CLG 001 NOTES DOD GOVERNMENTWIDE COMMERCIAL PURCHASE CARD OVERVIEW
LESSON 1 OVERVIEW
Agency/Organization Program Coordinator (A/OPC)
The appointed individual responsible for management and oversight of the GPC
Program.
Approving/Billing Official (A/BO)
The appointed individual responsible for reviewing the transactions of no more
than seven cardholder accounts. Each A/BO is associated with a Managing Account
(MA), also called a Billing Account.
This individual may also be called the Approving Official or the Billing Official. Most
DoD A/BOs are also appointed as the Certifying Officer.
Cardholder (CH)
The individual delegated procurement authority to use a GPC account to make
purchases and payments. This term includes also individuals issued convenience
check accounts or GPC "cardless" accounts.
Cardless account holders are not issued a plastic card, but are simply provided an
account number.
Certifying Officer
The appointed individual responsible for certifying the MA billing statement (also
referred to as the GPC invoice) for payment.
Resource Manager (RM)
The individual responsible for ensuring appropriate lines of accounting and adequate
funding are available for each GPC account.
This individual may also be called the Comptroller, Financial Manager, Budget Office,
and Other Fund Control Manager.
Confirm and Pay
Most DoD GPC accounts are reconciled using the Confirm and Pay model. In this
model, the A/BO is dual-hatted as the Certifying Officer.
As the A/BO, this individual is responsible for performing a detailed review of each
transaction and its associated supporting documentation to ensure the transaction
fulfills a valid government need and that the CH followed applicable procurement
policies and procedures when making the transaction.
As the Certifying Officer, this same individual then validates that adequate and
appropriate funds are available for payment prior to certifying the GPC MA billing
statements for payment.
Pay and Confirm
Only components that have requested and been granted a waiver from the OSD
Purchase Card Policy Office Level 1 A/OPC and the OSD Comptroller are authorized to
use the Pay and Confirm model.
,CLG 001 NOTES DOD GOVERNMENTWIDE COMMERCIAL PURCHASE CARD OVERVIEW
LESSON 1 OVERVIEW
Pay and confirm procedures allow the Financial Management Analysis Officer to
certify payment independently of the statement being approved by the A/BO. The
A/BO and Certifying Officer roles are performed by different individuals.
Concurrent with or after certification has occurred, the A/BO is responsible for
performing a detailed review of each transaction and its associated supporting
documentation to ensure the transaction fulfills a valid government need and that
the CH followed applicable procurement policies and procedures when making the
transaction. The A/BO also must ensure that all goods and services received are
accepted within 45 days.
Reduced Costs
The GPC reduces DoD invoicing costs by reducing the number of payments the
Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) must process because numerous
cardholder transactions are processed as a single monthly payment rather than as
individual invoices. NOTE
Increased Information
The GPC program improves buying decisions by giving DoD access to information
about what its Components buy.
Quicker Payments
The GPC expedites payment to merchants. It allows merchants to be paid more
quickly than the traditional government payment process—making more merchants
likely to accept government business.
Earn Rebates
The GPC enables the government to earn rebates for purchases based on the dollar
volume of transactions and how quickly DoD pays its bill after receipt of the billing
statement—similar to the rewards and rebates consumers earn when they use their
own credit cards.
Open-Market Micro-Purchases
The GPC Program provides DoD Services and Defense Agencies (hereinafter referred
to as Components) with the ability to use charge cards to streamline micro-purchases
and the payment process for mission-essential supplies, services, and construction
under the micro-purchase thresholds.
These types of procurements are referred to as open-market micro-purchases.
The micro-purchase threshold is defined in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
part 2.101.
Open-market micro-purchases can be made using GPC CH accounts or convenience
check accounts. NOTE
Ordering Officer Purchases and Payments
,CLG 001 NOTES DOD GOVERNMENTWIDE COMMERCIAL PURCHASE CARD OVERVIEW
LESSON 1 OVERVIEW
The GPC Program provides authority for specifically trained and appointed individuals
in accordance with their Component Ordering Officer procedures to use the GPC
against existing government contracts when the requirements are legal, proper,
mission essential, and correct in accordance with government laws, regulations, and
policies governing the specific type of order and payment.
Contract Payments
The GPC Program provides authority for specifically appointed individuals to use the
GPC above the micro-purchase threshold as a payment vehicle against existing
government contracts when the merchant agrees to accept GPC payments.
