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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON, D.C. 20250 NUMBER: DEPARTMENTAL REGULATION DR 2300-001 DATE: SUBJECT: Government Travel Charge Card Regulation June 24, 2021 EXPIRATION DATE: OPI: Office of the Chief Financial Officer June 24, 2026 Section Page 1. Purpose 1 2. Special Instructions/Cancellations 2 3. Scope 2 4. Background 2 5. Policy 3 6. Roles and Responsibilities 17 7. Inquiries 28 Appendix A – Acronyms and Abbreviations A-1 Appendix B – Definitions B-1 Appendix C – Authorities and References C-1 Appendix D – Sample A/OPC Appointment Letter and Duties D-1 Appendix E – Acknowledgement and Acceptance Statement E-1 Appendix F – US Bank Access Online Reports F-1 Appendix G – Inter-Departmental Hierarchy Transfer Request Worksheet G-1 Appendix H – Examples of Memoranda to Employees from A/OPCs H-1 Appendix I – NFC Salary Offset I-1 Appendix J – USDA Senior Federal Travelers J-1 Appendix K – Government Employees Standards of Conduct K-1 1. PURPOSE This Departmental Regulation (DR) prescribes the policies and procedures governing the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) travel charge card program. The Government travel charge card program was developed to procure transportation services, subsistence, and other allowable travel and transportation expenses incurred during official travel. This regulation supplements 41 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Subtitle F, Parts 300 through 304 (commonly known as the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR)); both are used throughout this DR. The FTR is issued by the General Services Administration (GSA) and implements statutory requirements and Executive branch policies for travel by Federal civilian employees and others authorized to travel at government expense. Provisions included in this regulation follow applicable Federal regulations, including the FTR. 2. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS/CANCELLATIONS a. This regulation supersedes DR 2300-001, Government Travel Card Regulation, dated October 20, 2003. b. This DR contains policies Mission Areas, agencies, and staff offices must follow for official travel performed using the travel charge card after the date of this regulation. c. The requirements listed in this DR remain in effect and must be followed unless or until superseded by subsequent changes in applicable laws or revised by the Department. d. Mission Areas, agencies, and staff offices must update their processes and procedures in accordance with this DR within 180 calendar days of the effective date. 3. SCOPE a. The law requires the mandatory use of the travel charge card by Federal employees unless they are exempted, as identified in Section 5e, Use of the Travel Charge Card, below. The use of the travel charge card is limited to expenses incurred in conjunction with official travel. The provisions of this regulation apply to all employees of USDA who have been issued or are applying for a travel charge card. b. This regulation provides policy governing the use of the travel charge card by USDA employees. Proper use of the travel charge card supports mission accomplishment and preserves the reputation of the Department and its employees. The travel charge card is to be used appropriately and in compliance with the provisions within this regulation. The USDA will not tolerate misuse or abuse of the travel charge card. c. Possession and use of the travel charge card do not relieve the employee from abiding by the rules and regulations governing official travel, including use of Government city- pair contract carriers, American Flag carriers, Government car rental agreements, Government approved lodging facilities, or a Travel Management Center (TMC). 4. BACKGROUND a. Travel and Transportation Reform Act (TTRA) of 1998 The TTRA (Public Law (P.L.) 105-264, 112 Stat. 2350, as amended by the Government Charge Card Abuse Act of 2012, P.L.112–194, Oct. 5, 2012, 126 Stat. 1448) authorizes 2 the GSA Administrator, after consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, to require Federal employees use the travel charge card established pursuant to the United States Travel and Transportation Payment and Expense Control System, or any Federal contractor-issued travel charge card, for all payments of expenses of official Government travel. b. GSA Exemption The FTR, as allowed by the TTRA, authorizes the GSA Administrator to exempt any payment, person, type or class of payments, or type or class of personnel from any requirement established under the preceding sentence in any case in which: (1) It is in the best interest of the United States to do so; (2) Payment through a travel charge card is impractical or imposes unreasonable burdens or costs on Federal employees or Federal agencies; or (3) The Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Transportation (with respect to the Coast Guard) requests an exemption with respect to the members of the uniformed services. c. Federal Agency Exemption The FTR, as allowed by the TTRA, authorizes the head