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County updates purchasing-card (P‑card) policy; administrator authorized to sign
Summary
Deschutes County commissioners authorized the county administrator to sign revisions to Policy F3, modernizing purchasing-card rules, consolidating a sheriff's-office policy into the countywide policy and allowing the procurement manager to approve card limits up to $25,000.
The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners authorized the county administrator to sign an updated purchasing-card policy (Policy F3) on Oct. 22, 2025. The update modernizes controls for the county’s procurement card (P-card) program, clarifies roles and responsibilities, and removes a redundant sheriff’s-office policy.
Chief Financial Officer Robert Tintill and Procurement Manager Heather Herath presented the revisions. Staff said the county’s prior P‑card policy dated to Sept. 20, 2017, and the sheriff’s-office version dated to March 19, 2007, is duplicative. The revised policy expands definitions, clarifies responsibilities for cardholders, custodians and approvers, and allows the procurement manager (or designee) to approve P‑card limits up to $25,000; CFO approval remains for higher limits.
The board voted to authorize the county administrator’s signature. Commissioners recorded unanimous support: Commissioner Chang — yes; Commissioner Dare — yes; Chair Debone — yes.
What the policy does: Among other changes, staff said it removes the option to use store-issued credit cards, codifies internal controls (transaction limits and merchant-code restrictions), and consolidates sheriff’s-office credit-card rules under the countywide F3 policy. Staff also noted elected officials and employees are eligible for county P‑cards to avoid personal-card expenditures for county business.
Why it matters: County staff said P‑cards reduce processing costs compared with check payments and allow real-time controls. The procurement manager described tools such as merchant-code blocks and live transaction limits that reduce misuse risk.
Next steps: Staff will finalize the policy and the county administrator will sign the update. Procurement staff will continue training and manage card issuance.
