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C O M M O N
M I S T A K E S
A N D
DISCREPANCIES.— The following discrepancies
are routinely uncovered by area audit teams:
Independent adding machine tapes for money
orders and fees were not prepared by the DO. (In
addition to preparing independent adding machine
tapes for money orders and fees, the DO should sign
both tapes and attach them to the retained copy of the
PS Form 6019-MPO.)
The exchange-for-cash-remittance check
number was not shown on the PS Form 6019-MPO.
The PS Form 6019-MPO was not stamped by the
postal clerk with the all-purpose date stamp.
The original and all copies of the PS Form
6019-MPO were not signed by both the DO and the
money order clerk.
These common discrepancies can be avoided by
use of correct procedures and attention to detail.
POSTAGE STAMP STOCK AND FUNDS
When designated as the reserve custodian, the DO
will maintain custody of excess postage stamps and
funds. The term excess postage stamps and funds refers
to any amount greater than the specific amount the
custodian of postal effects (COPE) is authorized to
maintain in custody. The excess stamps and funds are
received and handled as a safekeeping deposit from the
COPE. This deposit must be identified as a “Postage
Stamp Fund.”
Stamps are issued to the COPE in
exchange for funds derived from the sale of stamps.
When the replenishment of stamps is required,
postage stamp funds must be converted to an
exchange-for-cash check payable to the accountable
postmaster for transmission with the stamp requisition.
A signed copy of the Stamp Requisition, PS Form 17,
must be filed with the postage stamp fund safekeeping
deposit. Upon receipt and verification of the stamps
requisitioned, the retained copy of the stamp requisition
will be returned to the COPE for the post office files.
The postage stamp funds must not be commingled with
any other safekeeping deposit or other funds, including
money order funds, that are retained in the custody of
the DO!
UNITED STATES PUBLIC
MONIES
At the beginning of this chapter, we defined public
funds as those monies appropriated by Congress for use
by the Navy Department. In this section, we will
discuss the requirements for handling United States
public monies.
Unless otherwise indicated, all
references we mention in this section are contained in
the DODFMR, Volume 5. Throughout this section, we
will refer to this publication simply as Volume 5.
In the following paragraphs, you will read about
some of the special requirements for handling U.S.
public monies. As described in Volume 5, persons
appointed to accountable positions and their
supervisors must be aware of these requirements. In our
previous discussions of accountable positions, we
touched upon some of these requirements. In this
section, we will look a little closer at the special
conditions involved when accountable persons receive
the authority to hold money at personal risk and carry
out their responsibilities in handling public funds
AUTHORITY TO HOLD MONEY AT
PERSONAL RISK
The authority to hold money at personal risk is not
automatic-it must be requested and approved. The
approving authority is the CO or OIC of the activity to
which the DO, deputies, and agents are permanently
assigned.
Authorization Process
To make sure good cash management procedures
are in effect, the CO or OIC must review each request.
The review must ensure each request is in line with the
total nonpayroll requirements for the activity. Cash for
payrolls is, in fact, held at personal risk. However,
scheduled payday cash requirements (including
amounts needed to cash payday checks) should not be
included in a request for authority to hold money at
personal risk.
The CO or OIC is responsible for making sure the
amount of the request is within the guidelines
established by Volume 5. The CO or OIC also must
make sure management controls exist to guarantee
routine reviews of cash requirements.
Request
A new request to hold cash at personal risk must be
submitted at least semiannually, or whenever it is
required as a result of the periodic review of cash
requirements. A new request must be submitted in
time to allow sufficient approval time for the
authority to hold cash at personal risk to become
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