Accounts Payable FAQs

The Comptroller’s Debt Setoff (CDS) program, also known as the Vendor Setoff program, is authorized by the Code of Virginia, Sections 2.2-4800 through 2.2- 4808. Under the CDS program, payments made to individuals, businesses, and other entities who may owe money to the Commonwealth of Virginia, can be withheld, in full or in part, to satisfy the debt owed the State. The Commonwealth also participates in the federal government-wide debt collection program (TOP). TOP matches individuals and businesses who owe delinquent debts to federal government agencies and recover the debt by offsetting the payment. 

The Commonwealth will not release the details to George Mason University on why part or all of our payment to you was withheld. Please contact the Virginia Department of Accounts or call them at 804-367-8037 or cds@doa.virginia.gov.  For the TOP program, the payee will receive a letter identifying the TOP offset amount and the federal agency(ies) to which the debt was applied. Please check out the following link for more information: https://fiscal.treasury.gov/top/

No. Once the Commonwealth has intercepted a payment it is considered paid in full and cannot be re-invoiced to Mason.

Vendors must submit a new Commonwealth of Virginia W-9/W-8 in order to make any changes to their vendor profile. Instructions are available on the Do Business with Mason webpage.

No. The Commonwealth of Virginia requires Mason to utilize their version of the W-9.

Credit memos, statements, invoices and general correspondence may be sent to acctpay@gmu.edu.

Yes! Please email acctpay@gmu.edu for this request.

Vendors should always confirm that large orders for goods or services and shipments to non-GMU locations are verified with your known contact at the university. Click here to view a Sample Purchase Order.

No. PR stands for “purchase requisition”, which is an internal request for a purchase that has yet to be approved. If you receive a PR# document, you should inform the customer that you will only accept a completed and approved purchase order that begins with an EP# or E#. Mason is not liable for payment if an order is fulfilled with a PR#.

No. PCO stands for “payment card order,” which means that a payment was already processed using a university credit card (P-Card). If you have questions about a credit card payment please contact the person that placed the order with you.

A. We encourage vendors to receive payment electronically by enrolling in Paymode, a no fee service offered by Bank of America. Click here for more information. Vendors that enroll in Paymode will have their payment issued 30 days after the invoice is received or services are completed, whichever is later. Check payments are then mailed to the vendors remit to address.

Vendors may receive payment 20 days after invoice/service receipt by enrolling in our Virtual Payables program. Interchange Fees apply for this service. Click here for more information.

By accepting payment via a Mason Purchase Card (P-Card) vendors receive payment within a few days.

Payments status is available in Mason’s payment inquiry portal 24 hours a day, seven days a week: Click here to access Payment Inquiry Portal. Click on “Mason Vendor” and enter the required information to search.

Instructions for logging in and searching for payments are available at https://468002.invoiceinfo.com/includes/468002/How_To_Use_This_Page.pdf.

Goods or services must have been received AND the invoice, printed on company letterhead (PDF preferred) must list:
• The purchase order number (starts with EP or E)
• GMU as the party to be billed
• The vendor supplied invoice number
• The date of service and/or shipment
• Remit to payment address
• A description of the goods or services provided
• Total amount billed

Example Invoice

Yes, an Accounts Payable technician will contact you via email within three business days if your invoice is missing any necessary information.

Paper invoices may be sent to:

George Mason University

Attention: Accounts Payable

4400 University Drive MS 3C1 Fairfax, VA 22030

Regretfully, due to the risk of malicious links and general security concerns, invoices and communications must be sent directly to acctpay@gmu.edu in order to be processed.

When an invoice is submitted electronically to acctpay@gmu.edu you will receive an automated message confirming the invoice was received. We do not provide additional confirmation unless the invoice is rejected due to incomplete information.

Yes! The AP department can accept batch invoices in a variety of formats. Please email acctpay@gmu.edu for additional details.

Mason follows the Prompt Pay guidelines issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia which stipulates that payment is issued 30 days after the invoice is received or services are completed, whichever is later.

Yes! Vendors may enroll in our Virtual Payables program which enables vendors to receive payment 20 days after invoice/service receipt. Interchange Fees apply. Learn more at /electronic- disbursements/.

Yes! Click here to view a Sample Invoice.

The university adopts several electronic methods of issuing payment to vendors and suppliers. The electronic methods replace the traditional paper check process and will provide the vendor with quicker access to payments for goods and services. Additional information and how to enroll are available at Electronic Disbursements.

1. Preferred payment option – Purchasing Card (Immediate payment) Mason departments can use PCard to pay directly to vendors if the transaction is less than $5,000.
2. Bank of America’s Virtual Payables Credit Card (Net 20). Vendor participating in Virtual Payables will receive net 20-day payment term. Please note that your standard merchant credit card processing fees will apply to these payments.
3. Bank of America’s Paymode-X (Net 30). Enroll to the Paymode-X program to receive electronic payments.
4. EDI (Electronic Data Interchange – Net 30). Sole proprietors and individuals may choose to enroll in the Commonwealth of Virginia’s EDI Program for electronic disbursements.

Vendors/Students/Employees can access to The Payment Inquiry Portal to obtain invoice and payment status information. Click here to access to the Payment Inquiry Portal