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Card Administration
Your purchase card account needs to be maintained in order to operate properly. This section will help you to keep your purchase charge card program running smoothly.
Requesting a Higher Dollar Limit
After you use your purchase charge card for a while, you may find that a review of your single purchase limit and monthly purchase limit may be wise. You may seek a permanent higher limit on your purchase charge card by submitting a request to your Approving Official or A/OPC. Temporary increases may also be granted. Contact your Approving Official or A/OPC BEFORE using the purchase charge card for any purchase which exceeds your limit. If your request is approved, the A/OPC will submit the request for a higher dollar limit on your purchase charge card to the purchase charge card contractor. Neither permanent nor temporary single and monthly purchase charge card dollar limits can ever be higher than your Delegation of Authority. Remember, your spending limits are established at management’s sole discretion.
Mandatory Reporting to FPDS-NG
The Federal Procurement Data System - Next Generation (FPDS-NG) provides a comprehensive mechanism for assembling, organizing and presenting contract placement data for the federal government. In accordance with FAR 4.602(3)(b) and (c)(1), agencies must report all transactions over $3,000 and modifications to those transactions regardless of dollar value. The FPDS-NG website, https://www.fpds.gov/, provides instructions for submitting data.
Regulations That Govern Use of the Purchase Charge Card
The purchase charge card has a solid grounding in key statutes and regulations. Although many small-scale purchases are low in dollar amount, taken together, small-scale purchases account for billions of dollars in contracting and are a critical part of the government's acquisition process. For further information see Government Purchase Cards, which prescribes procedures that apply to all departments and agencies that use the government purchase charge card, at http://www.fms.treas.gov/tfm/vol1/v1p4c450.txt.
Purchases of supplies and services are covered by Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and the management of property is covered by Federal Management Regulations (FMR). OMB Circular A-123, Appendix B, contains government-wide guidelines on charge card management. Your agency also may have supplemental policy governing charge card use.
Reconciling Your Statement
Make sure that you receive your cardholder statement. You will only receive a statement if you had account activity during the month. The statement is mailed directly to your business address unless the agency is using the service provider’s Electronic Access System (EAS). Identify and annotate any erroneous charges and work with the merchants and the issuing bank contractor on a resolution. You must review and reconcile your statement within the timeframes required by your agency (usually 3 to 5 days). This is one of your primary jobs as a cardholder. Reconciling your statement includes reviewing receipts, citing proper accounting codes, documenting disputed items, and completing any other documentation required by your agency before forwarding your statement to your Approving Official and the appropriate Payment/Finance office for payment.
Stolen or Lost purchase charge card Procedures
Immediately report a stolen or lost purchase charge card to your A/OPC and the purchase charge card contractor (the card-issuing bank). The purchase charge card contractor will mail a new card to you within one business day from the time the theft or loss was reported to the card-issuing bank. The purchase charge card contractor will assign a different account number to the replacement card.
Renewing the Purchase Charge Card
The purchase charge card is issued for a defined period of time and will expire.
- You do not need to initiate any action to get your card renewed
- You will receive your new card before your old card expires
- If you do not receive your new card, contact your A/OPC
- Destroy expired cards; they need not be returned
Cardholder Accounting Code Change
When you receive your purchase charge card, your A/OPC will assign a default accounting code(s) to your account. An accounting code is the internal number that identifies the funds to be used to pay for your purchase. It is important for you to know what to do if you change offices, your accounting code is no longer valid, or which accounting code (if different) to site if you are acquiring items for other offices or projects/organizations. Please check with your A/OPC for further information.
If you are transferred to a different office with a different Approving Official, notify your A/OPC, who will take the proper steps to change or assign new information.
Cardholder Name Change or Business Address Change
Changes in information occur from time to time. There are only a few steps for you to keep your information up-to-date. Report the current information, the new information, and the date of the change to your A/OPC in writing. Your A/OPC will make the appropriate updates to your account information using the contractor banks EAS.
Account Suspension/Cancellation
Accounts may be suspended and/or cancelled by purchase charge card contractors due to non-payment. If your account is suspended or cancelled due to failure of the agency to make payment, you will be unable to use the card. If you are advised by the merchant or purchase charge card contractor that your account has been suspended or cancelled, contact your A/OPC immediately. The purchase charge card contractor is required to notify your A/OPC prior to suspending or canceling accounts.
Closing the Purchase Charge Card
Procedures have been set up to handle closing of your purchase charge card account. The purchase charge card must be closed or transferred to your new office when you change jobs or closed when you leave the employment of the government. It also must be closed when you are no longer required to purchase items in support of your agency’s mission. To close or transfer your card, notify the A/OPC. Your A/OPC will notify the purchase charge card contractor to close or transfer your account.
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