Once you have gathered all the appropriate documentation and ensured you have available dollars to cover your disbursement request, it is time the complete the Disbursement Request Form (DRF).

 

The first step is to go to the USMF website (www.usmf.org) to open the Disbursement Request Form or to use our electronic DRF platform (http://www.usmf.org/forms/submit-your- electronic-disbursement-request-form/) which requires an initial access approval by USMF management as noted within the website.

NOTE: Do not use a form you might have saved locally at an earlier date as the forms on our website are always the most up-to-date form.

  • You will complete the DRF online and save it as a PDF document.
  • Beginning with the first field, Campus Account. This section is currently for UMCP only. If you are reimbursing a campus account, please enter the campus account. Note: the documentation you attach must include and match this account number.
  • Date: the date you are completing the DRF.
  • USMF Project #: This is the number of the account at the Foundation. (We call them project numbers not account numbers). Please include your campus code in front of your project number. The number should look like this XX-XXXXX.
  • Project name: This is the descriptive title for the project number. Note: We verify that the project # and name match in our system.
  • Make Check Payable to: and Address: This is the payee who will receive the check. Ensure you provide a current address for the payee. Checks are mailed directly to the payee except in the following situations – payee is the campus, special handling instructions, or foreign address. UMCP units requesting reimbursement for a state account will enter the information below. University of Maryland, College Park

          Cashier’s Office Office of the Bursar 1115 Lee Building

          College Park, MD 20742

  • SS# or ITIN#: This field is locked. If you are submitting a request for a new vendor you will need to include a W9 form. Subsequently, a new W9 is only needed when a vendor/payee changes their address or name. The field is locked so that you cannot type anything there. All documents are scanned into our financial software and clients can now see that data - we must take steps to protect social security number and tax identification numbers. If you are reimbursing someone for expenses such as a dinner, supply purchase, etc., the social security number and a W9 form are not required. PLEASE DO NOT WRITE ANY NUMBERS IN THIS FIELD WHEN YOU PRINT THE DRF.
  • Is Individual a USM State Employee? - choose correct answer. Is Individual a UMF Employee? Choose correct answer.
  • Citizenship Status - indicate if the payee is US Citizen, permanent resident alien, or not a US citizen. See our policy on payment of Foreign Nationals.
  • Expense Code and Amount fields – it is important to choose the correct expense code. You can find a list of the Foundation’s expense codes and definitions below. Be sure to use the

Foundation’s codes and not your campus sub-codes. You can tab through these fields as you enter data. It is acceptable to include more than one invoice or expense on the DRF as long as they are from the same account. If you wish to submit one DRF for several accounts or allocate

 

an expense across several account, you will need to use the second page of the DRF. As you tab through the fields the form will total your entries. FOREIGN CURRENCY: If you are submitting a request in foreign currency and wish to have a wire transfer done for your request the DRF form for wire transfers should be completed in that currency and when you print the form out, you will indicate the currency by writing it next to the total. For example, if you want British pounds the abbreviation would be GBP. You will also need to collect wire transfer information from the vendor/payee and complete that section of the wire transfer form.

  1. Business purpose: In this field please provide a brief description of the reason for the reimbursement and a business purpose. Please note: “dinner with Mr. Jones” is not a valid business purpose. You need to provide information on who Mr. Jones I and what was discussed or explain why Mr. Jones was visiting. This is also where to include special instructions regarding the disbursement of the check. (Special instructions might be requesting that a copy of an invoice be sent with the check or to hold the check for pickup). If you want information/documentation to go with a check please include an extra copy of that information/documentation with the DRF
  2. Signature Section: Complete the indicated fields completely. Remember to include your full phone number. Anyone may be a requestor; an approver can only be an authorized signer on the project. An authorized signer may not approve their own DRF. If you need to obtain a signature at a higher campus level, indicate who that person is. For example, for a Dean it might be the Provost, your note would say Supervisor of Dean – Provost.
  3. DOCUMENTATION: Include with your DRF documentation that supports your request. Your documentation should support the amount of the DRF, if the DRF is for reimbursement of expenses, the documentation should include an itemized receipt and proof of payment. For event related expenses please provide a copy of event notification and attendee list. For reimbursement to state accounts you may include a copy of your campus financial record showing your state account incurred the expense. If the documentation shows an amount greater than the disbursement request, please provide an explanation of why the request is less. The requested reimbursement amount can never be greater than the documented amount.

 

Please note: if your documentation totals more than your request on the DRF, the Foundation will issue the check for the amount of the DRF. If your documentation totals less than the amount on the DRF, the Foundation will issue the check for the amount of the documentation. For DRF’s reimbursing a state account the supporting documentation account number must match the one listed on the DRF for the state account. All DRF’s and their supporting documentation are scanned to our financial software; please keep this in mind when sending your documentation. We will scan everything you send.

  1. Where does it go? Once completed your DRF should be sent to the foundation. The Foundation address is USMF Disbursements 3300 Metzerott Road Adelphi, MD 20783. We do receive campus mail from College Park and items by courier from other campuses. If you require a name to direct an overnight package, please use Dawn James. Unless specifically instructed by a Foundation staff member, do not address DRF’s in another manner. This is to insure your items are attended to promptly. When the DRF Administrator is absent, staff are

 

assigned to monitor incoming mail and distribute to the appropriate person. DRF’s addressed in

a different manner may be delayed.

  1. When are checks issued? Checks are generally issued on Mondays. Changes to the check schedule are announced in the Monthly Ledger, the Foundation’s newsletter. If your DRF is received by 1:30 Thursday, unless there are questions, the check should be issued the following Monday.
  2. Special notes:
    1. Please notify your payees that Foundation checks are voided automatically 90 days after issue. If you are contacted by a payee because their check was voided you can request a re-issue.
    2. Review the Disbursement Request Form Checklist below. This checklist is used as a guide by the USMF business office for screening the DRF’s when received.