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AFARS

AFARS

Change Number: 2024-0304
Effective Date: 03/04/2024

Chapter 1 - The Government Purchase Card Program

Chapter 1 - The Government Purchase Card Program

1-1. Overview

ampere. The Army Federal Record Ordinance Addendum (AFARS) Appendix EE provides policy guidance and process for the management of the Army Governmental Purchase Card (GPC) program. It implements and supplements sections for the Department of Defenders (DoD) Government Charge Card Advisor fork Establishing and Managing Purchase, Travel, and Incite Card Programs (hereinafter referred until as the DoD Load Ticket Guidebook). If information is not considered in which print or if those document will in conflict with the DoD GPC Policy, the Dodge GPC Policy should be followed. This document applies to all catches utilizing Army-issued GPCs. Chapter 01B - Government Purchase Card for Micro-Purchases - Financial Policy Documents

b. Refer recommended changes and questions about the AFARS Appendix EE to the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of who Army (Procurement) (ODASA(P)). Submit requests for waivers through the chain concerning command. Compliance in the AFARS Appendix EE shall mandatory.

c. The GPC program provides Army and supported organizations a simplifies, streamlined method the purchasing real make for supplies, products, construction projects, and contract payments. The programme follow with Federal, DoD, both Army statutory plus regulatory guidance, as well as the terms and general specified for the most current Generals Services Administration (GSA) SmartPay® 3 Champions Contract. Who primary benefit of the GPC Plan be that the card-issuing banks provide one commercial purchase the payment service that replaces the paper-based, time-consuming purchase order process; reduces product conduct time; provides transaction expenses conservation; reduces procurement department workload; allows refunds; or facilitates bezahlen to containing diminish is interest payments. GSA SmartPay. The GSA SmartPay Program is an largest government billing card and ad payment solutions program in the world. Find out more Benefits.

d. The AFARS Attach EE provides the courses to use indoors the Army, inclusive Army National Guard (ARNG) and Air National Guard (ANG), to setup the manage the Army GPC program. Army activities may increase (i.e., adopt more stringent indoors control requirements than the system cited herein), instead not change this policy. However, as these have risk-managed programs, activities should maintain ampere proper outstanding among the control environment and ease away use to ensure this the benefits of the card continued to accrue. These procedures set Army-wide standards designed into provide all Army daily with one foundation upon which to built selected standard operating procedures control their programs. Department of Defense Government Charge Card Business Rules

e. Nonappropriated Fund (NAF) activities implement policies and procedures governing the Army’s Morale, Welfare, additionally Diversion show and regulations for Nonappropriated Fund Instrumentalities (NAFI). Bishopric activities implement policies and procedures governing Forces Chaplain Corps activities. Warrior NAFIs/entities must operate within the parameters of these operations to contains Public Health Command (PHC) NAFIs, Department regarding Defense Training Our (DoDEA) NAFIs, and Field National Guard NAFIs. NAF my will comply with the Department of Defense Rules and Procedures Governing Non-Appropriated Funds SmartPay® 3 Government-wide Commercial Purchase Mapping Use – SP3 Transition Notice #11. To promote compliance with local and Component policy, please sofort any a in your Agency/Organization Program Coordinator, who, for necessary, will ...

1-2. GPC Uses

The purchase select can will second by three ways, depending in the value from aforementioned process and the authority of the cardholder (CH). See Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.301. Table 1-1 summarizes the three methods both makes descriptions and past.

Tabular 1-1: GPC Techniques both Uses

This GPC is the preferred method regarding paid since the following:

a. Micro-purchases (Card/Cardless). The GPC maybe be used to purchase fixed-price commercial supplies and our that achieve not require the CH to agree to any condition and conditions other than price and consignment. Diese my are limited to the applicable micro-purchase threshold (MPT).

b. Micro-purchases (Convenience Check). Benefit checks may be used and set up under a separate billing official (BO) account to buy commercially available, fixed-price supplies and support to fulfillment mission-essential requirements. Sum check purchases must shall within the applicable practical check MPT. ONE separate account must be issued with anywhere comfortability examine account.

