Single Call Limit Increase and DOI Blocked Merchant Category Codes

Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1999 13:16:08 -0500
To: "AO - All Administrative Officers"<distribution
From: "Alice A. Sabatini, Division Administrative Officer" <aasabati
Subject: Field Contracting Officer Distribution #200

Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 16:37:18 -0500
To: mary_andujar@brd.usgs.gov, rhonda_aton@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Tammy L Bagley, Admin Officer, Anchorage, AK"
<tlbagley@boatdakanc.wr.usgs.gov,
        "LaRue A Baker-Odenbach, Admin Officer (Bus Adm), Bismarck, ND"
<labaker,
        "Kandis K Becher, Admin Ops Asst, Iowa City, IA"
<kkbecher@dg00diaiwc.cr.usgs.gov,
        michele_beeman@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Carolyn L Bellante, Admin Officer, W. Trenton, NJ" <bellante,
        sue_bencus@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Teri L Bequette, Admin Operation Assisstant, Vancouver, WA"
<tbquette@asopus.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Sheila C Bernard, Administrative Operations Asst, Nashville, TN"
<sbernard@svjrdtnnsh.er.usgs.gov,
        gloria_binasampson@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Frances F Birchell, Administrative Technician, Salt Lake City,
UT" <fbirchel@svr1dutslc.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Elna E Black, Administrative Officer, Boise, ID"
<elna_black@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Mary A Blough, Administrative Technician, Baltimore, MD"
<mablough@srvrdmdtws.er.usgs.gov,
        "Dola M Bonofiglio,  Rolla, MO" <dbonofiglio@igson001.er.usgs.gov,
        "Beth A Brademeyer,  Jamestown, ND" <beth_brademeyer@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Albin A Bricker III, BudgetAsst, Austin, TX"
<abricker@servdtxast.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Patricia I Brown, SUPPLY TECHNICIAN, Laurel, MD"
<patricia_brown@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Diane S Calhoun, PURCHASING AGENT (OA), Madison, WI"
<diane_calhoun@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Nancy J Campbell-Jones, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, Ann Arbor, MI"
<nancy_campbell-jones@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Anthony A Cannarsa, Administrative Officer, Pembroke, NH"
<acannars@srv3dnhbow.er.usgs.gov,
        "Jane A Cannarsa, Administrative Officer, Marlborough, MA"
<jcannars,
        "Sheryl A Carriere, PURCHASING AGENT, Lafayette, LA"
<sheryl_carriere@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Tonja R Clark, Admin Tech, Indianapolis, IN"
<trclark@srv2dinind.er.usgs.gov,
        "Frank Collette,  , " <frank_collette@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Mirtelina Colon, Admin. Operations Assistant, Guaynabo, PR"
<mccolon@dprsj1.er.usgs.gov,
        "Kim S Crutchfield, Administrative Officer, Columbia, SC"
<kcrutch@scsrv1.er.usgs.gov,
        "Jane T Cunningham, Admin Services Spec, Norcross, GA"
<jcunning@fs1rgaatl.er.usgs.gov,
        "Carol J Davis,  Sacramento, CA" <carol_davis@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Barbara A Deml, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, LaCrosse, WI"
<barbara_deml@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Donna Depee, Administrative Operations Asst, Portland, OR"
<ddepee@rogrdorprn.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Diann E Straub, Administrative Officer, Lemoyne, PA"
<dstraub@dg14dpahrb.er.usgs.gov,
        "Sandra R Dolls, Admin Asst, Little Rock, AR" <srdolls,
        "Carol A Dudley, Admin Opns Asst, Augusta, ME"
<catkinso@aug5dmeags.er.usgs.gov,
        "Suzanne M Durocher, Admin Ops Asst, Troy, NY"
<sduroche@sv01dnyalb.er.usgs.gov,
        "Sandra A Edwards, Administrative Officer, Richmond, VA"
<sedwards@fs01pvarmd.er.usgs.gov,
