---
kind: "section"
citation: "48 C.F.R. § 213.270"
title: "48"
number: "213.270"
heading: "Use of the Governmentwide commercial purchase card."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/48/213.270"
---

# §213.270. Use of the Governmentwide commercial purchase card.


Use the Governmentwide commercial purchase card as the method of purchase and/or method of payment for purchases valued at or below the micro-purchase threshold. This policy applies to all types of contract actions authorized by the FAR unless—

- (a) The Deputy Secretary of Defense has approved an exception for an electronic commerce/electronic data interchange system or operational requirement that results in a more cost-effective payment process;
- (b)
  - (1) A general or flag officer or a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) makes a written determination that—
    - (i) The source or sources available for the supply or service do not accept the purchase card; and
    - (ii) **The contracting office is seeking a source that accepts the purchase card.**
  - (2) To prevent mission delays, if an activity does not have a resident general or flag officer of SES member, delegation of this authority to the level of the senior local commander or director is permitted; or
- (c) **The purchase or payment meets one or more of the following criteria—**
  - (1) **The place of performance is entirely outside the United States and its outlying areas.**
  - (2) **The purchase is a Standard Form 44 purchase for aviation fuel or oil.**
  - (3) The purchase is an overseas transaction by a contracting officer in support of a contingency operation as defined in [10 U.S.C. 101(a)(13)](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-13) or a humanitarian or peacekeeping operation as defined in [10 U.S.C. 3015(2)](/usc/10/3015.md?p=2).
  - (4) The purchase is a transaction in support of intelligence or other specialized activities addressed by [Part 2.7](/cfr/48/part2.7.md) of Executive Order 12333.
  - (5) The purchase is for training exercises in preparation for overseas contingency, humanitarian, or peacekeeping operations.
  - (6) **The payment is made with an accommodation check.**
  - (7) **The payment is for a transportation bill.**
  - (8) The purchase is under a Federal Supply Schedule contract that does not permit use of the Governmentwide commercial purchase card.
  - (9) **The purchase is for medical services and—**
    - (i) It involves a controlled substance or narcotic;
    - (ii) It requires the submission of a Health Care Summary Record to document the nature of the care purchased;
    - (iii) The ultimate price of the medical care is subject to an independent determination that changes the price paid based on application of a mandatory CHAMPUS Maximum Allowable Charge determination that reduces the Government liability below billed charges;
    - (iv) The Government already has entered into a contract to pay for the services without the use of a purchase card;
    - (v) The purchaser is a beneficiary seeking medical care; or
    - (vi) The senior local commander or director of a hospital or laboratory determines that use of the purchase card is not appropriate or cost-effective. The Medical Prime Vendor Program and the DoD Medical Electronic Catalog Program are two examples where use of the purchase card may not be cost-effective.

## Notes

### Amendments

[65 FR 46626, July 31, 2000, as amended at 70 FR 35544, June 21, 2005; 87 FR 76992, Dec. 16, 2022]

### Authority

Authority: 41 U.S.C. 1303 and 48 CFR chapter 1.

### Source

Source: 64 FR 2596, Jan. 15, 1999, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[65 FR 46626, July 31, 2000, as amended at 70 FR 35544, June 21, 2005; 87 FR 76992, Dec. 16, 2022]