The General Services Administration awarded contracts to six firms, including Citibank, to provide charge card services to the U.S. Government. These Government-wide contracts became effective on November 30, 1998 and replaced the travel card (American Express), the IMPAC purchase card (U.S. Bank, formerly Rocky Mountain Bank) and the fleet card (Wright Express). The Department of State selected Citibank for all three business lines (travel, purchase and fleet). USAID, and Peace Corps are included as tag-along agencies in the Department’s task order issued on July 2, 1998 to Citibank.

The Department issued a purchase card (Citibank Visa or Mastercard) to designated employees under a delegation of purchase authority to pay for certain types of purchases for office supplies, copier supplies and maintenance, books and subscriptions; and repair of property and equipment (other than building property). Merchants who do not offer sales through the Visa or MasterCard associations may want to contact Citibank for information.

(See Appendix 1 for statistics on Department of State credit card spending.)