ALL DOI Employees - New Charge Card Program Q & A's

Date: Tue, 01 Dec 1998 11:19:20 -0500
To: "USGS Employees"<distribution>
From: " All Employee email,  Reston, VA" <all@igsrsparc4.er.usgs.GOV>
Subject: ALL DOI Employees - New Charge Card Program Q & A's

Subject: ALL DOI Employees - New Charge Card Program Q & A's

                        Department of the Interior 
                NationsBank MasterCard Questions and Answers

During the past week, NationsBank has issued over 65,000 new integrated and 
vehicle-assigned fleet charge cards to Department of the Interior employees
and 
organizations.  These will be used beginning November 30, 1998 for all
purchase,
travel and fleet charge card transactions. This changeover affects almost
every 
federal government employee; the five participating banks are issuing about 2 
million cards, all of which become effective on November 30.  As you would 
expect with a changeover of this size, some problems have occurred.  Here are 
some common questions that have come in from Interior employees, with
suggested 
solutions.  Of course, if you have an urgent problem, contact the NationsBank 
Government Card Services Unit (GCSU) for immediate help at 1-800-472-1424.

If you received a card, take a moment to look at it carefully.
        The card should have these words imprinted in the plastic: 
                "United States of America
                For Official Government Use Only   CPP
                U.S. Department of the Interior
                Tax Exempt I.D. 140001849"

        The following information should be embossed on the card:
                A sixteen digit account number, beginning 5568
                Valid dates should read 11/30/98 - month/year (beginning as 
                early as 12/00 and running as late as 12/01).  The expiration 
                date is in month/two-digit year format.
                Your name
                Your bureau name (optional)

If your card matches this model, activate it and use it as needed for
official 
travel, purchases and fleet purchases, as authorized, beginning on November
30. 
If your card does not match these guidelines, follow the instructions below.

If you received a card but do not have your card activation code:
        Call NationsBank at 1-800-311-7810.  You will be prompted three times 
for a card activation code number.  Be patient.  Stay on the line and it will 
ring over to a person who can help you activate your card.  You will need to 
know your Social Security Number to complete this process.
 
If you did not receive a card:
        Are you eligible to receive a card?

        If you have an American Express account that was not delinquent or 
canceled, or a U.S. Bank purchase card, you should have received a card.
If you
are on official government travel or need to make purchases before December
12, 
call the NationsBank Government Card Services Unit (GCSU) at 1-800-472-1424
to 
order a rush card.  
        If you are not on official government travel or do not need to make 
purchases before December 12, call the Office of Acquisition and Property 
Management at 202-208-6352 to report the error and initiate the process for a 
replacement card to be ordered.  A new card will arrive in 10-14 calendar
days.
        
        If you did not have a current American Express account or U.S. Bank 
purchase card, then you need to determine whether you are eligible, and
obtain 
your supervisor's approval to receive a card.  If you are eligible and have
your
supervisor's approval, you should contact your A/OPC to initiate the card 
application process.  
        
        If you are not eligible, in accordance with Department of the
Interior 
policy, you may not be issued a card.

If your name is wrong on the card.  

If your first or last name is misspelled.
        - Is your bureau correct?
        Yes.  This is probably a typo on your name and your card is valid.
Call
the Office of Acquisition and Property Management at 202-208-6352 to verify
that
your correct Social Security Number (SSN) is listed for that account.  If so, 
the card can be activated and used, and a replacement card ordered later to 
correct the misspelling. If not, do not activate or use the card.  Please
cut it
in half through the magnetic stripe and mail the pieces to your A/OPC.
        If you are on official government travel or need to make purchases 
before December 12, call the NationsBank Government Card Services Unit at 
1-800-472-1424 to order a rush replacement card.
        If you are not on official government travel or do not need to make 
purchases before December 12, call the Office of Acquisition and Property 
Management at 202-208-6352 to report the error and initiate the process for a 
replacement card to be ordered.  A new card will arrive in 10-14 calendar
days.

        No.  You probably have the wrong card.  Do not activate or use the
card.
 Please cut it in half through the magnetic stripe and mail the pieces to
your 
A/OPC.
        If you are on official government travel or need to make purchases 
before December 12, call the NationsBank Government Card Services Unit at 
1-800-472-1424 to order a rush replacement card.
        If you are not on official government travel or do not need to make 
purchases before December 12, call the Office of Acquisition and Property 
Management at 202-208-6352 to report the error and initiate the process for a 
replacement card to be ordered.  A new card will arrive in 10-14 calendar
days.

