dEPA United Stsws Environmental Protection Agency Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response DIRECTIVE NUMBER: 9275.1-01 TITLE: Removal Financial Management Instructions APPROVAL DATE: July 31, 1984 EFFECTIVE DATE: July 31, 1984 ORIGINATING OFFICE: cms/om B FINAL D DRAFT STATUS: REFERENCE (other documents}: OSWER OSWER OSWER VE DIRECTIVE DIRECTIVE D ------- UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WASHINGTON. D.C. T'0460 JUL 3 I 1934 MEMORANDUM SULlO WASTE AND CM6 H(if NC? HtSPf.\SE OGWER Directive 9275.1-1 SUBJECT: Removal-) Financial Management Instructions FROM: tee 'w. Thomas Assistant Administrator TO: Regional Administrators Regions I - X Attached are the Removal Financial Management Instructions. These instructions were developed in order to ensure a smooth transition in implementing the April 16, 1984, Superfund delegations. The package was prepared in .close cooperation with your program and management division staff. Comments received from Regions were incorporated as shown in the attached comment matrix. The Removal Financial Management Instructions provide a planning structure for you to identify and assign Regional financial responsibility. Since each Region is organized differently, the document does not specify the organizational location of the responsibility. Instead, it provides guidelines and standards for what must be done. It is up to you to establish organizational responsibility for your new financial management. functions. On June 1, 1984, you wore issued an allowance by the Office of the Comptroller to be used to fund removal actions. These allowances were based on your Site Stabilization Accom- plishment Plans. We must keep careful track of obligations against these allowances because we have to submit monthly reports to Congress and because, as we approach the end of the year, we must make sure each Region's legitimate response needs are met. Consequently, you are being asked to send Headquarters, within six working days of the end of each month, a list of your open commitments and obligations (see page 10 of the instructions). Your first report is due to Becky Kennedy of OERR's Funds Control Center (WH-548D) by August 8, 1984, and ------- -2- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 should cover both June and July. This is an extremely important responsibility and I ask your cooperation in establishing a mechanism within your Region that will ensure this deadline is met each month. We are investigating alternative means of obtaining this financial information in order to reduce the reporting burden on the Regions. Bruce Engelbert, at FTS 382-2441, can answer any questions you or your staff may have. Attachment cc: Edward V. Fitzpatrick Louis F. Gitto Herbert Barrack William L. Librizzi Stephen R. Wassersug Alvin Morris Howard D. Zeller Thomas W. Devine William H. Sanders, III Robert Springer John S. Fleeter Delores J. Platt Oscar Ramirez John Wickland Jack W. Hoffbuhr Irwin Dickstein Charles Murray Nora McGee Harry Seraydarian Gary O'Neal Region Region Region Region Region Region Region Region Region Region Region Reg ion Region Region Region Region Region Region Reg ion Reg ion I I II II III III IV IV V V VI VI VI VII VIII VIII IX X IX X Morgan Kinghorn Brian Polly Gordon Takeshita Harvey Pippen Dave Ryan Dave O'Connor Stan Fredericks Bruce Engelbert Donald Kraft Becky Kennedy Billie Perry Jack Stanton Hans Crump Thad Juszczak ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 SUPERFUND REMOVAL PROGRAM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY, RESPONSIBILITIES AND PROCEDURES U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Emergency and Remedial Response July 11, 1984 ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 SUPERFUND REMOVAL PROGRAM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY, RESPONSIBILITIES AND PROCEDURES Under the approved Superfund delegations, the Regional Offices have additional authority and responsibilities for significant portions of the removal program. This includes both programmatic authority, described in detail in the Superfund Removal Guidance, and financial authority described in this document. Regional financial authority consists of three distinct, but interrelated, parts: approval, funding and obligation (award). Authority to approve removals is contained in the Superfund delegations package. In general, Regional approval authority under the removal program will include all direct response activities costing less than $1 million per site/spill as contained in the Superfund delegations. Funding authority will be contained in the Regions' allowances, and will provide extramural funding (commitment authority) for the following removal mechanisms: Emergency Response Cleanup Services (ERCS) Delivery Orders Orders for Services, Notices to Proceed and Letter Contracts Cooperative Agreements (CA) Designated Interagency Agreements (IAG) FEMA allocation transfer lAGs for temporary relocation Coast Guard lAGs for assisting in EPA removals (Coast Guard intramural costs) Other agencies as appropriate (site-specific only) . Contract obligation authority is delegated by the Procurement and Contracts Management Division (PCMD). Regions have authority to obligate the Government for amounts up to $250,000 under ERCS Delivery Orders, up to $2,500 under Orders for Services, up to $10,000 under Notices to Proceed and up to $50,000 under Letter Contracts with state and local governments. Obligations for increments in excess of these amounts must be made in -1- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 accordance with Federal acquisition regulations by PCMD-Headquarters, with the exception of Orders for Services, which may never exceed $2,500 nor be modified to change the amount of the original award. Superfund Cooperative Agreement obligation authority is delegated in the Superfund delegations package (delegation 14-1-B); IAG award authority has been delegated in delegation 1-11. The upper obligation limit under Cooperative Agreements and lAGs is the amount approved for the removal action. The upper obligation limit under Orders for Services is $2,500. FEMA allocation transfer