Small Agency Services Bulletin - March 2022
| Important Dates | Important Messages | Small Agency Financial Services News | Travel Tips | Contact Us |
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Please send your feedback about the Department of Enterprise Services' (DES) Small Agency Financial Services (SAFS). Your feedback helps us improve and better meet your needs. Finance welcomes your feedback at any time.
Important Dates
Mar. 31
- Correctional Industries (CI) 60 day Standard order cut-off date for delivery by June 30. See their website for more order cut-off dates.
Apr. 7
- To reflect in your agency's monthly financial statements, all invoices and travel reimbursement requests are due to Accounts Payable.
Apr. 18
- IRS Tax Deadline – If any vendors have questions about their 2021 1099-MISC forms, please call Accounts Payable at 360-407-8183 before the filing deadline.
Apr. 29
- Allotments for the 2022 Supplemental are due to OFM.
Apr. 30
- Performance measure actuals due for quarter ending March 31.
May 6
- Opportunity to adjust your 2023-25 Compensation data for any changes made in the 2022 supplemental budget.
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Important Messages
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource
Keep informed via Washington State's coronavirus response website Coronavirus.wa.gov.
Time to think about the end of the fiscal year.
- Be sure to get all fiscal year 2022 invoices so they can be paid promptly. Belated claims will apply against your fiscal year 2023 spending authority.
- Does your agency bill for its services or send out interagency billings? Create a plan to ensure that June's billings are processed promptly and mailed by mid-July.
- Reference the Office of Financial Management (OFM) year-end resources.
Time to think about the 2023-2025 biennial budget.
Here are some things to think about to when planning your agency's 2021-2023 biennial budget:
- Is your Information Technology (IT) Security Policy and Standards Compliance Audit due? These audits are due at least once every three years.
- Is your agency planning to submit any IT decision packages? Consider getting started on the concept review process required by WaTech/OCIO.
- Is your agency considering a program structure change? Changes in program budget, allotment or accounting formats require a Program Structure Change Request. Changes that prompt a formal Program Structure Change Request include:
- A major shift of costs between programs.
- A program consolidation or separation.
- A title change, if the new title is substantially different from the current program or sub-program name.
- Any other significant revisions that would affect the comparability of staffing, expenditure, or revenue data over time.
- Program Structure Change Requests are due to OFM in early May. We will need some time to prepare these requests and may need a 10-year history analysis. If you wish to submit a request, please contact your DES SAFS budget analyst soon.
Time to think about capital assets
DES encourages small agencies to evaluate internal policies and procedures around capital assets and be sure they include the following:
- An internal written policy for managing small and attractive assets, timely removal of capital assets from inventory, and proper approval of disposal requests.
- A revolving schedule to perform physical inventories every other year. Inventories can be performed anytime - there is no need to wait until June.
- Procedures to follow if a capital asset is lost or stolen.
Visit these websites to find out more about capital assets:
- State Administrative and Accounting Manual Chapter 30.10 – capital assets
- Office of Financial Management capital asset resources
Supplemental Budget Allotment Adjustments due in April 29
Your agency may need to amend your allotments to reflect legislative changes. Allotment amendments are due for expenditure, revenue, cash receipts and cash disbursement revisions related to 2022 supplemental changes. Your budget analyst will contact you soon after the legislative session to discuss adjustments.
A message from the DES Policy Team (Enterprise Procurement Policy | Contracts & Procurement)
Effective April 1, 2022, DES will adopt a revised Sole Source Policy Procedure. The changes to the procedure and related documents will provide more clarity, consistency, and transparency around the process for vendors, the public, higher education, and state agencies. DES sought feedback from the Procurement Customer Advisory Group (PCAG) prior to modifying the procedure and related documents.
Going forward, DES expects to review the Sole Source Policy, including evaluating its alignment with the Washington state Disparity Study, before its sunset date of April 3, 2024. DES will seek broad stakeholder feedback during the policy review.