        "Geri L Enslow, PURCHASING AGENT/ SAFETY OFFICER, Corvallis, OR"
<enslowg@fsl.orst.edu,
        "Normlyn J Ernst, Administrative Ops Assistant, Columbia, SC"
<njernst@scsrv1.er.usgs.gov,
        "Linda L Evensen, Admin. Operations Assist. (OA), Rapid City, SD"
<llevense@rc31dsdhrn.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Christine W Fadeley, PURCHASING AGENT, Gainesville, FL"
<christine_fadeley@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Joseph M Fearon, Admin Tech, Urbana, IL" <jmfearon,
        "Pauline N Fukunaga,  HI Nat'l. Park, HI"
<fukunaga@tako.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Deloris F Gale, Administrative Officer, Pearl, MS"
<dfgale@adm0dmsjkn.er.usgs.gov,
        "Joyce J Gift, Administrative Operations Asst, Lemoyne, PA"
<jjgift@dg14dpahrb.er.usgs.gov,
        "Georganne M Gillespie, Administrative Officer, Charleston, WV"
<gmgilles,
        "Ardis C Greatorex,  Woods Hole, MA" <agreatorex@nobska.er.usgs.gov,
        "Richard L Grover, Administrative Officer, Middleton, WI"
<rlgrover@srvdwimdn.er.usgs.gov,
        "Carole L Hayes,  Jamestown, ND" <carole_hayes@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Nancy L Haynes, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, Denver, CO"
<nancy_haynes@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Eric F Hensel, Administrative Officer, Tampa, FL" <efhensel,
        "Paula C Herrin, Administrative Officer, Little Rock, AR" <pcherrin,
        "Carolyn M Hieb,  Sioux Falls, SD" <chieb@edcmail.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Mary E Hoover, OFFICE ASSISTANT (TYPING), Kearneysville, WV"
<mary_e_hoover@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Valerie E Ige, Admin Officer, Honolulu, HI"
<veige@hi01dhihnl.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Phyllis A Jackson, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, Ft Collins, CO"
<phyllis_jackson@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Maribeth B Jackson, Purchasing Agent, Columbia, MO"
<maribeth_jackson@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Mary K Jones, ADMIN TECH (OFFICE AUTOMATION), Millersburg, MI"
<mary_k_jones@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Marian M Kagimoto,  HI Nat'l. Park, HI" <kagimoto@tako.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Pamela J Keeney, Administrative Officer, Rolla, MO" <pkeeney,
        "Harold L Kincaid, RESEARCH GENETICIST, Wellsboro, PA"
<hkincaid@epix.net,
        "Robert T Kirkland Jr., Supv Phy Scientist, Ocala, FL" <kirkland,
        "Leanne R Kitano, Budget Assistant, Honolulu, HI"
<lrkitano@hi01dhihnl.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Bonnie J Knott, BUDGET ANALYST, Kearneysville, WV"
<bonnie_knott@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Barbara A Korzendorfer, Physical Scientist, East Hartford, CT"
<bkorzend,
        "William J Kratz, Administrative Officer, Carson City, NV"
<wjkratz@dnvcr1.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Gregory S Krause, Purchasing Agent, Anchorage, AK"
<gskrause@boatdakanc.wr.usgs.gov,
        "S. Ruth Lastinger, Purchasing Agent, Ocala, FL" <rlasting,
        "Deborah J Lee, Phy Sci Tech, Ocala, FL" <djlee,
        "Barbara A Lewis, Office Automation Assistant, Las Vegas, NV"
<balewis@s504snvlvs.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Rebecca C Lopez, Purchasing Agent, Tucson, AZ"
<rclopez@dg0daztcn.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Helene A Love, Administrative Support Asst., Hawaii National
Park, HI" <helene_love@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Sheila M Loyd, Purchasing Agent, Tacoma, WA"
<smloyd@fs02dwatcm.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Diane Lumbert, Admin Opns Tech (Typ), Marlborough, MA" <dlumbert,
        "Rose P Lyons, Administrative Officer, Raleigh, NC"
<rplyons@ser2dncrlg.er.usgs.gov,