lAGs, referred to throughout this document as transfer lAGs, must be processed through the Office of the Comptroller as described in Section VI. This document describes removal approval, funding and document processing in detail. The attachment to this document spells out all acronyms used in the document. I. DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY The following highlights the delegations of financial management authority in the removal program, subject to the general restrictions noted below: RAs will approve the initiation of removal actions costing up to $1 million in obligations per site/spill (including all extramural costs and Headquarters and Regional intramural costs, but excluding all enforcement costs) , regardless of duration (RAs will approve extensions beyond the 6-month limit) (14-1-A) AASWER will approve the initiation of removal actions costing over $1 million, and will approve waiver of statutory $1 million limit (14-2) RAs may enter into Superfund State Contracts (which are not procurement contracts) and award Cooperative Agreements with States to perform removal actions (14-1-B) RAs may award lAGs (1-11) On-Scene Coordinators (OSC) have limited authority to obligate funds for removal actions (up to $2,500 for Orders for Services, up to $10,000 for Notices to Proceed and up to $50,000 for Letter Contracts with state and local governments) that have been approved by the appropriate official; ERCS Ordering Officers can obligate Delivery Orders for up to $250,000 for approved actions -2- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 RAs may redelegate authority to the OSCs to approve the initiation of removal actions up to $50,000 (within the RA's $1 million ceiling); the $1 million approval authority may be redelegated to Regional Division Directors, but only where an action is expected to last six months or. less (14-1-A) RAs may redelegate award authority for CAs and lAGs to Regional Management Divisions; may also redelegate to Management Divisions authority for funds certification (commitment) (14-1-B). The following restrictions will apply to the Regional approval of removal actions: Obligations from the fund in excess of $1 million per site/spill will require written waiver by AASWER RAs must be granted a waiver by AASWER to exceed the $1 million limit before approving removal actions which would result in total extramural obligations at any one site of more than $900,000 Regions must comply with directives issued by AASWER Contract obligation authority is subject to Federal acquisition regulations and contracting officer warrants issued by PCMD. II. REGIONAL OFFICE ALLOWANCES Each Regional Office will be issued an allowance by the Office of the Comptroller to be used to fund removal actions. The Regions will request annual removal funding in the Site Stabilization Accomplishments Plan (SSAP), which will be broken out by quarter. The approved SSAP will determine the amount of the annual allowance, and the quarterly allocations of that allowance. The allowance will be issued as follows: October 1 for first and second quarters March 1 for third quarter June 1 for fourth quarter. End of fiscal year adjustments may be necessary to accommodate unforeseen events. In addition, Headquarters will maintain a contingency reserve to fund emergency actions. -3- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 Regions must manage and control their allowances in accordance with Agency directives, e.g., Accounting Manual. Headquarters will provide assistance and oversight as required. If a Region believes their current allowance is insufficient to last the rest of theiquarter, the.Program Division should submit a request to Jack Stanton, Director, ERD/ detailing the following: Actual obligations (year-to-date) Open commitments Additional allowance needed Justification for additional funds. This request should be submitted to ERD by the twelfth day of the month preceeding the month for which the additional funds will be needed. When approved, the additional funds will be transferred by the Office of the Comptroller into the Region's allowance on the first day of the following month. III. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES The following EPA organizational units have financial management responsibilities for the Superfund removal program. These responsibilities are detailed in Exhibit 1. , Since Regions may be organized differently and internally may assign responsibilities as best meets their needs, these descriptions are intended to serve as guidelines to assist Regions to carry out their functions. (1) Regions Regions will in general be responsible for approving, funding, obligating and implementing the primary removal response activities within the limitation of the delegations. The Regional Administrator has authority to approve and fund removal activities, to award Cooperative Agreements and lAGs, and to enter into non-procurement Superfund State Contracts. Some of this authority may be redelegated, in whole or in part, to Regional Division Directors or OSCs. The Management Division, e.g., Administrative Services Division, Office of Policy and Management, etc., will be responsible for the management and control of the Region's allowance and financial processes, and the Cooperative Agreement and IAG award processes. The Program Division, e.g., Waste Management Division, Office of Emergency and Remedial Response, Environmental Services Division, etc., will initiate and direct all removal response activities in the Region. -4- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 (2) Headquarters The Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, as the national program manager, is generally responsible for maintaining program consistency, providing necessary guidance and directives, and reporting on national program activities and accomplishments. The Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste and Emergency Response (AASWER) is delegated the primary authority for these Headquarters functions, but may redelegate selected authority to OERR managers. The non-response (non-site-specific) portions of the removal program will be funded and coordinated