Palm Bay council approves JPMorgan purchasing‑card contract, citing stronger oversight and higher rebates

Palm Bay’s City Council on April 6 unanimously approved a new purchasing‑card (P‑card) agreement with JPMorgan Chase that staff said will give finance staff and external auditors improved, near‑real‑time visibility into purchases and stronger controls over fraud, waste and abuse.

City Manager Morton introduced the item noting the current contract expires July 4, 2026, and that staff sought improved integration with the city’s forthcoming Workday financial system. Finance Director Larry Wojciechowski told the council the JPMorgan platform can show transactions as they occur and allow cardholders to upload receipts directly, easing internal reconciliation and enabling external auditors read‑only access.

“[The system] did real‑time transaction visibility so our finance folks can go in at any time and look at every transaction as they’re being made,” Wojciechowski said. He and JPMorgan representatives also described automated receipt upload and tighter policy enforcement as ways to reduce manual auditing burdens.

Staff emphasized the move would pair control improvements with modest financial upside. Wojciechowski reported the city’s prior rebate from Bank of America ranged roughly 1.1%–1.71%; JPMorgan’s proposed rebates were presented to the council as roughly 1.5%–2.5%. “We would have brought in an extra $19,131” over the past three years, Wojciechowski said in a comparison exercise staff ran to illustrate the difference.

Procurement Manager Nick Kander and the city’s banking representative described process details and answered council questions about flags, escalation and vendor integration. Council members asked how suspected improper charges would be handled; staff said transactions are reviewed by at least two people, phone calls are made to obtain supporting documentation, and unresolved items are elevated within finance.

Councilman Hammer praised automated receipt upload as a time saver for departments and auditors. Deputy Mayor Jaffe moved the procurement motion; Councilman Hammer seconded. The motion passed unanimously, 5‑0.

What’s next: staff will finalize contracting and implement revised P‑card policies and training for departments as the city transitions to the new platform.