Meal or Event Planning Procedures 

This webpage is intended as guidance for Individuals and event coordinators. It provides step-by-step directions, campus-specific resources and policies, and general policies. It is expected that individuals and coordinators have taken any applicable trainings and reviewed College and University policies. 

Table of Contents

• Definitions
  • Request to Serve Food Form
  • Per Diem 
  • WSLCB-Issued Banquet Permit
  • WSLCB-Issued Special Occasion License
  • WSLCB-Issued Raffle Permit
• Event Planning Procedures 
  • Overview
  • Procedures
• Campus Specific Resources, Policies, and Tips 
  • WSU Spokane
  • WSU Vancouver
  • WSU Everett
  • WSU Tri-Cities
• Other Guidance and Policies 
  • State Per Diem Map by County
  • Applicable BPPM Sections
  • Accounts Payable/Food Purchases
  • Catering Restrictions 
• Frequently Asked Questions 
  • What is the difference between light refreshments and a meal?
  • What happens if the meal cost per person exceeds the per diem rates for the area?
  • What are the conditions and account(s) to be used for student meals and refreshments?
  • When can you purchase bottled water?
  • What account(s) can be used to pay for alcohol purchases?
  • Where can I get information about WSU’s mission statement for the purpose of completing the RTSF form?
  • If multiple meals are being provided during a speaker’s visit, do I need to complete an RTSF form for each meal?

---

Definitions

Request to Serve Food Form

Form used to request permission to pay for meals or light refreshments served at a University training session or meeting. The Request to Serve Food form (RTSF) is submitted via SharePoint.

• For events with less than 20 people, and there is no facility rental agreement, catering agreement, or other contract, the responsible Chair or Director must sign the RTSF form at least 5 working days before the event. 
• For events with more than 20 people or events that require facilities rentals, catering agreements, or any other contracts, then the RTSF form should be signed by the responsible Chair or Director at least 10 weeks prior to the event. o Exception: For events with more than 20 people, but do not require contracts/agreements or purchases beyond food/non-alcoholic beverages (i.e. other purchases such as decorations, games, etc., are not needed), the RTSF form needs to be signed by the responsible Chair or Director at least 2 weeks prior to the event. 

Per Diem

Per Diem is the allowance for lodging (excluding taxes), meals and incidental expenses. The cost per person needs to be inclusive of all charges (i.e. decorations, food, linens, utensils, fees, gratuity, delivery, taxes, etc.) and should be no more than the Per Diem rate for the area. See sections Other Guidance and Policies and FAQs for more information. Per diem rates can be found at U.S. General Services Administration site.

WSLCB-Issued Banquet Permit

This permit authorizes the service and consumption of liquor at a private, invitation-only banquet or organized gathering in a public place or club at a specified date and place. The unit must purchase the banquet permit at least three days before the event. Banquet permits are available to order from the WSLCB website. 

WSLCB-Issued Special Occasion License

This license allows a bona fide nonprofit organization to sell liquor at a specified date, time and place. Examples include a fundraising dinner, gala event, auction, or wine tasting. The unit must submit an application for the license at least 45 days before the event. Special Occasion License applications are available online. 

WSLCB-Issued Raffle Permit

This permit allows a bona fide nonprofit organization to raffle liquor to its members at a specified date and place. The unit must submit the application for the permit at least 30 days before event ticket sales can begin. Raffle Permit Applications are available online. 

---

Event Planning Procedures 

Overview

As the College of Medicine has grown over the years, so has the demand for events, trainings and celebrations. The following steps will help you plan an event that meets your goals while representing the college in a way that reflects our culture. 

While the following procedures serve as a valuable guide for all events, not every event rises to the need of completing the outlined procedures and documents. Events that require completion of these procedures include: 

• Events that are external/public facing 
• Events that require vendors and/or contracts 

If an event does not meet the above criteria, but food will be served, an RSF form is all that must be completed and submitted for the event. All other events that do not meet the above criteria do not require completion of the procedural forms. 

In order to properly plan and execute all the following steps, events need to be planned at least six months in advance. Contracts that require financial commitments in excess of $10,000 will be sent to Pullman for approval. This process takes no less than 90 days, so advance planning is a must. 

These steps apply to individuals planning and coordinating events for the College of Medicine. Please refer to section five for important resources, policies, and tips for each campus, and Guidance and Policies section for general policies and resources. 

