Policy

The Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Administration at the Department of Commerce determined that appropriated funds may be used to purchase business cards, provided a written policy is established by the head of each agency.  Accordingly, NIST policy for the purchase of business cards with appropriated funds is outlined below.

Operating Unit (OU) Delegation

The authority to purchase business cards is delegated to the Director of each Operating Unit (OU).  OU Directors may redelegate the authority two organizational levels below the OU Director.  An OU may decide that no organizational unit in the OU may use its funds to purchase business cards for employees.  Employees may order business cards with their own funds provided the card format conforms to the required Department of Commerce business card format.

An OU must establish and document:

(1) delegations;
(2) the employee(s) or categories of employees who should have business cards; and
(3) the requirement that business cards be used only for official government purposes.  It is improper to use a government business card in an unauthorized manner such as a “free lunch drawing.”

Approval Authority

Approvals to purchase business cards should not be administratively burdensome and should be consistent with the OU delegation.  An e-mail or other informal means of documentation indicating that funding is available is adequate.

Justification

The justification for purchasing business cards with appropriated funds must relate the employees’ need for business cards to performance of their official government duties.

Format

Business cards must conform to the mandatory Department of Commerce business card format (sample shown at http://www-i.nist.gov/admin/amd/acquisition/buscardpo.pdf)

Procurement Process

The appropriate contracting mechanism to purchase business cards is the BankCard.  The BankCard is not to be used to purchase business cards stock to recreate business cards in-house.  BankCard holders must maintain a copy of the OU policy and delegations in their records.

Placement Of Order

All BankCard orders must be placed with The Lighthouse for the Blind at 1-800-799-0402, which is the only authorized source of supply.  Orders can be placed directly with the Lighthouse by completing the order form at the aforementioned web site.