This chapter provides special instructions that federal departments and entities must follow to report deposit and disbursement information for cash forecasting purposes.

This chapter provides the procedures that the federal departments and entities must follow in providing information to the Department of the Treasury (Treasury), Bureau of the Fiscal Service (Fiscal Service) for maintaining and updating projections of the Treasury’s operating cash balance, that is, the federal government’s cashflow.

31 U.S.C. 3511, 3513

For terms and definitions related to this chapter, please view the TFM Glossary.

These cash forecasting requirements instruct entities to report to Treasury, in advance, transactions that will significantly affect the Treasury General Account (TGA).

Two of Treasury’s primary responsibilities are forecasting and monitoring the federal government’s overall cash requirements. Treasury maintains a forecast of entities’ daily cash requirements for up to 12 months in advance. Treasury uses these forecasts to determine the amount and timing of federal government borrowing and investments of excess cash balances.

Treasury prepares and continually updates cashflow projections based on information provided quarterly by entity budget offices in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular No. A-11, Part IV, Section 135, “Procedures for Monitoring Federal Outlays.” These submissions provide estimates of total monthly spending for various programs, including individual accounts. They also include information regarding large ($50 million or more) transactions. However, the amount and timing of large transactions may change significantly after the OMB Circular No. A-11 forecast has been provided. In addition, during OMB Circular No. A-11 submissions, emergency spending may be authorized and appropriated, or new types of collections might occur.

Government entity reporting of cash forecasting information is critical for the maintenance of accurate, up-to-date cashflow projections, and for the daily management of Treasury’s operating cash balances. Failure to notify Treasury of significant disbursement activity can cause the TGA to lack sufficient funds to cover entity payments.

These cash forecasting requirements apply to all Treasury and non-Treasury disbursing offices, since all deposits and disbursements flow through the TGA. They also apply to all federal appropriation, receipt, and fund accounts, both budgetary and off-budget, including deposit fund, trust fund, general fund, special fund, revolving fund, foreign currency, credit financing, clearing, and suspense accounts.

Reporting of U.S. Military pay transactions and Defense Department (Defense) payments to vendors is essential to the effective and efficient management of Treasury’s operating cash balances. Procedures in this chapter standardize the information provided by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) centers and other Defense installations.

Note: Advance information regarding payment or deposit transactions provided to Treasury by entity sources is administratively restricted and is not for public release before the transaction settlement date. Its use is restricted to a limited number of individuals involved in budget, cash, and debt management.

Entity financial officers must report to Fiscal Service, in advance, all estimated deposits totaling $50 million or more in a single transaction or in multiple transactions of a common nature by ALC.

Entity financial officers, Treasury FCs, non-Treasury disbursing offices, and entities with delegation of disbursing authority must report to Fiscal Service, in advance, all estimated disbursements totaling $50 million or more. These disbursements may include a single transaction, multiple transactions of a common nature, and repetitive transactions.

LDN reporting requirements for deposits and disbursements include U.S. Military active duty and Military retiree payments, Defense payments to vendors, and other recurring monthly, quarterly, or one-time transactions. Appendix 1 lists examples of entity deposits and disbursements for which an advance notification is required.

For deposits and disbursements between $50 million and $500 million, Fiscal Service requires that entities report LDNs a minimum of two business days in advance of the settlement date. For deposits and disbursements of $500 million or more, Fiscal Service requires that entities report LDNs a minimum of five business days in advance of the settlement date. Often entities do not have exact amounts; however, a close estimate is acceptable and can be updated when a more accurate amount is determined. Intra-agency transfers to be processed via the Intra-governmental Payments and Collections (IPAC) system are not subject to LDN requirements.

If specific deposit or disbursement information is not final, entities must inform Fiscal Service daily by 7:30 a.m. Eastern Time on the transaction settlement date, of the approximate amount and approximate deposit or disbursement date. An entity must establish an internal process for purposes of informing its financial officers of upcoming LDN disbursements or deposits. This process must build in enough advance notice to the entity's financial officers that they can comply with the two- and five-business day minimum timeframes required (as described in the preceding paragraph) for providing the necessary LDN information to Treasury, which Treasury needs for forecasting purposes.

Fiscal Service encourages entity financial officers to submit LDNs to Fiscal Service via the CASH TRACK website (see Contacts). To report LDNs via the CASH TRACK website, Fiscal Service requires the following information:

Entities also can supply LDNs to Fiscal Service via email using FS Form 187: Agency Report for Treasury Cash Reporting Advance Notice of Large Deposits or Disbursements of $50 Million or More (see Appendix 2); or by telephone (see Contacts). When supplying an LDN by means other than the CASH TRACK website, entities must provide the following information that is listed on the FS Form 187:

In addition to these general reporting requirements, the following sections describe the specific reporting requirements for daily disbursements, Defense vendor payments, U.S. Military pay, and other reporting for cash forecasting.

A number of entities consolidate individual transactions and process multiple payments on a daily basis. While an individual item in a payment file may not be significant, the daily total for the entity’s spending may have a substantial impact on Treasury’s operating cash balance.

All entities processing daily ACH and Fedwire payments via Treasury disbursing offices or FRB services must report daily disbursement totals of $50 million or more to Fiscal Service via the CASH TRACK website or using FS Form 187.

Refer to Contacts for the email address and telephone number.

All DFAS centers and other Defense installations making EFT payments to vendors must report daily payment totals to Fiscal Service via the CASH TRACK website or using FS Form 187.

Refer to Contacts for the email address and telephone number. When there are circumstances unique to a DFAS center, Treasury works with the center to design a reporting form that addresses those circumstances.

All DFAS centers and other Defense installations making EFT payments for Military active duty and Military retirees must report payment totals of $50 million or more to Fiscal Service via the CASH TRACK website or using FS Form 187. Fiscal Service requires a minimum of two business days advance notice for these payments.

U.S. Military active pay includes the following pay classifications: active duty pay, reserve pay, cadet pay, active salary allotments, active blanket pay, and voluntary separation incentives. These payments usually occur on the 1st and the 15th calendar days of each month. When the 1st or the 15th day falls on a weekend or on a holiday, the payment is processed as of the prior workday. The sample form in Appendix 2 includes all required information fields. Refer to Contacts for the email address and telephone number.

U.S. Military retiree pay includes the following pay classifications: retired pay, retired allotments, retired annuities, and retired blanket pay. These payments usually occur on the 1st calendar day of the month. When the 1st day falls on a weekend or a holiday, the payment is processed as of the next workday. The form in Appendix 2 includes all required information fields. Refer to Contacts for the email address and telephone number.

Treasury may request that certain entities report routine daily, weekly, or monthly estimated deposit and disbursement activity. Treasury may require that an entity provide a rolling forecast covering, for example, daily estimates for three business days or estimated weekly totals of deposits and disbursements for a six-week period.

The need for such reporting generally is determined by the magnitude of dollar amounts and the volatility of timing for such activity. In such cases, Treasury works with both entity budget and financial office personnel to set up reporting schedules and forms that achieve Treasury’s information requirements within the framework of the entity’s information systems and staffing.

To report cash forecasting information to the Fiscal Service Cash Reporting Branch, use the following:

202-874-9789 
Cash.Reporting@fiscal.treasury.gov & stls.forecasting@stls.frb.org 
CASH TRACK

To become a CASH TRACK web user, use the following:

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis 
CASH TRACK Central Business Administration Function (CBAF) 
314-444-8700

For any questions or to request forms described in this chapter, contact:

Cash Reporting Branch 
Central Accounting and Reporting Division 
Room 3068 
Bureau of the Fiscal Service

202-874-9789