In order to effect better controls over State-sponsored credit cards as well as to comply with the requirements of both the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the card issuing bank, changes are being made to the applications and processes relating to State-sponsored credit cards.

OFAC, a division of the US Department of the Treasury, administers and enforces trade sanctions based on US foreign policy and national security goals.

The forms affected are:  the GAO-PC-101 (Purchasing Card Cardholder Application); the GAO-TC-101 (which is replaced by the GAO-ETC-101, Employee Travel Card Application); and the GAO-CTA-101 (Central Travel Card Custodian Application).  There have been minor changes to the titles and layouts of these forms. 

The most important changes are those related to the respective cardholder agreements.  First, the cardholder, in order to allow the State to comply with OFAC and issuer requirements, consents to the release of certain confidential information, such as one’s social security number, upon request.  It is important that the cardholder understand that this information is not collected on the new forms and that the information will be made available only in connection with OFAC investigations and then only by secure transmission.  Second, the cardholder allows the State to deduct card delinquencies from his or her compensation.  Third, while the originals of these forms will continue to be maintained by the employing agencies, copies of newly executed forms must be sent electronically to the GAO at [email protected].

These updated forms and the related process of forwarding copies to the GAO must be used for all applications made on or after August 31, 2018. 

These changes will require revisions to those sections of the State of Arizona Accounting Manual (SAAM) dealing with the issuance and administration of Purchasing Cards (P-Cards), Employee Travel Cards (ETCs) and Central Travel Account Cards (CTAs, also known as “ghost cards”).

All cards issued before August 31, 2018, will require reapplication by the cardholder.  This process will occur between the months of September 2018 and April 2019, though prior compliance is encouraged.  Additional information concerning reapplication and card replacement will be forthcoming. Moreover, the GAO P-Card, ETC and CTA administrators will reach out to agencies with detailed plans, instructions and assistance.

Comments, corrections, complaints and compliments should be emailed to [email protected].  Please include the number of the SAAM section and relevant paragraph(s) (SAAM NNNN-nn.nn.nn) in the subject line.