Exhibit_5_DFAS_SOP.docx

DFAS-Rome Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

Transportation Office Personally Procured Move (PPM) Voucher Processing Procedures

Verifier: Josh Rapke Last Update: March 8, 2010 Updated By: Dawn Meszler

Transportation Office Personally Procured Move (PPM) Voucher Processing Procedures

1. PURPOSE. To define responsibilities and procedures necessary for the proper submission and processing of Personally Procured Move (PPM) settlement vouchers.

2. SCOPE. This guidance applies to all CONUS Transportation Offices.

3. TRANSPORTATION OFFICE RESPONSIBILITIES/PROCEDURES.

Date Stamping Vouchers

Per DFAS-IN regulation 37-1, Chapter 10, Section 100701 Paragraph C and the DoDFMR, Volume 10, Chapter 7, all offices identified to receive settlement documentation will date stamp such documents on the actual day of receipt.

In order to ensure consistency throughout the DFAS network, the daily cut-off time for date stamping purposes will be 3:00 PM, i.e., 1500 hours, each business day. Therefore, vouchers received prior to 3:00 PM each day will be date stamped for that day’s business and any received after 3:00 PM will be date stamped for the next day’s business. For example, a voucher received at 2:30 PM or 1430 hours on 14 May 2009 will be date stamped 14 May 2009. A voucher received on 14 May 2009 at 3:10 PM or 1510 hours will be date stamped 15 May 2009.

Also, any vouchers received on Friday after 3:00 PM and throughout the weekend will be date stamped with the following Monday’s business date. For example, vouchers received after 3:00 PM or 1500 hours on 15 May 2009, as well as those received on 16 May 2009 and 17 May 2009 will be date stamped 18 May 2009.

NOTE: Business days do NOT include weekends or designated Federal Holidays.

If a voucher was date stamped and upon subsequent administrative review discovered to be not “pay ready” (see Travel Voucher Review Process below) and was not corrected by the soldier the same day, re-date stamp the voucher upon receipt. This process will ensure the proper recording of intransit time, i.e., the time from the transportation office’s receipt to submission to DFAS-Rome, in WinIATS for subsequent metric reporting purposes.

Further, in order to reduce the chance of stamping over data necessary for the successful processing of a travel claim, please date stamp all DD 1351-2 travel settlements and advance request forms somewhere on the right margin of the document.

Travel Voucher (DD 1351-2) Review Process

Per Travel Technical Message (TTM00-08) and in accordance with Public Law 105-264, Travel and Transportation Reform Act of 1998, “all settlement vouchers must be administratively reviewed and signed prior to submission for payment. For PPM settlement vouchers, the reviewer will be the in and out processing individual at the Transportation Office receiving the voucher from the traveler.”

This review and signature is not intended as a payment computation, nor is it for approval of items on the claim requiring specific approval by an approving official. It simply ensures that a “pay ready” claim has been received, complies with the intent of the orders and is ready for submission to DFAS-Rome for payment. Even more important, it precludes unnecessary delays in payment to the soldier.

The reviewing official should ensure that:

(1) The claim has been submitted via DD 1351-2 (version dated March 2008) and signed and dated by the traveler (blocks 20a and 20b).

(2) Traveler administrative (blocks 1-14) and trip itinerary data (blocks 15a thru 15f) have been completed, are legible and agrees with orders presented.

(3) Travel orders (FRONT and BACK to include MDC or accounting classification) and any amendments are attached.

(4) If the soldier performed a PPM, the applicable DD 2278 with block 11 completed and block 12 signed is attached.

(5) Advance payments are indicated in block 9 (if not applicable, list “NONE”).

(6) Completed DA 31 Leave Form agrees with leave taken by the soldier identified in the trip itinerary section and/or on the continuation page of the 1351-2.

(7) All claims for reimbursement are consistent with the mission and authorized on the travel order.

(8) Receipts for lodging and rental cars (required regardless of amount) and any other single item of expense of $75 or more are attached.

(9) Appropriate direct deposit information, i.e., EFT data, is attached to ensure payment is deposited to correct account (a copy of their MMPA data, i.e., LH screen, is acceptable for EFT purposes in lieu of a completed 1199 or voided check).

(10) All previous accruals/advances received from finance offices (non-submission of previous payment data will result in delays of payment).

(11) Please submit a separate TL for claims of Temporary Storage for TCS.

(12) Upon completion of the above review, sign and date the claim (blocks 20c thru 20f ) as a “pay ready” voucher

NOTE: Vouchers received by DFAS-Rome without items (1) (2) (3) (4) and (12) completed will be held without payment pending the receipt of appropriate data, signatures and/or documents from the applicable Transportation Office. If appropriate data, signatures and/or documents are not received within 72 hours, the travel voucher will be returned by postal mail without action pending re-submission.

