NASA Procedural Requirements

NPR 9730.1 Effective Date: March 29, 2019 Expiration Date: March 24, 2029

Subject: Travel Cards (Revalidated on March 21, 2024)

Responsible Office: Office of the Chief Financial Officer

Appendix A. Travel Card Supplement

A.1 Travel Card Credit Limits

A.1.1 Travel card limits are assigned based upon the results of a creditworthiness review conducted by the travel card provider.

A.1.2 Depending on the results of the creditworthiness review, travel cards will be issued with the following maximum credit limits.

A.1.2.1 Cardholders assigned a creditworthiness Pass identifier will receive a travel card with a $10,000 credit limit.

A.1.2.2 Cardholders assigned a creditworthiness Restricted identifier will receive a travel card with a $5,000 credit limit.

A.1.2.3 Cardholders that refuse to allow a creditworthiness check will be assigned a creditworthiness Restricted identifier and will receive a travel card with a $5,000 credit limit.

A.1.3 ATM cash advances using the travel card are limited to 13% of the available credit balance on the travel charge card for ATM withdrawals.

A.1.4 Temporary credit limit increases on a restricted card may be requested by the traveler from their Center CFO.

A.1.4.1 Such requests will include notification to the CAPC and will be evaluated monthly by the APC.

A.1.5 Restricted travel cards cannot be approved for a permanent increase in the travel card credit limit.

A.2 Travel Card Program Monitoring and Reporting

A.2.1 The Agency OCFO will coordinate all mandatory external reporting of travel card metrics and data, as required in OMB Circular A-123, Appendix B.

A.2.2 The NSSC Lead APCs will coordinate monthly, quarterly, and annual monitoring of the travel card program.

A.2.3 The CAPCs will support monthly, quarterly, and annual travel card monitoring and reporting activities as directed.

A.3 Creditworthiness Requirements

A.3.1 In accordance with OMB Circular A-123, Appendix B, Chapter 6, Credit Worthiness, and Section 846 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-115), all Federal agencies are required to assess the credit worthiness of new travel card applicants prior to issuance of cards to mitigate the risk of fraud, misuse, and abuse of the Government travel card program.

A.3.2 NASA requires the travel card provider to conduct credit worthiness checks for all new applicants, unless the employee objects.

A.3.3 Credit checks will show as a "soft inquiry" and will not adversely affect an employee's credit score.

A.3.4 Credit scores will be kept confidential by the Travel Card Provider and are never provided to the servicing CAPC.

A.3.5 Applicants transferring from another Government agency outside of NASA that held a travel card with their prior agency will require a new credit worthiness assessment in order to receive a NASA-issued travel card. If the applicant used the same travel card provided with their prior agency, the card needs to be closed out before applying for a NASA travel card.

A.3.6 Applicants that do not agree to a credit worthiness check will receive a travel card with a restricted credit limit.

A.4 Responsibility to Report Changes in Identifying Information

A.4.1 A travel cardholder will notify the travel card provider immediately of any cardholder name or address changes.

A.4.2 A travel cardholder will notify the CAPC upon receiving final approval to complete a TCS or PCS to another Center within NASA. This will allow the travel card accountability to be transferred to the appropriate new Center.

A.5 Suspension of Travel Card

A.5.1 Travel card accounts are suspended from charging privileges when the travel card provider does not receive payment within 61 calendar days from the billing date.

A.5.2 CAPCs will monitor all monthly suspension and cancellation reports and notify the employee and employee's supervisor when account is 61 days or more past the billing date. CAPCs will notify their Center HR when the account is 91 days or more past the billing date to make them aware for the risk of potential salary offset when the cardholder's account reaches 126 days past the billing date.

A.6 Travel Card Delinquency

A.6.1 Travel card accounts are considered delinquent when the travel card provider has not received payment of undisputed charges within 61 calendar days from the billing date on the statement in which the charge(s) appeared.

A.6.2 Travel cardholders are responsible for remitting payment to the travel card provider by the statement due date, notwithstanding whether reimbursement for authorized travel expenses has been requested from or issued by NASA.

