2.0 Roles and Responsibilities
Procurement
and Supply Services, Common Business Services (Ministry of Labour and Citizens'
Services)
Common Business Services
is responsible for designating a Government Card Coordinator as the primary
contact with the bank. The Government Card Coordinator manages the program government
wide. This includes assisting in initial training for new ministry card coordinators
as well as dealing with major issues that relate to the government's relationship
with the bank.
Common Business Services
maintains a central registry of all government approved cardholders. At least
annually, ministries will be required to reconcile their cardholder records
with the central registry.
Common Business Services
also maintains a current record of all ministry purchasing card coordinators
and alternates.
Provincial
Treasury
One of the goals of Provincial
Treasury is to deliver high quality, efficient and innovative banking services
at a competitive price consistent with the corporate needs and objectives of
government. This includes issues relating to the banking/cash management aspects
of the contract with the card supplier.
All inquiries relating to
Provincial Treasury's areas of responsibility for the Purchasing Card Program
should be directed to the Banking/Cash Management Branch.
Office
of the Comptroller General
The Office of the Comptroller
General is responsible for providing a public sector financial management and
procurement policy framework for supporting program delivery and ensuring financial
procurement accountability within the provincial government. The Office of the
Comptroller General is responsible for government-wide financial policy and
procedures for the purchasing card found in CPPM
4.3.19 and E.6. The Office of the Comptroller
General has also developed this Purchasing Card Manual and the Cardholder Information
Guide.
Ministries and other agencies
must consult with the Office of the Comptroller General when developing ministry
or agency specific material for use of the purchasing card in order to ensure
that there is no conflict with government financial and procurement policies
and procedures. The consultation will also ensure that ministries are implementing
their policies and procedures in an efficient manner.
Also, the Office of the
Comptroller General, through Corporate Compliance and Controls Monitoring Branch
regularly reviews card activity and follows up with ministries on any issues
of compliance.
All questions relating to
government financial management policies and procedures for the purchasing card
should be directed to the Financial Management Branch (see Policy
Contacts), and questions regarding procurement policies should be directed
to the Procurement Governance Office.
Ministries
The overall responsibility
of the Purchasing Card Program rests with the senior financial officer, who
may designate others with carrying out the duties.
Senior
Financial Officers
Ministry senior financial
officer responsibilities include:
- identifying positions
that are to be granted purchasing cards;
- appointing and approving
the ministry purchasing card coordinator and alternate by completing the Commercial
Card Coordinator/Alternate Change Application FIN182 and sending
it to the Government Card Coordinator;
- approving ministry specific
purchasing card policies and procedures;
- ensuring that adequate
controls are in place to prevent duplicate payments;
- ensuring that the purchasing
card program is monitored and reviewed (see the Purchasing Card Monitoring
and Review Program that follows); and
- ensuring purchasing card
coordinators and purchasing card cardholders are properly trained.
Purchasing
Card Coordinators
Purchasing card coordinators
are responsible for administering the Purchasing Card Program within the ministry.
They act as the link between the bank, the Government Card Coordinators, cardholders
and other ministry personnel involved in the program. Their duties are shared
by the alternate coordinators who act with the same authority, associated responsibilities
and obligations in the absence of primary purchasing card coordinators.
Specific duties include:
- ensuring that Request
for Card/Card Detail Change forms are completed and approved;
- training cardholders
in the use of the purchasing card;
- distributing new cards
to cardholders;
- ensuring that cardholders
sign the Government Purchasing Card Acknowledgment of Terms of Use and
Consent;
- ensuring cancelled purchasing
cards are destroyed;
- maintaining the records
of the ministry Purchasing Card Program including the Request for Card/Card
Detail Change form and the Government Purchasing Card Acknowledgment
of Terms of Use and Consent;
- advising the Government Card Coordinator of merchants who do not accept the card, or who have refused
to exempt GST on purchases;
- safeguarding cards not
in use; and
- ensuring that at least
annually the cardholder register is reconciled to the Government Purchasing
Card Acknowledgment of Terms of Use and Consent and personnel records.
Purchasing card coordinators
and alternates act as ministry contacts with the bank for the program. This
includes but is not limited to:
- investigating disputed
charges on statements;
- ordering cards through
the bank's online system;
- canceling cards; and
- settling discrepancies
in account balances.
Cardholders
Cardholders are responsible
for understanding and abiding by all the terms and conditions of being a cardholder.
This includes:
- signing the Government
Purchasing Card, Acknowledgment of Terms of Use and Consent and the Request
For Card/Card Detail Change forms;
- completing training as
required by the ministry;
- ensuring that the card
is not used to make personal purchases;
- taking reasonable action
to ensure the card is appropriately safeguarded (including ensuring that the
card is not accessible to co-workers, family members or others);
- adhering to all government
and ministerial policy and procedures regarding the use of the purchasing
card;
- obtaining pre-approval
for purchases and three competitive quotes, where practical, for purchases
above $500;
- informing suppliers at
the time of sale that purchases are GST-exempt;
- notifying the card coordinator
when merchants attempt to add a surcharge for accepting the card, do not accept
the card or insist on charging GST;
- retaining documentation
of purchases and receipt of goods; and
- ensuring that statements
are reconciled and submitted with documentation to expense authorities for
verification and coding as soon as possible.
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