The Contracting Officer authorizing payment via the GPC is required to include
prescribed Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses and
must ensure the GPC Program officials understand their responsibilities for adhering
to the contract payment terms and conditions.
Overseas purchases up to $25,000
The GPC Program provides authority for use of the GPC as a simplified acquisition
method outside the United States and U.S. jurisdictions:
• For commercial item supply/service purchases exceeding the micro-purchase
threshold but not exceeding $25,000, if the purchase is made outside the
United States and its jurisdictions for use outside the United States and its
jurisdictions.
To qualify for this use, the CH, merchant, and supply delivery/service execution must
all be outside the United States and its jurisdictions.
Because these are not micro-purchases, the CH must receive customized training
related to their Component procedures for processing these transactions.
Examples of training topics include the GPC Program participant's role in ensuring:
• Necessary contract reporting requirements are fulfilled, and
• Maximum practicable competition is obtained by getting quotes from at least
three sources.
SF-182 Training Payments
The GPC is mandated for use as the method of payment for all commercial training
requests using the SF-182 valued at or below $25,000.
This GPC merchant payment is in lieu of a direct employee reimbursement by
miscellaneous payment. GPC Program participants involved in SF-182 payments must
receive customized training related to their Component procedures for processing
these transactions.
For more information see:
• DoD Financial Management Regulation (FMR) Volume 10, Chapter 12, Section
120327
, CLG 001 NOTES DOD GOVERNMENTWIDE COMMERCIAL PURCHASE CARD OVERVIEW
LESSON 1 OVERVIEW
• DoDI 1400.25 DoD Civilian Personnel Management, Volume 410
Limits of Delegated Authority
The vast majority of DoD CH authority is limited to making open-market micro-
purchases using GPC carded/cardless (as opposed to convenience check) accounts in
the United States.
Therefore, this training primarily addresses the use of GPC cards rather than
convenience checks. Other authorized account uses are addressed in policies specific
to each DoD Component.
CHs can determine whether they can take any action other than making an open-
market micro-purchase within the United States using a carded account:
• By reviewing the authorities granted to them in the Letter of Delegation of
Procurement Authority they receive prior to receiving their GPC account.
• Because they will receive specific training from their DoD Component A/OPC
detailing their additional roles and responsibilities.
• Because they will be issued checks in lieu of a card if they are a convenience
check account holder.
• Because they are physically located outside the United States and its
jurisdictions.
LESSON 1 OVERVIEW
Agency/Organization Program Coordinator (A/OPC)
The appointed individual responsible for management and oversight of the GPC
Program.
Approving/Billing Official (A/BO)
The appointed individual responsible for reviewing the transactions of no more
than seven cardholder accounts. Each A/BO is associated with a Managing Account
(MA), also called a Billing Account.
This individual may also be called the Approving Official or the Billing Official. Most
DoD A/BOs are also appointed as the Certifying Officer.
Cardholder (CH)
The individual delegated procurement authority to use a GPC account to make
purchases and payments. This term includes also individuals issued convenience
check accounts or GPC "cardless" accounts.
Cardless account holders are not issued a plastic card, but are simply provided an
account number.
Certifying Officer
The appointed individual responsible for certifying the MA billing statement (also
referred to as the GPC invoice) for payment.
Resource Manager (RM)
The individual responsible for ensuring appropriate lines of accounting and adequate
funding are available for each GPC account.
This individual may also be called the Comptroller, Financial Manager, Budget Office,
and Other Fund Control Manager.
Confirm and Pay
Most DoD GPC accounts are reconciled using the Confirm and Pay model. In this
model, the A/BO is dual-hatted as the Certifying Officer.
As the A/BO, this individual is responsible for performing a detailed review of each
transaction and its associated supporting documentation to ensure the transaction
fulfills a valid government need and that the CH followed applicable procurement
policies and procedures when making the transaction.
As the Certifying Officer, this same individual then validates that adequate and
appropriate funds are available for payment prior to certifying the GPC MA billing
statements for payment.
Pay and Confirm
Only components that have requested and been granted a waiver from the OSD
Purchase Card Policy Office Level 1 A/OPC and the OSD Comptroller are authorized to
use the Pay and Confirm model.
,CLG 001 NOTES DOD GOVERNMENTWIDE COMMERCIAL PURCHASE CARD OVERVIEW
LESSON 1 OVERVIEW
Pay and confirm procedures allow the Financial Management Analysis Officer to
certify payment independently of the statement being approved by the A/BO. The
A/BO and Certifying Officer roles are performed by different individuals.