of a Federal agency, or the designee of such head, to exempt any payment, person, type or class of payments, or type or class of Federal agency personnel from the above if the agency head or the designee determines the exemption to be necessary in the interest of the Federal agency. Not later than 30 days after granting such an exemption, the head of such Federal agency or the designee shall notify the GSA Administrator in writing of such exemption stating the reasons for the exemption. d. Government Charge Card Abuse Prevention Act of 2012 The Government Charge Card Abuse Prevention Act of 2012 (which amends Section 2 of the TTRA; and the Note to 5 United States Code (U.S.C.) 5701) requires each executive agency with employees who use travel charge cards to establish and maintain internal control activities to ensure proper, efficient, and effective use of travel charge cards. 5. POLICY a. Records Retention Per the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) General Records Schedule (GRS) 1.1 – Financial Management and Reporting Records, Item 090, 3 Government purchase card and travel credit card application and approval records; and GRS 5.1, Common Office Records, Item 010, Administrative records maintained in any agency office, documents related to the travel charge cards (e.g., applications, appointment letters, acknowledgement and acceptance statements, training certification) should be destroyed when the employee leaves the organization, but longer retention is authorized if required for business use. Document retention may be in the form of paper files or electronic files. b. Obtaining a travel charge card (1) The contract bank may obtain credit scores for new applicants, if given authorization, before issuing a card. If authorization is not given or the applicant’s credit score is below the threshold (660) set by the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Appendix B to Circular No. A-123, A Risk Management Framework for Government Charge Card Programs, then a card can or will be issued with more stringent restrictions. (2) Per OMB Circular A-123, Appendix B, if obtaining a credit score is not possible (e.g., the applicant refuses to provide consent or does not have a credit history), an alternative credit worthiness assessment should be completed to determine whether the individual possesses a satisfactory credit history. To complete the alternative credit worthiness assessment, the Mission Area, agency, or staff office must ensure it first conducts an alternative creditworthiness assessment to determine whether the individual possesses a satisfactory credit history. (3) Specifically, the Mission Area, agency, or staff office must review the applicant’s most recent Standard Form (SF) 85P, Questionnaire for Public Trust Positions, Section 24, Financial Record; or SF 86, Questionnaire for National Security Positions, Section 26, Financial Record; or use a similar vehicle containing the same type of questions as in the forms and sections noted and use the information provided to assess creditworthiness. In either case, the vehicle used must not be older than one year. Neither the SF 85P nor SF 86 is to be shared with the servicing contractor. c. Spending Limit (1) The spending limits on travel charge cards should be in line with the actual needs of each cardholder. The Departmentwide default spending limit for new standard accounts is $7,500 and $3,500.00 for restricted cards; the Mission Area, agency, or staff office can decide to maintain lower spending limits for their cardholders. Restricted accounts can become standard accounts in two ways: (a) If the account is restricted due to a low credit score, then cardholder can contact the bank to authorize or request another credit check; or 4 (b) If the account was restricted for other than a low credit score, and there have been no outstanding issues with the account for 12-months, the Mission Area, agency, or staff office program coordinator (A/OPC) can raise the limit to the Departmentwide default spending limit. (2) Mission Area, agency, or staff office A/OPCs can temporarily increase card limits on accounts to meet mission operations; the temporary spending limit should be reduced as soon as the need for the increase is complete. Table 1 below shows the authorized approval levels for temporary limit increases. TABLE 1 – AUTHORIZED APPROVAL LEVELS FOR TEMPORARY LIMIT INCREASES Type of Card Default Secondary Primary Departmental A/OPC A/OPC A/OPC Unrestricted Credit $7,500 $10,000 $20,000 No Maximum (Standard Account) (Note 1) Cash $1,500 $2,000 $4,000 (Note 3) Restricted Credit $3,500 $5,000 $5,000 No Maximum (Note 2) Cash $0 $0 $0 Note 1: Unrestricted account limit increases are based on mission requirements and are limited to no more than 12 months. Note 2: Restricted account limit increases are based on mission requirements; they require prior justification and written approval from a manager to the A/OPC. The increase is limited to 60 days. Note 3: Cash amounts equate to 20% of the available credit limit.

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