        "Martha W Madden, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, Anchorage, AK"
<martha_madden@brd.usgs.gov,
        "David C Madril, Assist. Reg. Admin. Officer, Denver, CO"
<dcmadril@srv2rcolka.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Catherine M Macrall,  Albuquerque, NM" <cathey@asl.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Margarida C Masden, Admin Operations Asst, Miami, FL"
<mcmasden@fs01sflmia.er.usgs.gov,
        "Matthew V Masterson, Admin Oper Asst., Troy, NY"
<mmasters@sv01dnyalb.er.usgs.gov,
        "Sylvia W McClain, Administrative Officer, Atlanta, GA"
<smcclain@fs1dgadrv.er.usgs.gov,
        "Barbara K McNure, Admin Ops Asst, Grand Junction, CO"
<bkmcnure@cronos.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Margaret M Merryman,  Reston, VA" <mmerryma@igsrglib01.er.usgs.gov,
        "Kathleen A Miller, Administrative Officer, Iowa City, IA"
<kamiller@dg00diaiwc.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Paula J Miller,  Anchorage, AK" <pjmiller@tundra.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Deborah A Molnar, Admin Opns Asst (OA), Pembroke, NH"
<dmolnar@srv3dnhbow.er.usgs.gov,
        "Claudia L Monroe, Purchasing Agent, Carson City, NV"
<clmonroe@dnvcr1.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Gail M Moran, Chief, Administrative Section, Stennis Space
Center, MS" <gmmoran@aisdqmsbsl.er.usgs.gov,
        "Patricia Anne Mullan,  St. Petersburg, FL"
<pmullan@wayback.er.usgs.gov,
        "Carolyn V Norton, Administrative Operations Asst, Oklahoma City,
OK" <cvnorton@csdokokl.cr.usgs.gov,
        "C. Wayne O'Neal, Hydrologist, Vicksburg, MS"
<woneal@srv1rvares.er.usgs.gov,
        "Linda M Ott, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, Onalaska, WI"
<linda_ott@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Janet L Paquette,  Woods Hole, MA" <jpaquette@nobska.er.usgs.gov,
        "James D Parrish, Fishery Biologist, Honolulu, HI"
<jparrish@zoology.zoo.Hawaii.EDU,
        "Marjorie A Penrod, Administrative Operations Asst, Pueblo, CO"
<mapenrod@srv1scopbl.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Elizabeth A. Pierce, PURCHASING AGENT, Kearneysville, WV"
<libby_pierce@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Cathy Marie Pilbeam, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, Ann Arbor, MI"
<cathy_pilbeam@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Lucinda D Politano,  St. Petersburg, FL"
<cpolitano@wayback.er.usgs.gov,
        "Marylynn R Powell, Admin Operations Asst, Lawrence, KS"
<mpowell@dkslwz.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Deborah S Prater,  , " <dprater@igson001.er.usgs.gov,
        "Lou A Quinn, Admin Operations Asst, Lincoln, NE" <laquinn,
        "Alan P Rankin, Budget Analyst, Sacramento, CA" <aprankin,
        "Debra J Riley,  Sioux Falls, SD" <driley@edcmail.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Dolores J Richardson, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, Lafayette, LA"
<dolores_richardson@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Donna J Roberts, Admin Operations Asst, Lawrence, KS"
<donnar@dkslwz.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Luanne P Romasko, Administrative Operations Asst, Helena, MT"
<lromasko@s1dmthln.cr.usgs.gov,
        "H. Theresa Rose, Administrative Officer, Baltimore, MD"
<htrose@srvrdmdtws.er.usgs.gov,
        "Marre J Sager, Administrative Officer, Mounds View, MN"
<sager@srvrdmnspl.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Jacqueline E Savage,  Albuquerque, NM" <jsavage@asl.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Cindy L Seebohm, PURCHASING AGENT, Ft Collins, CO"
<cindy_seebohm@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Gail Sexton,  Woods Hole, MA" <gsexton@nobska.er.usgs.gov,
        "Laura A Shelton, Administrative Officer, Lansing, MI"
<shelton@srvrdmilns.er.usgs.gov,
