In a request for the type of report that commonly lays the groundwork for a change in policy, leaders of the House government operations subcommittee have asked GAO to investigate “potential waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse” in the use of federally issued purchase cards.
The bipartisan letter asked for a focus in particular on “micro purchases” which are capped at $3,000 per transaction. “Such purchases can easily add up to billions of dollars if not properly managed,” said the letter, which is a follow-up to a recent hearing at which IG reports challenging spending at agencies including Labor and EPA.
The letter noted that GAO found weaknesses in controls in a 2008 report that helped pave the way for OMB and GSA instructions to agencies to strengthen controls and impose more liability on card holders for unauthorized purchases.
The leaders asked GAO to assess whether the earlier identified weaknesses persist; how effective the OMB and GSA actions have been; and highlight examples of improper spending through its own investigation.
