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

Chapter 5. Prohibited Usage of Travel Card

5.1 Personal Purchases

5.1.1 Employees cannot use the travel charge card to make personal purchases or ATM withdrawals for personal use.

5.1.2 Employees shall have a signed, approved travel authorization in order to officially use the travel card. The travel card can only be used by the person whose name is on the card.

5.1.3 Personal or family member use of the travel card is strictly prohibited, unless such use is related to an approved and allowable relocation expense, as described in Section 4.2.

5.1.4 The following are also considered a personal expense: individual travel-related expenses for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Pre-Check, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Trusted Traveler Programs (Global Entry, Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI), and NEXUS), or other commercially provided programs, such as CLEAR®, on behalf of NASA civil service employees/travelers.

5.2 Local Travel

The travel card is authorized for use in connection with official travel and is generally inappropriate to use for local travel. An exception is permitted for use of travel cards for an approved car rental for local travel related to an area site visit or similar purpose, provided the employee first has a prior approved travel authorization for the travel including cost of the rental car. In this case, the rental car shall be booked through the automated travel system.

5.3 Non-Travel-Related Expenses

Employees shall not use the travel card to pay for non-travel related expenses (e.g., for procurements like office supplies that should be purchased using a PCard or purchase order), even if such expenses are incurred during or fees are associated with official TDY.

5.4 Disciplinary Actions

5.4.1 NASA is obligated under OMB Circular A-123, Appendix B, to initiate administrative and/or disciplinary actions against cardholders who (a) fail to meet their responsibilities with respect to appropriate use and timely payment of the charge card or (b) who engage in charge card misuse as defined therein.

5.4.2 If a CAPC identifies facts indicating that a cardholder is, as described in Section 5.4.1, potentially failing to meet their responsibilities or is potentially engaged in misuse, the CAPC shall provide written notification to the travel cardholder and cardholder's supervisor within two business days of such identification.

5.4.3 A travel cardholder notified under Section 5.4.2 shall provide a formal response explaining the circumstances to the CAPC and cardholder's supervisor. Any disciplinary action will be held in abeyance pending the CAPC's and supervisor's evaluation of cardholder's formal response.

5.4.4 The CAPC will evaluate the cardholder's explanation and determine if the response adequately addresses the facts that necessitated notification under Section 5.4.2. The CAPC will coordinate with Human Resources and the appropriate legal office as needed in making this determination.

5.4.5 If the CAPC or travel cardholder's supervisor does not receive an adequate explanation and suspects that the cardholder failed to meet their responsibilities or engaged in potential misuse, they shall report the matter to the NSSC Lead APC and NASA OCFO. If the circumstances raise allegations of fraud or abuse, the requirements of NPD 9800.1, NASA Office of Inspector General Programs, paragraph 5m, to report allegations of fraud to the Office of Inspector General also apply.

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