If your name on the card has the wrong middle initial:
        You probably have the wrong card.  Do not activate or use the card.  
Please cut it in half through the magnetic stripe and mail the pieces to your 
A/OPC.
        
        If you are on official government travel or need to make purchases 
before December 12, call the NationsBank Government Card Services Unit at 
1-800-472-1424 to order a rush replacement card.
        
        If you are not on official government travel or do not need to make 
purchases before December 12, call the Office of Acquisition and Property 
Management at 202-208-6352 to report the error and initiate the process for a 
replacement card to be ordered.  A new card will arrive in 10-14 calendar
days.

If you don't like the way your name is listed on the card (for example,
Robert 
Smith instead of Bob Smith). 
        Please live with it for now.  Your card is valid. The card can be 
activated and used, and a replacement card ordered later through your bureau 
A/OPC to change the name to your preferred name.

If you became an Interior employee after the August 15 cutoff date for new
cards
to be issued.  How do you get a card?
        - If you are eligible and have your supervisor's approval, you should 
contact your A/OPC to initiate this process.  
 
If your address is wrong, but you received your card:
        Please notify your A/OPC, who can make this correction in EAGLS.

If you received more than one Department of the Interior NationsBank
MasterCard.
        Please check with your A/OPC, who can access your user profile to 
determine which one you should keep.  In the meantime, save all cards, and if 
you need to conduct any charge card transactions, activate and use the one
with 
the latest expiration date.
        After the A/OPC determines which card to keep, the cardholder can 
activate that account and use the card.  The A/OPC will deactivate the other 
account(s); the cardholder should then cut the other cards in half through
the 
magnetic stripe and mail the pieces to NationsBank.
        If the A/OPC is unable to determine which card you should use, call
the 
NationsBank Government Card Services Unit at 1-800-472-1424 for assistance.

If you received a NationsBank VISA, CITIBANK VISA/MasterCard, or a card from 
U.S. Bank, First Chicago or Mellon Bank .
        Are you a member of the National Guard?  NationsBank holds the
contract 
for the Department of Defense travel program, which included issuing cards to 
members of the National Guard.  You may activate that card and use it for
your 
National Guard-related travel.  Do NOT use it for your official Department of 
the Interior travel.

        In general, if you were employed by any other Federal agency and
held an
American Express travel card within the past five years, you have a high 
likelihood of receiving a card from the issuing bank for that agency.  You 
should NOT activate the card.  Cut it in half through the magnetic stripe and 
mail the pieces back to the issuing bank.

To pay for transportation tickets the next time you are going on official 
government travel:
        When you book your travel through your Travel Management Center,
provide
them the account number from your individual card.  The TMC will update your 
user profile in their system.  The Department of the Interior will no
longer use
corporate or GTA accounts for transportation for its employees with travel
card 
privileges.

If you have not received your Automated Teller Machine (ATM) personal 
identification number (PIN):
        Call the NationsBank Government Card Services Unit at
1-800-472-1424 to 
set up a new PIN.  The new number will be effective immediately, and you will 
receive written confirmation in the mail within several days.

If you would like to change your ATM personal identification number (PIN):
        Call the NationsBank Government Card Services Unit at
1-800-472-1424 to 
set up a new PIN.  The new number will be effective immediately, and you will 
receive written confirmation in the mail within several days.

To use your card to get fuel for a rental car when you are on travel:  
        You will be able to use your NationsBank MasterCard at any location
with
the MasterCard logo.  If you are prompted at the pump for a driver 
identification number or odometer reading, enter 999999.  This information is 
also listed on your wallet directory.
        
To use your vehicle-assigned fleet cards for fuel or maintenance for
Department 
of the Interior-owned vehicles and equipment:
        You will be able to use your NationsBank MasterCard at any location
with
the MasterCard logo.  If you are prompted at the pump for a driver 
identification number or odometer reading, follow your bureau-specific fleet 
instructions. 

If your organization leases vehicles from the General Services Administration 
Interagency Fleet Management Service:
        GSA awarded its fleet contract to Voyager.  A driver PIN will be 
required for all IFMS vehicles.  We understand this will be the last six
digits 
of the account code.  In most locations, you will need to go to the service 
window to use the GSA Voyager card for fuel.

A former co-worker called to say they had gotten a card.  They've retired (or 
they've moved to another agency).  What should you tell them?
        Please ask them to cut the card in half through the magnetic stripe
and 
return the pieces to NationsBank in the envelope provided for the signature 
card.  They should not activate the card.  Your bureau A/OPC will
deactivate the
account, or provide NationsBank instructions to deactivate the account.