in Headquarters. The Office of Administration and Resources Management (OARM), through the Procurement and Contracts Management Division (PCMD), will carry out its contract award and management responsibilities. The Financial Management Division (FMD) of OARM (Office of the Comptroller) will provide accounting systems, policies and procedures, billing and collections functions, support to cost recovery and. other financial functions. The Grants Administration Division (GAD) of OARM will provide national guidance on the processing and award of Cooperative Agreements and lAGs. The Budget Division of OARM, (Office of the Comptroller) will issue, reprogram and transfer allowances. (3) Servicing Finance Offices The field organizations that play a role in financial management of the removal program are FMD's Servicing Finance Offices (SFO). The SFOs provide accounting services and entry into the Financial Management System (FMS) for contracts (SFO-Research Triangle Park) and reimbursable lAGs (SFO-Cincinnati); services for Superfund Cooperative Agreements will be provided by Regional Offices. IV. SUPERFUND ACCOUNT NUMBERS The ten-digit Superfund account number structure is essentially the same as that used throughout the Agency, with the addition of identifiers to track costs by site/spill and activity. The Superfund account number identifies the year in which money was authorized; the appropriation, program element, allowance holder, responsibility center and activity to which the spending action will be charged; and, for site-specific actions, the site/spill identifier and site-specific activity code for which funds will be used. All Regional extramural -5- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 removal funding must be charged site-specifically. This requires the following structure for the last three fields of the account number: 8th field--site-specific activity code; 9th and 10th fields--site/spill identifier. The account number is assigned to the Procurement Request (PR) or Commitment Notice (CN) at the time a removal is funded. If a removal is initiated during non-working hours, the OSC should use the pre-assigned emergency site/spill identifier that the Regional Management Division has given to each Program Division, or follow alternative procedures established by the Region. On the next working day, the OSC must notify the Management Division that the emergency identifier was used, and report the site name and state and the response activity code. The Management Division must set up the account number in FMS on that same day. When assigning Superfund account numbers, the Management Division needs to determine if the incident is at a new or existing site/spill. This process is complicated by the fact that: The removal, remedial and enforcement programs will all be requesting account numbers They may be funding work at the same sites/spills The same site/spill may have several different names (aliases). If the account number is for an existing site/spill, the appropriate assigned identifier should be used. If it is for a new site/spill, the next sequential identifier should be issued and recorded. For new account numbers, the Management Division will set up the account number in FMS. At the same time, each Regional Management Division will provide the Financial Management Division- Headquarters, Financial Reports and Analysis Branch, with the new sites added to the identifier list to assist in their accounting control process and for special reporting requirements. For the balance of FY 1984, the OERR FCC will assign site/spill identifiers; additional guidance will follow. V. DOCUMENT CONTROL NUMBER The Document Control Number (DCN) is a unique six-digit number assigned by the Region that identifies each individual financial transaction. The DCN is assigned to the PR or CN at the time a removal is funded. If a removal is initiated during non-working hours, the OSC should use the pre-assigned DCN which has been given to each Program Division, or follow alternative procedures established by the Region. -6- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 One DCN should be used for each commitment at a site. The DCN is entered on the PR or CN prepared and signed in the Region. The corresponding obligating document, e.g., ERGS Delivery Order, must have the same DCN and accounting data as the PR. DCNs are not needed for transfer lAGs with FEMA. VI. FINANCIAL DOCUMENT PROCESSING There are three basic types of financial documents needed to undertake a removal action. Although these documents should generally be prepared and processed sequentially, the nature of the removal program is such that the documents often are processed simultaneously or out of order. FEMA IAG transfer allocations are processed using different documents, as described at the end of this section; there is no Commitment Notice for these actions. Since each Region may establish its own responsibilities and redelegations under Superfund, the following description is intended to guide, not mandate, the Region's internal processing of documents. The first type of document is used to approve the removal action. There is one document of this type, the Action Memorandum (formerly 10-point document). For removals expected to cost less than $1 million, the Regional Administrator, or other Regional staff if redelegated, signs the Action Memo. Regions must send a copy of the signed Action Memo to the Response Operations Branch of ERD-Headquarters within five days of signature. These documents are needed for tracking and Congressional response purposes. For removals greater than $1 million, the AASWER must sign and approve the Action Memo. See Exhibit 2 for an outline of this process. The second type of document is used to commit funds for a removal action. There are two types of commitment documents: The Procurement Request (EPA Form 1900-8) and the Commitment Notice (EPA Form 2550-9). The PR is used to commit funds for contracts; the CN to commit funds for Cooperative Agreements (CAs) and reimbursable Interagency Agreements (lAGs); transfer lAGs are not committed and therefore do not require a CN, a DCN or an account number. The Program Division will prepare the PR or CN and obtain all necessary program approvals and signatures, and will send the document to the Management Division for addition of accounting information (account number, appropriation and DCN). The Management Division will also check that the action has been approved. The RA as Allowance Holder, or designee, will certify the availability of funds and set aside the required funds on the allowance1s Document Control Register. The approved PR or CN is entered as a commitment into FMS, directly by -7- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 the Region for Cooperative Agreements and by the SFO/RTP for contracts or SFO/Cincinnati for reimbursable lAGs. Disposition of the documents after commitment shall be as * _ ^ ^ -_.