TFM Bulletin Page

Bulletin No. 2007-09
Volume I

PDF File

Retention: September 30, 2008

To: Heads of Government Departments, Agencies, and Others Concerned

Subject: Format for Submission of Waiver Request Forms Resulting From F3875 and/or F3885 Suspense Account Activity

1. Purpose

This bulletin provides guidance to Federal Program Agencies (FPAs) that:

• Have analyzed their use of F3875 and/or F3885 suspense account(s);
  
  AND
  
  
• Are submitting waiver request forms to the Department of the Treasury's Financial Management Service (FMS) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to justify the continued use of the F3875 and/or F3885 suspense account(s).

In addition, this bulletin provides FPAs with the recommended format and required information for submitting waiver requests.

2. Background

As a result of the new policy for using suspense accounts, FMS and OMB have agreed that FPAs with justifiable business needs for using F3875 and/or F3885 suspense account(s) may submit a waiver request to continue using these account(s) for specific business purposes. FPAs must submit a written waiver request to FMS and OMB by January 31, 2008. The waiver request must:

• Be submitted by the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), or CFO designee, at the department level for only the bureaus that have a justifiable business need. Therefore, the CFO should not submit a global waiver request for all existing suspense accounts within the department.
  
  
• Clearly state the specific business purposes for which the waiver is requested. The suspense accounts can be used only for the specific purposes listed in the waiver. (See Attachment 1.)
  
  
• Provide a documented history of the past 6 accounting months that demonstrates the reclassification of accounts within 60 business days, with noted explanations of exceptions. Note: FPAs may submit waivers at any time up to the deadline of January 31, 2008. FPAs must submit with the waiver request 6 months of historical data from the date of the waiver request. For example, if an FPA submits a waiver request on January 31, 2008, it must submit historical data for 6 accounting months prior to January 2008, that is, from July 2007 through December 2007. However, if the historical data from the month prior to the waiver request submission date is not readily available, agencies may exclude an additional accounting month. That is, if an agency submits a waiver request on January 31, 2008, it may submit historical data for the 6-month period from June 2007 to November 2007. (See Attachments 2 and 3.)
  
  
• Provide the amounts the FPA deposited into the F3875 and/or F3885 suspense account(s) for the past year. These deposit amounts will provide historical data to FMS and OMB and will support any trends and explanations for possible recurrences in future years. FPAs must certify that the balance(s) in the F3875 and/or F3885 suspense account(s) for the preceding yearend do not include any items or transactions more than 60 days old. They must provide a clear explanation of any items or transactions more than 60 days old that are included in the balances. (See Attachments 4, 5, and 6.)
  
  
• State that the CFO agrees to annually certify that the balance(s) in the F3875 and/or F3885 suspense account(s) for the preceding yearend do not include any items or transactions more than 60 days old and to provide a clear explanation of any items or transactions that are more than 60 days old. The certification is expected to be electronic. (See Attachment 6.)
  
  
• Provide an e-mail address and contact information for the person who will be submitting the electronic certification referenced above. (See Attachment 6.)

For more detailed guidance on waiver requests, refer to Treasury Financial Manual (TFM), Volume I, Bulletin No. 2007-07 at http://fms.treas.gov/tfm/vol1/07-07.pdf.

3. Waiver Request Format

The attachments to this bulletin provide the recommended format for submitting required information. FPAs may submit the waiver request in similar formats, as long as the required information is included. Examples used in the recommended formats assume a waiver request based on available information as of November 2007.

4. Effective Date

This bulletin is effective immediately.

5. Inquiries and Waiver Request Submissions

Direct questions concerning this bulletin and waiver request forms to the contacts below (e-mail or fax is preferred over a mailed request):

Budget Reports Division
Financial and Budget Reports Directorate
Governmentwide Accounting
Financial Management Service
Department of the Treasury
3700 East-West Highway, Room 518D
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Telephone: 202-874-8668
Fax: 202-874-9966
E-mail: budget.reports@fms.treas.gov

Budget Concepts Branch
Office of Management and Budget
Telephone: 202-395-4672
Fax: 202-395-5177
E-mail: Joseph_Crilley@omb.eop.gov

Kenneth R. Papaj
Commissioner
Date: September 24, 2007

Attachments are available in the PDF version only.