U.S. Department of the Treasury

DATE: June 25, 2004

ADMINISTRATIVE EDIT: August 2, 2019

SUBJECT: Delegation of Authority to Designate Disbursing Officials

1. PURPOSE. This Directive delegates to the Commissioner of the Bureau of the Fiscal Service the authority to designate officers and employees of the Department of the Treasury and other executive agencies as disbursing officials.
2. BACKGROUND. Pursuant to section 3321 of title 31, United States Code, except as otherwise allowed by law, only officers and employees of the Department of the Treasury designated by the Secretary of the Treasury as disbursing officials may disburse public money available for expenditure by an executive agency. For economy and efficiency, the Secretary also may delegate the authority to disburse public money to officers and employees of other executive agencies. The Bureau of the Fiscal Service acts as the Governments financial manager and, among other things, is responsible for disbursing Federal payments.
3. DELEGATION. By virtue of the authority vested in the Fiscal Assistant Secretary by Treasury Order 101-05, I hereby delegate to the Commissioner of the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, the authority vested in the Secretary of the Treasury to designate officers and employees of the Department of the Treasury and other executive agencies as disbursing officials.
4. SCOPE. This directive applies to all bureaus, offices, and organizations in the Department of the Treasury, including the offices of inspectors general within the Department. The provisions of this order shall not be construed to interfere with or impede the authorities or independence of the Department’s Inspector General, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, or the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program.
5. REDELEGATION. The Commissioner of the Bureau of the Fiscal Service may redelegate this authority only to the Assistant Commissioner, Payment Management, Bureau of the Fiscal Service. This authority may be exercised in the individual capacity and under the individual title of the official receiving such authority.
6. RATIFICATION. To the extent that any action heretofore taken consistent with this Directive may require ratification, it is hereby approved and ratified.
7. AUTHORITY.
   1. Treasury Order 101-05, "Reporting Relationships and Supervision of Officials, Offices and Bureaus, Delegation of Certain Authority, and Order of Succession in the Department of the Treasury."
   2. 31 U.S.C. 3321
8. CANCELLATION. Any prior delegation of the authority to designate disbursing officials is superseded.
9. OFFICE OF PRIMARY INTEREST. Office of the Fiscal Assistant Secretary and Office of the Commissioner of the Bureau of the Fiscal Service.