OMB Expands Guidance on Curbing Abuse of Charge Cards

Office of Management and Budget Director Sylvia Mathews Burwell has provided agency heads with detailed guidance on beefing up controls to minimize employee abuse of government charge cards, in compliance with a 2012 law.

In a Sept. 6 memorandum addressing a perennial problem of waste or employee dishonesty, Burwell laid out deadlines for safeguards and internal controls, regular reporting on violations, and risk assessment procedures for inspectors general to use in audits. The outlined steps will help meet requirements in the Government Charge Card Abuse Prevention Act.

Federal employees have been found guilty of double billing and of ordering travel tickets that are never used. Violators may now have their salaries offset or face dismissal as penalties.

“Because government charge card program oversight involves multiple agency functions, successful implementation of the Charge Card Act will require collaboration across agency charge card and human capital components, and inspectors general,” Burwell wrote.

Agencies with more than $10 million in annual purchase card spending have until Sept. 30 to prepare their first annual certification of progress, while updates are due Jan. 1, 2014.

Burwell also recommended agencies consult the General Services Administration’s guidance at Smartpay.gsa.gov.

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