United States Department of Agriculture Office of Procurement & Property Management Charge Card Service Center USDA Purchase Card Coordinators Procedures Training Review of Coordinator’s Purchase Card Program Guide 2009 GSA SmartPay ® Conference Wednesday July 29, :30-10:40am Room North 231 A-C, Phoenix Convention Center

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Discussion Topics Management and Oversight  APC Annual Program Reviews  LAPC Quarterly Reviews  AO Reviews  File Management Program Operation  Cardholder Nomination Process  Alternate AO  Convenience Check Annual Waiver Request Process 2

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Discussion Topics Program Operation continued …  Convenience Check Process  Approval/Final Approval Process  Independent Receipt and Acceptance  Suspension Procedures for Nonpayment  Administrative Actions Program Support Guides and Reference Materials Questions 3

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Program Management Management and Oversight  APC Annual Program Reviews  Conduct at close of each fiscal year  Utilize APC Annual Review Checklist (Exhibit 11)  Summarize report findings from LAPC Reviews  Submit to DPM by Jan 30 of each year 4

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Program Management LAPC Reviews  Random quarterly physical reviews of cardholder transaction files  Use LAPC Quarterly Review Checklist (Exhibit 10)  Submit reviews to APC in accordance with review schedule AO Reviews  Physical review of cardholder transaction documentation on a monthly basis during final approval process  Use Approving Official Checklist (Exhibit 9) 5

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Program Management File Management  LAPC Files -Maintained by APC -Includes LAPC designation letter, completed training certificates  Cardholder Files -Maintained by LAPC -Includes Cardholder Request for Purchase Card, completed training certificates for cardholder and AO, requests for changes in demographic information, spending limit changes  Card Transaction Files -Maintained by cardholder -Includes documentation to support purchases 6

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Program Operation Cardholder Nomination Process  Nominated by AO  Complete Cardholder Request for Purchase Card Set-Up Form with completed web-based system and policy certificates by cardholder and AO Alternate AO  Supervisor-of-record remains accountable for purchase card transaction activity  Must meet the following 3 criteria: -Same or higher grade than purchase card holder -Same program or regional/area/office as cardholder -Satisfy mandatory AO training requirements  Submit Approving Official Appointment Request Form 7

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Program Operation Convenience Check Annual Waiver Request Process  Annual Waiver Authority -Conduct review of transactions paid by convenience check under $2,500 -Determine if there are any alternative payment methods for categories of transactions paid by convenience check -No alternative payment method – estimate the dollar value needed -Annual waiver authority does not extend to purchases over $2,500 8

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Program Operation Convenience Check Annual Waiver Request Process Continued…  Submit decision memorandum signed by agency head to Director of OPPM by June 15 each year and include: -Categories of transactions for which the waiver is needed -Actions taken to find alternative sources that can either accept the purchase card or other payments -Identify payment methods that were unsuccessful -Why there is no other way to pay unless by convenience check 9

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Program Operation Convenience Check Annual Waiver Request Process Continued …  Waivers for Exigencies -Unforeseen emergency -Submit request to Director, OPPM -Must address 6 criterion in Appendix A (DR )  Checks can be used on an interim basis until notice is received to either approve or deny 10

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Program Operation Convenience Check Annual Waiver Request Process Continued …  Revocation of Waivers -Use of checks for purposes not authorized by waiver -Use of checks in excess of waiver limit -Failure to approve check transactions -Failure to safeguard checks -Failure to comply with DR Failure to comply with agency internal control procedures 11

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Program Operation Convenience Check Process  Verify that the merchant does not accept the commercial Government issued purchase card.  Ensure merchant completes the W-9 Form.  Indicate the applicable electronic funds transfer waiver code number for the associated purchase.  Insert the Merchant Name, Merchant Address, Merchant City, Merchant State, Merchant Zip Code, and waiver code number in the block designated as “Comments Field 3”.  Insert the TIN/EIN in the first 9 positions of the block designated as “TIN” in Access Online when approving the transaction. DO NOT enter dashes or additional characters in the TIN/EIN.  Enter the correct BOCC.  Attach all documents to the requisition and retain on file for 3 years after payment. 12

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Program Operation Approval/Final Approval Process  Cardholders approve transactions in AXOL and forward transaction documentation to AO for final approval.  AOs final approve transactions by reviewing documentation submitted by cardholders and using the AO Review Checklist to ensure compliance. 13

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Program Operation Prior Authorization  Cardholder obtains authorization before making purchase.  Authorization can be in the form of procurement request, request with all pertinent accounting information, blanket authorization for fiscal year. Independent Receipt and Acceptance  Pertains to transactions over $300.  Signature of someone other than the cardholder along with date the goods/services received on the receipts. 14

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Program Operation Suspension Procedures for Nonpayment  Each transaction in AXOL is an invoice  Valid DACs are to be loaded in AXOL  Cards will be suspended 61 days from the cycle date  Account will be canceled 125 days from cycle date Administrative Actions  APC/LAPC applies administrative action  Supervisor-of-record applies disciplinary action  Refer to Section 9 and Exhibit 13 in Coordinator’s Purchase Card Guide 15

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Program Support Who to Call  APCs -Policy Issues –DPM/CCSC -System Defect Issues – Bank  LAPCs -Policy Issues – APC -System Defect Issues – Bank  Cardholders -Policy Issues – LAPC -System Defect Issues - Bank  AOs -Policy Issues – LAPC -System Defect Issues - Bank 16

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Guides and Reference Materials  Coordinator -Coordinator’s Purchase Card Program Guide -AXOL Quick Guide for Coordinator’s Purchase Card Program Guide -USDA User Profile Guidance – Step-by-Step Instructions for Creating/Modifying Coordinators & Approving Officials Information  Cardholder -Cardholder Access® Online (AXOL) Quick Guide for Approving Purchase Card/Alternative Payments Transactions -Cardholder Guidelines for Approving and Re-allocating Transactions in Access® Online -Cardholder’s Purchase Card Program Guide 17

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Guides and Reference Materials  Approving Official -Approving Official’s Purchase Card Program Guide -Quick Guide to Proper Use of the Card and Convenience Checks for Approving Officials -Approving Official Guidelines for Final Approving Transactions in Access® Online  General -Purchase Card Locked Transaction Scenarios & GL Extract in AXOL -Quick Guide to Proper use of the Purchase Card and Alternative Payment Methods Website for documents: 18

– USDA Charge Card Service Center – Purchase Card Training Questions 19

United States Department of Agriculture Office of Procurement & Property Management Charge Card Service Center Additional information on the Charge Card Service Center including News, Notices, POC Lists, Guides & Reference Material, Training Information, etc… can be accessed at