        "Rosemary A Smith, Administrative Officer, Boise, ID"
<roses@id02didbse.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Jerri Smith, PURCHASING AGENT, Laurel, MD"
<jerri_smith@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Robert L Sommer JR,  Seattle, WA" <robert_sommer@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Vikki L Soukup, ADMINISTRATIVE CLERK (OA), LaCrosse, WI"
<vikki_soukup@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Patricia D Sprangers, Administrative Officer, Cheyenne, WY"
<spranger@wy45dwychy.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Janice L Stateler, Admin Operations Asst., Altamonte Sprg, FL"
<stateler@ws16sflals.er.usgs.gov,
        "Anne Sueur, Admin Operations Assistant, Albuquerque, NM"
<sueur@ponidnmalb.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Lisa L Syde, Admin. Operations Asst. (OA), Mounds View, MN"
<syde@srvrdmnspl.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Tommie L Teeter,  Albuquerque, NM" <tommie@asl.cr.usgs.gov,
        townsend@usgs.gov,
        "Debra C Tracey, Administrative Officer, Montgomery, AL"
<dctracey@mcdaltsc.er.usgs.gov,
        "Margaret A Trasmundi, Purchasing Agent, Sacramento, CA" <trasmund,
        "Shonnie A Tripp, Administrative Officer, Columbus, OH"
<satripp@dgsvdohclb.er.usgs.gov,
        "Brenda K Turrentine, Admin Operations Asst., Ocala, FL" <bturrent,
        "Patricia A Vallance, Administrative Officer, Tucson, AZ"
<pavallan@dg0daztcn.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Sharla B Van Beek,  Sioux Falls, SD" <vanbeek@edcmail.cr.usgs.gov,
        "Juanita Velasco,  Flagstaff, AZ" <jvelasco@flagmail.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Olga P Vergara,  Flagstaff, AZ" <overgara@flagmail.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Linda K Vertrees, Admin Ops Assistant, Louisville, KY"
<vertrees@srv1dkylsv.er.usgs.gov,
        "Alison C Waxman, Physical Scientist, Storrs, CT" <acwaxman,
        "Deborah H Weldon, Administrative Officer, Tallahassee, FL"
<dweldon@gissfltlh.er.usgs.gov,
        "Barbara E Wessner, Admin. Assistant, Rolla, MO" <bwessner,
        "Naomi M Wheeler, OFFICE ASSISTANT (OA), Gainesville, FL"
<naomi_wheeler@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Evon Williams, Admin Ops Assist, Baton Rouge, LA"
<ewilliam@fs1dlabrg.er.usgs.gov,
        "Glenna A Wilson, Fac. Mgmt. Spec., Boise, ID"
<gawilson@id02didbse.wr.usgs.gov,
        "Paula S Winningham, PURCHASING AGENT, Anchorage, AK"
<paula_winningham@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Julie A Wolf, Administrative Operations Asst, Middleton, WI"
<jaurben@srvdwimdn.er.usgs.gov,
        "Gwendolyn A Woods, Purchasing Agent, Stennis Space Center, MS"
<gawoods@aisdqmsbsl.er.usgs.gov,
        "Susan C Wright, ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT ASST, San Simeon, CA"
<susan_wright@brd.usgs.gov,
        "Carole Carter-Pfisterer,  Reston, VA" <ccarter,
        "MaryLou D Pectol,  Reston, VA" <mpectol,
        "Joseph S Pillera,  Reston, VA" <jpillera@igsrn008.er.usgs.gov,
        "Alice A Sabatini, Administrative Officer, Reston, VA" <aasabati,
        "Carolyn Cooper, Management Analyst, Reston, VA"
<carol_cooper@brd.usgs.gov
From: Karen Pangle <kpangle
Subject: Field Contracting Officer Distribution #200
Cc: "Gayle A Sisler,  Reston, VA" <gsisler@igsrsparc4.er.usgs.gov,
        "Carole Carter-Pfisterer,  Reston, VA" <ccarter,
        "MaryLou D Pectol,  Reston, VA" <mpectol,
        "Joseph S Pillera,  Reston, VA" <jpillera@igsrn008.er.usgs.gov,
        "Alice A Sabatini, Administrative Officer, Reston, VA" <aasabati,
        "John R Caracciolo, Management Initiatives Officer, Reston, VA"
<john_caracciolo@igsrsparc4.er.usgs.gov,
        "Lisa E Zukowski,  Reston, VA" <lzukows,
        "Margaret J Seaboy,  Reston, VA" <mseaboy,
        "John K Peterson,  Reston, VA" <jpeterso

