1208 Accounts Payable Payments

Department of Human Services
Policy and Manual Management System

Index:

POL 1208

Revised:

09/15/2023

Next Review:

09/15/2025

The Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) is to comply with the State’s directive to pay for goods and services in the most efficient, effective, and least costly manner possible while providing adequate controls over the processing of vendor invoices and payments. The policy of the State is to make payments to vendors electronically and to avoid the associated costs of issuing a paper check when practical.

Authority

Official Code of Georgia Annotated O.C.G.A § 49-2-1, DHS created effective July 1, 2009.

(O.C.G.A.) § 50-5B-3 (3) the State Accounting Officer shall prescribe the manner in which payments be made by state government organizations.
Regulation E issued by the Federal Reserve System pursuant to the Electronic Funds Transfer Act (15 U.S.C 1693 et seq.)

References

The Georgia State Accounting Office Accounts Payable Payment policy: sao.georgia.gov/accounts-payable

Applicability

This policy is applicable to all Department of Human Services divisions and offices.

Definitions

None

Responsibilities

The Director of the DHS Office of Financial Services (OFS) is responsible for issuing and updating procedures to implement this policy.
All Department of Human Services divisions and offices are expected to request electronic payments for all vendors and contractors.
The Office of Procurement and Contracts is expected to ensure all DHS contracts specify electronic payment for goods and services delivered in the terms and conditions.

History

The Georgia State Accounting Office Accounts Payable Payments policy was effective December 2015.

Evaluation

Annually, the State Accounting Office (SAO) collects and reports on the number of electronic and paper check payments. DHS is required to justify its use of paper checks.