| | |
Circular A-134
May 20, 1993
TO THE HEADS
OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
SUBJECT: Financial
Accounting Principles and Standards
-
Purpose.
This Circular establishes the policies and procedures for approving
and publishing financial accounting principles and standards.
It also establishes the policies to be followed by Executive
Branch agencies and OMB in seeking and providing interpretations
and other advice related to the standards.
-
Background.
The Secretary of the Treasury, the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB), and the Comptroller General of
the United States ("the Principals") established
the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB) in
October 1990 by a memorandum of understanding (MOU). The role
of FASAB is to deliberate upon and make recommendations to
the Principals on accounting principles and standards for the
Federal Government and its agencies. The MOU states that if
the Principals agree with the recommendations, the Comptroller
General and the Director of OMB will publish the accounting
principles and standards.
- Coverage. The provisions of this Circular apply to all
Executive Branch departments and agencies.
- Definitions. As used in this Circular:
a. Executive
agency ("agency") means any executive branch
department, independent commission, board, bureau, office,
agency, or other establishment of the Federal Government, including
independent regulatory commissions and boards. It does not
include federally-owned or controlled corporations that are
preparing financial statements in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles promulgated by the Financial
Accounting Standards Board, or the legislative or judicial
branches of the Federal Government.
b. Accounting
standards or principles are those conventions, rules,
and procedures necessary to define acceptable accounting
practice at a particular time. Accounting standards include
broad guidelines of general application and may also include
detailed practices and procedures.
c. Interpretation
of Federal Financial Accounting Standards is a document
of narrow scope that provides clarifications of original
meaning, additional definitions, or other guidance pertaining
to an existing Statement of Federal Financial Accounting
Standards (SFFAS).
- Policy.
a. FASAB
Recommendations. The Director of OMB will review each statement
of accounting principles, standards, or concepts recommended
by FASAB and decide upon the appropriateness of the statement
and its desirability for the Federal Government. If a recommended
statement of accounting principles or standards is agreed to
by the Director, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Comptroller
General, the Director will issue a SFFAS, signed by the Director.
Each SFFAS, or a notice of its availability, will be published
in the Federal Register and distributed throughout the
Federal Government.
b. Status
of the SFFASs. SFFASs shall be considered generally
accepted accounting principles (GAAP) for Federal agencies.
Agencies shall apply the SFFASs in preparing financial
statements in accordance with the requirements of the Chief
Financial Officers Act of 1990. Auditors shall consider
SFFASs as authoritative references when auditing financial
statements.
c. Interpretations
of the SFFASs. Agencies and individuals desiring guidance
relative to the standards shall request such guidance from
OMB, to the attention of the Office of Federal Financial
Management. OMB will respond to the request by providing
technical assistance, unless it decides that the response
should be an Interpretation of Federal Financial Accounting
Standards. In that event, OMB will provide written copies
of the request to the Comptroller General and the Secretary
of the Treasury; examine, as appropriate, applicable literature
and consult with knowledgeable persons; draft an Interpretation
of Federal Financial Accounting Standards; consistent with
the intent of the MOU, obtain the consensus of Treasury
and GAO on the interpretation; and publish the Interpretation
of Federal Financial Accounting Standards.
Interpretations
of Federal Financial Accounting Standards will be signed
by the Director or Deputy Director for Management, acting
in the capacity of chief official responsible for financial
management in the United States Government. Also, the Comptroller
General and Secretary of the Treasury may publish a response.
d. Applicability
to Budget Execution. The SFFASs shall have no effect
on the manner in which agencies budget for, monitor and
control the expenditure of budgetary resources. Those requirements
are defined in OMB Circulars A-11 and A-34 and other OMB
documents.
e. Other
Directives. OMB may, from time to time, issue other
instructions to the agencies regarding accounting and/or
financial reporting.
-
Inquiries.
For information concerning this Circular, contact the Financial
Standards and Reporting Branch, OFFM, telephone 202-395-3993.
Leon E. Panetta
Director
Return to Top
|
|