eVA is a web-based state-required procurement tool designed to automate and streamline procurement for all state agencies in the Commonwealth. eVA is a central location for departmental buyers to find vendors, reach vendor punch-out catalogs with state pricing, and store requisitions and purchase orders.
The utilization of eVA is required. Departmental buyers with procurement responsibility must utilize the eVA system. Non-compliance with the system will result in a 2% non-compliant fee being charged to the department.
When using eVA, it is best to use Google Chrome or Firefox. There are several known issues with Internet Explorer and Safari that cause eVA to be very slow and several punchout catalogs to not work correctly or load.
eVA functionality questions can be referred to:
- JMU eVA Help Desk: 540.568.4382 or askeva@jmu.edu
- Richmond eVA Help Desk: 1.866.289.7367 or evacustomercare@dgs.virginia.gov
- eVA Refresher Course documentation - which includes frequently asked questions and how-to instructions
- eVA How To Videos
JMU users that want to gain access to eVA as a JMU approved user should do the following:
- Attend the eVA Overview Training offered through the IT Training Department (IT503).
- Compete the eVA Access at James Madison University packet and then submit these items to Procurement Services MSC 5720.
- After you have submitted your paperwork and attended the eVA Overview class you will receive an eVA Access email from Procurement Services. Once you receive that email you will be able to sign-in to eVA with your JMU e-ID.
Self-Registered
Strongly Preferred Vendor Type
The vendor has registered their company in eVA. PO Category Code R01 is to be used. The University is charged a .1% eVA fee, capped at $500 (Small, Women-owned, and Minority-owned certified vendor) or $1,500 (non-SWaM certified vendor).
State-Entered
A Commonwealth agency worked with eVA to have the vendor information stored in eVA. PO Category R01 is to be used. The University is charged a 1.1% eVA fee, capped at $3,000.
Unregistered (Ad-Hoc)
The vendor information is not in eVA. User has to manually input vendor business name information in eVA. PO Category R01 is to be used. The department should send a copy of the COVA W-9 to Procurement Services at askeva@jmu.edu. The University is charged a 1.1% eVA fee, capped at $3,000.
There are several eVA exclusions for purchases that are not required to be entered into the eVA system. Exclusions should not be loosely interpreted. Departments that are found to be abusing eVA exclusions may be fined for non-compliance. For questions about eVA exclusions contact Procurement Services.
The number of people involved in the workflow process depends on a number of things:
Who has expenditure signature authority for a departmental account?
What is the dollar amount at which the departmental approver wants to become involved?
Is the requisition for a grant? If yes, the requisition is routed to Grants Accounting.
Is the requisition for a capital outlay project? If yes, the requisition is routed to Facilities Planning and Construction.
Is the requisition for $10,000.01 or higher? If yes, the requisition is routed to Procurement Services.
The departmental user is the person who actually enters the requisition into eVA. If this person has expenditure signature authority for the account, they can enter a requisition for up to $10,000.00 and send it directly to the vendor (except restricted items) or they can enter a requisition for $10,000.01 and up that goes directly to Procurement Services. If the departmental user does not have expenditure signature authority for the account, the requisition must be approved by a departmental approver.
The departmental approver must have expenditure signature authority for the account. This position approves requisitions that the departmental user has entered. The approval level is determined by the department and may be set at any level under $10,000. All requisitions over $10,000 will go to Procurement Services.
Grant Accounts - All requisition for over $500 over must be routed through Sponsored Programs Accounting.
Restricted Items - All restricted items must be routed to Procurement Services regardless of the dollar amount.
Examples: Please note that these are only a few common examples, other workflows are possible.
- If the departmental user does not have expenditure signature authority for the account:
- Under $10,000.01 (except restricted items) | User --> Approver --> Vendor
- $10,000.01 and up | User --> Approver --> Procurement Services --> Vendor
- If the departmental user does have expenditure signature authority for the account:
- Under $10,000.01 (except restricted items) | User --> Vendor
- $10,000.01 and up | User --> Procurement Services --> Vendor
The utilization of eVA is not optional. Departmental buyers with procurement responsibility must utilize the eVA system for all purchase requisitions not specified as an eVA exclusion.
Purchase Orders
eVA terminology for a "purchase order" is a PO. A purchase order is created when an eVA requisition (that did not have the SPCC selected) has gone through the required approvals. If a vendor accepts electronic orders then the eVA PO will be sent directly to the vendor; otherwise, the department will need to email or fax a copy of the PO to the vendor.
Currently, it is critical that users placing orders confirm receipt with the vendor used on the purchase order. If you have not seen electronic confirmation from the vendor, it is best to assume that you need to confirm with the vendor over phone or via email.
Confirming Orders
- JMU Departments placing orders under $10,0000.01 by phone or through a vendor's website must then enter a "Confirming Order" into eVA unless it is an eVA exclusion. If the Confirming Order is not entered in eVA, the JMU Department will be charged 2 percent of the total transaction.