•_ follows: PRs for ERCS -- if within Regional Ordering Officer's ordering authority, i.e., for amounts up to $250,000, return PR to Program Division to obligate funds and retain copy of PR in Regional contract file, with original sent to PCMD-Headquarters for official contract file. If greater than $250,000, prepare PR for the total cost; obligate Delivery Order for $250,000; and send originals of PR and obligated Regional Delivery Order to PCMD in Headquarters for obligation of increment over $250,000. Finance copy of PR is sent to SFO-RTP for entry of commitment in FMS. PRs for Letter Contracts, Notices to Proceed and Orders for Services — if within Regional OSC's contracting authority, i.e., amounts up to $50,000, $10,000 and $2,500, respectively, return PR to Program Division to obligate funds and retain copy of PR in Regional contract file, with original sent to PCMD-Headquarters for official contract file; if greater than Region's contracting authority, prepare PR for the total cost and obligate up to the limit of Regional authority (except for Orders for Services, which may never exceed $2,500); send original of PR and original signed Regional contract to PCMD in Headquarters for obligation of increment in excess of Regional authority. Finance copy of PR is sent to SFO-RTP for entry of commitment in FMS. CNs for Cooperative Agreements and reimbursable lAGs -- send with remainder of funding package (CA application, Assistance Funding Order and Special Conditions for Cooperative Agreements; transmittal memo and EPA Form 1610-1 for lAGs) to Regional Grants office. For transfer lAGs, prepare EPA Form 1610-1 and a transmittal memo; the transmittal memo should include a funds certification and reservation statement, such as: "I certify that funds are available for this project, and have reserved funds in the amount of $ for this purpose;" once signed, send these documents to the Regional Grants Office. CNs for reimbursable lAGs are sent to SFO-Cincinnati for entry of commitment in FMS. Commitments for Cooperative Agreements are entered in FMS in the Regions. -8- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 See Exhibit 3 for an outline of this process. The third type of document is the obligating document. Six documents of this type are used in the removal program. They are: ERCS Delivery Order, which .is obligated-by a Regional Ordering Officer for amounts up to $250,000; PCMD in Headquarters will modify Orders to obligate amounts over the Regions' $250,000 authority, and will award all modifications to change the original amount Letter Contract with state and local governments, which can be obligated by a Regional OSC for amounts up to $50,000; PCMD in Headquarters will obligate amounts over the Regions' $50,000 authority and will award all modifications to change the original amount Notice to Proceed, which can be obligated by a Regional OSC for amounts up to $10,000; PCMD in Headquarters will modify Notices to obligate amounts over the Regions' $10,000 authority and . will award all modifications to change the amount Order for Services, which can be obligated by a Regional OSC for amounts up to $2,500; an Order for Services may never exceed $2,500 Cooperative Agreement, which is awarded by the Regional Administrator; the limit on award amount is the amount approved for the removal action IAG, which is signed by the RA, but is not obligated until executed by the other Federal agency. Note that Superfund State Contracts, which outline state and EPA responsibilities and provide required state assurances under CERCLA, are not obligating documents. They are negotiated and signed in the Regions. Obligating documents must be processed in accordance with guidance-issued by PCMD, GAD and FMD. Regions will make obligations/awards as noted above. For CAs, Regions are responsible for entering obligations into their Document Control Register and into FMS. For reimbursable lAGs, copies of executed obligating documents must be sent to SFO-Cincinnati for entry into FMS. Transfer lAGs with FEMA must be coordinated with the Office of the Comptroller. For contracts awarded by Regions under Ordering Officer or emergency contracting authority, copies of obligating documents must be sent to the SFO-RTP -9- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 for entry into FMS and to PCMD for definitization and filing"in the official contract file. For contracts awarded by PCMD, they will be responsible for making distribution to the Region and to SFO-RTP. Modifications to all contract awards, whether originally made by the Region or PCMD, will be made by PCMD; the procedures for PCMD contract awards should be followed. See Exhibit 4 for an outline of the obligation process. For FEMA lAGs, which are allocation transfers, funds are transferred to FEMA via SF-1151, Non-expenditure Transfer Authorization. This transfer is processed by the Office of the Comptroller — the Budget Division for the required change request and FMD-Headquarters, Financial Reports and Analysis Branch, for the SF-1151. Regions must obtain from FEMA a quarterly outlay plan with each signed transfer IAG, and must forward one signed copy of the IAG, a signed change request for transfer of funds and an outlay plan to both: FMD, Financial Reports and Analysis Branch, attention: Ivery Jacobs Office of the Comptroller, Budget Division, attention: Liz Milstead. VII. CONTRACTOR INVOICES Contractors will include, on the Program Division's copy of the invoice or voucher for payment, a certification statement to be signed by the OSC or Ordering Officer. The statement will indicate that the services for which the contractor is billing have been provided. A typical certification statement to be used is: "I certify to the best of my knowledge and belief that the services shown on the invoice have been performed and are accepted." The OSC or Ordering Officer must sign the certification and, within 5 days, forward the certified copy of the invoice or voucher to SFO/RTP. Additional guidelines and procedures on processing contractor invoices are included in the "Emergency Ordering and Acquisition Procedures" and "ERCS Users Manual." VIII. