Effective February 23, 1998, NOAA expanded the processing of Accounts Payable documents into CBS for Line, Staff and Program Offices located in the Washington, D.C. area serviced by the NOAA Finance Office in Germantown. As a result of this implementation, many questions were asked regarding CBS processing. Some of those that were frequently asked and answers to them are included below.

1. How will employees receive reimbursements for miscellaneous purchases, local travel and/or other types of transactions processed through CBS?
   

   Answer: Employees will receive reimbursements electronically into their payroll bank accounts. Employees must complete and submit the appropriate documents to the CBS address: NOAA Finance Office, 20020 Century Boulevard, Caller Box #9025, Germantown, Md. 20874. For those employees whose salary checks are not deposited directly into their bank accounts, reimbursements will be sent to their home mailing address. Employees serviced by the Administrative Support Centers (ASCs) should submit the appropriate documents to their servicing Finance Office.

2. 
   How long will it be before I receive my reimbursement?
   

   Answer: Employees will receive their reimbursements through electronic funds transfer (EFT) directly into their payroll bank accounts within 24-48 hours after certification to Treasury. Employees will be notified by e-mail that their reimbursements are being paid. At this time, for those offices who are using the integrated version of Travel Manager, employee certification to Treasury occurs only after the Finance Office has received the hard copy of the document. To expedite processing, it is anticipated that this requirement will be eliminated soon.

3. 
   Can I have my reimbursements sent to a different bank account than my payroll account?
   

   Answer: Yes. If an employee wishes to have their reimbursements sent to an account other than their payroll account, they will need to complete a CAMS Payment Profile Form and submit it to the NOAA Finance Office. This separate account information will be manually entered into the system and all reimbursements will be electronically transmitted into this account. Profile forms can be obtained from the NOAA Finance Office or the CAMS Program Office.

4. 
   NOAA offices have previously used the imprest fund to get cash to purchase metro fare cards. How can offices now purchase fare cards for their employees who travel by subway during the workday?
   

   Answer: Cash for the purchase of metro fare cards can still be obtained from the imprest fund cashier. This is one of the exceptions for use of the imprest fund.

5. 
   What transactions can be processed through the imprest fund?
   

   Answer: As of the date of the AP expansion implementation, exceptions for which the imprest fund can be used include metro fare cards, travel advances for employees who do not hold an American Express travel card, and for cash-in-a-flash transactions. However, effective on June 1, 1998, cash-in-a-flash will become cash-in-your-account, and these transactions will then be processed through CAMS for all NOAA employees.

6. 
   How will Non-NOAA employees be reimbursed?
   

   Answer: Anyone who is not a NOAA employee will be set up as a vendor in the CAMS system. They will need to complete a Vendor Profile Form in order to receive their reimbursements electronically in their bank account. The Vendor Profile Form can be obtained from the NOAA Finance Office or the CAMS Program Office. It should be completed and submitted to the NOAA Finance Office, 20020 Century Boulevard, Caller Box #9025, Germantown, Md. 20874.

7. 
   Will imprest fund reimbursements that are electronically transmitted be taxed?
   

   Answer: No. These transactions are not viewed as income, only a reimbursement for an expense that employees have incurred.

8. 
   Does the SF-1164 require two levels of approval?
   

   Answer: This is determined by procedures set by each individual office. Some offices only require one signature, others may require two or more.

9. 
   Does the AP expansion implementation affect employees whose permanent duty station is in the D.C. area, but they are on a rotation assignment or detail outside the area?
   

   Answer: Yes. These employees should complete the necessary reimbursement forms and submit them to the NOAA Finance Office in Germantown, Md.

10. 
    How can cash be obtained to pay for small purchases from companies that will not accept the Government credit card?
    

    Answer: Those companies will need to be set up as a vendor, and they must complete the Vendor Profile Form. For some small items, employees can make the purchase from their personal funds, and then be reimbursed electronically through CAMS.

11. 
    How are reimbursements for local travel being handled?
    

    Answer: Employees should continue to claim their local travel on the SF-1164. This form should be signed by the approving official and sent to the NOAA Finance Office, Caller Box #9025, in Germantown, Md. Finance will process the local travel voucher through CAMS, and send a certification to Treasury for payment. Employees will be notified by e-mail that their reimbursements are being paid.

12. 
    How are new FIMA Phase Codes set up in CAMS?
    

    Answer: All new FIMA Phase Codes will need to be established through the NOAA Budget Office before they can be used in CAMS.

 

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