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Book Ordering and Payment
Don't let ordering and paying for your books be a time-consuming and frustrating process. By reading this section carefully and calling your program specialist with questions, you can avoid most pitfalls.
Book Ordering Guidelines
The Contact Person
The person indicated on your proposal as your contact person is responsible for the details of every order and payment, even though that person may not manage each step of the procedure. IF RIF book companies have questions, inquiries will be made to the contact person.
Choosing Book Suppliers
RIF negotiates agreements with publishers and distributors that promise discounts and services for local programs, then provides you with brief profiles of their services.
The Book Supplier Profile is updated periodically to reflect changes in services and add new companies that have joined the program.
Remember, you can only order from companies in the Book Supplier Profile. If you would like to buy books from a company not included in RIF's Book Supplier Profile, send us the company's name and address and we will send them an application to participate in the program. RIF will not cover the cost of books purchased from non-approved book suppliers.
Cost Restrictions
You may order any book that costs $7 or less after the RIF discount is applied.
If you serve children with disabilities, you may also order books on audiotapes and CDs, "talking books," and Braille and large-print books. The price limits after discount are $7.95 for audio materials, $10 for Braille and large-print books for kindergarten through fifth grade, and $50 for Braille and large-print books for sixth grade and up.
Some Points to Remember
RIF does not endorse books or companies. Please understand that these agreements do not mean that the national headquarters of RIF has screened, endorsed, or recommended any company or book.
You may receive advertisements for books you consider inappropriate for young people; do not assume that RIF recommends these titles or any others. Your book selection committee is responsible for screening and selecting books for your RIF program.
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The 75/25 Percent Formula
(for federally funded programs only)
If your program receives federal matching funds, we set aside a sum of federal funds to match your local funds when you sign your subcontract with RIF. We refer to this as your federal-funds account.
The formula the U.S. Congress permits for this program is 75 percent federal funds and 25 percent local funds. For example, $100 in local book funds are matched with $300 in federal funds, for a total book budget of $400. RIF cannot pay more than the amount allocated to your program in your agreement.
Every time you purchase books during your subcontract year and properly submit the invoice to RIF, we will pay 75 percent of the invoice from your federal-funds account. RIF can never pay more than 75 percent of any one invoice, even if RIF paid less than 75 percent on other invoices.
It is extremely important for you to keep track of how much of your federal funds are spent to pay each invoice. Please check the Coordinator's Online Invoice Center regularly to confirm that RIF's ledger matches the one you keep. If you see discrepancies, please contact your program specialist.
Please note: Officially designated migrant-worker programs receive 100 percent funding. RIF pays 100 percent of these invoices.
Renewal Considerations
RIF programs that meet RIF guidelines are eligible to renew their contracts for the previous year's amount. RIF programs that fail to spend within $25 of their federal-funds account will be eligible to renew for the amount actually spent.
Locally Funded
Programs that are 100 percent locally funded (those that have no federally matching funds) pay the entire amount directly to the book company.
Remember
Above all else, RIF cannot pay the federal share of your bills if you do not follow all steps for ordering and paying for books. RIF will return invoices to you for correction if necessary.
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How to Order Books
The process of ordering books is largely a matter of careful logistics. Accurate records are particularly important: You should keep a record of every order you place, every payment you make, and every contact you have (oral or written) with book companies.
There are many details to arrange when ordering books, so we recommend that you begin well before a book distribution. Allow four to six weeks after you place your order for the books to arrive.
Getting Started
- Review the Book Supplier Profile. Select those that interest you. Request catalogs and identify yourself as a RIF program.
- Make sure your book selection committee members read catalogs and sample copies of books (if available).
- Decide whether you want to place orders before each distribution or all at once for the entire program year.
- Check the titles and the number desired against the number, ages, and interests of the children your program serves.
- You may want to order multiple copies of popular titles. However, try to avoid being stuck at the end of a distribution with too many copies of one title.
- Pre-packaged assortments can be a great way to buy a variety of books at various prices and still maintain a low average price per book.
Determining Quantity
- Do you have enough books? You need one book per child per distribution, plus a few extras (10 percent is usually sufficient). If you have books remaining from previous years, take that into account.
- How many titles do you need for each grade or age? Ordering will be easier if you break down the books you need into segments. For example, for 100 books, you might identify 40 books for children in kindergarten through second grade, 20 books for second graders through fourth graders, and 40 books for fourth graders through sixth graders.
