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HomeMy Public PortalAbout2400.3 - Business and Financial Services - Accounting & Control Division - Travel Expense Policy 2400.3 SUBJECT: TRAVEL EXPENSE POLICY :1 OBJECTIVE: This policy establishes procedures for a uniform method of approval, payment, and accounting for expenses incurred when employees travel in conjunction with an approved training opportunity or other business-related travel for the City of Orlando (City), ensures that City funds are being expended in a prudent and reasonable manner, and allows the City to maintain an accountable expense reimbursement plan under IRS rules and regulations. The intent of this policy is to significantly support the financial obligation for the Traveler; however, it does not intend to provide fully for all costs that are incurred during travel. :2 AUTHORITY: This procedure was amended by the City Council December 9, 2019, Item A-3. :3 DIRECTION: The Chief Financial Officer, as an appointed official, serves at the pleasure of, and receives direction from the Mayor. :4 METHOD OF OPERATION: Introduction This policy applies to all Travelers and is intended to establish uniform procedures by which Travelers shall report and be reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with authorized travel on behalf of the City. This policy provides for economical and efficient travel in order to derive the greatest benefit from the trip at the most effective cost. It does not allow Travelers to be financially enriched as a result of travel nor be required to utilize their own funds as a result of City travel. Travelers are responsible for exercising good judgment in requesting, arranging and fulfilling a travel request to mitigate costs to the City. Definitions Authorized Officials: Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief of Staff, City Attorney and Chief Venues Officer, or their respective designees. Elected Officials: The Mayor and City Commissioners Expense Report: Summary of costs incurred with supporting receipts and documentation that is prepared when City funds are expended for travel. If a City-issued credit card is used to pay for travel costs in advance of the travel dates (e.g. airline flight or registration) then multiple expense reports should be created as City funds are expended. An expense report must be completed in the City’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. A Travel Expense Worksheet must be attached if the number of days traveled exceeds one (1) day. GSA: General Services Administration Local Training: Training inside the boundaries of the Orlando Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which generally only requires the expenditure of funds for event registration fees, mileage, tolls, and parking. Orlando MSA: The counties of Orange, Lake, Seminole, and Osceola. Receipt: A detailed invoice or other document produced by the provider of service that shows each item purchased. Credit card receipts or restaurant check stubs that do not include details of items purchased do not meet the definition of receipt and are not sufficient to document an expenditure of funds. Reimbursement: Payment to the Traveler for all approved travel related expenses incurred. Spend Authorization: Summary of estimated costs to be incurred for travel with required approvals in advance of travel taking place, in advance of travel costs incurred, or in advance of travel at no cost to the City. All Travelers, other than Elected Officials and Authorized Officials, must complete a Spend Authorization in the City’s ERP system. A Travel Expense Worksheet must be attached if the number of days traveled exceeds one (1) day. Travel Expense Worksheet: Form available on the Accounting Operations and Control Intranet site that is used to itemize travel costs by day. This form may be modified as determined by the Chief Financial Officer. Travel Period: The period of time between departure and time of return while on approved travel for the City using the most direct route available in consideration of cost. Traveler(s): Regular and contract employees of the City, advisory board members, and Authorized Officials and Elected Officials who will incur expenses while on training or business-related travel or are authorized to use City time for training or business-related purposes. General Provisions Costs associated with travel must be available in the budget and meet a City business purpose. This policy applies to Travelers as defined above. This policy does not apply to employees of companies that are working for the City and for whom the company’s agreement with the City governs the reimbursement of expenses. Unless otherwise agreed to, City contractors or vendors must follow this policy to be eligible for reimbursement of travel expenses. Travel, whether by public transportation, privately-owned automobile, City-owned vehicle, or a for-hire conveyance, shall be over the most direct, practicable route. Any deviations from a direct route must be documented and approved in advance. Other than Elected Officials and Authorized Officials, travel must be authorized in advance of the start of travel. A Spend Authorization should be completed by the Traveler and submitted for approval at least 30 days in advance unless there are other conditions prohibiting that. A request should be made by the Traveler to Accounts Payable (with a copy or reference of the travel related approval) if a