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FOREST SERVICE MANUAL
WHITE MOUNTAIN NF (REGION 9)
LACONIA, NH
FSM 6300 – PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 6300 – ZERO CODE
Supplement No.: R9 White Mtn 6300-2008-1
Effective Date: April 8, 2008
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
Approved: THOMAS G. WAGNER
Forest Supervisor
Date Approved: 04/08/2008
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by title and calendar year.
Post by document; remove the entire document and replace it with this supplement. Retain this
transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. This the first supplement in this series.
New Document
R9 White Mtn 6300-2008-1
Superseded Document(s)
(Supplement Number and
Effective Date)
None
4 Pages
Digest:
6302 – OBJECTIVES: Define the policy for and responsibilities of personnel assigned the
authority to review and approve requisitions.
6303 – POLICY: Defines the policy behind this supplement and specifies redelegation of the
authority.
6304 – RESPONSIBILITY
6304.8 – Adds a new section describing the responsibilities of persons assigned the role as
requisition approvers.
R9 WHITE MOUNTAIN SUPPLEMENT: 6300-2008-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 04/08/2008
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
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FSM 6300 – PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 6300 – ZERO CODE
6302 – OBJECTIVES
Define the policy for and responsibilities of personnel assigned the authority to review and
approve requisitions.
6303 – POLICY
All requisitions for the purchase of supplies, services and construction must be reviewed and
approved by a responsible official delegated that authority prior to the requisition being executed
by a person with procurement authority. This system provides an internal control and ensures
that the “bona fide” need test is met. Annually, all job codes assigned to the forest will be
delegated in writing by name to specific individuals by the Forest Supervisor. Delegations will
be updated as needed in writing. Delegations shall be temporarily passed to persons “acting in
lieu of” but only in those cases where the original designee is absent from the Forest for a week
or more. All temporary “acting” delegations must be documented in writing.
6304 – RESPONSIBILITY
6304.8 – Requisition Approvers
1. Definitions:
a. Requisition Approver: A requisition approver is a Forest Service employee who
has been delegated the authority to review and approve requisitions against a
specific job code(s). Unless a requisition approver also has authority under the
Federal Acquisition Regulations (i.e. is a purchasing agent or a micro-purchase
cardholder), they may not actually commit or obligate the Federal Government by
placing a purchase order with a vendor.
b. Approval Roles: Specific approval roles are established for each individual
delegated authority as a requisition approver. These roles limit and constrain an
approver’s authority to a defined unit.
2. Responsibility for Requisition Review and Approval:
a. A requisition approver must ensure there is a “bona fide” need for the item or
service requested. Consider the following prior to approving a requisition.
i. Legitimate need for the goods or services requested.
ii. Item/service is authorized by law/regulation.
iii. Adequate funds are available to fund the acquisition.
b. All requisitions sent to requisition approver for approval must be documented
in writing (email, hand written or WMNF Simplified Requisition Form). If the
R9 WHITE MOUNTAIN SUPPLEMENT: 6300-2008-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 04/08/2008
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
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requisition is approved, it is signed and forwarded to an individual authorized
to complete the purchase in accordance with the various acquisition
regulations (Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Agricultural Acquisition
Regulations (AGAR), Forest Service Acquisition Regulations (FSAR) such as
a PCMS cardholder, purchasing agent or contracting officer.
c. In the event the purchase approver is also a PCMS cardholder, they may
proceed directly to acquire the goods or services under the micro-purchase
regulations if the four tests below are met. If these tests are not met, then the
requisition must be passed on to another cardholder or purchasing agent for
completion.
i. They have approval authority for the job code.
ii. The requisition comes from their authorized unit.
iii. The requisition is not for their immediate benefit such as training or
conference attendance.
iv. The order is not over their purchasing threshold (purchases may not be
split to stay under the threshold).
3. Approved Roles:
a. Forest Supervisor/Deputy Forest Supervisor (includes Acting Forest
Supervisor): All job codes assigned to the forest for which funds have been
issued in the current Fiscal Year. Prior year funds require significant
coordination with Budget & Finance and the Washington Office prior to
approval.
b. District Rangers (includes Acting District Ranger): All job codes assigned to
subordinates on their unit may be approved by the District Ranger. Approval
is for their assigned unit only. Acting’s must be designated in writing to
exercise this authority.
c. Staff Officers/ Resource Team Leaders: Approval authority is forest-wide in
their authorized job codes. Acting’s must be designated in writing to exercise
this authority.
d. Assistant Rangers/Unit Project Managers: May authorize purchases in their
assigned job codes for their unit only when they have been delegated funds in
the annual work plan or approved acquisition plan. Acting’s must be delegated
in writing to exercise this authority.
e. PCMS Cardholders: Cardholders are authorized to make purchases with their
assigned PCMS card without prior written approval only for job codes they
are assigned and only for their assigned unit. Purchases must be within the
transaction purchase limits (e.g. $2,500 purchase limit for goods and services,
R9 WHITE MOUNTAIN SUPPLEMENT: 6300-2008-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 04/08/2008
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
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$2,000 for construction per transaction) and the monthly threshold purchase
limit of the cardholder. No local printing is authorized. Purchases in any other
job code or another unit require prior written approval.
f. Budget Officer/Budget Analyst: The budget officer and budget analyst make
requisition approvals only within the IAS system as a verification step in that
process against the program work plan. Approval of the requisition is still
needed by an individual with approval authority for that job code prior to
submission into IAS. The BO/BA may not both approve the job code and
make an IAS approval on the same requisition without Line Officer or Staff
Officer counter signature.
g. All Other Personnel: Personnel not assigned approval authority in a particular
program or unit must get prior written approval from a person with approval
authority (both program and unit), prior to submitting a requisition to either a
purchase cardholder, IAS requisitioner or purchasing and contracting.
4.
Other Approval Limitations:
a. Vehicles: Government vehicles assigned a Voyager Fuel Card gives the
operator authority to acquire fuel and authorized goods and services for that
vehicle. Fleet repair authorizations for vehicles are limited to $350 for Unit
Fleet Managers. Purchases over $350 may only be approved by the Forest
Fleet Manager, Technical Services Team Leader or Forest Supervisor.
b. Technical Authority (TA) for IT and Telecomm: All personnel, regardless of
approval authority, require written prior technical approval for IT and
Telecomm items. TA is approved only by the IRM. Refer to
http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/irm/asset/.