RICHMOND, VA - Earlier this week, the Office of the City Auditor (OCA) released findings from a comprehensive audit of the City of Richmond's purchasing card (p-card) program. The audit includes a review of the program and employee card usage, both of which lacked internal controls-such as employees submitting transactions with missing and insufficient documentation, approver capacity overload, and inconsistent policy enforcement, among others-which allowed for purchasing and payment to be misaligned with program goals.

The report also includes a number of recommendations, several of which are already completed or in progress. These recommendations include steps such as:

• A relaunch of the p-card program that incorporates audit findings and establishes strong foundational controls.

• Rewrite and strengthen program policies and guidelines to align with industry best practices

• Strengthening approver oversight

• Restructure roles and responsibilities to avoid "excessive concentration of duties"

• Improve data-driven monitoring of purchasing activities

• Seek to prohibit the use of third-party pay applications such as Venmo and PayPal.

The full audit report, complete with recommendations from the City Auditor, is available on the City Auditor's website at https://rva.gov/office-city-auditor/reports-issued/

For the latest information on the City's progress in overhauling its p-card program, please visit the p-card progress tracker.

About OCA

The OCA is an independent office organized under the Richmond City Council which is charged with strengthening transparency and accountability in local government through independent, impactful audits that enhance public trust and improve City operations.

Audits from OCA evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency, and compliance of City programs and services and offer recommendations to improve performance, safeguard public resources, and promote sound governance.