Meals & Refreshments
Per Office of Financial Management (OFM) Policies 70.10, 70.15, and in accordance with RCW 43.03.050, meals, coffee and light refreshments may only be served to college (state) employees at meetings or formal training sessions where:
- The purpose of the meeting is to conduct state business or to provide formal training that benefits the state; and
- The meals/coffee or light refreshment is an integral part of the meeting or training session; and
- The meeting or training session takes place away from the employee’s official worksite; and
- The college obtains a receipt for the actual costs of the meals/coffee or light refreshments. Cost per person may not exceed allowable per diem; and
- The Vice President for Administration or designee has approved, in writing, the purchasing and serving of meals/coffee and light refreshments PRIOR to the event.
Expenditures for meals/coffee and light refreshments are prohibited in the following situations, regardless of location:
- For anniversaries of agencies, receptions for new, existing, and/or retiring employees or officials.
- Any “hosting” activities, including but not limited to activities intended for lobbying a legislator or government official.
- Election celebrations
- Social events
- Normal daily business of Highline College employees, including staff meetings.
In addition, Meals served must take place during the following time blocks:
- Breakfast: 7:00AM to 9:00AM
- Lunch: 11:00AM to 1:00PM
- Dinner: 5:00PM to 7:00PM
The following funding sources are exempted from this policy:
- Student Services & Activities (S&A) funds – which shall be in accordance with RCW 28B.15.031 and RCW 28B.15.045, as well as any requirements or restrictions instituted by the Center for Leadership & Service.
- Grants, contracts, or external third-party funds – where meals and/or refreshments are specifically allowed.
- Highline College Foundation funds.
Prior Approval Process
- All requests for meals & light refreshments must be submitted to the Budget Office at least fifteen (15) calendar days PRIOR to the event.
- The request must contain the Prior Approval form, a preliminary list of attendees, and a vendor quote.
- Meals and light refreshments may be procured from any established vendors (with proper business licenses), including Highline College Fireside Bistro.
- When orders are being placed, the Highline College Bistro will be treated as an external vendor.
- If purchasing coffee and/or refreshments from the Highline College Bistro, please attach a quote to the prior approval. Prior approval is still required 15 days in advance. The Bistro can be contacted at conferenceservices@highline.edu
- If you paid for the refreshments out of pocket and need to seek reimbursement, please submit an Expense Report in CTClink . You MUST attach a signed copy of the prior approval form along with receipts and information about the event (meeting minutes, agenda, list of attendees, etc.)
Failure to adhere to this process runs the risk of having your request denied.
This process applies to all employees at Highline College.
Some helpful information regarding purchase requisitions
- Highline College has centralized Purchasing. Please do not place any orders directly with vendors unless your department has a blanket P.O. with the vendor and/or a P-Card is used for the appropriate items.
- If you do not know the suggested vendor, please contact Purchasing.
- Please keep the following in mind when providing a “Requested Delivery Date”:
- For vendors located in western Washington the delivery date should be 7 days after the vendor receives the purchase order.
- For vendors located in eastern Washington or out of state, the delivery date should be 14 days after the vendor receives the purchase order.
- Furniture orders will take up to 8 weeks.
- Please add additional time for custom orders.
- Looking for a State contract? Click here to be transferred to the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services contracts page.