City-issued credit card needs to be issued to a Traveler or the Traveler’s profile on their existing City credit card needs to be modified to allow travel related charges. Travelers must use a City-issued credit card for travel unless there is a documented business reason why that is not possible. City-issued credit cards may have travel insurance provisions that may offset or avoid the City incurring costs if an accident were to occur on City business. Travelers who make charges on City-issued credit cards for unapproved travel, or make unallowable charges as defined by this policy, will be required to reimburse the City for those charges. If reimbursement is not made within 60 days, the Chief Financial Officer may direct the deduction of the amount owed to the City from the Traveler’s next paycheck. A completed Expense Report with all receipts and required documentation should be completed within ten (10) business days of completing travel. If costs are incurred early (e.g. registration or airline tickets), an Expense Report should be completed within ten (10) business days of incurring the expenses. Please note that any unsubstantiated expenses that have been paid by the City may be subject to inclusion in taxable income if not received within 60 days of completing travel. A completed Travel Expense Worksheet must be attached to the Expense Report if the number of days traveled exceeds one (1) day. Travel advances are not made. A City-issued credit card may be issued to pay for all travel related charges other than meals and tips. Approval Authority Elected Officials and Authorized Officials authorize their own travel and must comply with all policies stated herein. City Commissioner’s travel expenditures are limited to no more than the amount contained in the current approved budget for their district. Department Directors and Division Managers shall approve all Spend Authorization requests for employees in their respective department/division. Department Directors and Division Managers should evaluate the number of employees attending any one event for reasonableness. Delegation of Department Director or Division Manager approval may only be made when the Department Director or Division Manager is on a short-term absence such as personal leave. In addition to the Department Director and Division Manager’s approval, Authorized Officials shall approve Spend Authorizations for their respective operating departments when one or more of the following conditions exist: The total estimated cost or value of travel exceeds $2,000 (even if this is paid for by a third party or grant) b. The period of travel or length of event requires an employee to be away from their City duties for a period greater than five (5) regularly scheduled work days. c. Travel will require the use of a rental car. d. International travel (outside United States and its territories). e. Travel requests with a mileage reimbursement for more than 1,000 miles for the round trip. f. Lodging in the Orlando MSA. g. Any other condition the Chief Administrative Officer may deem appropriate. The Chief Administrative Officer shall notify Department Directors of those conditions in writing with a copy to the Chief Financial Officer. Reimbursement Eligibility and Requirements All reimbursements claimed under this policy must be for a City business purpose and for the direct benefit of the City. Examples of a direct benefit to the City include advancement of the economic and financial welfare of the City through continuing professional education, new technological and management training, or representing the interests of the City at board and/or committee meetings of an organization in which the employee was authorized to hold an office or represent the City. Employees whose travel expense is to be reimbursed by an outside agency (third party) must complete a Spend Authorization and receive approval prior to agreeing to travel on behalf of the outside agency. Any reimbursement by the third party should be documented on the Spend Authorization. The Traveler is responsible for requesting timely reimbursement for the travel. A copy of the billing must accompany the final submitted Expense Report. Collection is the responsibility of the Traveler. Travelers must follow the City of Orlando travel policy regardless of the source of funding. Payment by an outside agency or vendor must comply with the City’s ethics policy and not be a conflict of interest or have the appearance of a conflict of interest. If a federal or state grant is funding the travel and those specific agency guidelines are more restrictive than the City Policy, the federal or state funding agency guidelines must be used. The City desires to ensure the City's benefit is realized by establishing reimbursement requirements should an employee separate from the City. Subject to the determination of the Department Director or Division Manager, reimbursement may be required for expenses covered under this policy that exceed $1,500 per travel or training event. The operating Department Director or Division Manager may request the employee to sign a reimbursement agreement and attach the signed agreement to the Spend Authorization. If a signed agreement is not included when the Department Director or Department Manager approves the Spend Authorization, the presumption is that the signed agreement is not required. Reimbursement will not be required if an employee travels for the benefit