- Keep your average cost per book in mind. If you have $1.75 to spend per book, find some good-quality books that cost about $1 so you can purchase other books in the $2 to $2.50 range. Try to juggle prices so you are able to purchase a wide variety of books.
- Be sure to consider children who have special needs or interests and account for such factors as cultural diversity, age appropriateness, girl-to-boy ratios, etc. Remember that special needs and foreign language books often cost more.
Calculating Costs
- Calculate the total purchase price of your books. Subtract the RIF discount listed on the company’s profile. Multiply the resulting total by 75 percent to get your federal share and by 25 percent for your local share.
- Compare the resulting total against the balances of your local funds and the federal matching funds: Do you have enough in local funds for 25 percent of the bill? Do you have enough in your federal-funds account for 75 percent of the book order? (If not, you must cover the difference with additional local funds or reduce your order to match your available money.)
- Don’t forget to calculate shipping. RIF's Book Supplier Profile notes suppliers that offer free shipping to RIF programs. If your supplier does not offer free shipping, be sure to estimate those costs before completing your order. If you neglect to do so, you may have to raise funds to cover freight costs. Be sure your local funds are available when you place your order. If you are uncertain of the amount in your federal-funds account, call RIF at 877-RIF-READ.
Filling Out Order Forms
- If the company provides special RIF order forms, use them.
- If you need the books by a certain date, say so on your order. Allow four to six weeks for delivery. It is sometimes possible to go directly to a supplier’s warehouse and pick up your order.
- If some titles you order are out of stock, do you want the company to substitute similar titles that cost about the same? If yes, write "substitutions permitted" on your order. If some titles you order are out of stock, do you want the company to keep your request on file and send the books when they are available? If not, write "do not back order" on your order form and provide an alternative list. Note that most companies automatically back order unless you tell them not to.
- Put the shipping address on your order form. This must be an address that can physically accommodate the books when they arrive. Address your orders to the person listed in either the book supplier/contact or the book orders section of the supplier profile.
- Write "RIF Order" on your envelope.
- Keep a copy of your order and note on your ledger sheet when you mailed it.
Following Up
- If your books do not arrive within six weeks or so, get in touch with the company’s RIF contact.
- When the books arrive, check titles and quantities against your order, the packing list in the boxes, and your invoice.
- Check the math on your invoice.
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How to Pay Invoices
As everybody knows, federal funds come with forms. RIF has tried to keep forms, reports, and general paperwork to a bare minimum, but there are a few papers RIF programs must file before RIF can pay the federal share of book invoices. Here are the steps in the book payment checklist for federally funded programs. (Give a copy of this section to your accounts payable office and the person who writes the checks for your RIF program.)
- Mail invoices to be paid with federal funds to RIF within 30 days of the date on the invoice.
- If you are not using federal funds to pay your book invoice, send your payment directly to the book supplier.
- Complete and sign one Invoice Verification Form (IVF) for each company. Only original signatures in ink can be accepted.
- Make two copies of each invoice. Always send the original invoice and one copy to RIF. Sign both copies. Keep the other copy for your records.
- Calculate your federal share. The total invoice amount times 75 percent equals the federal share.
- Are the remaining federal funds less than the federal share? If yes, calculate the additional local funds needed: The total invoice amount minus the remaining federal funds, minus 25 percent local share equals additional funds needed.
- Calculate your local share. The total invoice amount divided by four equals 25 percent (the local matching share).
- RIF requires that all programs send their payment by school or library check, money order, certified check, or cashier's check.
- Make your check or money order payable to the book company.
- Write your RIF Program Identification Number (PIN) on your check, IVF, and invoices.
- Send the following materials to RIF in one envelope: signed check or money order, the completed and signed IVF, and the signed original and one copy of each invoice. RIF's address is:
Reading Is Fundamental
1825 Connecticut Ave, NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20009
Some Do's and Don’ts When Paying Invoices
Do ...
- Send RIF every page of every invoice.
- Pay at least 25 percent of each invoice amount. RIF cannot pay more than 75 percent.
- Order only from companies listed in the Book Supplier Profile. RIF cannot pay for books ordered from companies that are not active RIF book suppliers.
- Sign your invoice and IVF in ink. RIF cannot accept photocopied, faxed, or stamped signatures on these financial documents.
Don't ...
- Send a personal check.
- Adjust an incorrect invoice yourself. Call the book company and have them send you a credit memo or an adjusted invoice. If the book company will not make an adjustment on an incorrect invoice, call RIF’s publisher liaison or your program specialist.
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Helpful Resources
 Take advantage of these additional resources as you begin ordering and paying for books:
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