Payment Options for Suppliers

Georgetown University’s preferred method for paying suppliers is via Automated Clearing House (ACH) transactions, a method commonly preferred by suppliers. Features of this payment method include:

• Georgetown initiates ACH payments on a daily basis, assuring all invoices approved the prior business day (and due to be paid) are paid within one day of approval.
• Payment is delivered directly to the supplier’s bank account, typically 1-2 business days after Georgetown initiates the payment.
• Remittance information (i.e., the supplier’s invoice number) is provided via addenda records, which suppliers can access if they have corporate/enterprise reporting.
• Only available for U.S.-based accounts.
• Suppliers can change their banking information at any time via the Supplier Record Management Portal.

Georgetown uses a payment partner, Viewpost, for printing and mailing paper checks. This is Georgetown’s default payment method when:

• The supplier has not provided any banking information.
• The supplier’s address is a U.S. address.

These payments are initiated on a daily basis, assuring all invoices approved the prior business day (and due to be paid) are paid within one day of approval. Viewpost then prints and mails these checks on a daily basis. First-class mail typically reaches its destination within 1-5 business days, depending on the distance from the location where the mail is sent.

Suppliers who have not provided banking information for electronic payment may be approached by our payment partner, Viewpost, with an offer to receive payment via a virtual card. A virtual card is a digital payment option that allows a payee to access a pre-approved balance; the issuer of the card, Viewpost, generates a 16-digit card number, expiration date and security code, and securely delivers this information to the payee using an agreed-upon method. 

This option can result in suppliers receiving payments more quickly than receiving a paper check. Suppliers who elect to receive payments via virtual card will be required to accept the payment within 14 days, after which the card will expire, and payment will be reissued as a paper check and mailed to the remittance address on file.

International suppliers must be paid via wire transfer. Georgetown is capable of sending payments to most countries, in most currencies. The international wire process may involve intermediary financial institutions, making it difficult to predict exact timing; however, most payments are received by the payee within two weeks of the transfer being initiated.

Note: Our payment partner for international wires has a $20 minimum threshold (or equivalent in other currencies) for all payments. Any invoice valued at less than $20 that is to be paid by international wire transfer will be held for settlement until the value of all invoices for this supplier equals or exceeds the minimum threshold amount.

Please visit the International Wire Transfers page for more information.

Occasionally, a supplier may request payment by domestic wire transfer instead of ACH; however, due to its higher cost and real-time processing, this method should be used only when necessary. Accounts Payable will enable this option for suppliers in the presence of a signed contract stipulating payment via domestic wire transfer, or upon the articulation of a legitimate need outside the terms of a signed agreement.