and/or prestige of the City (e.g. employee presents a City initiative at a professional conference or the travel is related to conducting City business). If an employee is required to sign a reimbursement agreement, it shall stipulate that should the employee leave City service, the employee will reimburse the City for their travel expenses incurred in the 12 months preceding their separation date. The amount of reimbursement required is the total actual cost incurred reduced by 1/12th for each full calendar month from the date of travel to the date of separation. Each travel reimbursement shall be considered a separate and distinct event; should an employee have multiple travel reimbursement agreements, the amount the City is to be reimbursed will be calculated separately for each event. Reimbursement Guidelines The following guidelines are established and will be the basis upon which reimbursement of expenses will be approved. Receipts for these expenses must be attached to the Expense Report. In certain limited circumstances when a receipt cannot be located, an explanation must be documented. Receipts for registration, airfare, and hotels are always required. Registration Fees The City shall pay for the cost of basic conference, seminar, meeting, or similar type event registration fees along with fees for pre-sessions, post-sessions, and other event activities that are clearly a function of the event. Recreation and social activities (e.g. golf outings, fishing trips, concerts, etc.) will not be reimbursed. Additional registration fees for functions associated with an event (i.e. dinners, receptions) where a City business purpose is met, or the Traveler is expected to attend due to the nature of their position, may be reimbursed. The business purpose of this type of expense must be documented. A copy of the event registration form and agenda must be attached to the Expense Report. Transportation No specific mode of transportation is required; however, Travelers are expected to use the most economical and direct means available with reasonable consideration given to the time and distance involved. Airfare The City will pay the cost of the most economical class (e.g. coach) airfare. Such travel may balance additional night’s stays with reduced airfare. Any Traveler must receive advanced approval from their Authorized Official to travel first-class unless the Traveler pays for the upgrade. First class and business class travel will only be approved if no other alternative class was available. Tickets should be purchased with a City-issued credit card. However, if a Traveler does not have a City-issued credit card, they may purchase the tickets and request reimbursement. A valid receipt and passenger itinerary must be attached to the Expense Report. Costs associated with frequent flyer memberships, passenger screening programs, or other such costs where the benefit is strictly for the Traveler will not be reimbursed through the travel request process. In the limited cases where these costs may be a legitimate use of City funds, the Traveler must submit a justification for those items in the Spend Authorization and Expense Report. Additional charges incurred for a reasonable amount of luggage for the Traveler will be reimbursed. In case a travel event cannot be taken at the scheduled time, all reservations must either be cancelled or if possible, made available for use by another City employee. When an airline reservation is cancelled all credits must be returned to the City. Credits cannot be used for personal travel. Travelers should make a good faith effort to recover the costs for any canceled airline tickets even for non-refundable fares. A memo explaining the cancellation must be attached to the Expense Report. Change ticket fees will be reimbursed if the reason for the change is necessary and related to City business. City Vehicle Frequent travel using a City vehicle may be more economical than using a personal vehicle. Consideration should be made when making travel arrangements of the use of a City vehicle. When authorization is requested to use a City vehicle, the vehicle number should be indicated if known. Any auto-related expenses must be documented through the submission of valid receipts. (Note: Toll receipts are submitted to Fleet electronically via E-Pass. Fuelman Card transactions are also submitted to Fleet electronically, though the Traveler should print Fuel Receipts at the pump and submit receipts with the Expense Report.) If an emergency repair of a City-owned vehicle is required, the Traveler should contact the Fleet Management Division for instructions. Travelers receiving a car allowance may not use a City-owned vehicle unless traveling outside of the Orlando MSA. All obligations required in section F.2. (d) of this policy shall also be applicable to the Traveler using a City-owned vehicle. Ground Transportation When travel is by common carrier, reasonable taxi/shuttle fares will be allowed for necessary transportation to a hotel (or the conference site) and return. After arrival at the destination, necessary taxi fares for traveling between hotel and meeting/conference will be allowed. Fares for transportation obtained by using ride-hailing apps such as Uber or Lyft are allowable, however the City-issued credit card must be removed from the account once travel is completed. Reimbursement for taxicabs, shuttles, or bus service will be made only when the nature of the service