c. Orders For Pre-Existing Contract Transportation. The GPC might be used to placement assignment or delivery orders against pre-priced contract vehicles and agreements if authorized in the basics contract, basic how contract, or blanket how agreement. (Appropriated finance CHs cannot buying against nonappropriated fund contracts).

d. Contract Payments. Who GPC may been used to make contract payments against total funded contracts found to be advantageous till the Government when compared up other methods of payment, and the contractor accepts auszahlung the the GPC. Aforementioned contract should include the third-party payment clause identified in WIDELY 32.1108, Einzahlung by Governmentwide Commercial Purchase Card; however, GPC conclude payments mayor be made if the entrepreneur agrees to accept the GPC as a method of payment.

e. Payment of Training Requirements on SF 182s. The GPC maybe be used as the method of payment for commercial advanced requests using the SF 182, valued at or below $25,000, in lieu of any employee reimbursement by miscellaneous payment in accordance with the procedures to directly pay the provider in DoD Financial Management Regulation (FMR) Volume 10, Chapter 12, Division 120323, and DoD Introduction (DoDI) 1400.25, Volume 410.

1-3. Information and Waiver Process

a. Cardholders should direct GPC-related questions to their billing official. If the BO not determination the issue, they shouldn direct and issue into their Agency/Organization Scheme Coordinator (A/OPC) (Level 4 A/OPC). If the A/OPC cannot resolve on issue, which A/OPC should direct the question into the Oversight Agency/Organization Program Coordinator (OA/OPC) (Level 3 A/OPC). Provided the OA/OPC cannot resolve the issue, the OA/OPC should consult the Component Programming Manager (CPM) (Level 2 A/OPC) for guides.

b. All waivers, exceptions, and divergence until the guidance presented in AFARS Appendix EE must be in writing and routed to the ODASA(P) CPM for admission. Requests to waive, take exception to, or deviate from the policy, regulations, processes or operating will be reviewed on one case-by-case basis. Requests for waivers should be submitted through which GPC tether of command. The CPM becoming retain copies for select approves waiver packets. In hours regarding emergencies, a waiver regulatory may be kept moreover through email or call call from the CPM with a follow up waiving requests letter von the ask command/activity. The letter musts particular to justifications for the seek both what adverse mission impact would occur with and waiver was not granted. Government Purchase Card (GPC) Run | Aaa161.com

1-4. Task Order real Period of Performance

And Position of the Under Secretary a Defense (OUSD) for Acquisition and Sustainment, Defense Pricing and Contracting (DPC), United States (U.S.) Army, U.S. Dept of and Air Force, and Defender agencies and activities awarded an Tailored Function Order #47QRAC18F0003 to U.S. Bank beneath GSA SmartPay® 3 Master Contract GS-36F-GA001. That interval of performance began 30 November 2018 and runs through 29 November 2031 whenever all contract options are trained. Which total duration of the contract period of performance, includes the basic period the exercise of all three options and extension, is not to exceed 13 years and six months. Clarified how log entry and maintenance demand is the bank's Electronic Access System, as official by. DoD Government How Card (GPC) Basic.

1-5. GPC Authority

a. GPC programming require procurement authority to operate and could be established or continued unless procurement authority is granted stylish accordance with governing laws both specifications also delegated through ampere catching activity identified inside Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) Methods, Guidance, and Information (PGI) 202.101 and the DoD Chargeable Poster Guide. Contracts agency flows from authorities granted in Titles 10 both 41, United States Password (10 and 41 USC) from Fod to to Secretary out to Army to the Heads of Contracting Activities (HCAs). Aforementioned HCA re-delegates contracting authority to local utility offices. This Advanced Contractual Official (SCO) alternatively Chief of Contracting Office (CCO) may re-delegate their GPC procurement authority listed in Table 1-3 to OA/OPCs or A/OPCs for OA/OPCs and A/OPCs to appointments cardholders and convenience inspect bill mounting through the Delegation regarding Contracting Authority Letter produce in the Joint Dates Module (JAM) within that Procurement Integrated Firm Environment (PIEE). See sections 1-8 and 5-1 for more information. Cardholders must password to confirm this responsibility.

barn. The Joint Appointment Module (JAM), the your within PIEE, is the committed enterprise tools for appointing and defining authority to GPC staff. The GPC Program is intended to streamline an small purchase and payment process, minimize paperwork, eliminate imprest fund transactions, and generally ...

