Contact Officer: Director, Strategic Procurement Services
Purpose
To outline the procedures to be followed in order to delegate authority to sign an invoice and/or sign a Contract, as granted under the Policy on Approval and Execution of Contracts and Invoices.
Procedure
Key considerations when delegating Invoice Signing Authority
- The Policy on Approval and Execution of Contracts and Invoices provides for the delegation of Invoice Signing Authority
- .Invoice Signing Authority can be delegated on a temporary basis, or permanently.
- Where Invoice Signing Authority is delegated, responsibility remains with the most responsible individual (for example, the department head, the Principal Investigator, or Project Manager).
- A delegate cannot authorize expenditures from which he or she might be seen as receiving personal benefit.
- Delegated signing levels must be commensurate with job responsibility.
- The delegator must exercise sufficient control to ensure his/her responsibilities are appropriately discharged under the delegation and must have sufficient procedures in place to review his/her Designate's actions
- Delegated signing levels must be commensurate with job responsibility
Key considerations when delegating Contract Signing Authority
- Contract Signing Authority may only be delegated where permitted by the policy through the use of "Designate".
- Where Contract Signing Authority is delegated, responsibility remains with the position named in the Policy on Approval and Execution of Contracts.
- The delegation of Contract Signing Authority to a certain position (the delegate) also authorizes the individual who supervises the delegate to exercise that authority.
- Contract Signing Authority must only be delegated to staff with the knowledge, experience and judgment required to fulfill their obligations under the delegation.
- Delegated signing levels must be commensurate with job responsibility.
- The delegator must exercise sufficient control to ensure his/her responsibilities are appropriately discharged under the delegation and must have sufficient procedures in place to review his/her Designate's actions.
Step 1 - Complete the applicable Delegation of Signing Authority Form
At a minimum, information on the form must include;
- Name and Title of the Delegator and Delegate
- The effective date of the delegation
- The expiry date of the delegation (if applicable)
- The applicable Chartfields
- Any restrictions imposed on type or dollar amount of delegation
Acceptance of responsibility by both delegator and delegate.
Delegation form for Contracts and invoices funded by funds other than research can be found here: Signing Authority Non-Research Including acQuire .
Delegation form for Contracts and invoices funded by research funds can be found here: Signing Authority & Research Reports Access - Research.
Step 2 - File the completed Delegation of Signing Authority Form. Forward a copy to Financial Services.
The Delegation of Signing Authority Form must be kept on file in the office of the delegator and be readily available as required by Internal Audit and/or Financial Services.
All completed Signing Authority forms must be forwarded to the Financial Services Department, using the submission method detailed on the form.
Step 3 - Provide summary of ALL authorized Non-Research Signing Officers to Financial Services.
Faculty Office or Business Unit
Once per year, Faculties and Business Units are responsible to review and provide updates to a current summary of ALL Authorized Signing Officers for both Invoice and Contract Signing Authority to Financial Services for all non-research funds and departments. This list must be consolidated at the Faculty or Business Unit level (for example, all of Health Sciences, or all of Student Affairs). To facilitate this, in early October of each year Financial Services will provide the Business Officers of the Faculties and Business Units a summary of the Signing Authorities in the system as at September 30th.
This summary must be submitted by October 31st using the format provided by Financial Services in the annual confirmation process, and is to be accompanied with completed forms for any changes that need to be made.
If a change in signing authorities occurs during the year, this must be communicated to Financial Services on a timely basis, as detailed in Step 2 above.
Date Approved: May 8, 2015
Approval Authority: Vice-Principal, Finance & Administration
Date of Commencement: May 2015
Amendment Dates: July 2018
Date for Next Review:
Related Policies, Procedures and Guidelines: