The new spending restrictions apply to both SmartPay Travel and Purchase Cards. Travel cards are used on a large scale in the government (for example, most army reservists have these cards). The government follows travel costs, such as hotel and aviation money, via software tools such as competitive. The GSA already requires coupons for every purchase that its employees earn more than $ 75. “The system is a pain in the butt and requires authorization of a supervisor before money can be spent,” says a current GSA employee.
Once a trip is completed, employees must submit a voucher that corresponds to the approved expenses. The costs are meticulously kept -the employees are told to minimize ATM recordings to prevent unnecessary reimbursements, according to a current GSA employee, who, like the others, spoke in this story on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly to speak. They say that abusing a card is already grounds for disciplinary measures, including termination.
Purchase cards are rarer and are used for work costs under $ 10,000; Everything above this amount requires a formal government contract. They are used for office supplies, IT equipment and training sessions. If employees want to spend money on a purchasing card, they must submit a form, which must then be approved and signed by a supervisor. When this is done, the form is submitted for approval to the approval office, with the name of the person who wants to make the purchase, a description of the item, the estimated price, an accounting code and the date on which the goods or services are required.
After the payment has been approved, it has assigned a purchase request number. Only then can the employee actually spend money. If they spend 10 percent more than the approved amount, they again need written approval. At the GSA, each purchase is followed through a program called Pegasys, which requires a separate form to gain access. Pegasys has two sides: the purchase side, which the money that has been spent, and shows the reconciliation side. The card holder must match these two parties, cent by cent, using the request number.
“To commit fraud, you should have the employee, supervisor and probably someone who finances in it,” says another current GSA employee. 'It's not as easy as [DOGE is] to claim. “