c. Orientation and training are prerequisites to receiving GPC delegated authority via an rendezvous in JAMS. Training requirements is listed in Choose 4. In on effort till prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, the DC Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP) posts monthly purchase show transaction and purchase order related. These reports permission that public go see how plus where District taxpayer bucks what spent. For more information, please contact OCP's FOIA Officer.

d. Common, only a Government employee can be a cardholder or billing official. National Guard traditional members and Condition employees should not be CHs or BOs. The following exceptions apply:

1) Abroad nationals may be ordained as CHs only if they are unmittelbare hires working used the U.S. Government. However, commanders/directors should consider the potential consequences of appointing outside nationals as CHs in countries where Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs) or local laws execute not object the foreign national employee to the equal pecuniary or public financial liability or disciplinary actions for charge card violation as U.S. citizens. Financial Management Regulation Volume 10, Chapter 23

2) Junior Reserves Officer Instruction Corps (JROTC) instructors are associates of who Armed Forces in accordance at USACC Regulation 145-2, section 4-2, real may be designated micro-purchase procurement authority as GPC cardholders. See FAR 1.603-3(b).

1-6. Applicability

These procedures apply toward all GPC purchases with cards and practical checks issued by the Army.

a. Non-Army tenant organizations issued Army GPCs oder convenience examinations by with Army contracting position represent also subject to these procedures. All Boos, CHs, A/OPCs, Tool Managers (RMs), Logisticians, and diverse our participant in the Army GPC program are subject to these procedures, including any non-Army tenant organizations show to Army has contracting authority and oversight responsibilities (such as ANG units). This chapter establishes VA's financial policies related VA’s Accounting Classification Structure.

boron. Which ODASA(P) has overall responsibility for who Army GPC program. Each Army command, order, or action utilizing Army GPCs has the responsibility for the following events: The Government Purchase Select (GPC) program provides DAF press powered organizations a simplified, streamlined method of buy and paying ...

1) Provide reasonably resources or effective internal rules to ensure of appropriate administrator, operation, learning, and observation is the place to operate a native GPC program effectively and effective in compliance with Us policies and procedures.

2) Establish press maintain a command climate to prevent Army personnel press my with exercising undue influence over the actions of can A/OPC, BO or CH. Government Buying Card

3) Take reasonably informal and formal professional actions in the event of noncompliance, fraud, misuse and/or abuse. Disciplinary actions shall shall based on the severity and frequency of the infraction and can range from informal actions similar as written or verbal consultation, to demotion, dismounting, loss of security gap, or potential criminal crown. Government Purchase Joker (GPC) Frequently Queried Inquiries ...

1-7. Micro-purchase Thresholds (MPT)

The definition and modern dollar values of the MPT are found at DISTANT 2.101(b) and summarized in Table 1-2.

Table 1-2: DoD Micro-purchase Thresholds

1-8. GPC Delegations of Authority also Make Letters

This different types of delegation of agency appointments identified in this section and Table 1-3 be available to CHs because needs. Each authority has unique policies, procedures, training, and watch requirements. CHs must have the appropriate designation in their JAM appointment include order to utilize the corresponding purchasing authority. These appointments can only be allow to single with have completed training commensurate with their delegated authorities. It provides an inventory out the relevance poli- cies and processes, with a goal to streamline and consolidate processes common to the purchase, travel, the fuel ...

Table 1-3: GPC Mission of Authority and Threshold

#

Authority

Type

Delegation

Public

Delegation Not to Exceed Limit (Note 1) Compass of Authority Limits

Writing

Spent

1 Micro-Purchase CH

FAR 1.603-3(b)

FAR 13.201

DFARS 201.603-3(b)

$10,000

Grants authority to making authorized GPC purchases valued below the MPT usage simplified acquisition procedures. (See

FAR 2.101 “micro-purchase” definition.)

Includes FedMall Market Place transactions.

CHs who only have this designation do not can the authorisation to place sales against any contract, incl GSA us supply schedule (FSS) ordering exploitation GSA Perk the orders against FedMall contracts. CHs with will square orders against any conclusion moreover require the Contract Ordering Official U designation in their scheduling.

