Section Overview and Policies:
This section informs Business Units how to process vouchers payable to vendors when the SFS is unavailable due to an emergency situation.
During the initial stages of an emergency situation, the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) will only process payments mandated by law to be paid on a specific date or critical payments for goods/services directly related to the health and safety of New York State citizens as identified and agreed to by both the Division of the Budget (DOB) and OSC.
The cutover between fiscal years in the Statewide Financial System (SFS) will utilize these policies and processes. Mandated payments have been identified by OSC. Payments which are not mandated by law to be paid on a date within the blackout period, but are considered by a Business Units to be critical, should be discussed with DOB to determine the appropriate date for payment. For the cutover between fiscal years, determination of criticality will be coordinated through the Director of the Bureau of State Expenditures at (518) 402-4104.
Critical payments identified during the SFS shutdown will follow the emergency critical payment process described below.
Process and Document Preparation:
During the early stages of an emergency, OSC will work with Business Units to determine mandated payments which are critical. OSC will contact Business Unit officials to request the information necessary to process the payment.
If a Business Unit deems a payment to be critical, the Business Unit should submit its explanation to the Bureau of State Expenditures as to why the payment needs to be made during the emergency. This request should be submitted using the contact information below. Once a decision on criticality and/or the ability to make the payment using the resources available at the time of the emergency is reached, OSC will contact the Business Unit and discuss the decision. If the Bureau of State Expenditures decides to accept the payment, the Business Unit shall submit a paper form claim AC 3253-S – Claim for Payment along with a Business Unit letter of approval for each payment.
When submitting requests for critical payments, Business Units should adhere to the AC 3253-S - Claim for Payment instructions on OSC’s Internet Site. Business Units should submit the claim for payment along with a letter authorizing payment of the claim via email to [email protected], by fax at (518) 473-4392, or through the mail to:
Bureau of State Expenditures
Audit Services - Critical Payment Processing
10th floor
110 State Street
Albany, NY 12236
For questions regarding the processing or payment of vouchers during emergency situations when the SFS is unavailable, please contact the Bureau of State Expenditures’ Customer Service Help Desk at (518) 474-4868, or by email addressed to [email protected].
If a specific emergency makes any or all of these communication methods unavailable, OSC will provide alternate contact information at the time of the emergency.
Guide to Financial Operations
REV. 01/30/2020