THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Tuesday, August 9, 1994                TAG: 9408110765
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: D01  EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: Associated Press 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   21 lines

STATE REDUCES BILL BY USING ELECTRONIC INVOICES

Owens & Minor, a distributor of medical and surgical supplies, is the first vendor paid by the state through electronic funds transfer. William F. Landside, state comptroller, said the state has cut administrative costs resulting from its Owens & Minor bills by 30 percent since implementing the computerized system in May. Since May, the state has electronically paid 2,283 invoices totaling more than $1.6 million, Landside said. In the past, the state has written about 8,000 checks per year to the company. by CNB