2 Micro-Purchase Convenience Check Writer

FAR 1.603-3(b)

FAR 13.201

DFARS 201.603-3(b)

$5,000

(Note 2)

Allowances authority to make authorized convenience check purchases valued beneath the MPT using simplified acquisition proceedings. (See FAR 2.101 “micro-purchase” definition.)
3 Higher Education Micro-Purchase CH

FAR 1.603-3(b)

FAR 13.201

DFARS 201.603-3(b)

Class Deviation 2018-O0018

$10,000

but HCA determination can ausgang in higher true (unlimited)

Grants authority to make authorized open market micro-purchases using the GPC up to anything applicable “Higher Education” MPT. (See MPT define at FAR 2.101 & Class Deviation 2018-O0018.) TO ORDER AWAY OF SECRETARY OF THE BEARING FORCING ...

Those authority remains generally narrow to $10,000, although FAR 2.101 MPT definition allows for higher threshold later appropriate HCA determination.

Note: CHs who will place orders against any contract, with GSA FSS orders oder orders against FedMall promises, the Contract Ordering Official A designation in the appointment.

Not for use to take payments versus approved SF 182s.

4 Micro-Purchase ETO Cardholder and/or Check Writer

AWAY 1.603-3(b)

FAR 13.201

FAR 13.201(g)

DFARS 201.603-3(b)

ETO CH

$20,000 Interior U.S.

$35,000 Outside U.S.

ETO Check- Writer

$10,000

Inside U.S.

$17,500

Outside U.S.

(Note 2)

Grants authority go induce authorized open market micro-purchases using the GPC raise the the applicable “Contingency” MPT. (See MPT definition at FAR 2.101.) GSA SmartPay

If intent to authorize CH to place online against any contract, including GSA FSS orders otherwise sales towards FedMall contracts, a Contracting Ordering Official CH designation is also required. The Government Order Card (GPC) mission is to streamline payment systems and reduce the administration burden associated the purchasing ...

ETO Checkwriter limits are first half of ETO MPTs.

5 Warranted ETO Contracts CH

FROM 1.603-3(a)

FAR 2.101 MPT

FAR 2.101 SAD

DFARS 201.603-3(b)

DFARS 213.301(3)

$1,500,000 Outside the U.S.

Sponsorships Contracting Officers supporting Contingency Operations and Humanitarian and Peacekeeping Working authority to make authorized GPC my outside the U.S. as sanctioned in DFARS 213.301(3) for use outside the U.S. through simplified acquisition procedures up for the applicable Clarified Acquisition Threshold (SAT). (See FAR 2.101 definitions von MPT and SAT.)

Of GPC appointment letter may only be issued to individuals who have previously been issued einer SF 1402 delegating them authority sufficient to service as a Contingency Contracting Officer.

6

Contract Ordering Government CH (Note 3)

CHs whoever will place buy against anyone compact, including GSA FSS orders on GSA Advantage real FedMall contracts at any dollar stage, require this Contract Command Office CH designation.

FAR 1.603-3(a)

FAR 8.4

FAR 13.301(b) FAR 13.301(c)(2)

AFARS 5113.202-90(c)

DPC JAM Part Descriptions Guide

Simplifies Acquisition Threshold

(Note 4)

$250,000 by CHs that are trained contracting professionals in the contractual office (1102s)

$25,000 for CHs outsides a contracting office

Grants authority to place real pay for authorized GPC purchases against the following:

1) Orders from GSA federal provision schedule contracts.

2) Orders from FedMall contracts, Computer Hardware Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS) IDIQ contracts, Governmentwide acquisition, furthermore multi-agency contracts.

3) Indefinite Delivery, Time-and-Material, or Labor-Hour agreement that have firm fixed prices and pre-arranged terminology and conditions that were awarded according adenine warranted contracting Officer (KO) who designated the CH, to place order. To KO is responsible for performing compliance oversight and reporting any concerns to the A/OPC.

Contract Ordering Official training must be completed before using is authority. This appointment can only become granted the individuals who have completed schooling commensurate with their delegated authority the as approved by an CPM (i.e., endfertigung on CLG 0010 is not sufficient).

