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eXpendit

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Miscellaneous Expenditures — Mail and Postal Services
Postage, Mailing Services and Post Office Box Rentals

A state agency may use appropriated money to purchase postage or rent a post office box only from the United States Postal Service (USPS). This limitation does not apply to a reimbursement:

  • Received by a state agency for authorized services and appropriated directly to the receiving agency.
  • Under a contract for mailing services that may include postage, if the contract has been approved by the Statewide Procurement Division (SPD) of the Comptroller’s office.
  • To an authorized petty cash account.
  • To a state employee for an emergency purchase of postage or an emergency payment of post office box rent.

An agency, other than an institution of higher education, that exceeds the postage dollar amount set by the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for that fiscal year, must purchase or rent a postage meter machine. The agency is required to record all purchases for postage on the machine, except for purchases of postage for employees in field offices and traveling employees.

The rental of a postage meter machine by a state agency, the Legislature, or an agency in the legislative branch of state government must be from a company approved by SPD. SPD is required to adopt by rule procedures for the renting entity to pay for postage.

A state agency must use the most cost effective means of postal service available. The state agency may use appropriated money to purchase any form of mailing service from USPS that results in a lower cost to the agency and is comparable in quality to other available postal services. SPD is required to assist state agencies in determining the types and comparability of postal services available from USPS.

Definitions:

Appropriated money
Money appropriated by the Legislature through the General Appropriations Act (GAA) or other law.
State agency
  • A department, commission, board, office or other entity in the executive branch of state government.
  • The Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals, another entity in the judicial branch of state government with statewide authority or a court of appeals.
  • A university system or an institution of higher education as defined by Texas Education Code Section 61.003, except a public junior college which is excluded from the meaning of the term.

Sources [+]

Texas Government Code Section 2113.001, 2113.103, 2203.002.

Documentation Requirements [+]

  1. An agency other than an institution of higher education must retain documentation in its files demonstrating why the agency is not required to purchase or rent a postage meter machine.
  2. Comptroller object 7291 must be used.