Guidelines on Closing Imprest Funds

Date: Tue, 06 Jul 1999 08:54:40 -0400
To: "AO - All Administrative Officers"<distribution>
From: "Alice A. Sabatini, Division Administrative Officer, WRD" <aasabati>
Subject: Guidelines on Closing Imprest Funds

This email message has been sent to imprest fund cashiers directly.  Note
that all USGS imprest funds must be closed on August 31, 1999.  A waiver
may be granted if proof can be shown that there are no acceptable
alternatives to cash payments and specifically that convenience checks
will not work.  Such a waiver request should be submitted through me to
OFM and will require strong documentation such as the number of payments
in the last year that had to be made with cash and why.  


The closing of the imprest funds ends the use of a tool, that while
valuable, was extremely costly from an administrative perspective.  I
hope that you will find the use of convenience checks much more
streamlined.  I would like to hear your feedback on this issue as you
begin the regular use of convenience checks.


Date: Fri, 02 Jul 1999 17:16:43 -0400

To: "Judith C Richardson, SECRETARY (OFFICE AUTOMATION), Albuquerque, NM"
     <jcr@unm.edu>, paula_willingham@usgs.gov,
    "Karrie K West, ADMIN. SUPPORT ASSISTANT (OA), Bozeman, MT"
     <karrie_west@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Vance Cossette, Office Automation Assistant, Carson City, NV"
     <cossette@dnvcr1.wr.usgs.gov>,
    "Julie A Parsons,  Cook, WA" <julie_parsons@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Thomas H Danner,  , " <thomas_danner@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Pamela G Barnes, OFFICE AUTOMATION CLERK, Dixon, CA"
    <pam_barnes@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Steven R Norton, BUDGET ANALYST, Ft Collins, CO"
     <steve_norton@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Cathy A Beck, WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST, Gainesville, FL"
     <cathy_beck@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Christine W Fadeley, PURCHASING AGENT, Gainesville, FL"
     <christine_fadeley@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Helene A Love, Administrative Support Asst., Hawaii National
     Park, HI" <<helene_love@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Mary E Duden, Admin Ops Asst (OA), Iowa City, IA"
     <meduden@dg00diaiwc.cr.usgs.gov>,
    "Jennifer K Kapp,  Jamestown, ND" 
     <jennifer_kapp@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Paula J Mansfield,  Kearneysville, WV"
     <paula_mansfield@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Jeanette B Perret, PURCHASING AGENT, Lafayette, LA"
     <jeanette_perret@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Vikki L Soukup, ADMINISTRATIVE CLERK (OA), LaCrosse, WI"
     <vikki_soukup@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Jerri Smith, PURCHASING AGENT, Laurel, MD"
     <jerri_smith@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Myrna L Burwitz, OFFICE ASSISTANT (OA), Madison, WI"
     <myrna_burwitz@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Nancy E Elder, FISHERY BIOLOGIST, Nordland, WA"
     <nancy_elder@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Linda M Ott, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, LaCrosse, WI"
     <linda_ott@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Annamarie Gomez, Administrative Operations Asst, Portland, OR"
     <agomez@rogrdorprn.wr.usgs.gov>,
    "Sandra J Cox, SECRETARY (OFFICE AUTOMATION), Reno, NV"
     <sandra_cox@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Robert L Sommer JR,  Seattle, WA"
     <robert_sommer@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Sharon K Self, Accounting Technician, Tacoma, WA"
     <skself@fs02dwatcm.wr.usgs.gov>,
    "Patricia D Rigas, Editorial Assistant, Tucson, AZ"
     <pdrigas@dg0daztcn.wr.usgs.gov>,
    "Kathleen E Pietryka, SECRETARY (OA), Turner Falls, MA"
     <kathy_pietryka@brd.usgs.gov>,
    "Betsy F Driebelbies, LIBRARY TECHNICIAN (TYPING), Wellsboro, PA"
     <libnbswe@epix.net>,
    "Jacqueline E Lynch,  Reston, VA" <jelynch>,
    "Agnes I Adams,  Denver, CO" <aadams>, amargrav@usgs.gov