Procedures

• Once an event need has been identified and a potential date has been proposed, establish a budget. 
  • Suggested costs to consider included venue, ADA interpreters, advertising, catering, linens, tables, decorations and draping, equipment and service support, parking, printing and mailing, speaker fees, and other expenses (e.g. awards, travel, etc.). 
• Complete an Event Proposal form and submit to your supervisor for approval. 
  • The Event Proposal form is found on SharePoint at medicine.spokane.wsu.edu. Hover over the Administration tab and mouse down to “Events and Meal Planning”. To complete this form you will need to know: if this event is a one-time event or recurring event; the name of your Event Lead (the Event Lead is your point of contact and serves as liaison to Business Services); how this event will impact other College of Medicine events taking place at the same time; the proposed budget; the funding source; the event’s purpose, mission, and return on investment; attendee breakdown; program elements; support services needed; and who the potential partners and sponsors will be. 
• Once the event is approved, contact College of Medicine Business Services to establish a budget plan. 
  • You will share your proposed expenses with College of Medicine Business Services. Email your approved Event Proposal to medicine.events@wsu.edu and their team will provide you with a point of contact for your event. You will receive the tools to submit purchase requests, information on how to share your working budget, make purchases, etc. 
• If you are hosting your event on campus, reserve your room/space on campus using 25Live. If you will be hosting your event off campus, you will need to submit a State Administrative and Accounting Manual form (SAAM 10.1-.55) for “Justification for Use of Non-State Facility” to Business Services for approval via email medicine.events@wsu.edu. 
• Put together a guest list with contact information. 
• If you plan to serve food at your event, you must complete and submit the Request to Serve Food form
• , along with related documents, via SharePoint. For all events, a catering quote, any contracts/agreements, and a list of attendees, and how the event connects to our mission should be submitted with the RTSF. *For events with more than 20 people, an Event Planning Form should be included with the Request to Serve Food Form. This document can also be found in SharePoint under the Administration tab. 
  • See Campus Specific Resources and Catering Restrictions for catering information and policies. Prior to contacting caterers, prepare a list of dietary restrictions needed for the event. 
  • Note: WSU Everett, Spokane, Tri-Cities, and Vancouver campuses are required to stay within the State Per Diem rate (see Campus Specific Resources and State Per Diem for current rates) per person for event meals. Cost per person needs to be inclusive of all charges (i.e. decorations, food, linens, utensils, service fees, admin fees, gratuity, labor, delivery, taxes, etc.). 
• After the Chair/Director has approved the RTSF form, it will automatically be routed to College of Medicine Business Services for approval. Business Services will contact the event point of contact if there are documents missing or if there are concerns. 
• Once the RTSF form has been approved by Business Services, proceed with making necessary arrangements. 
• If a need for contracts has been identified, submit those to Business Services via email at medicine.events@wsu.edu, who will work on any contracts/agreements that need to be processed. Event venues, caterers, rental companies and Audio-Visual rental/production companies typically submit a contract for our approval. 
  • Note: Facility use, and catering agreements can take up to 10-weeks to finalize based on the complexity. 
• If applicable, contact Communications and Marketing via email medicine.wsuevents@wsu.edu to establish a promotion plan and receive assistance with event planning tools. 
  • Possible choices for promotional support include advertising, flyers/posters, e-mail invitations, press release, campus bulletin boards, printed invitations, internal news and social media. 
  • Possible assistance with event planning tools includes contract assistance for outside vendors, venue selection, meal planning, logistics, etc. 
• If you will have guests parking on the WSU Spokane campus, e-mail spokane.parking@wsu.edu to request the purchase of parking passes, as necessary. Once you know the amount that parking will cost, request an IRI (Interdepartmental Requisition and Invoice) through a Purchase Request in SharePoint. 
• Submit AV/Technology request forms as required (see section five for campus specific requirements). 
• Develop event flow, presentations, introductions, etc. as necessary. 
• Plan setup and decorations. 
• Send invitations. 
• Finalize presentation, program, and room layout, and create event materials. 
• Confirm plans and reservations. 
• As invoices are received by the point of contact, create Purchase Requests in SharePoint and submit for payment. 
• It is highly suggested that at the conclusion of the event you host a “post-op” meeting to discuss successes and challenges with colleagues and your team, as well as express gratitude to all parties involved. Sending thank you notes to stakeholders, vendors, and volunteers is highly recommended. 