Here's a summary of the changes we made to the procedure and related documents:
Sole Source Procedure document:
- New requirement to post answers to the justification questions to WEBS
- New requirement to post a copy of the finalized draft contract in Sole Source Contracts Database (SSCD) to WEBS and agency website
- Clarified DES' review process and criteria considered as part of review including contract verbiage, taking capability statements that agencies receive into consideration
- Added factors DES will consider during the decision process
- Added information about redacting proprietary or confidential information, when applicable
- Clarified timelines involving state holidays/weekends/day of posting
Sole Source Justification template:
- Cost analysis must include quantification, when applicable
- Added hyperlinks to the SSCD and WEBS
- Added instruction around providing market research or explaining in detail why agency chose not to contact other businesses
- Under the "Sole Source Posting" section: added "the draft contract and copy of the justification template" as required documents to be posted (Note: this doesn't apply to the Amendment Justification Template)
- Removed inconsistency in the instructions about the form being "optional" to use – it is not optional
- Put all definitions in alphabetical order
- Added a definition for "compelling"
- Added a definition and minimum requirements for "market research"
- Added the definition for "sole source" that matches the definition contained in other documents
- Revised the definition for "minor or administrative change"
- Added definition for "Legal notice"
- Added definition for "Performance-based" (using the definition that will be used in the Contract Management policy)
Frequently asked questions (FAQ):
- Added a question about what you cannot list as requirements in your legal notice
- Included examples of quantifying cost savings
- Added several questions and answers not necessarily applicable to this specific task - just a running list of additional questions and answers as they've come up over the past year
- Added three questions and answers (#31-33)
- 31: Performance-based contracting
- 32: How to move forward if a Disapproval is received
- 33: State-observed holidays that can affect filing timelines
If you have questions, please contact DES Sole Source Oversight Administrator Brooke Jensen 360-790-8256 or any member of the DES Enterprise Policy Team.
Fund 03K Industrial Insurance Premium Refund Account
DES wants to remind agencies that they may have a balance remaining in Fund 03K Industrial Insurance Premium Refund Account — a fund used to account for all industrial insurance refunds earned by state agencies under the state fund retrospective rating program. Preference on expenditures shall be given to programs that provide incentives for employee safety and appropriate early return-to-work incentives for injured employees.
Below are some ideas about where you can request these funds be used:
- Electronics — such as loaner cell phones for personal safety while in travel status, and/or security cameras.
- Emergency planning and first aid — such as first aid kits and emergency evacuation supplies.
- Ergonomics — such as adjustable work surfaces, padded or gel wrist rests and keyboard trays.
- Facilities related items — such as warning signs, ice/snow supplies to prevent surface slips and card key entries.
- Indoor air quality — such as HEPA filter air cleaners and CO2 monitoring equipment.
- Lifting/materials handing devices — such as fork lifts and portable carts.
- Lighting — such as blinds to minimize glare and task lighting.
- Personal protective equipment — such as hard hats and back-belts.
- Training/education — such as safely videos.
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Small Agency Financial Services News
New Sustainment Planning Director and CFO at DES
DES is pleased to announce that Lynne McGuire is transitioning from the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to a new position within the agency. Her new title will be Sustainment Planning Director.
This is an exciting new position with the purpose of providing project management and leadership for complex organizational projects across multiple DES divisions. Lynne's work will support the ongoing success and sustainability of the agency. She will also provide overall leadership and project management support for the DES One Washington project.
DES is also happy to announce that Ashley Howard has been named Chief Financial Officer (CFO) effective March 7.
Ashley served as the DES Budget Director since May 2016. She has been with the agency since its creation in 2011, when the Department of Personnel consolidated with others to form DES. Ashley started her state career as an intern with the Washington State Auditor's Office in 2008 while still in college. She has also served as a fiscal analyst, payroll manager and budget operations manager.
"Clearly, Ashley is an experienced and thoughtful leader," said Director Tara C. Smith. "In her words, she 'strives to create an environment that is anchored with trust, inclusion, integrity, grace and understanding.' I couldn't have said it better myself."
