Certifying Officer Roles - Lesson 2

Certifying Officer Roles Laws for Certifying Officers Training for Credit Card Payments Beginning of the Lesson It's time to learn more about the Certifying Officer Legislation (COL). Let's look at what the COL does in the payment certification process. This lesson talks about what a Certifying Officer needs to be able to do, how to become a Certifying Officer, and the differences between manual and electronic certification. Goals for the Lesson Final Learning Goal: Know what the Certifying Officer does during the payment certification process. When this lesson is over, you'll be able to: • Find out what a Certifying Officer needs to be able to do their job. • Recognize the process for hiring and firing a Certifying Officer. • Know the steps for both manual and electronic payment certification. What You Need to Know A person who is certifying should: • Learn as much as you can about the area where they do certifications. • Know how to make vouchers for payment or have experience doing so. • Know how to file a dispute with their servicing bank (contact the Agency/Organization Program Coordinator [A/OPC] to get the process for their bank). • Learn about the payment process, such as where the designated paying and accounting offices are located and whether funds are available. • You should know about appropriations, other funds, and accounting classifications. If their jobs are in the United States, Certifying Officers and DAOs must be U.S. citizens. Certain exceptions apply: if the Certifying Officer is not in the U.S., they must be a U.S. citizen or directly hire a foreign national. Who Can Apply? The following people can be appointed as Certifying Officers: • Leaders and deputy leaders • Managers of resources and fund holders • Officials who authorize travel • Officials who approve purchase cards • Other people who work in similar roles People who are Disbursing Officers can't be appointed as Certifying Officers. Also, unless there are very special circumstances, people who work for a Disbursing Officer cannot be made Certifying Officers. There are some exceptions listed in Chapter 33 (330201.A) of Q.QJL FMR Volume 5. The internal control process is strong and independent because of this separation of duties. Form 577 On DD Form 577 (Appointment/Termination Record/Authorized Signature), you can start and end the appointments of Certifying Officers and DAOs. List the exact types of payments that are being made, such as vendor pay, purchase cards, CBAs, travel, transportation, military, and civilian pay. The Department of Defense Charge Card Guidebook says that training must happen before an appointment. Make the right note in item 7 of the DD Form 577 for direct-hire non-U.S. citizens who are covered by a local law that doesn't hold them financially responsible in the same way that other Department of Defense employees do. In Section III of the form, the person who was appointed confirms that they were appointed. Appointing authorities check appointments at least once a year to make sure they are still valid and up to date. Appointments are not canceled unless they are changed or for a good reason. Using Section JV of the form, Certifying Officers end appointments as needed and let the agencies that received the original appointments know. Functions for Computing If the computation function is done at a different activity than the disbursing function, a Certifying Officer may be promoted to the first-line supervisor level or higher in the computation function area. When calculations for payments are done with the Disbursing Officer's direction during tactical operations (such as afloat units, military training exercises, noncombatant evacuations, and emergency operations), Certifying Officers can be chosen from the staff in the disbursing office. To make these appointments, the Head of the DoD Component must either send written notice to the person they want to appoint or delegate the task through command channels, but not to the Disbursing Officer. Usually, this special appointment would last as long as the deployment does. Process for Verifying Payment There is more to the certification process than just giving the go-ahead for a payment voucher. This is a promise to the person disbursing the money that the payment being asked for is legal and in line with the funds or appropriations listed on the voucher or the supporting documents. It is not "for" or "on behalf of" DOs or their agents that certifying officers say that vouchers are correct and can be paid for from the funds or appropriation(s) listed on them or on supporting vouchers. They also say that the proposed payments are legal, proper, and correct. These conditions must be met for Purchase Card purchases: 1. It really does meet a need. 2. Acceptance has happened (unless pay and confirm is in place; in that case, the activity has a systemic process in place that has been checked by an outside auditor to make sure performance happens within the dispute process allowed by the GSA contract/task order). 3. The amount that can be charged is current and available. 4. The cardholder has promised that property records have been updated if they need to be. Steps in the Certification Process There are three steps in the certification process: Look over the payment documents that back them up: Check the Purchase Log against the certified transactions made by the cardholder to make sure they match up. Reallocate to fix the appropriation or file a dispute with the GSA contract terms. Dispute within the terms of the GSA contract, as required by Title 10 Section 2784. • • Figure out the entitlement. Check the voucher. Liability for Money Certifying Officers are automatically financially responsible for any illegal, improper, or wrong payments that happen because of their certifications. For this reason, it is very important for their defense that they can show proof that they followed the right steps for getting certified. An audit trail is made during the certification process. As long as it is done right, the certification process protects the Certifying Officer. In fact, following the right steps may be a reason to release someone from liability. About the Lesson We learned in Lesson 2 that Certifying Officers must know how payments work but cannot be Disbursing Officers. DD Form 577 is used to make the appointment to this job. The Disbursing Officer is told that the proposed payment is legal, proper, and correct through the certification process.