---

Campus Specific Resources, Policies, and Tips

---

Other Guidance and Policies

State Per Diem Map by County

Applicable BPPM Sections 

• Buying Meals or Light Refreshments for Meetings (70.31)
• 17A Discretionary Food Purchases (70.33)
• Renting Non-Public Facilities for Meetings (70.32)
• Ordering Alcoholic Beverages (70.29)
• Travel Rates (95.19)

Accounts Payable/Food Purchases

Criteria for Purchasing Meals and Light Refreshments on State Funds 

• Meals: State Funds may be used if the following conditions are met, see BPPM: 70.31. 
  • The meal must be essential to the completeness (i.e., an integral part) of an official University meeting or training session, and 
  • The University must require that the employee attend the meeting or formal training session, and 
  • The purpose of the event must be to conduct official WSU business or to provide formal training to WSU employees. o Note: State funds cannot be used to support Per Diem overages. Per Diem overages must be expensed to Discretionary Funds (17A), see BPPM 70.33. 
• Light Refreshments: State Funds may be used if the following conditions are met: 
  • The purpose of the meeting must be to conduct official WSU business OR to provide formal training to WSU employees; and 
  • The light refreshments must be essential for the completeness (i.e., an integral part) of an official University meeting or training session. o Note: Light refreshments, by definition, include nonalcoholic beverages and edible items commonly served between meals. 
• Per Diem Rates (PDF) 
•  Food Matrix:

Type	Appropriated Funds FUNDS 001-XX, 100-XX, 057-XX, 143-XX, 148-02	Contributed Funds Including 17A FUNDS 846-XX	Sponsored Programs FUNDS 145-XX PROGRAMS #11-14	Self-Supporting Programs FUNDS 148-01, 148-20	Auxiliary Funds FUNDS 522-XX, 528-XX, 570-XX, 573-XX	PROGRAMS 09G & 14L Conference Accounts	Agency Funds Including 17C FUNDS 840-XX
Purchase of Consumable Alcohol	No	Yes *In accordance w/Gift Use Agreement & donor’s intent	No	No	No	Yes	Yes *In accordance with WSU policy BPPM 70.29
Per Diem Overages	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Meals for Official WSU Business	Yes	Yes	Yes *if proposed & approved in Sponsor Agreement	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hosting & Entertainment	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes

Catering Restrictions 

• WSU cannot pre-pay or provide a deposit on catering orders. 
• Catering vendors requiring contracts for goods/services must be submitted at least 10 weeks before the event through the RTSF workflow on SharePoint for review, approval, and signature by the delegated contract authority. 
• Provision of Alcoholic Beverages – If you are planning to have alcohol available at your event, the request to serve alcohol process must begin at least 3 months in advance of the event date, to request and receive approvals from the appropriate departments, as outlined in the policy. Upon approval and prior to the event, a WSLCB-Issued Banquet Permit must be secured. A purchasing card must be used to obtain the online banquet permit. If you intend to sell tickets for alcohol, please refer to the policy Ordering Alcoholic Beverages (BPPM 70.29) for further instructions and timelines, and definitions for other permit/license types. 

---

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between light refreshments and a meal? 

Light refreshments include nonalcoholic beverages and edible items commonly served between meals, but not intended to substitute for meals, e.g., coffee, soft drinks, doughnuts, sweet rolls, fruit, cheese.

What happens if the meal cost per person exceeds the per diem rates for the area? 

Per Diem overages must be expensed to discretionary funds (17A).

What are the conditions and account(s) to be used for student meals and refreshments?

Cost of food, beverages, and other expenses associated with official student occasions must be expensed to a 17A (discretionary account). These expenses must be in support of student academic services, recruitment of students or support of institution-sponsored student events/activities.

When can you purchase bottled water?

Bottled water can be purchased for EVENTS only. The purchase of bottled water for primary use of employees (i.e. breakrooms) is prohibited.

What account(s) can be used to pay for alcohol purchases? 

Alcohol purchases must be expensed to discretionary funds (17A).

Where can I get information about WSU’s mission statement for the purpose of completing the RTSF form? 

The College of Medicine’s mission statement can be found online. Choose the goal(s) and/or sub-goal(s) that appropriately represent the event’s purpose and outcome.

If multiple meals are being provided during a speaker’s visit, do I need to complete an RTSF form for each meal?

No. You can complete one RTSF for the duration of the speaker’s visit. Be sure to include required information for each meal (e.g. list of attendees) on the form.