Department of the Interior Departmental Manual
Effective Date: 6/24/82
Series: Delegation
Part 205: General Delegations
Chapter 6: Budget and Financial Management
Originating Office: Office of Financial Management
205 DM 6
6.0 General. Assistant Secretaries; the Solicitor; the Inspector General; the Director, Office of Hearings and Appeals; and the High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, except as indicated in 205 DM 6.3, 6.9, 6.11, 6.12, and 6.13 are delegated the following authorities pertaining to budget and financial management:
6.1 Imprest Funds and Designation of Cashiers. Determine the locations requiring imprest funds and request the designation of individual employees to serve as cashiers (Department of the Treasury, Fiscal Requirements Manual, Part IV, Chapter 3000; Executive Order No. 6166, as amended, dated June 10, 1933 (see 330 DM 4-3000, Cashiers). Such requests will be addressed to the servicing Department of the Treasury Disbursing Officer (see 330 DM 4-3000). This delegation of authority includes authority for increase or decrease (see 330 DM 4-3000) in imprest funds and changes and revocations of cashiers
6.2 Certification of Time and Attendance Reports. Under the authority vested in the Secretary in section 113 of the Budget and Accounting Procedures Act of 1950, as amended, 31 U.S.C. 66a, to authorize employees, in writing, to certify or approve their own Time and Attendance Reports in those rare circumstances where it is not practical to obtain certification or approval by the employee=s supervisor (6 GAO 17.2).
6.3 Certification of Reports Under Supplemental Appropriation Act, 1955, as Amended. The heads of bureaus and offices receiving appropriated funds are authorized, pursuant to section 1311(b) of the Supplemental Appropriation Act, 1955, as amended, to certify in connection with the submission of requests for proposed appropriations that any statement of obligations furnished therewith consists of valid obligations (31 U.S.C. 200(b)). This authority may not be redelegated.
6.4 Collection of Erroneous Payments Made to Employees.
A. Determine whether an erroneous payment has been made to an employee (paid under Federal funds); whether the employee is indebted to the United States as a result of such payment; and establish a plan under which the indebtedness will be recovered (5 U.S.C. 5514) (see 344 DM 8).
B. Review of any objections of the employee involved to the determination of indebtedness or to the proposed plan of repayment will be made by a superior officer of the individual receiving the redelegation of the authority delegated in 205 DM 6.4A. The superior officer reviewing the employee=s objection, upon conclusion the determination is correct, will concur in or establish a modified plan for repayment of the indebtedness.
6.5 Waiver of Claims for Erroneous Payments of Pay and Allowances and Referral of Reports of Investigations to the Comptroller General of the United States. Exercise the authority vested in the Secretary to waive, in whole or in part, claims in an amount aggregating not more than $500, arising out of an erroneous payment to an employee, or deny an application for waiver of a claim in any amount (paid under Federal funds). Such action will be made in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 5584 and the Regulations of the Comptroller General of the United States (4 CFR 91-93) (see 344 DM 9).
A. Refer the report of investigation together with a recommendation to the Comptroller General of the United States for waiver of any claim or referral in an amount aggregating more than $500 (paid under Federal funds).
B. Refer the report of investigation together with a recommendation to the U.S. General Accounting Office, Claims Division, if the claim of the United States is in an amount aggregating $500 or less without regard to any repayment, and such officials have doubt as to whether waiver action is proper.
C. Advise an employee when an application for waiver of a claim in an amount aggregating more than $500 is denied, and of his/her right to appeal the denial to the Comptroller General.
6.6 Designate Certifying Officers. Exercise the authority vested in the Secretary to designate, in writing, certifying officers under 31 U.S.C. 82b and under servicing agreements with other Federal establishments. This delegation of authority includes authority for changes and revocations of certifying officers.
6.7 Designate Collection Officers. Exercise the authority vested in the Secretary to designate, in writing, collection officers (5 U.S.C. 301; 43 U.S.C. 1457; 7 GAO - Collections). This delegation of authority includes authority for changes and revocations of such designations.
6.8 Designation of Assistant, Alternate, or Deputy Assistant Disbursing Officers.
A. Recommend individuals for designation as Assistant, Alternate, or Deputy Assistant Disbursing Officers to Department of the Treasury Regional Disbursing Officer (RDO). This designation is subject to the authorization and approval by the Chief Disbursing Officer of an Assistant, Alternate, or Deputy Assistant Disbursing Officer position(s) to a specific bureau, or to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (5 U.S.C. 301; 31 U.S.C. 492c; 43 U.S.C. 1457).
B. Recommend changes and revocations, at the specified location, of designated Assistant, Alternate, or Deputy Assistant Disbursing Officers to the servicing RDO. (The latter, under authority granted, approves the designations, revocations, and changes.)
C. Advise the servicing RDO of any recommended revocations of Assistant, Alternate, or Deputy Assistant Disbursing Officer designations. Whenever a designated Assistant, Alternate, or Deputy Assistant Disbursing Officer is to cease operations, the Office of Financial Management, Office of Assistant Secretary - Policy, Budget and Administration, and the servicing RDO will be advised at least thirty days in advance of such closing.
6.9 Designate (Indian Service) Special Disbursing Agent. The Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs is authorized to designate, in writing, a Special Disbursing Agent, to be known as an Indian Service Special Disbursing Agent (25 U.S.C. 151; 25 CFR Part 104). This authority may be redelegated to designated Bureau of Indian Affairs officials, in writing, by the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs, and includes authority to recommend changes and revocations of a designation of an Indian Service Special Disbursing Agent.
6.10 Prescribe Statistical Sampling. Exercise the authority of the Secretary to prescribe the use of adequate and effective statistical sampling procedures in the prepayment examination of disbursement vouchers for amounts not in excess of $750, provided that economies will result therefrom (88 Stat. 1959; 31 U.S.C. 82b-1(a); Comp. Gen. letter B-1535O9, November 20, 1980). This authority is subject to the following limitations:
A. Statistical sampling procedures must conform to the principles, standards, and related requirements of Title 3, GAO Manual.
B. A cost--benefit analysis must show that economies will result by use of the monetary limit selected.
6.11 Resolution of Irregularities Affecting the Accounts of Accountable Officers Amounting to Less Than $500 by Administrative Action. The Director, Office of Financial Management is authorized to resolve, by administrative action appropriate to the circumstances, irregularities affecting the accounts of accountable officers arising from a single incident or series of similar incidents occurring about the same time amounting to less than $500. The provisions of this paragraph do not apply to exceptions or charges raised by GAO. (See Comp. Gen. letter B-16l457, August 1, 1969; 54 Comp. Gen. 112; and 7 GAO 28.14.)
6.12 General Limitation. Other Departmental Offices receiving budget and administrative support from the Office of Administrative Services are not included in the authority delegated in 205 DM 6.1, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8 and 6.10. Such authority is exercised by the Assistant Secretary - Policy, Budget and Administration or his/her delegate.
6.13 Amendment Authority. This Chapter does not limit the authority delegated to the Assistant Secretary - Policy, Budget and Administration by 209 DM 4. The Assistant Secretary - Policy, Budget and Administration is authorized to amend, limit, suspend, or revoke any authority granted by or pursuant to this Chapter. This authority may not be redelegated.
6/24/82 #2415
Replaces 8/15/79 #2194