[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 48, Volume 7]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 48CFR2913.301]



[Page 24-25]

 

            TITLE 48--FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM

 

                     CHAPTER 29--DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

 

PART 2913_SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES--Table of Contents

 

              Subpart 2913.3_Simplified Acquisition Methods

 

Sec. 2913.301  Governmentwide commercial purchase card.





    (a) The Government purchase card has far fewer requirements for 

documentation than other methods of purchasing. However, the same legal 

restrictions apply to credit card purchases that apply to other 

purchases using appropriated funds. If a purchase cardholder has 

questions about the lawfulness of a particular purchase, he or she must 

initially consult his or her appropriate office purchase card 

administrator, who will consult the Office of the Solicitor as 

necessary.

    (b) GAO decisions surrounding the concept of the ``availability of 

appropriations'' are often stated in terms of whether appropriated funds 

are or are not ``legally available'' for a given expenditure. 

Restrictions on the purposes for which appropriated funds may be used 

come from a variety of sources, including the DOL Appropriations Acts, 

and decisions of the Comptroller General and his predecessor, the 

Comptroller of the Treasury.

    (c) HCAs, administrative officers, and contracting officers are 

encouraged to review the GAO publication entitled Principles of Federal 

Appropriations Law. This document must be consulted when developing 

Office/Agency Purchase/Credit Card Program procedures. A number of the 

more common restrictions which ``accounting officers of the Government'' 

have had frequent occasion to consider and apply include, for example:



[[Page 25]]



    (1) Payment of attorney's fees;

    (2) Purchase of food, entertainment or recreation;

    (3) Payment of personal membership fees; and

    (4) Payment of personal expense items such as gifts for employees, 

and entry fees for contests.