Purchase Card Program - Cardholder Information Guide

The Card

• Sign the card. It is not valid until you do. If it's lost or stolen before you sign it, someone else could sign and use it.
• Keep the card in a secure place where no one else has access to it – your wallet, purse, or a locked cash box in your office are appropriate. The card should not be carried with you on vacation or on extended sick leave.
• You will not be held personally liable for any charges on the card unless you have misused it.
• The card is not to be shared or loaned. Providing the card or the card number to someone else to use is willful misuse of the card. If you have concerns about someone obtaining the card number and using it in your absence, inform your purchasing card coordinator.
• Willful abuse or misuse of the card can lead to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
• The card is issued to your position. If you leave the ministry you must turn your purchasing card in to your purchasing card coordinator. If you change jobs within the ministry, your card coordinator must be notified.

Making Purchases

When making purchases, you must:

• follow all government and ministry purchasing policies;
• use local vendors, where possible;
• obtain three competitive quotes for purchases of over $500, if available and practical;
• ensure that the total order value, including PST, delivery charges and foreign exchange, does not exceed your transaction limit.

You may not use the card:

• where the purchase price exceeds your per transaction or monthly dollar limit. It is not acceptable to split a purchase into multiple purchases where the total price would exceed the transaction limit on the card;
• to make purchases normally made with the Motor Vehicle Charge Card;
• for repairs to general fleet plan vehicles;
• for travel expenses unless they would normally be paid by the ministry directly (air line tickets, assured loading tickets, convention expenses);
• to obtain a cash advance;
• to rent a vehicle while on travel status;
• for printing, copying, duplicating, typesetting and supplies, unless you have prior authorization from Queen's Printer;
• for training that is a taxable benefit to the employee;
• to make personal purchases; and
• where payment is made internally by manual or electronic chargeback (Office Products Centre purchases, for example).

Dealing with Problems

Bank of Montreal Service Representatives can be reached at:

Canada and the USA: 1 800-361-3361 or 1 888-267-7834.

Elsewhere call: COLLECT 416-232-8020

You must call this office when:

• your card is lost or stolen (notify your card coordinator as well); or
• the vendor has difficulties with the card (error messages, too many digits). If this does not resolve the problem, call your card coordinator.

• your card is lost or stolen;
• vendors have ongoing difficulties accepting your card;
• you know or suspect that a co-worker has obtained your card number and is using it to make purchases in your absence; or
• there are charges on your statement that are not yours.

If you do not receive your statement within two weeks of the statement date, you can use the BMO details Online service to view and print your statement. If you need assistance, contact your purchasing card coordinator.

Cardholder Responsibilities

You are responsible for:

• resolving any problems with vendors, such as obtaining a credit where GST has been charged or having incorrect charges corrected;
• encouraging vendors to accept the card (a letter to suppliers is available, contact your coordinator for a copy);
• obtaining expense authority authorization for all purchases;
• keeping a transaction register and related documentation on all purchases; reconciling your monthly cardholder statement to your records; and
• ensuring that ministry procedures for recording and labeling assets are followed whenever assets are purchased.