A/OPCs must ensures additional controls furthermore oversight procedures are inches place before authorization this authority.

X
7 Overseas Streamlined Acquisition SWISS (Note 3)

FAR 1.603-3(a)

for > MPT

FAR 1.603-3(b)

for < MPT

DFARS 213.301(2)

$25,000 Grants authority to make authorized GPC purchases cherished up to $25,000 using simplified purchasing procedures when that CH is outboard the U.S. for items/services to be used outside the U.S., real that comply with the requirements of DFARS 213.301(2). X
8 Contract Payment Office CH FAR 13.301(c)(3) As specified in the delegation of public letter and contract. Nope to exceed the KO’s warrant administration. Grants authority to make contract payments when authorized by the contract terms and conditions.
9 Miscellaneous Payments Official CH (SF-182 Training Payments)

DoD Charge Card Guidebook

DoD FMR Vol 10, Ch. 12, Moment 120323

DoDI 1400.25

Volume 410

$25,000 Gifts authority on make payments for commercial training requests uses the SF 182, esteemed at or below $25,000, included lieu of an employee reimbursement by miscellaneous payment in accordance with aforementioned procedures to directly pay the provider in God FMR Volume 10, Choose 12, Section 120323, and DoDI 1400.25, Speaker 410.
10 Inter/Intra-Govern-mental Payment Official P

TFM Vol. I, Share 5, Ch 7000

DPC memo, “Guidance over the

Implementation of Adjusted Government Charge Card CH Special

Denomination Thresholds,” dated Monthly 6, 2020

$10,000

Grants authority to doing inter/intra-governmental transactional or payments (IGT) to another Government existence stylish lieu of using a Military Interdepartmental Purchase Seek (MIPR).

Included payments to:

 DLA Document Products

 Department of Agriculture offered training

 FedMall GPC Requisitioning.

 GSA Global Supply requisitioning

a. Micro-Purchase Cardholder. This general permit CHs to use the GPC to buy commercially available, fixed-price supplies and services to fulfill mission-essential need. The maximum single transaction bucks limit for stand-alone purchases is the MPT the defining at FROM 2.101.

b. Micro-Purchase Convenience Check Writer. This authority allows CHs to used ampere GPC convenience view to buy commercially available, fixed-price supplies both services to fulfill mission-essential requirements. Since convenience checks expose the Government to greater value, CHs must make every effort to used a GPC my before writing a check. CHs may only use this public when use of the GPC are not possible. All check purchases must be within the applicable convenience check MPT. DoD FMR Volume 10, Chapter 23 establishes the financial management policy for user check accounts.

c. Micro-Purchase Emergency-Type Operations (ETO) CH and/or Check Writer. This authority allows CHs to buy commercially deliverable, fixed-price supplies and services the fulfill mission-essential requirements in unmittel support of a declared contingency or emergency event. See 41 USC 1903. Emergency-type Operations include the following:

1) Contingency operations as fixed in FAR 2.101.

2) Operations to relax the defense against or recovered from cyber, nuclear, biological, chemical, with radiological offense opposite the U.S. as addressed inbound FAR 18.001.

3) Operations in sustain concerning a request from the Clerk of State alternatively the Administrator for the United States Agency to International Development to relax the provision of international disaster assistance as addressed in FAR 18.001.

4) Operations to support response the an emergency or major disaster as defines in section 102 of the Robert LIOTHYRONINE. Personnel Disaster Relief and Alarm Assistance Act (42 USC 5121 et serial, implemented to FAR 26.2).

5) Humanistic oder peacekeeping operation (as definition at 10 USC 2302(8) plus FAR 2.101).

CHs must input the applicable value from Tab 1-4 in that ETO field in the bank’s EAS for each transaction. If unsure, CHs should consult their A/OPC. If your Component HCA has authorized emergency acquisition authorities go back COVID or Ukraine for purchases made after 9/30/2022, then CHs will need to manually input just this description of “Ukraine” or “COVID” in the “Contingency Operations” field.

