Print This PageGSA SmartPay charge cards enable authorized Government employees to make purchases on behalf of the Government to support their agency or organization’s mission, mostly for small (generally under $3,000) work-related purchases, travel expenses, and fuel. In many cases, traditional paper-based processing techniques cost the Government more to process the transaction than the transaction itself. Charge cards:
- Streamline transaction processing;
- Increase accountability;
- Provide agencies with a more efficient and effective means to monitor large numbers of transactions and identify fraud, waste, and abuse.
Prior to using charge cards, the government used traditional paper-based payment processes such as purchase orders for small purchases. The inefficiency, costs, and/or risks associated with these processes were a key factor in the dramatic increase in the use of charge cards.