Ashley also shared her excitement to continue working with her team. "The members of the Finance Division are truly the best in the business! I am deeply grateful for each one of them, and I can't wait to see where the future takes us together."
Office Depot Recommended Supply Vendor
Office Depot is on the master contracts list and is the recommended vendor for purchasing office supplies. Purchases through other vendors, such as Amazon, is not recommended unless there is a justifiable reason for doing so. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact DES Accounts Payable at APquestions.safs@des.wa.gov.
DES SAFS will present our "Fiscal Year-End" and "2023-2025 Biennial Budget Build" workshop coming up.
Watch for your invite!
Our workshop will cover all you need to know about the fiscal year-end close such as:
- Important dates and deadlines
- How to identify expenses that need accrued
- What are overspends and how to avoid them
We will also help you prepare for the 2023-2025 biennium by covering:
- The basic budget process
- What to expect from us
- What we need from you
- Timeline of budget due dates
- What makes a good decision package
A question and answer period will follow. If you have specific questions or topics you would like to see covered, please email Gwen McClanahan.
SAFS (Small Agency Financial Services) Team Updates
Did you know? Your DES financial support team consists of ALL of our SAFS team members. Even though you may work with specific SAFS members regularly, other SAFS members often step in to assist and provide continuity of services. We would like you to know about our whole SAFS team. Below is a list of each work group within SAFS, the members you may hear from, and recent news or a message from each team.
| Team | Members | News / Message |
|---|---|---|
| Accounts Payable |
Ian Shelley |
After one year of amazing work and contributions to the SAFS AP team we are happy to announce that Norma Rosado has been promoted to one of our team lead positions. Congratulations Norma! Please welcome our newest team member, Kira Faught. Kira has years of experience in accounts payable in the private sector. We are beyond excited for Kira to be joining our team! |
| Budget |
Diann Lewallen |
Spring Fun Fact: The first day of spring is called the vernal equinox. What does that stand for you ask? 'Vernal' is Latin for spring while 'equinox' is Latin for 'equal night'. |
| Payroll |
Carrie Knudson |
Phuong will be back March 30! We missed her. Remember to continue to contact DESpayroll@des.wa.gov while Phuong is still out. |
| Accounts Receivable |
Betti Bartoldo |
Sabrina is no longer with DES. We will be recruiting for her replacement as soon as possible. |
| Administrative Assistance |
Danelle Guerin |
Spring Fun Fact: On the first day of spring, a person at the North Pole would see the sun skimming across the horizon, beginning six months of uninterrupted daylight. A person at the South Pole would see the sun skimming across the horizon, signaling the start of six months of darkness. |
DES Payroll statistics for Mar. 2022 (40 agencies served)
| Total Employees Paid | 1,326 |
| New Hires / Rehires | 23 |
| Transfer In / Transfer Outs | 7 |
| Separations | 14 |
| Supplemental Payments / Walk Throughs | 0 |
| Overpayments | 0 |
DES Accounts Payable statistics for Mar. 2022 (32 agencies served)
| Invoices Received from Agency | 1,207 | 75.71% | $12,149,867 |
| Invoices Paid on Delegated Authority | 372 | 23.34% | $849,951 |
| Travel Requests Paid through TEMS | 13 | 0.82% | $6,477 |
| Payments Reissued (SOL, Lost Warrant) | 2 | 0.13% | $2,563 |
| Total Payments Processed | 1,594 | 100% | $13,008,858 |
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Travel Tips
Increasing Travel Trips
As travel starts to increase again, please continue to follow the World Health Organization tips for traveling during COVID-19.
TEMS System Update
The TEMS system has been updated and now works only in Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome. TEMS no longer functions properly if using Internet Explorer.
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Contact Us
If you would like to know what budget analyst, payroll analyst and HR business partner is assigned to your agency, see our Agency Assignments webpage.
If you would like to get contact information for DES SAFS and HR staff, see our Contacts webpage.
If you have suggestions or feedback about the Small Agency Services Bulletin, please send your comments to SmallAgencyBulletin@des.wa.gov.
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