If Special Expense Approval is Received and Purchase is Below $10,000, Can P-Card be Used? YES
  • Object code recommended: 3000

Promotional items with BSU logo, limited to Admissions or Marketing & Communications Office (includes clothing)

  • Special Expense Request & Approval Required? YES
  • If Special Expense Approval is Received and Purchase is Below $10,000, Can P-Card be Used? YES
  • Object code recommended: 1110

Required clothing and/or steel toe boots.

  • Special Expense Request & Approval Required? NO
  • If Special Expense Approval is Received and Purchase is Below $10,000, Can P-Card be Used? YES
  • Object code recommended: 3000

Departmental Identifying Apparel–Not University Required Uniforms (examples: Admissions, Athletics, HMU, Rec Center)

  • Special Expense Request & Approval Required? YES
  • If Special Expense Approval is Received and Purchase is Below $10,000, Can P-Card be Used? YES
  • Object code recommended: 3000

For student athletic teams.

  • Special Expense Request & Approval Required? NO
  • If Special Expense Approval is Received and Purchase is Below $10,000, Can P-Card be Used? YES
  • Object code recommended: 3000