U.S. Government Standard General Ledger Board and Issues Resolution Committee Meeting Minutes

November 29, 2007

GENERAL ITEMS:

Judy Yuran (FMS) opened the meeting by announcing that the IRC would be discussing canceled payables and Tie-Points for Revolving Funds. Judy thanked Leon Fleischer (SBA) for his leadership in chairing the IRC credit reform committee and revising the case studies. Leon noted that the committee would reconvene in the near future to complete the project. Eileen Parlow (FASAB) noted that Ms. Wendy Payne, Executive Director of the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB), would address the IRC on December 13, 2007. Ms. Payne will solicit IRC member input on FASAB's future agenda.

HANDOUTS:

• Draft Accounts Payable in a Canceled Treasury Appropriation Fund Symbol (TAFS)
  
  
• Draft USSGL By Fund Type - Revolving Fund

AGENDA ITEMS:

Michele Crisman (FMS) began by discussing the draft scenario titled, "Accounts Payable in a Canceled Treasury Appropriation Fund Symbol (TAFS)." This scenario illustrates the cancellation, reinstatement, and payment of an account payable. It contains proposed USSGL account 4208, "Adjustment to Total Resources-Disposition of Canceled Payables." This account will record the amount of an adjustment to a canceled payable contained in a canceled TAFS. The target date for establishing the new account is for fiscal 2009 reporting. During the discussion, suggestions were made to make minor modifications to the scenario. The changes will be made in the near future.

The issue of unfunded payables was raised, and the discussion centered on whether a USSGL account should be established to report an agency's unfunded payables. Some IRC members noted that this account only would be used for accounting errors caused by overpayments and may be subject to the Antideficiency Act. Therefore, the IRC decided that it might not be appropriate to establish a USSGL account that may appear to support an antideficiency. The subject was tabled for future discussion.

Michele continued by discussing the handout titled, "Draft USSGL by Fund Type - Revolving Fund." This workbook lists the USSGL accounts that generally are found in a revolving fund. Some of the USSGL accounts listed in the workbook normally are not used in a revolving fund, but agencies that have special revolving fund reporting requirements may need to use these accounts. The designated USSGL accounts will be noted in the workbook with an "E," for exception, to be used only by those agencies that have a special reporting requirement.

The discussions centered on which USSGL accounts generally are found in a revolving fund and which accounts are exceptions to the general rule for a revolving fund. Michele noted that the tie-point workbook information would be used in the FMS Governmentwide TAS ATB System (GTAS). GTAS will contain hard edits based on the USSGL by Fund Type workbook. These edits will prevent agencies from reporting USSGL accounts that typically are not found in a specific fund type. Therefore, it is imperative that agencies identify exceptions to the general rule now. This will help eliminate data entry problems when GTAS becomes operational. The Draft USSGL by Fund Type - Revolving Fund workbook was discussed fully, and all USSGL accounts with known exceptions were noted on the workbook with an "E." The USSGL staff will present a modified draft to the IRC at a future meeting.

CLOSING REMARKS:

Judy asked the IRC for assistance in documenting Participation Certificate activity. The USSGL staff will use this information to develop a USSGL scenario of accounting transactions. Currently, agencies seldom use Participation Certificates, and very little information is available to assist the USSGL staff in documenting the process.

Judy noted that the IRC needs to discuss timing differences between cash reported to Treasury through the Governmentwide Accounting System and the amount that is recorded by the agencies in their USSGL cash accounts deposited at commercial banks outside of Treasury. Leon Fleischer (SBA) noted that the Small Business Administration has timing differences and that it is a common occurrence to have timing differences within the Government.

ATTENDEES:

Michele Crisman, FMS
Karl Foltz, FMS
Judy Yuran, FMS
Pin-Pin Hartwell, FMS
Keith Mertz, FMS
Gwen Marshman, FMS
Karen Metler, FMS
Melinda Pope, FMS
Eileen Parlow, FASAB
Steven Hull, SSA
Grace Kim, ED
Jenny Smith, HHS
Parker Hill, DOI
Bethany Williams, DOE
Kim Williams, DOJ
Jerri Jones, DOJ
T. Wyes, DOC
Lisa Trumbull, GSA
Michael Ward, GSA
Cassandra Holman, GSA
Janet Winchester, VA
Debbie Mattingly, ED
Chris Dyson, ED
Mike Plutkis, FMS-Agency Services
Leon Fleischer, SBA
Cindy Scharf, LOC
Dolly Law, ARC
Patrice Cousins, NSF
Yong Sun, HUD
Yen Le, State
David Surti, DHS
Kathy Sherrill, DOD