Credit Sales by Government Printing Office

An opinion was requested regarding the use of credit cards by purchasers of government publications. Except for certain transactions subject to statutory prohibitions against credit sales, the Government Printing Office (GPO) may sell publications on credit, through its own facilities, where it determines that extending credit will facilitate sales without increasing administrative costs or price of publications. Under the same circumstances, and subject to the same statutory restrictions, GPO may also arrange with credit card company for sales by credit card. Moreover, sales to company cardholders could include transactions for which GPO is prohibited from making credit sales, since credit here is extended by card company rather than by GPO as vendor.