Smart Bulletin No. 022

GSA SmartPay® - GSA SmartPay Program Certification (GSPC)

UPDATE:

Effective Date

December 2, 2021, and shall remain in force until modified or rescinded.

Business Line(s) Affected

Purchase, Travel, Fleet, and Integrated

Introduction

Public Law 112-194, The Charge Card Abuse Prevention Act of 2012, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-123, Appendix B emphasize the need for agencies to effectively manage their charge card programs. Therefore, agency/organization government charge card personnel must possess a thorough understanding of applicable statutes, policies, procedures, and best practices to help ensure charge card programs are managed properly and agency refund potential is maximized. Agency/organization government charge card personnel also ensure that:

• Charge cards/accounts are correctly established, maintained, and closed out.
• Card/account holders are trained (including maintenance training).
• Appropriate transaction monitoring is conducted.
• Agency/organization management is advised when corrective action is required.

Summary

Individuals who play a role in managing or executing agency/organization GSA SmartPay programs have an optional opportunity to earn a GSPC, formerly called the Charge Card Manager Certification (CCMC). This designation is obtained by completing the required coursework offered during the annual GSA SmartPay Training Forum and by possessing actual “hands-on” experience working with the GSA SmartPay program, card/account holders, and card managers.

Use of this certification program is voluntary and is intended to ensure that charge card personnel have the fundamental training and experience needed to work with a government charge card program.

Agency/organization use of this program is encouraged but is not required.

How is the GSPC obtained?

Coursework: All required classes will be offered during the annual GSA SmartPay Training Forum. The curriculum includes both GSA Qualifying and Bank/Brand Qualifying classes.

All GSPC candidates must attend a minimum of seven classes, which includes two GSA Qualifying classes and five Bank/Brand Qualifying classes in order to satisfy the coursework requirement. To see the GSA Qualifying and Bank/Brand Qualifying classes that count towards the GSPC, candidates may refer to the forum’s website (gsasmartpayforum.org) and/or the GSA SmartPay Training Forum’s mobile app.

Please note that:

• Class attendance will be tracked during the GSA SmartPay Training Forum and automatically submitted to the GSPC Program Manager.
• For in-person forums, badges will be scanned as you enter/exit each class.
• For virtual forums, the web platform will track which sessions you attended.
• For in-person and virtual forums, you must attend the entire length of the class to receive credit.
• Attendance at agency meetings occurring throughout the forum does not count towards the certification requirements.

Experience: A candidate must have a minimum of six months of continuous, hands-on experience working with the GSA SmartPay program prior to receiving the certification.

Certification Time Frame: Once the GSPC is awarded, it will remain active for three years.

Requalification for the GSPC To requalify for the GSPC so that it is active for another three years, candidates shall attend a forum (either in-person or virtual) and satisfy the coursework and experience requirements. After the candidate attends the forum and verifies that they have met the coursework and experience requirements, another GSPC will be awarded and will remain active for three years.

Please note that there is no longer a separate process to renew the GSPC.

GSA is permitted to modify the GSPC requirements if program performance warrants. These changes will be conveyed in a revision to this Smart Bulletin.

Action

After the GSA SmartPay Training Forum, GSPC candidates will receive an email with a link to the GSA SmartPay Training website where they will confirm if they have met the coursework and experience requirements. Please note this email will be sent out approximately one month after the conclusion of the forum.

GSPC candidates will answer the following two questions on the GSA SmartPay Training website:

• Coursework: I have met the coursework requirement during the GSA SmartPay Training Forum by attending at least two GSA Qualifying classes and at least five Bank/Brand Qualifying classes, as outlined in Smart Bulletin No. 022.
• Experience: I have met the experience requirement by having a minimum of six months of continuous, hands-on experience working in an agency/organization’s GSA SmartPay program prior to receiving the GSPC.

If the GSPC candidate confirms on the GSA SmartPay Training website that they have met the coursework and experience requirements, the GSPC will be issued and will be immediately emailed to them. Certificates will also be available anytime by going to the GSA SmartPay Training website, then selecting “Access Past Certificates”.

If the GSPC candidate does not confirm on the GSA SmartPay Training website that they have met the coursework and experience requirements, a GSPC will not be issued.

Candidates are permitted to return to the GSA SmartPay Training website using the link previously provided to them to resubmit answers to the coursework and experience questions if they satisfy those requirements after their initial submission.

For questions or comments regarding this Smart Bulletin, please contact the GSPC Program Manager at smartpaygspc@gsa.gov.