From: Lisa Moen <<lmoen>

Subject: Guidelines on Closing Imprest Funds

Cc:  "Susan R Sheely,  Reston, VA" <ssheely>,
     "John J Blickley,  Reston, VA" <jblickley>,
     "Lisa K Moen,  Reston, VA" <lmoen>,
     "MaryLou D Pectol,  Reston, VA" <mpectol>
      (mpectol@mailrvag2.er.usgs.gov),
     "Carole Carter-Pfisterer,  Reston, VA" <ccarter>,
      (ccarter@mailrvao2.er.usgs.gov),
     "Jo Margaret Hale, Management Analyst, Reston, VA"
      <jomargaret_hale@brd.usgs.gov>,
      (jomargaret_hale@brd.usgs.gov),
     "Joseph S Pillera,  Reston, VA"
      <jpillera@igsrn008.er.usgs.gov>,
      (jpillera@mailrvan2.er.usgs.gov),
     "Gayle A Sisler,  Reston, VA" 
      <gsisler@igsrsparc4.er.usgs.gov>,
      (gsisler@opsmail.er.usgs.gov),
     "Alice A Sabatini, Administrative Officer, Reston, VA"
      <aasabati>, (aasabati@mailqvarsa.er.usgs.gov)





		Memorandum


                       July 2, 1999




To:		Imprest Fund Cashiers
From:		Susan R. Sheely, Chief,

		Travel Management Branch


Subject:	Guidelines on Closing Imprest Funds


The Debt Collection Improvement Act (DCIA) requires that all Federal
payments made after January 2, 1999 be made electronically, unless
specifically waived.  Included are all travel reimbursements, travel
advances and vendor payments.  Electronic payments mean the payment is
made directly through the banking system to the recipient's account at a
financial institution.


Payments made by cash drawn from imprest funds are not acceptable payment
mechanisms under the DCIA since they are not EFT compliant.  Therefore,
alternate payment mechanisms must be used for payments currently made by
imprest funds.  Imprest Fund payments will no longer be authorized
beginning September 1, 1999.  There are specific guidelines to be
followed in order to close the imprest funds.  Each process is described
below.


Instructional Memorandum (IM) No. OFM 99-01 stated that imprest funds
could remain open until bankcard convenience checks were available. 
Since these convenience checks are now available, 

(http://www.usgs.gov:8888/ops/index.html (select Acquisitions; select
Bankcard; select Convenience Checks) imprest funds need to be closed by
August 31, 1999.


The DCIA allows for waivers from electronic payments under specific
circumstances.  IM OFM 99-01 stated that waiver requests to keep an
imprest fund open should be made in writing through the Division Chief to
OFM.  Justification should include a history of payments that can not be
made using alternative payment mechanisms.


How to Close Imprest Funds


1. A final Administrative Review including a cash verification is to be
conducted by two disinterested individuals using the checklist in the
USGS Handbook for Imprest Fund Cashiers (335-2-H) no later than August
31, 1999.  The Imprest Fund Administrative Review from that handbook is
available at http://www.usgs.gov:8888/ops/finance/impchecklist.html.  It
is also available in PDF format at                          

http://www.usgs.gov:8888/ops/finance/impchecklist.pdf.


2.  A final replenishment must be prepared by close of business Tuesday,
August 31, 1999 for submission to the Office of Financial Management. 
(DO NOT INPUT YOUR FINAL REPLENISHMENT IN FFS).


3.  Determine the amount of cash on hand to be turned in and obtain a
cashier's check or money order made out to the U.S. Geological Survey. 
The amount of cash on hand and the final replenishment must equal the
total amount of the Imprest Fund.


4.  Prepare a transmittal memo to Lisa K. Moen stating that the Imprest
Fund is closing and include the Administrative Review, final
replenishment and the money order or cashier's check.


5.  Send the entire package (memo, review,final replenishment, and the
money order/cashier's check) in a blue 'Special' envelope marked for Lisa
K. Moen ONLY.  Package must be sent via Federal Express to be received no
later than September 3, 1999 and addressed:

		U.S. Geological Survey
                12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
		270 National Center
		ATTENTION: Lisa K. Moen
		Reston, Va 20192


6.  Please e-mail Lisa at lmoen@usgs.gov to advise her that the
check/money order is being sent via Federal Express.  Lisa can also be
reached at 703-648-7605.


Questions concerning the closing of the imprest funds should be addressed
to lmoen@usgs.gov or 703-648-7605.




Lisa K Moen
USGS 
Travel Management Branch
12201 Sunrise Vly Dr
MS 270
Reston, Va 20192

703-648-7605 voice
703-648-4112 fax

lmoen@usgs.gov

Check out our intranet site:

http://www.usgs.gov:8888/ops/