‘Integrity, ethics, accountability’: Richmond leaders to use technology to re-imagine p-card system

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The City of Richmond's top procurement official has weighed in on the recent decision to pause purchasing cards for city employees.

A p-card — or purchasing card — is a way for city employees to use city money to make work-related purchases. The Richmond's Department of Procurement Director Rene Almaraz told 8News that their main goal in pausing operations is to adjust the local program so that it better aligns with national standards.

"We're trying to be extremely deliberate about it," Almaraz said. "I totally believe that the p-card program is a best practice, at a city this size."

Almaraz told 8News that since the p-card program launched in 2018, it has "grown and slid around a bit over time." That is a large part of why the city is focused on making robust change, rather than slapping a Band-Aid on the issue.

Last December, then-General Registrar Keith Balmer resigned after an investigation found he misused about $500,000 dollars worth of city funds. He has since remained adamant he had no malicious intent, rather poor training.

"The first control and the most essential control is the card holder themselves," Almaraz explained. "The card holders and the approvers -- they are the first line of defense against, you know, problematic purchases."

We're told Richmond's p-cards have always had limits, but the city is working on strengthening how that is controlled -- for example, by ramping up staffing.

"If there's ways to strengthen that and ensure that there's integrity, ethics, accountability, responsibility in the use of the card, I think that's what we'll try to reinforce," Almaraz said.

According to officials, the city has already launched additional training. Now, as they embark on a 60-90 day reconstruction phase with the help of the "National Institute of Government Purchasing," 8News asked about other key focus areas.

"We'll be implementing probably a third-party system to help us do audits," Almaraz said. "Kind of AI based."

He said the city is prepared to tackle a technologically driven approach to ensure everything is properly monitored.

"Maybe take a little less of the human element out of it and more of a systematic element, to review... that'll highlight any potential issues."

It's not a quick fix, but leaders told the 8News team that it's a valuable step in the city's holistic mission to build trust with its residents.

"I would love if other communities in the Commonwealth or in other states could rely on Richmond's p-card program as an example for how to do it right, across the nation," Almaraz smiled. "That's the goal — to make sure we're doing it right."

The p-card program will be on pause for 60-90 days while adjustments are made. Stick with 8News for updates.