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS The OERR Funds Control Center (OERR/FCC) is responsible for preparing periodic and ad hoc financial status reports on the removal program. For these reports to be both timely and comprehensive, FCC needs to get from the Regions information on extramural obligations. This information will be obtained by running an FMS report on -10- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 the fifth working day of each month for the Regions' obligations. Since not all Since not all obligations will be in FMS at that time, a Region must submit a supplemental report including those extramural obligations that have not been entered into FMS. To be included in the previous month's status report, this Regional report must be received by FCC no later than the sixth working day of the month and must contain, for each obligation: Document Control Number Account Number Site/spill name Amount of open commitments Amount of obligation Date of obligation. Reports should be sent to: Becky Kennedy OERR Funds Control Center WH-548D FCC will not verify the Regional information, but will compile various reports using the data in FMS supplemented by that submitted by the Regions. Additional guidance on reporting requirements will follow. -11- ------- OSWER Directive Exhibit 1 Financial Management Responsibilities (Removal Program) REGION Regional Administrator Management Division Authority to approve removal actions up to $1 million, regardless of duration (also approves exemption beyond 6-month limit) Authority to award Cooperative Agreements and lAGs Authority to enter into Superfund State Contracts (non-procurement) May redelegate selected authorities to Division Directors/OSCs Assigns account numbers and DCNs to all Regional commitment and obligation documents Issues site/spill identifiers for Region effective October 1, 1984 Processes all commitment documents for Regional contracts and reimbursable lAGs; sends copy of PR or CN to SFO/RTP or SFO/Cincinnati for entry into FMS Enters Cooperative Agreement commitments, obligations and drawdowns into FMS Processes Cooperative Agreements and designated lAGs, including assigning CA and IAG identification numbers; may award agreements if authority redelegated Maintains files of financial documents Prepares required financial reports Sets up account numbers (new obligational authority only) in FMS Controls allowance, maintains DCR and reconciles transactions Maintains fiscal oversight of Cooperative Agreements ------- OSW1JK Directive 9275.1-1 Exhibit 1 (cont'd) Financial Management Responsibilities (Removal Program) Program Division Obligates ERCS Delivery Orders up to $250,000 Obligates Orders for Services up to $2,500, Notices to Proceed up to $10,000 and Letter Contracts up to $50,000 Initiates removal actions; prepares PRs/CNs and work statements Reviews and certifies invoices Initiates and approves TDDs under TAT contract Prepares Action Memos and forwards to ERD Drafts SSAPs Works with states to develop Superfund State Contracts and Cooperative Agreements HEADQUARTERS AASWER to I Formally issues removal guidance and directives Approves removal actions expected to cost or actually costing over $1 million Approves waiver of statutory $1 million limit Approves SSAPs May redelegate selected authorities to OERR OERR/FCC Prepares various Superfund financial reports Prepares Superfund-specific guidance and directives Implements and oversees compliance with Agency financial management policies and procedures Processes and commits funds for TAT and ERCS management and award (TAT) or incentive (ERCS) fee ------- OSWfcR Directive 9275. Exhibit 1 (cont'd) Financial Management Responsibilities (Removal Program) OERR/ERD Provides guidance and coordination for ERGS contracts Coordinates ERGS performance incentive process Initiates TAT funding and rebid; coordinates and manages TAT performance evaluation; shifts TAT resources as necessary Coordinates SSAP approvals and amendments Drafts removal guidance and directives and coordinates agency review PCMD Awards, administers and modifies ERGS and TAT contracts Definitizes all ERCS Delivery Orders and Regional emergency contracts (Order for Services, Notice to Proceed and Letter Contract) Obligates ERCS Delivery Orders for amounts in excess of the Regions' $250,000 authority Modifies Notices to Proceed and Letter Contracts to obligate amounts in excess of the Regions' $10,000 and $50,000 obligating authority Awards all contract and Delivery Order modifications Maintains official contract files FMD Promulgates Agency-wide accounting policies and procedures Maintains and implements the official Agency-wide accounting systems Assists in assembling financial cost recovery documents and FMS print-outs Bills and monitors payments for state cost shares under Superfund State Contracts Sets up carry-over account numbers in FMS ------- OSWEk Directive 9275.1-1 Exhibit 1 (cont'd) Financial Management Responsibilities (Removal Program) GAD Transfers official CA and IAG files to Regions Issues guidance for the processing and award of CAs and lAGs SFO' S SFO/RTP Enters commitments for ERCS and other contracts into FMS Enters obligations and payment information into FMS for ERCS and other contracts Processes invoices for ERCS and other contracts SFO/Las Vegas Transfers official files and responsibilities for CAs to Regions SFO/Cincinnati Ul i Processes invoices for lAGs; enters commitments, obligations and payments for reimbursable lAGs into FMS ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 Exhibit 2 Financial Document Processing - Removal Action Memorandum 1. Regional Program Division drafts Action Memo (formerly 10-point document). 