Accounts Receivable and Debt Collection Policy Manual

1.  Purpose

This Manual establishes general standards for implementing General Services Administration (GSA) financial transactions and procedures. This Manual includes guidelines for internal control policies and procedures for managing cash and accounts receivable, the servicing of Federal and non-Federal receivables, and debt collection tools.

2.  Background

This Manual establishes uniform policies for accounts receivable functions and provides guidance on procedures and operational requirements for GSA. This Manual does not include every policy or procedure; however, the manual is a useful supplement to other regulations and guidelines on managing accounts receivable, including Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB) pronouncements, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) circulars, Department of Treasury Financial Manual (TFM), and various public laws (PL).

3.  Applicability

This Manual provides policy guidance for personnel working with accounts receivable and debt collection functions and transactions, such as those assigned to the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), GSA's Federal Shared Service Provider (FSSP), and those in the Services and Staff Offices (SSOs) who assist these personnel.

4.  Cancellation

This Manual cancels and supersedes CFO 4253.1C.

5.  Explanation of Change

Changes to CFO 4253.1C were required to address an accounting pronouncement of the FASAB, Technical Bulletin 2020-1—Loss Allowance for Intragovernmental Receivables. The required updates in this Manual were limited to Chapter 4, Allowances and Write-offs, Part 1, Allowances. The FASAB guidance clarified requirements for the recording of allowances for losses for Federal accounts receivable balances that are likely to be uncollectible. Language was removed from Part 1, that had limited such allowances in accordance with the TFM, which has since been superseded.

6.  Responsibilities

If you have any questions regarding this Order, please contact Edward Gramp at edward.gramp@gsa.gov or by phone on 202-501-0593.