Submission of Pay Ready Vouchers to DFAS-Rome

DFAS converted to a new state of the art digital fax system called RightFax during Nov 08. With this conversion, there are several significant benefits to both DFAS and the Transportation Offices of converting from the submission of vouchers to DFAS-Rome via email to RightFax. The benefits to be achieved are noted below.

· Vouchers received via RightFax are automatically printed allowing DFAS-Rome to free up personnel to process vouchers in lieu of spending the time to individually print each voucher received via email.

· Transportation Offices will automatically receive notification of receipt from RightFax. In addition, DFAS-Rome has a means to monitor all RightFax voucher submissions to ensure each and every voucher does indeed get printed.

· RightFax is a more secure means of sending documents containing personally identifiable information (PII), e.g., social security numbers, banking information, etc., than email.

· DFAS-Rome can quickly retrieve a RightFax document if questions arise versus searching through numerous emails with an attached document.

· Email content is limited in size to 4-5MB and therefore may reject when transmitted. RightFax is unlimited.

Per the above benefits, we strongly encourage all the Transportation Offices to send vouchers to DFAS-Rome for processing via RightFax in lieu of email whenever possible. Please submit a Transmittal Letter (TL) (see attached) when faxing and emailing to ensure the fastest service. Below are the numbers for submitting settlement vouchers and advance requests via RightFax.

Military PCS vouchers: CML 317-275-0277 or DSN 510-366-0277

Military PCS advance requests: CML 317-275-0278 or DSN 510-366-0278

· NOTE: All faxed vouchers are routed from a server located at DFAS-IN – thus the 317 prefix – directly to DFAS-Rome for printing and subsequent storage. Also, even though DFAS-Rome has 2 RightFax numbers, one for just advances and the other for everything else, it would still be helpful if all similar vouchers, e.g., DITYs, TLE, etc. were sent together to assist DFAS-Rome in segregating work and capturing workload figures by type of voucher.

In the event that it is not feasible to submit vouchers to DFAS-Rome via RightFax, then continue to use the following email drop boxes:

Military PCS vouchers: DRO-MILPCS@DFAS.MIL

Military PCS advance requests: DRO-MILPCSADVANCE@DFAS.MIL

Supplemental Vouchers

To preclude DFAS-Rome logging technicians from possibly identifying supplemental vouchers as duplicate claims, please annotate “SUPPLEMENTAL” on the top of the applicable DD1351-2.

Returned Submission of Non Pay Ready Vouchers from DFAS Rome

Vouchers received by DFAS-Rome without items (1) (2) (3) (4) and (12) completed will be held without payment pending the receipt of appropriate data, signatures and/or documents from the applicable Transportation Office. The Transportation Office will receive an email with an attached spreadsheet (Reference Transportation Office Return- Ft. XXXX) listing the reasons for the return of the non pay ready vouchers. The Transportation Office will submit appropriate data, signatures and or/documents and date stamp again prior to faxing/emailing to DFAS Rome Travel Return Cell.

If appropriate data, signatures and/or documents are not received within 72 hours, the travel voucher will be returned by postal mail to the Transportation Office. The Transportation Office will then have to resubmit the entire corrected voucher packet with TL to the original fax number:

Military PCS vouchers: CML 317-275-0277 or DSN 510-366-0277

Military PCS advance requests: CML 317-275-0278 or DSN 510-366-0278

Original Documentation Retention

Transportation Office will retain original documentation for 30 days after submission to DFAS-Rome. After that time period the documents should be shredded since they contain PII data, e.g., banking information, social security numbers, etc. The only reason to retain documentation for a temporary period is in the event that your RightFax submission failed (a very unlikely occurrence) or a document received wasn't legible and it transmitted again.

The actual WinIATS payment voucher generated by DFAS-Rome along with the supporting documentation provided by the Transportation Office’s/traveler serves as the official money papers authorizing the payment. DFAS must maintain the voucher for 6 years 3 months either via hard copy or by scanning it into a database, e.g., CEDMS. The traveler is the only other person that should keep a copy of all documentation for their records – in case a tax or debt issue arises after the fact.

Instructions for completing a DD Form 1351-2 for Personally Procured Moves (DITY)

Block 1: Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) is mandatory for all service members.

Service members must submit a voided check or SF 1199 ONLY if they have changed their financial institution.

f. Privately Owned Conveyance (POC) Miles: Leave blank.

For TDY en route or TLE- Leave blank.

Block 20: Claimant Signature and Date: **The member signs all PCS claims**

a. Physical Signature of traveler

b. Date the Voucher was signed.

c. Physical Signature of Reviewer. (Transportation Office)

d. Date the Voucher was reviewed.

Please submit DD Form 2278, Weight Tickets and Operating Personal Expense List (OPE).

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