Thank goodness there isn’t any government waste!
After much thought, NOAA has released their new purchase card policies. Here is one of the highlights from the document:
“A funding document for each transaction must be in the card holder’s file (i.e. e-mail with funds availability approval or other document executed by the appropriate individual with funds commitment authority)”
My favorite response to this announcement (there have been several) has been the following:
“Please confirm that a funding document (e-mail) is now required for each transaction. For example, we have many field deployed technicians that maintain our facility infrastructure. Are you now telling us in order to purchase a $2.69 tube of caulk from Home Depot to seal a leaky window, the card holder must check excess property and other agency stock before they go to Home Depot? Next, they must call or e-mail the SRH Budget Officer, ask if funding is available, then receive another e-mail stating funds are available, write a fair and reasonable pricing justification, and then file each of these e-mails in a folder for the next seven years? And, if they need to go back to Home Depot for a second $2.69 tube of caulk, they must repeat the approval process and filing requirements?”
The crazy thing is the response appears to be correct. I wonder what the final cost for a tube of caulk runs Uncle Sam? Perhaps this is the real reason the government has $500 toilet seats on its books.
This is my new favorite response:
My goodness, what a mess. I’m so ashamed. I now realize that I have apparently been breaking the “regulations” for years now, though minor, regulations are regulations…. shame on me.
The guilt just overwhelms me to the point that I’ve just turned in both my purchase and travel cards and am in deep depression.
For the remainder of my employment with NOAA I promise to do the correct thing with regards to purchases.
If I run into a problem, say a needed bolt for the Fisher Porter or other COOP equipment, and don’t have one in the truck. I will NOT stop at the nearest hardware store. I’ll return to the office (even thought it may be over 100 miles away), look through the supply system until I find a proper bolt and order it. When it arrives I will return to the COOP site and install it.
I’m old. I don’t mind waiting weeks to repair a piece of equipment that should have taken a few minutes with common sense.
Oops, I mentioned that C word didn’t I forgive me once again.
Rest assured I will comply fully henceforth with the policies directed down with regards to purchase items. (I’ll have to, I no longer have a card). And again, please forgive me for my past transgressions.
June 29th, 2007 at 12:44 pm