Spending analysis of government purchase card buys for United States Navy destroyers

Abstract

Navy activities, especially ships, purchase the majority of the supplies with which they need to operate through the Naval Supply Systems Command using traditional requisitioning procedures as provided for by instruction. Some purchases, however, are made by utilizing commercial vendors and businesses both in the local community and by electronic means utilizing the Internet. The Government Purchase Card (GPC) program was instituted to minimize paperwork and facilitate the purchase of commercial goods and services from commercial businesses in the same manner as private citizens using their credit cards. The GPC is the preferred method to purchase and to pay for supplies or services not exceeding the micro-purchase threshold. The current system for requesting material to be purchased with the GPC lacks visibility above the shipboard level. COMNAVSURFOR has specifically requested this study in order to satisfy two specific goals: the first is to gain an understanding of the groupings of materials and services that GPC has been used to purchase. The second is to lay out a process for future implementation to gather information on monthly GPC procurements.