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HQ AFDW to implement card controlled spend accounts for government travel

  • Published
  • By Aletha Frost
  • Publid Affairs
Beginning Dec. 1, Headquarters Air Force District of Washington will implement a new strategic management tool, Controlled Spend Access for government travelers.

CSA is the new generation government travel card that bases spending limits on approved travel authorizations and provides just enough funds to perform the mission and is designed to provide a responsive and effective card product for travelers.

Controlled Spend Account ensures the entire traveler population is covered within any agency, and rids the process of delinquency control; enhances travelers account reconciliation, minimizes the time and resources necessary to reconcile centrally billed travel accounts.

"The CSA is a responsive tool that addresses the travelers' needs while being low maintenance," said Micah Killion, Director, Programs and Financial Management, HQ AFDW. "It meets the mission requirements, decreases workload on all functional areas and results in increased use by Air Force travelers."

The program enables travelers to qualify for a card that has pre-set credit spending limits based upon an approved mission's specific needs and is activated only for all official travel.

A CSA account provides benefits to both the user and Citi. The program eliminates risk of delinquencies and misuse of cards since the cards only have value when the member has approved travel orders. CSA expenditures are dispersed 100 percent back to Citi removing delinquency collections and related disciplinary actions from first sergeants and commanders.

In addition, travelers can use the residual funds from their CSA or transfer them online to another personal account. Users can also directly contact Citi for payment back in the form of a check or electronic transfer to a member's personal account.

Every traveler will have a CSA card and it will be required for all travel expenses.

New or existing government travel cardholders will need to apply for an account through their Agency Program Coordinator. No credit check will be necessary to obtain a CSA since CSA in not linked to a cardholder's credit rating.

After receiving a CSA card users must keep mailing address, email address and phone number up to date. Citibank uses this information to provide CSA card users up-to-date information on their card. Cardholders will be notified when amounts are loaded to the CSA (upward and downward) or if the account has a returned billing statement.

CSA provides greater financial efficiencies, internal controls, productivity, and increased funds security. Additional benefits will enhance the warfighters ability to perform the mission, apply greater manpower efficiencies by reducing manual administrative functions currently not supported by GTC, and capture more travel spending on card resulting in more program rebates.

Implementing CSA across the Wings is projected for early 2011.

For more information contact the HQ AFDW staff agency program coordinator.