Fiscal year-end: Is your GPC ready?

  • Published
  • By Maj. Leigh Baumbaugh
  • 509th Contracting Squadron commander
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  Did you know the DoD fiscal year ends on Sept. 30 each year? This means that over the next few months, squadrons will be gearing up to identify and finalize FY18 unit requirements and outline the means between receiving funds and actually making the purchase. Most of these items will consist of small dollar purchases that can be made within the unit.

How does that happen? Enter the Government Purchase Card (GPC) program.

The GPC is an effective program put into place to afford units buying power for small-dollar requirements, such as goods and services your unit needs to meet its daily mission. GPC cardholders are charged with spending taxpayer money, and great care is taken by the GPC office to provide proper oversight of that spending. However, before that occurs, unit approving officials and cardholders must determine if the purchase meets mission needs and is, well, legal.

Sometimes there are questionable, grey areas when a requirement needs to be reviewed further to determine the appropriate purchase path. The Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, GPC office is here to help.

The GPC office provides monthly training to those individuals who are specialized enough to become obligators of the U.S. government’s money, as well as consistently provides Whiteman personnel with sound business advice. It is important to understand that only certain people are authorized to obligate government funds: a warranted contracting officer and a delegated GPC cardholder.

Unauthorized use occurs when an unauthorized person obligates government funds – an act that can have dire consequences on your career and your pocketbook. This means that if you identify something your unit needs, it is very important to contact your unit’s resource advisor, approving official, and/or GPC cardholder to coordinate the appropriate path to make the purchase.

During the last fiscal year, Whiteman purchased over $11 million in unit requirements via the GPC, totaling over 14,000 transactions. As we gear up for this fiscal year’s end, the Whiteman GPC office is here to ensure your unit is on the right path for small-dollar spending.

If you have any questions, please contact the GPC office at whiteman_gpc_office@us.af.mil, or 660-687-5430.