Agency Establishment

Financial Operations Startup Procedures for New Federal Entities

Overview

Scope and Applicability

This Treasury Financial Manual (TFM) chapter addresses startup procedures for new federal entities with regard to fiscal accounting and reporting, and certain financial operations. Within each section, as applicable, users may be directed to other relevant TFM chapters and sections.

Authority

According to 31 United States Code (U.S.C.) 3513, the Secretary of the Treasury must prepare reports on the financial operations of the U.S. Government. This code also requires that each executive agency furnish information and report its financial condition and operations as required by the Secretary of the Treasury.

More information on entity reporting requirements may be found by accessing the U.S. Standard General Ledger (USSGL) website.

Requests for Financial Operations Startup Procedures

Requesting Establishment of New Entity/Commission

Upon written request, Fiscal Service, in collaboration with OMB and the relevant administrative entity, creates the new entity in the Centralized Accounting and Reporting System pursuant to authorizing legislation. Requests should be submitted to Fiscal Service, Budget Reporting Branch, Budget and Appropriations Analysis Section (BAAS) at baasgroup@fiscal.treasury.gov.

Entities should submit all account action requests to Fiscal Service as early in the month as possible to allow for timely establishment and coordination. Once the entity is established, accounts, ALC, and access will need to be requested for proper reporting. See Sections below.

Requesting Treasury Account Symbols and Titles

Fiscal Service, in collaboration with OMB and the relevant administrative entity, assigns, amends, changes, and discontinues account symbols and titles. Treasury Account Symbols (TAS) represent, by entity and bureau, individual appropriations, receipts, and other fund accounts. Fiscal Service posts appropriations or spending authorizations granted by the Congress to these account symbols. Entities will also use the account symbols to report to Treasury and OMB.

Fiscal Service establishes or changes new Treasury Appropriation Fund Symbols (TAFS) according to TFM Volume 1 Part 2 Chapter 1500 Section 1525.

These accounts are collected and published in the Federal Account Symbols and Titles (FAST) Book, which is updated periodically. It is a supplement to Volume 1 of the Treasury Financial Manual (TFM).

Requesting an Agency Location Code (ALC)

A four- or eight-digit Agency Location Code (ALC) which uniquely identifies each entity that reports payments and collections is required for an entity to obtain a Treasury Account Symbol. An ALC is like a bank account number and must appear on all documentation sent to Fiscal Service to ensure proper reporting.

Entities that do their own disbursing [and submit an SF 1218: Statement of Accountability (Foreign Service Account) or SF 1219: Statement of Accountability] are assigned a four-digit ALC. See TFM Volume I, Part 4, Chapter 6000, for detailed instructions.

Federal Financial Management Standards

Functions and Activities

Budget Setup and Maintenance (FFM.010.010)

Establish and maintain budgetary resource reporting attributes

Receive agency spend and operating plan

Establish and maintain appropriated fund subdivisions before any of the appropriated funds are expended, according to OMB apportionments and agency spend and operating plan

Set up the funds control structure, levels, and accounting segments

Record the Treasury Accounting Fund Symbol (TAFS)/ Program/ Project/ Activity (PPA) information and organizational information for allotment and allocation

Includes setting up direct, reimbursable, revolving, contract, borrowing, financing, liquidating, advanced appropriation, anticipated collections, and nonexpenditure transfer funds

Includes recording appropriation warrants, apportionments, allotments, allowances, allocations, reapportionments, transfer allocations, continuing resolutions, rescissions, and reprogramming actions

Federal Financial Management System Requirements

Recording Budget Authority (2.2.1)

Provide budgetary resource reporting attributes (for example, Treasury Account Fund Symbol, expired, and unexpired) consistent with the budget execution activities as defined in OMB Circular No. A-11.

Determine appropriated fund subdivisions, apportionments, reapportionments, and allocations before any of the appropriated funds are expended consistent with the budget execution activities as defined in OMB Circular No. A-11.

Provide budgetary authority and resource data required to post GL transactions consistent with USSGL transaction codes, transaction categories (for example, funding) and transaction subcategories (for example, budgetary resources other than collections) as defined in the TFM.

Use Cases

Record to Report

Treasury Financial Manual (TFM)

TFM Volume I, Part I, Chapter 2000; Financial Operations Startup Procedures for New Federal Entities

Contact Information

Contact Details

Direct inquiries concerning the establishment of Treasury Account Symbols and the FAST Book to:

Budget Reporting Branch
Fiscal Accounting
Bureau of the Fiscal Service

PO Box 1328
Parkersburg, WV 26106

Direct inquiries concerning the Classification Transactions and Accountability (CTA), SF 1219, SF 1220, and eight-digit ALCs to:

Cash Accounting Branch
Fiscal Accounting
Bureau of the Fiscal Service

PO Box 1328
Parkersburg, WV 26106

Direct inquiries concerning GTAS to:

General Ledger and Advisory Branch
Financial Reports and Advisory Division
Fiscal Accounting
Bureau of the Fiscal Service

PO Box 1328
Parkersburg, WV 26106

Direct inquiries concerning four-digit ALCs to:

Philadelphia Financial Center
Bureau of the Fiscal Service

13000 Townsend Road
Philadelphia, PA 19154

Direct inquiries concerning Imprest Fund and non-Fiscal Service or State Department disbursing, contact:

Bureau of the Fiscal Service
Payment & Management
Chief Disbursing Office

3201 Pennsy Drive, Building E
Landover, MD 20785

855-868-0151

Direct inquiries concerning deposits to:

Bureau of the Fiscal Service
Revenue Collections Management
Bank Policy and Oversight Division

3201 Pennsy Drive, Building E
Landover, MD 20785

lifecycle-visual
Operational Accounting Lifecycle

This page was last updated on August 01, 2022.