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Document type
Policy
Policy contact
Refer to section 6
Reference number
PD-2016-0469-V01.2.1
Implementation date
22/02/2016
Last updated
08/08/2022
Publicly available
Yes
Policy cluster
Finance


Related Documents

Purchasing Card

To enable the implementation of a flexible, efficient and cost effective method of purchasing business related goods and services as an alternative to traditional purchase-to-pay processes.

Changes since previous version

2022 Aug 08 - updated links and contact details in policy statement.

Document history

2021 May 20 - updated policy statement, including minor references, links and contact details, formatted to align with style guides.

Removed Westpac Bank as purchasing card issuer and fixed broken links to purchasing card guidelines and delegations.

Removed 'Staff Only' marker and outdated references, minor text edits.

Superseded documents

School and Corporate Credit Card Policy

  1. Policy statement
    1. Department staff must be efficient, economical and ethical in their use and management of public resources. The objectives of the department's Purchasing Card Policy are to:
      1. enable the implementation of a flexible, efficient and cost-effective method of purchasing business-related goods and services as an alternative to traditional purchase-to-pay processes
      2. ensure value for money in procuring quality goods and services
      3. support the department to meet its obligations to suppliers
      4. ensure accountability, consistency and alignment in financial management practices across the department's various entities and business units
      5. identify sustainable and socially responsible purchase-to-pay solutions
      6. maintain standards of transparency, probity, ethics and integrity
      7. comply with NSW Government policy.
    2. Purchasing cards are a credit card issued to staff to provide a fast and cost-effective method to purchase goods and services directly from suppliers on the department's behalf.
    3. The department provides purchasing cards to allow staff to perform their duties more effectively and efficiently.
    4. Purchasing cards must only be used in accordance with terms and conditions contained in the Purchasing Card Guidelines (PDF 343KB) that govern their use.
    5. Financial delegations apply when using purchasing cards.
  2. Audience and applicability
    1. Applies to all staff who:
      1. have been issued with a purchasing card
      2. approve the issue of purchasing cards to staff
      3. review card transactions to ensure compliance with this policy and Purchasing Card Guidelines (PDF 334.27KB)
    2. Purchasing cards cannot be issued to contractors and consultants.
    3. This policy replaces previous policies relating to the issue and use of corporate credit cards, school credit cards, purchasing cards, stored value cards, and other forms of card payment.
  3. Context
    1. This policy must be read in conjunction with the department's Purchasing Card Guidelines (PDF 343KB), which outline roles and responsibilities for staff relating to purchasing card use.
    2. NSW Treasury issues policies, guidelines and generic procedures that agencies adopt to implement and manage the use of NSW Government purchasing cards.
    3. NSW Treasury Policy Paper (TPP21-02) Use and Management of Government Purchasing Cards and TC21-01 NSW Payments Digital Reform Digital Payment Adoption encourage effective use and management of purchasing cards across the NSW public sector.
    4. The legislative and administrative framework underpinning the department's Purchasing Card Policy includes:
      1. Government Sector Employment Act 2013
      2. Government Sector Finance Act 2018 No 55
      3. The Public Service Commission Ethical Framework for the Government Sector
      4. Teaching Service Act 1980
      5. NSW Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA)
      6. NSW Procurement Policy - Staff only
      7. State Records Act 1998 and NSW Government State Records Keeping Standards
      8. Small Business Commissioner Faster Payment Terms Policy.
    5. Department policies, guidelines and procedures relevant to this policy include:
      1. Procurement Policy - Staff only
      2. Code of Conduct Policy
      3. Travel on Official Business Policy
      4. Out of Pocket Expenses Guidelines
      5. Purchasing Card Guidelines (PDF 343KB).
  4. Responsibilities and delegations
    1. The Secretary, the Chief Operating Officer or the Executive Director, Shared Services:
      1. approves this policy and related guidelines
      2. ensures the department has effective processes and controls in place to manage the department's Purchasing Card program.
    2. The Director, Shared Services Business Services, is responsible for the overarching management of the department's Purchasing Card program and for ensuring currency of this policy and the guidelines published on the department's intranet site.
    3. Staff issued with purchasing cards, approvers and reviewing officers:
      1. must follow the requirements and responsibilities outlined in Purchasing Card Guidelines (PDF 343KB)
      2. must acknowledge their responsibilities under this policy and agree to the conditions associated with card use
      3. must follow the financial delegations responsibilities outlined under the Government Sector Finance Act 2018 and on the department's delegations intranet site.
  5. Monitoring and review
    1. The Director, Shared Services Business Services monitors the implementation of this policy, regularly reviews its contents to ensure relevance and accuracy, and updates it as needed.
  6. Contact
    Director, Shared Services Business Services and Enablement
    Enquiries to EDConnect on 1300 32 32 32 or log an online query.
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