Section II: Key Program Participants

2. Who are the participants in the program that are outside of my agency/organization?

There are three major participants in the GSA SmartPay® 2 program that exist outside of your agency/organization: the bank, the merchant community and the GSA Contracting Officer.

Bank - The bank's major duties are:

• Paying merchants for Purchase Charge Card transactions;
• Establishing cardholder accounts;
• Issuing charge cards;
• Creating and maintaining an Electronic Access System (EAS) for agencies/organizations to utilize in managing the charge card program;
• Preparing monthly statements for each cardholder;
• Issuing invoices to the DBO;
• Providing customer service 24/7;
• Preparing reports;
• Participating in an annual conference, sponsored by GSA, that provides hands-on training on the EAS, sharing best practices, and addressing any issues and concerns; and
• Complying with all other terms and conditions of the Master Contract.

Merchants - Merchants are the source of supplies and services the cardholder obtains using the GSA SmartPay® 2 Purchase Charge Card to fulfill your agency/organization's mission. A merchant may be:

• A required source inside or outside the Government (e.g., NIB/NISH);
• Another Government agency; or
• A commercial provider of supplies or services

GSA Contracting Officer - The GSA Contracting Officer administers the GSA SmartPay® 2 Master Contract on behalf of all authorized users, including your agency/organization. The GSA Contracting Officer is the only person authorized to:

• Make any changes to any of the requirements of the GSA SmartPay® 2 Master Contract;
• Legally commit or obligate the Government to the expenditure of public funds for the GSA SmartPay® 2 Master Contract; and
• Render a final decision on a dispute pertaining to the GSA SmartPay® 2 Master Contract.