- Confirming Orders should be entered in eVA within 24 hours after the order was placed with the vendor.
- Do not enter detailed information on the line item; make it vague to prevent possible duplicated orders. Examples: do NOT include part numbers, item descriptions or quote numbers.
- Add attachments to the order (invoices and other supporting documentation) and don't select "Supplier Doocument” so the attachments stay internal.
- You can and should use your PCard when placing orders by phone or through the vendor's own website; however, when placing the Confirming Order in eVA, you may not wish to use the PCard and in that case you should be sure to not select your PCard. This reduces the risk of duplicate charges and creates a PO#, instead of a PCO#.
Blanket Order
- A blanket order is a single purchase order issued to cover repeat purchases of the same item purchased from the same vendor. Blanket orders are permissible typically when the total order does not exceed the department's delegation of $10,000 and re-occurring costs are known; however, they may be allowed over $10,000 on a case-by-case basis.
- Blanket orders are not the normal method of processing and the particular service must be lend itself to this type of order, contact Procurement Services for guidance.
- Blanket orders should not cross or cover more than one fiscal year or if applicable contract term.
- Blanket orders must be carefully tracked and reconciled by the department for the various payments that may occur during the year. At the end of the year, the blanket order should be adjusted to cover any over/under usage.
- The vendor must be willing to accept the blanket order (vendors are charged the eVA fee upfront for the total dollar amount put into the system).
- Contract orders must have pricing verified at the time the order is created.
Purchase Card Order (PCO)
eVA will generate a PCO# (rather than a PO#) anytime the PCard option is selected on the requisition. Keep in mind that if you have a PCard associated with your account, the PCard will not always be selected and you must remember to select the card in order to make payment through eVA. Remember to remove the PCard option anytime you need to pay by an invoice or if the order is $10,000.01 or more. Users may remove the PCard when completing confirming orders to reduce the risk of the purchase card receiving duplicate charges.
Requisition for Purchases When an Approver is not an eVA User
Most campus departments will use the eVA system to create a Purchase Requisition (REQ) with electronic approvals; however, JMU has a paper requisition form that can be used in other select instances. Instances where a paper purchase requisition may be used include:
- eVA technical long term outage
- To verify purchasing authority when the budget approver is not an eVA approver
The following terms and conditions apply to all orders made with self-registered eVA vendors. By registering with the eVA System, the vendor agrees to these terms and conditions. Orders generating from the eVA system to non-registered vendors (state-entered or ad-hoc) reference these terms and conditions, but the vendors have not necessarily agreed to them at the point you place the order.
These terms and conditions are incorporated by reference in the eVA purchase order. These terms and conditions apply to purchases between the agency or institution and the contractor, unless otherwise modified in writing on the face of the PO.
- This contractual agreement is subject to the terms and conditions of the Commonwealth of Virginia Vendors Manual and any revisions thereto, as published by the Department of General Services, Division of Purchases and Supply.
- Goods or Services delivered must be strictly in accordance with bid referred to and shall not deviate in any way from terms, conditions or specifications of the bid. Equipment, materials and/or supplies delivered on this order shall be subject to inspection and test upon receipt. If rejected, same shall remain the property of the vendor.
- Purchase Order number shall be shown by vendor on all related invoices, delivery memoranda, bills of lading, packages and/or correspondence.
- State sales and use tax certificate of exemption, form st-12 will be issued upon request, if you do not have same on file.
- Deliveries against this order must be free of excise or transportation taxes, excise tax exemption registration no. 54-73-0076k may be used when required.
- In the absence of other contractual terms, payment shall be due 30 days after receipt of proper invoice, or material/service, whichever is the later.
- If discount for prompt payment is allowed, the discount period will begin on the date of receipt of proper invoice, or material, whichever is the later.
- In case of default by the successful bidder, or failure to deliver the supplies or services ordered by the time specified, the Commonwealth after due notice (oral or in writing), may procure them from other sources and hold vendor responsible for any excess cost occasioned thereby.
- No substitution, change or deviation shall be made without written authority from the Commonwealth by Purchase Order Change.
- Vendors and contractors providing goods to the Commonwealth of Virginia under this order herewith assure the Commonwealth that they are conforming to the provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, as well as the Virginia Fair Employment Contracting Act of 1975 as amended, where applicable.
- This Purchase Order/Contract shall be governed in all respects, whether as to validity, construction, capacity, performance or otherwise by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
- All prices unless otherwise specified are net F.O.B. Destination with transportation charges prepaid.
- If shipment is made by freight or express and charges added to invoice, the original bill of lading properly receipted shall accompany invoice. All charges must be prepaid.
- Vendors and contractors performing work on Commonwealth owned or leased facilities or property shall, during the entire term of the contract, maintain at a minimum, the insurance coverages as listed in the Vendors Manual and any revisions thereto.
- eVA Transaction Fee: eVA transaction fee invoices are issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of General Services. A copy of the eVA transaction fee schedule is available on the eVA website.
