Circular Letter No. 386

July 18, 1994

TO: Printing and Publishing Officials of the Federal Government

SUBJECT: Use of Government Credit Cards for Printing and Binding Services

A few years ago, the Federal Government authorized contracting officers to make purchases from the private sector using a Government-wide credit card. The Rocky Mountain Credit Corporation is the current contractor under a General Services Administration contract for furnishing credit cards for this purpose. They supply the VISA IMPAC credit cards.

The Government Printing Office (GPO) recently obtained permission from the Treasury Department to participate in a 1-year pilot project whereby the VISA IMPAC credit card can be used for purchases among Government agencies. Accordingly, other Government agencies can procure printing and binding and other services from GPO using the VISA IMPAC credit card. Use of the VISA IMPAC credit card will reduce the volume of accounting work associated with printing and help GPO reduce overhead costs.

Scope

The pilot project will include both the Central and Regional Printing Procurement Offices and the Regional Printing Offices. GPO's Institute for Federal Printing and Publishing and the Superintendent of Documents Sales Program will also participate in the pilot program.

Criteria for Credit Card Payments

• The credit card order must be approved by the bank.
• Although this is a pilot program and GPO managers have maximum discretion about which printing jobs to accept, most printing jobs should be acceptable.

Operating Procedures For Printing Orders

The following procedures are necessary to process a printing and binding order being paid for with a credit card:

• When you wish to use the credit card, simply inform GPO that you want to pay for this printing with your agency credit card, and provide the credit card number and expiration date. When you use the VISA IMPAC credit card there is no need for you to prepare a Standard Form 1 (SF-1) or a print order since the billing and payment process will be completely automated. However, you will still need to provide specifications and copy to GPO, so you may want to provide an SF-1 or print order for that purpose.
• GPO will solicit competitive quotations or bids and determine the amount to be charged to your credit card for the order.
• GPO will electronically verify this transaction amount with the bank to make sure that you do not exceed the dollar limits that have been placed on your card by your agency. If the transaction is accepted, billing and collection will take place simultaneously the same day. There is no need to obligate funds for your job and no need for GPO to send you an invoice. Your agency financial staff maintains control of the appropriated funds by establishing dollar limits for the card and for the maximum amount allowed per transaction.
• You can receive the price for your records simply by asking. GPO will notify you by telephone or will fax it to you.
• Order modifications will be handled as "new" transactions.

Operating Procedures for Superintendent of Documents

Currently, many Government agencies submit purchase orders to the Government Accounts Unit when they want to buy publications from the Documents Sales Program. You can use your VISA IMPAC credit card to order publications and subscriptions from the Superintendent of Documents, thereby eliminating the need for you to prepare purchase orders, GPO to prepare invoices, and your accounting staff to issue checks.

Operating Procedures for the Institute for Federal Printing and Publishing

The Institute accepts the VISA IMPAC credit card for all training sessions. Use of the credit card simplifies the payment process for your agency accounting office.

If you have any questions about how to use your agency credit card, call your Customer Services Account Representative or GPO Regional Printing Procurement Manager.

ROBERT G. COX
Superintendent,
Departmental Account Representative Division

Questions or comments regarding this service? Contact wwwadmin@gpo.gov.

Page #CIR386 DECEMBER 22, 1995