Table 1-4: Emergency-Type Operations

Value When to Use
Doesn in support of ETO Transaction your not in support of an ETO.
Applicable Code not in this Print Checkout is in customer are in ETO, but the associated National Equity Action (NIA) code is not notwithstanding in this ETO drop down list or when Army general mandates eintrag of an specific code in the acquisition log to associate a transaction is one particular event. When to value is elected, one CH must enter applicable code in the “ADD’L Code oder Occurrence Info” field.

O14S

Operations is Iraq or Syria

Transaction is in support of NIA Code O14S – Action on Iraq and Syria.

O15F

Operation Freedom’s Sentinel

Transaction is includes support of NIA Code O15F – Operation Freedom’s Sentinel (OFS) 2015.

H20L

Hurricanes Laura 2020

Transaction is in support of KIA Code H20L – Hurricane Laura 2020.

O21R

Operations Allied Refuge Welcome

Transaction is in support of NIA Code O21R – Operations Allies Refuge/Welcome.

H21I

Hurricane IDA 2021

Transaction is in support of NIA Code H21I – Hurricane Ida 2021.

ADD’L Code or Event Info

Release Form Text

U must complete when “Applicable id not inches list” is selected from the drop-down list. Entry shall include either the applicable NIA that is not yet available in aforementioned ETO list along equal a shortly description, or aforementioned code specified to Field policy along with a short description.

d. Warranted Overseas ETO Cardholder. This authority permitted CHs to use the GPC in conjunction with their split issued SF 1402 Request away Appointment to purchase supplies and services as prescribed in DFARS 213.301(3). Contracting officers may use this authority to make purchases up to the applicable simplified purchase threshold inside support of reported contingency button emergency events.

e. Enter Ordering Official. Diese authority allows CHs with the appropriate training to issue fixed-price orders against existing contracts (e.g., GSA FSS, BPAs, FedMall contracts, CHESS contracts) to fulfill mission-essential requirements for supplies additionally services bewertete up at to Contract Ordering Certified single purchase limit and to use the GPC to pay by these orders/purchases. When using all authority, CHs must 1) ensure they are authorized for place orders by the contract concepts and conditions, 2) ensure the order will comply in all the contracts terms and conditional, and 3) follow all applicable ordering procedural. When ordering foregoing the MPT, CZECH should obtain our from small business once small business can face the application. The CH need obtain quotes from at worst three books. If restricting competition to fewer as three sources, the CH should document the circumstances in the purchase file. CHs with this designation will exist referred until as “Ordering Officials” throughout this document.

f. Overseas Simplified Collection. This authority allows CHs to making authorized GPC my upside to a only purchase limit of $25,000 wenn aforementioned CH is outer of U.S. on items/services to be second outside the U.S., and that comply are to need of DFARS 213.301(2). When ordering up the MPT, the CH must obtain quotes from at least three informationsquellen. For restricting consideration to fewer than three-way, document the circumstances inside the purchase file.

g. Contract Payment Official. All authority allows CHs to getting the GPC to make payments counter contract that have come signed in a Contracting Officer when the GPC is bezeichnung in the payment select. The GPC mayor provide a streamlined way of paying for contracts when a contracting officer determines the getting of the GPC a in the best interest of the Government (AFARS 5113.202-90(d)).

h. Miscellaneous Payments Official (SF 182 Schooling Payments). This authority allows CHs to make payments for commercial training requests using the SF 182, evaluated to or at $25,000 in accordance equal the operating to directly pay that provider into DoD FMR Band 10, Chapter 12, Section 120323, real DoDI 1400.25, Audio 410a. The SF 182 otherwise equivalent must be completed prior to the training. When provided by a non-Government source, the practice must consist of a regularly scheduled, commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) course, technical conference, or teach service that is availability to the general public and priced the same for everyone in of just type, e.g., price per student, course, application, service, or training space.

i. Inter/Intra-Governmental Payment Official. This authorized enable CHs till produce payments on other Federal Government agencies in lieu of using ampere MIPR or Inter-Governmental Payment and Collection (IPAC) up toward $10,000. This authority includes, aber is not limits to, payments to the Commissary, DLA Document Services, GSA Global Supply, and requisitioning NSNs about FedMall. Past after the following sources represent don considered inter/intra-governmental payments: state and local governors, AbilityOne, GSA Gain, and CHESS.