2. If removal expected to cost no more than $1 million, forwards Action Memo to Regional Administrator; if expected to cost more than $1 million, forwards Action Memo to AASWER. 3. RA or AASWER approves Action Memo. 4. Copy of Action Memo sent to ERD/Response Operations Branch within 5 days of signature. 5. Original Action Memo returned to Regional Management Division for filing; copy to Regional Program Division. -16- ------- OSWER Oirective 9275.1-1 Exhibit 3 Financial Document Processing - Removal Commitment Documents 1. Regional Program Division prepares funding package: Contracts -- PR plus statement of work Cooperative Agreements -- CN, Assistance Funding Order, Special Conditions plus Application Reimbursable lAGs — CN, transmittal memo plus EPA Form 1610-1 Transfer lAGs -- Transmittal memo (with certification and reservation statement) plus EPA Form 1610-1. 2. Commitment document and remainder of funding package undergoes Regional legal and administrative review. 3. Regional Management Division adds accounting information (account number, appropriation and DCN) and certifies availability of funds; enters commitment in OCR and directly into FMS for Cooperative Agreements, sends document to SFO/RTP for contracts or SFO/Cincinnati for reimbursable lAGs for entry of commitment into FMS. For transfer lAGs, funds are reserved from the Regional allowance but are not committed in OCR or FMS. 4. For removal actions expected to cost no more than SI million, RA approves action; for actions expected to cost more than $1 million, AASWER approves action. 5. Distribution of commitment document/funding package depends on type of funding mechanism: ERCS Delivery Order not more than $250,000; Order for Services, Notice to Proceed or Letter Contract not more than $2,500, $10,000 and $50,000, respectively — return to Regional Program Division for obligation ERCS Delivery Order greater than $250,000; Notice to Proceed or Letter Contract greater than $10,000 and $50,000, respectively -- return to Program Division for obligation of amount within Regional authority; send to PCMD-Headquarters for modification of Delivery Order or contract to add increment in excess of Regional obligating authority (also to be used for modifications to all contracts) -17- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 Exhibit 3 (cont'd) Cooperative Agreement or IAG -- send to Regional Grants office for award. 6. Originals of all PRs must be sent to PCMD-Headquarters to be included in official contract file. -18- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 Exhibit 4 Financial Document Processing - Removal Obligating Documents 1. Award Official depends on type of funding mechanism: a. ERGS Delivery Order not more than $250,000 -- Regional Ordering Officer b. Order for Services, Notice to Proceed or Letter Contract within Regions' obligating authority, i.e., for amounts not more than $2,500, $10,000 and $50,000, respectively — OSC c. Modifications to ERCS Delivery Orders, Notice to Proceed and Letter Contracts to obligate amounts in excess of Regions'obligating authority of $250,000, $10,000 and $50,000, respectively, and modifications to change all original obligation amounts -- PCMD Headquarters d. Cooperative Agreements -- RA e. lAGs -- RA 2. For items "a" and "b" above, distribution after signature is: PCMD -- for definitization and filing in official contract file (original) ERD - Removal Operations Branch -- for information purposes SFO-RTP — for entry into FMS and filing in official file Regional Management Division -- For entry into OCR and filing in Regional file. 3. For item "c" above, distribution after signature is: PCMD — for filing in official file (original) ERD - Removal Operations Branch -- for information purposes SFO-RTP -- for entry into FMS and filing in official file Regional Management Division -- for entry into OCR and filing in Regional file. -19- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 Exhibit 4 (cont'd) 4. For item "d" above, distribution after signature is: ERD - Removal Operations Branch — for information purposes Regional Management Division — for entry into OCR and FMS and filing in pfficial file. (original). 5. For item "e" above, distribution after signature is to the recipient Federal agency. After signature by the Federal agency, distribution is: ERD - Removal Operations Branch -- for information purposes Regional Management Division — for entry into DCR and filing in official file SFO/Cincinnati — for entry into FMS and filing in official file (original). FEMA lAGs (original) with quarterly outlay plans and a change request to transfer funds must be forwarded to the Office of the Comptroller, Budget Division, with a copy to FMD-Headquarters, Financial Reports and Analysis Branch, to transfer funds by SF-1151 to FEMA. -20- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 ATTACHMENT Acronyms Used in Removal Financial Management Procedures AASWER - Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste and Emergency Response CERCLA - Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (Superfund) CA - Cooperative Agreement CN - Commitment Notice DCN - Document Control Number OCR - Document Control Register ERCS - Emergency Response Cleanup Services ERD - Emergency Response Division FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency FMD - , Financial Management Division (Headquarters) GAD - Grants Administration Division (Headquarters) IAG - Intergency Agreement OARM - Office of Administration and Resources Management (Headquarters) OERR - Office of Emergency and Remedial Response (Headquarters) OERR/FCC - Funds Control Center of the Office of Emergency and Remedial Response (Headquarters) OERR/ERD - Emergency Response Division of the Office of Emergency and Remedial Response (Headquarters) OSC - On-Scene Coordinator PCMD - Procurement and Contracts Management Division PR - Procurement Request -21- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 RA - Regional Administrator RTF - Research Triangle Park SFO - Servicing Finance Office SSAP - Site Stabilization Accomplishments Plan TAT - Technical Assistance Team TDD - Technical Directive Document -22- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 COMMENTS MATRIX REMOVAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES COMMENTOR C. Morgan Kinghorn Comptroller Brian K. Polly Director, PCMD SUBJECT Delegations - 6-month extension (p.2) FMD Responsibilities (Exhibit 1) Financial Document Processing-Removal Obliga- ing Documents (Exhibit 4) Financial Document Processing (page 9) ERCS Delivery Order Obligations (pages 1, 8 and Exhibits 1 and Orders for Service 3,7 4) ERCS Funding Authority (page 1) Financial Management Responsibilities - OERR/FCC and ERD (Exhibit 1) COMMENT Wording misleading; sounds like extension is for 6- months. 