Greetings Field Contracting Officers:

This email is transmitting Contracting Officer Distribution #200;
Memorandum from the Chief, Office of Acquisition and Federal Assistance.
Subject:  Single Call Limit Increase and DOI Blocked Merchant Catergory
   Codes

Please remember to let this office know immediately if your office address
changes.  Also, if you change jobs, retire, or leave the USGS, your
original warrant certificate must be mailed back to this office.

If you have any questions regarding warrants, please reply to this email or
give me a call.
**************************************************************************

In Reply Refer To: 
Mail Stop 205P 

					MEMORANDUM




To:		Field Warranted Contracting Officers

From:		John K. Peterson
		Chief, Office of Acquisition and Federal Assistance

Subject:	Single Call Limit Increase and DOI Blocked Merchant Category Codes

Please be advised that we have revised the single call limit for purchase
charges on the new NationsBank charge card to $100,000 for warranted
contracting officers (CO's).  This dollar level was selected to coincide
with your Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) ordering authority to facilitate
use of the card for FSS orders, for on-line ordering through GSA
Advantage!, or other mandatory source of supply.  This change does not
alter your delegated procurement authority for open market purchases, but
offers you an alternative mechanism for accomplishing those buys up to your
warrant limit!  Since the bank's system can not differentiate between FSS
orders and open market orders, you will need to exercise caution to assure
that your open market orders do not exceed your warrant authority.
Department of the Interior (DOI) has had us include warrant levels for our
CO's in NationsBank's system and will monitor by exception reports, all
awards above $2,500 as well as using other monitoring techniques to manage
the program. 

We regret that it became necessary as part of the conversion to set all
cardholders initially to the $2,500 limit, and hope this did not pose too
much of an inconvenience.  This conversion  produced a host of problems,
and we had to give first priority to making sure everyone who needed a card
received a usable one.

We have updated our intranet page containing guidance on using the card for
purchases over $2,500.  This information can be found at
http://www.usgs.gov:8888/ops/acquisition/bccospl.html

We also initially utilized a Merchant Category Code (MCC) template
established by DOI that "blocked" purchases at a few types of merchants.
We have found that some of these are unnecessarily restrictive and have
opened up several for all cardholders.  Others are reasonably restrictive
for non-warranted cardholders but need to be available for the necessary
occasional legitimate use by trained field warranted CO's.  An example is
the MCC for charities.  This MCC was blocked by DOI and it would seem
reasonable to do so.  However, we utilize the American Red Cross for
training sessions (CPR, etc.) and credit card charges were being blocked by
the DOI template.  Please let your local cardholders know that they should
contact you if a purchase is rejected because of MCC restriction.  You will
be able to make the purchase for them if it is appropriate.  We have
advised DOI that we are unblocking all MCC's for warranted CO's and expect
that they will monitor purchasing under the affected MCC's by exception
report. 

We hope you make good use of this tool, and thank you for your patience
during this difficult conversion.  As before, questions about use of the
card or problems with accounts should be directed to Margaret Seaboy at
703-648-7350 (email: mseaboy@usgs.gov).  You may also call Lisa Zukowski at
703-648-7347 (email: lzukows@usgs.gov).

CO Distribution (200)
Karen B. Pangle
Procurement Technician
205P National Center
Reston, VA   20192
(703) 648-7341
(703) 648-7901 FAX