is stated, and validated receipts are provided. Reimbursement of tips for shuttles and taxicabs in a reasonable amount will be allowed. Car Rental Rental cars should only be used when either (1) taxi services are not readily available, or (2) the anticipated cost of using a taxi will exceed the cost of the rental car. Documentation should include justification as well as approval, in advance from the Authorized Official. If a rental vehicle is required, the most economical car should be rented. Traveler should take advantage of any discounts available to the City. A list of preferred car rental companies is available on the Accounting Operations and Control Intranet site. The following are the obligations of a Traveler when renting a vehicle to conduct City business: A proper license to operate the vehicle is required; Seat belts are required for all occupants; All traffic laws are to be obeyed; the City will not reimburse a Traveler for traffic tickets and/or other citations; Transporting hitchhikers is prohibited; Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is prohibited; The driver may not text while driving. Use of any device must be in a hands free mode; A completed damage assessment must be made before a rental vehicle is accepted; All rental vehicles must be refueled immediately prior to check-in. The City will not reimburse a Traveler for excess fuel charges assessed by rental companies; Travelers are encouraged to consult with the Risk Management Division before embarking on a travel that requires the use of a rental vehicle to determine if additional collision coverage insurance should be purchased from the rental car company. All other insurance options should be declined. The City will neither pay nor reimburse the Traveler for personal injury or property damage that they incur or cause while driving a rental car for purposes other than City business. Personal Vehicle The use of a privately-owned vehicle for official travel in lieu of a City- owned vehicle or a common carrier is allowable. Whenever travel is by privately-owned vehicle, the Traveler shall be entitled to a mileage allowance at a fixed rate equal to the IRS per mile guidelines or the common carrier rate for such travel, whichever is lower. When two or more employees are traveling in one private vehicle, the person supplying the vehicle shall receive the mileage reimbursement. The mileage reimbursement includes all operating expenses such as gas, oil, and repairs. No separate claim may be made for those items. The mileage reimbursement rate shall be monitored by the Office of Business and Financial Services so that periodic notification of the City’s current reimbursement rate will occur. The Expense Report must indicate the employee’s itinerary and must show the official business mileage. The City will accept common travel planners such as Google Maps, Yahoo!, and MapQuest driving directions as documentation of actual mileage. Any deviations from the most direct route (i.e. shortest distance) will not be reimbursed unless a business purpose of the deviation is documented and approved in advance. For mileage reimbursements where the Traveler reports to a destination (or the airport) from home rather than their normal place of work (i.e. City Hall, OPD Headquarters, etc.), the Traveler shall only be entitled to reimbursement of incremental mileage calculated as the mileage from their home to the destination, less mileage from their home to their normal place of work. If the Traveler travels from their normal place of work to a destination, the Traveler is entitled to reimbursement based on the actual mileage from their normal place of work to the destination. If the Traveler travels on a weekend or holiday to a destination, the Traveler is entitled to reimbursement based on the actual mileage from their home to the destination. Out-of-state travel in excess of 1,000 miles for the round trip requires prior written approval from an Authorized Official. Approval to use a vehicle provides the Traveler(s) a substitute for an airline ticket; therefore, expenses other than meals, mileage and tolls while in route will not be reimbursed. Travel time in excess of the most advantageous mode of travel to the City will be chargeable as leave to the employee(s). Parking and Tolls The City will reimburse reasonable and necessary parking and toll expenses with the submission of a valid receipt (or downloaded electronic payment method record). Travelers are encouraged to use the most economical means of parking. Travelers requesting reimbursement for airport parking for a period greater than seven (7) days must use an economy parking facility. Valet parking will not be reimbursed if another reasonable self-parking alternative is available. Violations Travelers are solely responsible for any tickets, violations, or citations issued to them while on City approved travel. Lodging Travelers should book standard room accommodations at non-luxury/moderately priced hotels. In rare circumstance where high-end hotels are used, those charges must be justified in writing. If Travelers are not required to report to a session before 12 p.m. on the first day, and travel to the session can be reasonably accomplished in less than four hours, Travelers shall not be entitled to lodging reimbursement for the night immediately preceding the start of the session. Travelers are expected to return home if it can be reasonably accomplished in less than four