A.6.3 Any payment received by the travel card provider for a past due account will be applied first to the oldest past due amount.

A.7 Cancellation of Travel Card

A.7.1 A delinquent travel card account will be cancelled if any of the following situations occurs:

A.7.1.1 Payment is not received by the travel card provider within 126 calendar days from the billing date on the statement.

A.7.1.2 An account becomes delinquent after being suspended two times within a 12-month period.

A.7.1.3 Checks submitted as payment for the travel card account are returned for insufficient funds (NSF) two or more times within a 12-month period.

A.7.2 Travel cardholders whose accounts have been cancelled are still responsible for paying all undisputed amounts due to the travel card provider.

A.7.3 The traveler can be charged a late fee each month on the entire undisputed amount until payment is received by the travel card provider.

A.7.4 Cancelled travel card accounts may be reported to the National Credit Center and may be reflected in the traveler's credit history.

A.8 Salary Offset

A.8.1 NASA is obligated under OMB A-123, Appendix B, to collect from the employee's disposable pay any undisputed delinquent amount owed to the travel card provider once the account has reached at least 126 days delinquent.

A.8.2 At 126 days delinquent, NASA will initiate the salary offset process for the travel cardholder if past due balance is greater than $100.00. cardholder.

A.8.3 The CAPC will provide all of the following to an employee subject to salary offset for travel card delinquency:

A.8.3.1 Written notice of the type and amount of the claim, intention to collect the claim by deduction from the employee's disposable pay, and explanation of the employee's rights as a debtor.

A.8.3.2 An opportunity to inspect and copy the records related to the claim.

A.8.3.3 An opportunity to make a written agreement with the Travel Card Provider to repay the delinquent amount.

A.8.4 Upon execution of the salary offset, the CAPC will ensure the appropriate deductions are made from the cardholder's salary, in accordance with the due process, policies, and procedures of salary offset described in 41 CFR § 301-54.100 and § 301-76.100.

A.9 Account Charge-Off

A.9.1 When payment is not received by the travel card provider within 181 calendar days from the billing date on the statement, the travel card provider will charge off any outstanding balance.

A.9.2 Charged-off travel card accounts may be reported to the National Credit Center and may be reflected in the employee's credit history.

A.9.3 If salary offset is not available as an option for payment of the delinquent account (e.g., if the employee has retired), the travel card provider may elect to utilize a collection agency for delinquency control after charge off.

A.10 Reinstatement of Cancelled Travel Card Accounts

A.10.1 Employees meeting any of the conditions described in Section 2.3 are not eligible for reinstatement of a travel card account, unless an exception is approved by the NSSC Lead APCs and travel card provider.

A.10.2 Under certain circumstances, and at the sole discretion of the travel card provider, cancelled accounts may be reviewed for reinstatement once full payment of the undisputed amount, including any penalties or late fees, are made.

A.10.3 Employees seeking reinstatement will complete a refresher travel card training course and provide the CAPC with the certificate of completion.

A.10.4 An employee seeking travel card reinstatement will submit to their CAPC a circumstance memorandum request approved and signed by the Center Director or Headquarters OIC. The memorandum will contain the following information:

A.10.4.1 Circumstances that caused the delinquency/suspension/cancellation of the travel card.

A.10.4.2 Measures taken to prevent future delinquency/cancellation of the account.

A.10.4.3 Current status of the account balance.

A.10.5 The CAPC (Level Three) will submit the reinstatement request package to the NSSC Lead APCs for review and approval. The NSSC Lead APCs will then submit the package to the Agency OCFO.

A.10.6 After the Agency OCFO reviews the package, a formal request for reinstatement will be sent to the travel card provider for review.

A.10.7 The travel card provider may conduct a credit worthiness check prior to the review for reinstatement.

A.10.8 The travel card provider may charge employees seeking reinstatement a reinstatement fee.

A.10.9 The travel card provider may not immediately review requests for reinstatement and such requests are rarely approved. The travel card provider's decision on reinstatement is final.

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NODIS

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