'Important to state FMD's role in Agency-wide system. Important to reiterate PCMD's award role in item 3 Add "Budget Division" to processing of Transfer lAGs. OSC awards action up to limit of authority; PCMD modifies document to add additional funding. Orders for Services can never exceed $2,500 and should never be modified to change the amount. Regional ERCS funding for Delivery Orders only; OERR funds contract management. ERCS incentive mechanism should be called "perfor- mance incentive process". RESPONSE Comment accepted. Wording now reads "extension beyond the 6-month limit". Comment accepted. Ad "Maintains and imple- ments the official Agency-wide account in system." Comment not accepted. Item 3 discusses dis- tribution after award Comment accepted and change made. Comment accepted; changes made where necessary. Comment accepted; changes made where necessary. Comment accepted; changes made to clarify this point Comment accepted; changes made to re flect proper ^Le ology. -1- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 COMMENTS MATRIX REMOVAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES COMMENTOR Brian K. Polly (continued) Region I W. Librizzi, Director OERR and H. Barrack, ARA for Policy and Management, Region II SUBJECT Financial Management Respons ibi1it ies-PCMD (Exhibit 1) Contractor Invoices (page 9) No comments received Financial Management Respons ibi1i t i es—Manage- ment Division (Exhibit 1) Delegations of Authority (page 2) Financial Management Responsibilities (page 4) COMMENT Proper terminology is "awards all contract and Delivery Order modifi- cations . " "Interim Emergenecy Pro- curement Procedures" are being replaced by "Emergency Ordering and Acquistion Procedures" RESPONSE Comment accepted; this suggested word- ing has been substi- tuted. Comment accepted; the replacement document title will be used. "Audits Cooperative Agree- Comment accepted. The ments" needs clarification, wording has been clari- probably to "coordinates fied to "maintains audits of..." fiscal oversight of..." Comment accepted. ' has been eliminated, All1 "Maintains files of all financial documents" needs clarification... some documents, such as time- sheets, are maintained in the Program Division. Regions need procedures to Comment noted. OERR enable tracking of removal will provide Regions costs against the $1 mil- with procedures for cost lion ceiling. tracking, but in a document other than this financial procedures document. Recommends that "funding" Comment noted. "Funding be replaced by is more inclusive than '"committing". "committing", encom- passing both committing -2- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 COMMENTS MATRIX REMOVAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES COMMENTOR W. Librizzi/H. Barrack (continued) Alvin Morris, Assis- tant RA for Policy and Management, Region III Region IV Robert Springer, Director, Planning and Management Division, Region V SUBJECT Concur, no comment No comments received General Financial Document Processing (page 7) COMMENT RESPONSE and actually providing funds. In this circum- stance, "funding" is the more appropriate term. Recommends that instruc- tions of this type be pre- reviewed by HQ Office of the Comptroller and FMD to assure compliance with accounting, fund control and financial operations requirements. The instructions state that commitments for contracts and lAGs are entered into FMS by the SFOs in RTP and Cincinnati; believes that Regions should enter commitments to reflect an early reservation of funds. Comment noted. FMD staff did review and comment on the removal procedures at several points in the develop- ment process. Region V also reviewed the document prior to formal transmittal throughout the Agency. Comment noted. Regions cannot directly enter commitments for transactions obligated in RTP or Cincinnati because of the differen SFO numbers. Both FMD and one Region stated that the Regions do not have First-Up capabil- ities to enter commit- ments against other SFO's obligations. if • -3- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.^1 COMMENTS MATRIX REMOVAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES COMMENTOR Robert Springer (continued) Region VI Susan Gordon, Assistant RA for Policy and Management Region VII Dave Wagner, Director, Air and Waste Mangement Division Region VII SUBJECT COMMENT No comments received Cost Recovery Cost recovery responsibil- ities need expansion. Issuing Site/Spill Identifiers Although this guidance assigns responsibility for issuing identifiers to Management Divisions, the Program Divisions are more appropriate since they are familiar with site aliases and need identifiers first. RESPONSE Region V or any other Region does have First- Up, they should use it in accordance with FMD procedures. Comment noted. Cost recovery indeed needs clarification, but this directive is not the appropriate mechanism for doing so. Comment noted. As the directive states (page 3), the indicated responsibilities are intended to guide, not dictate to, the Regions Since some Regions have remedial and removal programs separated organizationally, and since the issuance of identifiers needs to be coordinated between the two (and enforcement), the Management Division may often be the logi- cal issuer