PURCHASE CARD PROGRAM The purchase card (P-card) program allows a more efficient, cost-effective method of purchasing small dollar transactions as well as high volume, repetitive purchases, reducing processing costs. Cardholders can use their P-cards for City-related allowable purchases with any vendor that accepts MasterCard. The City directly pays all P-card balances monthly. The program does not affect a Cardholder’s credit rating in any way. Cardholders are responsible for reading and following the JP Morgan Chase Cardholder Agreement (provided with the P-card) and the City’s purchasing policies and procedures (Purchasing Playbook). A Cardholder’s misuse of a P-card is subject to corrective action as outlined in the employee handbook, up to and including termination.
P-card Administrator The P-card Administrator (PA) has a direct relationship with JP Morgan Chase, the P-card processing bank, and administrates the City’s P-card program. All P-card questions and issues go through the PA. The PA processes all approved new P-card applications, approved limit changes, canceled P-cards, etc. The PA audits reconciled P-card statements.
JP Morgan Chase The P-card program is serviced using a team approach with JP Morgan Chase Customer Service Center. This center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-316-6056 to assist Cardholders.
Issuance of P-card The PA distributes P-cards directly to Cardholders. When a new P-card is issued, JP Morgan Chase sends it to the PA for distribution to the Cardholder. The PA shall not release P-cards to Cardholders until each Cardholder has gone through P-card training and has signed the Cardholder agreement. Initial training includes: • Purchasing Playbook • JP Morgan Chase website, including how to navigate to applicable information and the customer service number • Steps to complete if a P-card is lost or stolen • Single transaction and monthly limit change process • Steps to dispute a charge with JP Morgan Chase • Munis P-card statement reconciliation process • Cardholder Purchasing Card Agreement between the Cardholder and the City, which affirms the Cardholder has read and understands the City’s P-card policies and procedures, including general purchasing policies and procedures. The Cardholder and the PA both sign the agreement at the end of the training session. • Self-assessment for the purchasing and P-card training test successfully The Cardholder calls the activation number provided with the card to activate the P-card before using it. Upon receipt of the card, the Cardholder signs the back of the P-card and always keeps it in a secure place.
Spending Limits The PA assigns, through JP Morgan Chase, each Cardholder a monthly spending limit and a single transaction spending limit set by the Director and approved by the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). JP Morgan Chase does not allow a purchase outside the limits set. The Cardholder or Purchasing Liaison (PL) may request a limit increase for single transactions or monthly spending limits through the Limit Change form, which is on the Finance intranet page. All limit changes require Department Director approval. Increases of $1,000 or more also require CFO approval.
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