Financial Policy and Compliance Division

The Financial Policy and Compliance Division (FPCD) develops and maintains NOAA financial and accounting policies. The Division develops, implements, maintains, and interprets policy and procedural requirements for accounting and financial policy including: travel, transportation, cost accounting and pricing products and services. It assists NOAA’ Line and Staff Offices in the development and implementation of procedures to improve internal controls, applications and practices; develops internal control review schedules for areas of concern, monitors for compliance to policies and procedures.; and conducts internal audits and reviews of NOAA programs and activities.

Sandy Smoak
Director, Financial Policy and Compliance Division
Phone: (301) 444-2123

Financial Policy

The Financial Policy Team is responsible for formulating and prescribing NOAA-wide financial management, accounting and fiscal policies, procedures, standards and controls, and for providing assistance to Line and Staff offices in their implementation. This includes the development, issuance, and maintenance of the NOAA Finance Handbook and related policy directives.

Internal Review Team

The Internal Review Team is responsible for overseeing the NOAA’s assessment of internal controls over financial reporting, evaluation of internal control risk, testing of internal controls, tracking the status of corrective actions for internal control findings, and conducting internal audits of NOAA program and activities. The team assists NOAA accounting activities in the development and implementation of procedures to improve internal controls, applications and practices, develops internal control review schedules for areas of concern, and monitors compliance to policies and procedures.

NOAA Travel Team

The NOAA Travel Team provides travel procedural and policy guidance concerning foreign and domestic travel, JP Morgan Chase charge card program, Third Party Relocation services, and other special administrative payment programs. It maintains oversight of the JP Morgan Chase charge card program for NOAA travelers and serves as liaison with General Services Administration and travel agencies. It maintains the NOAA Travel Handbook, provides recommendations to the Chief Financial Officer concerning NOAA short distance move requests, and processes all foreign travel clearances, visa, passport and related requests with the Department of State and foreign embassies.

Rachael Wivell
Team Lead
Phone: (301) 444-2136