of identi- fiers. As long as the process is adequately controlled and managed, -4- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 COMMENTS MATRIX REMOVAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES COMMENTOR Dave Wagner (continued) SUBJECT Maintenance of Files Audits of Cooperative Agreements (Exhibit 1) COMMENT It is unclear from the ^guidance how HQ will ob- tain identifiers. Recom mend that they contact the Region. Because of Regional space limitations, recommends microfiching and archiving original documents. What types of audits will Management Division be doing? Who requests audits from the IG when required? RESPONSE Regions may assign it where it makes most sense. Comment noted. The exact mechanism for managing identifiers has not been determined. While it is clear that Regions will assign identifiers, it may be possible for HQ to ac- cess those identifiers through some sort of system. Additional guidance will follow. Comment noted. For cost recovery purposes, ori- ginal source documents should be maintained in the Regional files. None. The wording in Exhibit 1 has been cor- rected to "Maintains fiscal oversight of" rather than "Audits". Anyone can, or the IG can audit on a random or scheduled basis. What defines the difference They are the same--see between these two typer of above. audits. -5- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1 COMMENTS MATRIX REMOVAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES COMMENTOR Dave Wagner (continued) SUBJECT Cost Recovery (Exhibit 1) Reporting Requirements (page 9) COMMENT From Exhibit 1, Reg. VII assumes OERR/FCC maintains overall coordination for cost recovery. Please clarify reporting requirements. How useful can a report be if it con- tains unverified data? This is one of the problems with PTS. Jack Hoffbuhr, Acting Regional Administrator, Office of Policy and Management, Region VIII Acronyms The document is difficult to read because of the "excessive" use of acronyms. The full name should be used the first time each appears on a page. RESPONSE Comment noted. OWPE provides overall coordination; Regions, FCC and FMD provide support for financial documentat ion. Comment noted. Each Region, as Allowance Holder, is responsible for verifying their re- ported data. Although FCC may check data that appears unusual, it will provide no regular reconciliation or veri- fication of data. Com- plete HQ data require- ments are not yet de- termined; once this occurs, supplemental guidance will be sent to the Regions. Comment partially accepted. Regions need to become familiar with Super- fund acconyms. To help in following this document, an at- tachment has been added containing all acronyms used in the document, in alphabetical order. -6- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 COMMENTS MATRIX REMOVAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES COMMENTOR Jack Hoffbuhr (continued) SUBJECT Letter Contracts COMMENT The document should expand on the definition of Let- ter Contracts. The dele- gations limitations state the authority does not ex- • tend to procurement con- tracts. What is the ef- fect of a Letter Contract on Super fund money? ERCS Contracts (page 1) Is there more than one ERCS contract? If so, how does the OSC know which one to use? RESPONSE As described on page 1, financial authotity comes from three sour- ces. The authority to enter into contracts 'with states, delegated in 14-1-B, is to provic required CERCLA assur- ances and to lay out roles and responsibili- ties for planned re- moval actions. These contracts, commonly called Superfund State Contracts, do not obli- gate any funds. The authority to -award Let- ter Contracts with sta and local governments isigranted by PCMD for amounts up to $50,000. These two authorities come from two entirely different sources and are not related. Let- ter Contracts for re- moval actions are de- scribed in more detail in the Removal Guidanc. soon to be issued by ERD. Yes, there are four ERc zone contracts, but eat Region has only one coi tract under which it can order world -7- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 COMMENTS MATRIX REMOVAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES COMMENTOR Jack Hoffbuhr (continued) SUBJECT Other Emergency Contracts (page 1) Ordering Officer's Contracting Authority (page 7) Letter Contracts (page 8) Responsibilities - Management Division (Exhibit 1) COMMENT "Notice to Proceed" and "Orders for Services" would indicate that con- tracting has already been completed nor the contract -obligated. Are these two actions handled the same as "Delivery Orders"? Is the term contracting authority correct, or should the term be ob- ligating authority? What is the difference, if any, between Letter Contracts and Superfund State contracts? Audit of Cooperative Agreements is a function of ,the IG, not the Manage- ment Division. RESPONSE I No, Notices to Proceed and Orders for Services are handled differently than ERCS Delivery Orders. Contracting has not been completed and the contract obligated as in the case with ERCS; each Notice and Order is a new obliga- tion. More details on these contract types are contained in the Removal Guidance to be issued by ERD; or can be obtained from PCMD. Comment accepted. The Ordering Officer has been delegated authority by PCMD in the ERCS con- tracts to "place orders" against the contract. "Contracting" has been changed to "ordering". See Letter Contracts above. Comment accepted. "Audits" has been changed to "Maintains fiscal oversight of." -8- ------- OSWER Directive 9275.1-1 COMMENTS MATRIX REMOVAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES COMMENTOR Jack Hoffbuhr (continued) SUBJECT Acronyms (Exhibit 1) COMMENT Undefined acronyms are included in Exhibit 1. I RESPONSE Comment accepted.. A complete list and spell- ing out of all acronyms used in the document has been added as an Attach- ment. Region IX Region X Billie Perry OERR No comments received Deferred comments Transfer IAGs Transfer IAGs are pro- cessed differently than reimbursable IAGs. Comment accepted. Throughout the document, the distinction between transfer and reimburs- able IAGs has been made. -q- ------- |