hours from conference end time. Overnight lodging within the Orlando MSA requires prior approval in accordance with the approval provisions of this policy. Conferences at Hotels The City will pay the conference rate of standard rooms at the suggested hotel(s) of the conference unless extenuating circumstances prevent the Traveler from staying at that hotel. For travel to a location where there is not a hotel associated with the event, lodging choices should be based on economical efficiency, safety, and proximity to the event. Weekend Travel The arrival and departure dates may be extended to include extra weekend days if the stay results in a lower overall cost to the City. A cost analysis must be attached to the Spend Authorization and Expense Report, comparing all costs (lodging, per diem, airfare, etc.). Weekend travel must be approved in advance. Any additional costs incurred due to changing travel arrangements for the benefit of the Traveler, Traveler preference, or is unrelated or unnecessary for the conduct of City business, shall be at the Traveler’s expense. State Tax Exemption When traveling in the State of Florida, the Traveler must seek exemption from payment of taxes on the rental of hotel rooms. Travelers can download a Sales Tax Certificate of Exemption from the Accounting Operations and Control Intranet site. If a hotel fails to honor the City’s tax exemption, Travelers must note this on their travel related request and follow up with the hotel. Meals The following provisions shall govern the reimbursement of meals while on travel: The City shall provide a per-diem reimbursement for meals according to the federal “GSA Meals and Incidental Expenses Breakdowns” rates, published on the federal government’s website. The rates will be available each year as applicable on the Accounting Operations and Control Intranet site. Travelers shall receive the daily per-diem rate for each full day of attendance at a conference or training session that requires an overnight stay. Travelers shall not be paid for any meals included in or provided by a conference or meeting. If the Traveler elects to eat elsewhere the meal will be at the Traveler’s expense. Continental breakfast, rolls, danish, snacks, drinks or other small incidental food items provided by the registration shall not be considered a meal. On days of travel, to and from a conference or training session, the following provisions shall apply: Breakfast: When the travel begins before 7 a.m. Lunch: When the travel period falls between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., the Traveler shall be eligible for lunch per diem. Dinner: When the Traveler is unable to return home before 7 p.m. Miscellaneous Travel Reimbursements The following charges may be reimbursed with receipts and proper documentation: Business center usage Internet fees Seminar materials For overnight travel, each Traveler is allowed a maximum per diem reimbursement for gratuities such as bellhops, skycaps, housekeepers, or valet according to the federal “GSA Meals and Incidental Expenses Breakdowns” rates, published on the federal government’s website. The rates will be available each year, as applicable, on the Accounting Operations and Control Intranet site. Receipts are not required. All-Inclusive Per-Diem In lieu of a daily per-diem for meals, incidental expenses, and the actual cost for lodging, a Traveler may elect to take an all-inclusive per-diem (only for full day travel which includes an overnight stay). On a periodic basis, the Chief Financial Officer shall have disseminated the daily per-diem rates. Such rates shall be based on the rates published by the IRS. Local Travel Provisions – Orlando MSA Mileage reimbursement for travel within the Orlando MSA does not require a Spend Authorization. It is expected that Travelers will exercise appropriate judgment and discretion in requesting reimbursement for expenses incurred in the local area. The following provisions shall govern reimbursement for expenses incurred for travel within the Orlando MSA: A Spend Authorization or Expense Report is not required for travel expenses within the Orlando MSA that are $300 or less, provided that the City is paying the registration fees and the Traveler is not seeking any additional reimbursement. For example, an Orlando seminar that costs $50 for registration and the Traveler is not seeking mileage reimbursement or per diem will not require a Spend Authorization. The registration can be paid similar to normal operating expenses via supplier invoice or City credit card. Transportation expenses (including mileage, tolls and parking) while on official City business will be reimbursed once a valid receipt(s) is submitted. Travelers should submit a “Local-Mileage Reimbursement” Expense Report. Travelers receiving a vehicle allowance shall not be entitled to reimbursement of mileage, gas, or tolls within the Orlando MSA. Parking costs related to approved travel within the Orlando MSA may be submitted for reimbursement. Meals will be reimbursed according to the per-diem guidelines provided in this Policy if the meals are not included as part of the conference or meeting registration. Only in very limited circumstances will the City reimburse a Traveler for overnight lodging in the Orlando MSA. Prior approval is required in accordance with this policy via a Spend Authorization. Entertainment – Orlando Venues Recognizing the unique nature of the Orlando Venues