In this blog, you will know about; what federal law says about departmental accountable officials. The Department of Defense may use appropriated funds to hire foreign local nationals as Departmental Accountable Officials under 10 U.S.C. 2773a, even if foreign local nationals are not subject to pecuniary liability under US law. The Department of Defense should develop a written policy that addresses the considerations and circumstances that allow local nationals to serve as Departmental Accountable Officials.
What Are Departmental Accountable Officials?
An Accountable Officer is a U.S. Government official or employee who receives and maintains public funds on behalf of the United States, including certifying vouchers, and maintains or draws checks on United States accounts. Certifying Officers, Disbursing Officers, Cashiers, Custodians, and Collecting Officers are all examples of Accountable Officers.
Section 2773a allows the Secretary of Defense to designate civilian DOD employees as Departmental Accountable Officials if they provide information, data, or services to DOD certifying officers that the certifying official directly relies on the certification of vouchers for payment.
Functions Listed By Financial Management Regulation
The Department of Defense’s Financial Management Regulation (FMR) specifies the duties of Departmental Accountable Officials. Individuals designated as Departmental Accountable Officials must sign DOD Form 577, which acknowledges their personal pecuniary liability to the United States, according to the FMR. DOD-FMR 7000.14-R is a military standard. Such liability is joint and several with the certifying or disbursing officer who makes a payment based on the Departmental Accountable Official’s incorrect information, 10 U.S.C. section 2773a(c)(3), and is the same as that incurred by government-wide certifying and disbursing officers under subtitle III of title 31 of the United States Code.
Federal Law Say About Departmental Accountable Officials
DoD may use them; if they are used, they only have limited pecuniary liability.
DOD imposes pecuniary legal responsibility on Departmental Accountable Officials in order that they percentage obligation for misguided bills with certifying officers, who can also additionally make such bills primarily based totally on the Departmental Accountable Officials’ negligent furnishing of information. Employing nearby nationals as Departmental Accountable Officials below segment 2773a entails those coverage matters. As a result, while a local national Departmental Accountable Official may act in a way that would subject a US citizen in the same position to monetary liability, the local national may be legally unaccountable.