(a) Only the Controller, or designee, is authorized to order credit cards from providers of credit cards.

(b) Requests for credit cards shall be made to the Controller, after approval by the department director. Requests for credit cards shall be in writing and signed by the director of the department requesting the card(s), using the Approval to Obtain Samish Credit Card Memorandum form.

(c) Credit cards shall bear the name of Samish Indian Nation and the name of the person responsible (cardholder). Credit accounts, where there is no physical card (ghost cards), may be obtained only by the Controller for payment of invoices through the accounts payable process.

(d) The Controller, or designee, may suspend or cancel any credit card due to: failure of cardholder or department to comply with these procedures and policies; misuse of a card; failure to provide, or habitually late in providing, documentation or compliance required accounting information; failure to reimburse Samish for disallowed charges; failure to maintain proper custody of the card; or other uses of a card which the Controller deems not in Samish’s best interest.

(a) In order to facilitate efficient operations, cardholders may be authorized to carry their Samish credit card at all times.

(b) Failure to comply with the procedures and policies contained in this chapter, and procurement procedures and policies as a whole, may result in loss of privilege to carry Samish credit cards at all times, require reverting to Samish credit card check-out and check-in procedures, cancellation of Samish credit card, and/or disciplinary action.

(c) Cardholders may choose to use the credit card check-out/in method instead of carrying their credit card at all times.

(a) Expenses authorized by travel, recognition events and other related expense, and miscellaneous expense policies for travel. When credit cards are used for meal or other travel expenses which are not authorized by the travel policy or exceed reimbursement limits of the travel policy, such amount(s) shall be paid by the cardholder within 10 days of return from the travel or notification by Samish of disallowed charges.

(b) Purchases of goods and services.

(c) Online purchases when such purchase is advantageous to the overall efforts of Samish. Purchasers of online services shall ensure that sales tax is paid or that the Controller is notified that sales tax has not been paid, in which case the use tax will be paid as applicable and charged to the department.

(d) Payment of invoices through the accounts payable process.

(e) Tribal Council credit cards are to be used for travel expenses related to Tribal Council meetings, other travel expenses approved by Council, and incidental Tribal Council supply purchases. Tribal Council members are required to submit itemized receipts to Finance at a minimum monthly but may be submitted more frequently at cardholder discretion. Tribal Council purchases made using personal credit cards must be submitted to Finance for reimbursement with all itemized receipts and supporting documentation attached. Finance will issue policy guidance and best practices memos and forms in order to aid Tribal Council to stay in compliance with these policies and external regulations.

(a) Cash advances.

(b) Personal purchases.

(c) Purchases for any nonofficial Samish purpose.

(d) Food and refreshments not included in the travel, miscellaneous expense or recognition policy.

(e) Travel expenses for individuals not covered by the travel policy, even if it is the intent to reimburse Samish.

(f) Purchase of alcohol.

(g) Purchases which are in violation of any law, regulation, scope of an approved grant award, or Samish policy. [Res. 2021-02-015 § 2 (Att. 1), 2021.]