operation, entertainment costs are allowed if it meets a City business development purpose. Documentation must include details of the nature, purpose, and anticipated cost of entertainment undertaken with City funds. For purposes of this policy, “entertainment” means Orlando Venues business development items such as meals, sporting events, theatrical productions, concerts, and similar activities. When approval is granted, the nature of the entertainment, those present, and a brief summary of the business discussed must be attached to the Expense Report. Although the purchase of alcoholic beverages is discouraged, expenditures for such purchases may be approved by the Chief Venues Officer, in connection with approved entertainment. Other In recognition of a City Commissioner’s entertainment commitments while traveling, the City will reimburse reasonable meal costs for attendees other than Elected Officials or City employees. These expenses should be reasonable and not include alcoholic beverages. Upon submitting receipts for entertainment meals, a Commissioner should document the City business purpose and a list of the attendees within the Expense Report. Other than Elected Officials and Authorized Officials, entertainment costs require approval from Authorized Officials, or their respective designees. While the City acknowledges that attendance and participation in professional association meetings constitutes a City business purpose in relation to the training and education of its professionals, the City will reimburse the cost of meals and attendance to such meetings only if it is established that the meeting has a professional and not social purpose and the fee for the meal is at a standard rate per attendee. Non-Reimbursable Expenses In addition to those items previously listed in this policy, the City specifically will not reimburse a Traveler for the following expenses: Alcohol or tobacco, except when approved for Orlando Venues entertainment; In-room movies; Costs associated with family members traveling with the Traveler; Costs associated with traveling early or staying late for personal reasons not related to City business; Personal telephone calls; Trip insurance; Tips in excess of the daily per-diem; Mileage if traveling as a passenger in a private vehicle; Laundry service; Items of a personal nature; City Issued Procurement Card The City will make a corporate credit card available to Travelers to be used for the sole purpose of covering allowable expenses incurred while on City business. The Chief Financial Officer, or designee, shall be the custodian of the corporate credit cards. Travelers using these cards must retain and submit expenditure receipts for all items that are charged to a card. If a Traveler is issued a card, an accounting of all expenses shall be submitted within ten (10) business days following their return from travel. Any charges where valid receipts are not submitted and/or are not eligible for reimbursement may be disallowed and the Traveler may be obligated to repay the City or have the unsubstantiated expenses included in taxable income. :5 FORMS: Travel Expense Worksheet Travel Reimbursement Agreement :6 COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES: None. :7 REFERENCES: Florida Statutes 1986, Section 112.061. Special Act 2114 authorizing City of Orlando to provide, by ordinance, uniform maximum rates of per diem and travel expenses, without regard to any limitation by general law, June 10, 1971. City Code, Chapter 2, Article XXVII, Section 2.256-2.262. Procedure approved by City Council August 17, 1970, Item 27; amended December 4, 1972; Item 17; amended October 24, 1973; Item 54; amended August 27, 1974, Item 26; amended January 3, 1977, Item 42. City Code Chapter 2.259 amended January 1980. Procedure amended October 12, 1987, Item 21A-53; amended December 17, 1990, Item 46; amended August 3, 1992, Item 2CC; amended October 5, 1992, Item 4GGG; amended June 21, 1993, Item 2-P; amended October 3, 1994, Item 3-S; amended July 24, 1995, Item 7-U; amended September 23, 1996, Item 3EE; amended August 11, 1997, Item 6-A; amended December 9, 2019, Item A-3. :8 EFFECTIVE DATE: This procedure is effective December 9, 2019. MEMORANDUM To: Accounts Payable Specialist – Travel Accounting and Control Division From: _______________________ Date: ________________________ Subject: Travel Reimbursement Agreement I, ________________________________, agree that should I leave City service within one (1) year from the completion of travel, I will reimburse the City for amounts paid in excess of limits defined in Section 2400.3.E.3 of the City of Orlando Policy and Procedures. I understand that credit will be given for months of service worked to completion of travel and that reimbursement to the City will be prorated accordingly and deducted from my final paycheck from the City. Spend Authorization Number: ____________________________ Purpose of Travel: __________________________________ Destination of Travel: ________________________________ Date of Travel: ___________________________________ Total Cost of Travel: _________________________________ ______________________________ Signature/Date Office of business AND FINANCIAL SERVICES Orlando City Hall · 400 South Orange Avenue · Fourth Floor PO Box 4990 · Orlando, FL 32802-4990 P 407.246.2345 · F 407.246.2707 · Policies and Procedures Manual Page 1 Office of Business and Financial Services Accounting Operations Section 2400.3