Concurrent with or after certification has occurred, the A/BO is responsible for
performing a detailed review of each transaction and its associated supporting
documentation to ensure the transaction fulfills a valid government need and that
the CH followed applicable procurement policies and procedures when making the
transaction. The A/BO also must ensure that all goods and services received are
accepted within 45 days.
Reduced Costs
The GPC reduces DoD invoicing costs by reducing the number of payments the
Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) must process because numerous
cardholder transactions are processed as a single monthly payment rather than as
individual invoices. NOTE
Increased Information
The GPC program improves buying decisions by giving DoD access to information
about what its Components buy.
Quicker Payments
The GPC expedites payment to merchants. It allows merchants to be paid more
quickly than the traditional government payment process—making more merchants
likely to accept government business.
Earn Rebates
The GPC enables the government to earn rebates for purchases based on the dollar
volume of transactions and how quickly DoD pays its bill after receipt of the billing
statement—similar to the rewards and rebates consumers earn when they use their
own credit cards.
Open-Market Micro-Purchases
The GPC Program provides DoD Services and Defense Agencies (hereinafter referred
to as Components) with the ability to use charge cards to streamline micro-purchases
and the payment process for mission-essential supplies, services, and construction
under the micro-purchase thresholds.
These types of procurements are referred to as open-market micro-purchases.
The micro-purchase threshold is defined in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
part 2.101.
Open-market micro-purchases can be made using GPC CH accounts or convenience
check accounts. NOTE
Ordering Officer Purchases and Payments
,CLG 001 NOTES DOD GOVERNMENTWIDE COMMERCIAL PURCHASE CARD OVERVIEW
LESSON 1 OVERVIEW
The GPC Program provides authority for specifically trained and appointed individuals
in accordance with their Component Ordering Officer procedures to use the GPC
against existing government contracts when the requirements are legal, proper,
mission essential, and correct in accordance with government laws, regulations, and
policies governing the specific type of order and payment.
Contract Payments
The GPC Program provides authority for specifically appointed individuals to use the
GPC above the micro-purchase threshold as a payment vehicle against existing
government contracts when the merchant agrees to accept GPC payments.
The Contracting Officer authorizing payment via the GPC is required to include
prescribed Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) clauses and
must ensure the GPC Program officials understand their responsibilities for adhering
to the contract payment terms and conditions.
Overseas purchases up to $25,000
The GPC Program provides authority for use of the GPC as a simplified acquisition
method outside the United States and U.S. jurisdictions:
• For commercial item supply/service purchases exceeding the micro-purchase
threshold but not exceeding $25,000, if the purchase is made outside the
United States and its jurisdictions for use outside the United States and its
jurisdictions.
To qualify for this use, the CH, merchant, and supply delivery/service execution must
all be outside the United States and its jurisdictions.
Because these are not micro-purchases, the CH must receive customized training
related to their Component procedures for processing these transactions.
Examples of training topics include the GPC Program participant's role in ensuring:
• Necessary contract reporting requirements are fulfilled, and
• Maximum practicable competition is obtained by getting quotes from at least
three sources.
SF-182 Training Payments
The GPC is mandated for use as the method of payment for all commercial training
requests using the SF-182 valued at or below $25,000.
This GPC merchant payment is in lieu of a direct employee reimbursement by
miscellaneous payment. GPC Program participants involved in SF-182 payments must
receive customized training related to their Component procedures for processing
these transactions.
For more information see:
• DoD Financial Management Regulation (FMR) Volume 10, Chapter 12, Section
120327
, CLG 001 NOTES DOD GOVERNMENTWIDE COMMERCIAL PURCHASE CARD OVERVIEW
LESSON 1 OVERVIEW
• DoDI 1400.25 DoD Civilian Personnel Management, Volume 410
Limits of Delegated Authority
The vast majority of DoD CH authority is limited to making open-market micro-
purchases using GPC carded/cardless (as opposed to convenience check) accounts in
the United States.
Therefore, this training primarily addresses the use of GPC cards rather than
convenience checks. Other authorized account uses are addressed in policies specific
to each DoD Component.
CHs can determine whether they can take any action other than making an open-
market micro-purchase within the United States using a carded account:
• By reviewing the authorities granted to them in the Letter of Delegation of
Procurement Authority they receive prior to receiving their GPC account.
• Because they will receive specific training from their DoD Component A/OPC
detailing their additional roles and responsibilities.
• Because they will be issued checks in lieu of a card if they are a convenience
check account holder.
• Because they are physically located outside the United States and its
jurisdictions.
