2023-020. Working Capital Reserves in Excess of Federal Guidelines
State Agency: Department of Governmental Operations
Federal Agency: Various
Division of Purchasing and General Services
Cooperative Contract Management Fund – Public entities in Utah rely on the Division of Purchasing and General Ser...
2023-020. Working Capital Reserves in Excess of Federal Guidelines
State Agency: Department of Governmental Operations
Federal Agency: Various
Division of Purchasing and General Services
Cooperative Contract Management Fund – Public entities in Utah rely on the Division of Purchasing and General Services (State Purchasing) to maintain the cooperative contract program to assist with public procurement in Utah. The usage of state cooperative contracts by public entities continues to increase yearly, resulting in a corresponding increase in the collection of administrative fees. State Purchasing continues to review contract administrative fees on state cooperative contracts as each contract expires and is resolicited. This is a slow process since State Purchasing has approximately 1,200 cooperative contracts that expire only every five years and are then resolicited. While State Purchasing is allowed under law to collect up to a 1.0% administrative fee on each cooperative contract, currently the average administrative fee is approximately 0.35%, a decrease of 18.6% from the average contract administrative fee in fiscal year 2022.
The Division of Purchasing and General Services also continues to work with the Department of Government Operations executive leadership to request the Utah Legislature appropriate out a portion of the excess reserves in the Cooperative Contract Management Fund. The calculation of the federal portion of these transfers will be submitted to Cost Allocation Services for review and approval when these transfers are completed.
Federal Surplus Property Fund- Surplus Property anticipated relocating by the end of fiscal year 2023 with the completion of the new Utah State Prison. Due to schedule changes, the new location for Surplus Property was not completed in time and the new anticipated relocation date is the end of fiscal year 2025. At the time of relocation, Surplus Property will use the excess reserve funds to move and furnish the new location, including replacing aged equipment.
Contact Person: Windy Aphayrath, waphayrath@utah.gov, Director, Division of Purchasing and General Services
Anticipated Correction Date: June 30, 2025
Division of Finance
Purchasing Card Fund – State Finance is in the process of implementing a new travel and expense reporting system for all state agencies. This system will simplify travel approvals, travel reimbursements, and reduce the administrative burden for the purchasing card (P-Card) expense reports on state agency personnel. To cover system implementation costs, State Finance elected not to distribute the rebates received from U.S. Bank related to state agency P-Card spending for calendar years 2021, 2022, and 2023. Rebates were still sent to participating entities external to the primary government. The anticipated completion date for the new system is the end of the calendar year 2024. State Finance will then review annually the costs of the system, develop a cost allocation strategy between the travel and P-Card programs, and adjust travel rates to cover the travel program's ongoing costs. The P-Card program will then distribute any remaining P-Card rebates to state agencies respective to their spend. This effort should reduce and/or eliminate any excess federal reserves in the P-Card fund by the end of fiscal year 2025.
Contact Person: Allyson Branch, abranch@utah.gov, Assistant Director, Division of Finance
Anticipated Correction Date: June 30, 2025
Division of Risk Management
Workers' Compensation Fund – The Division of Risk Management did not request an increase in rates for fiscal year 2024 for the Workers Compensation Fund. It is also anticipated that premiums for worker compensation insurance for fiscal year 2025 will increase. This increase will help bring this fund back into compliance. The Division of Risk Management will also reevaluate this program at the end of fiscal year 2024 to determine if a legislative request to transfer funds out and/or refund the federal portion of retained earnings is needed to reduce and/or eliminate the excess federal reserves remaining in this fund.
Contact Person: Rachel Terry, rachelgterry@utah.gov, Director, Division of Risk Management
Anticipated Correction Date: June 30, 2025
Division of Technology Services
Communication Services – The fiscal year 2024 Communication Services rate was set to under recover the cost of providing this service by $276,000. The fiscal year 2025 rate was also set to under recover the cost of providing this service by an additional $398,000. DTS plans to annually review and adjust rates and issue mid-year rebates, if necessary, to bring DTS Communication Services into compliance with federal excess reserve guidelines by the end of fiscal year 2025.
Mainframe Services – This service will be coming to an end by fiscal year 2024. As this service ends, DTS will issue rebates of any remaining Mainframe Services retained earnings to the state agencies who used the system.
Contact Person: Dan Frei, dfrei@utah.gov, Finance Director, Division of Technology Services
Anticipated Correction Date: June 30, 2025
Division of Human Resource Management
Human Resources Field Services – During fiscal year 2023, the Division of Human Resource Management worked to better align expenses with the corresponding rate. A cost allocation plan was developed to accomplish this goal. As a result of that effort, the Human Resources Field Services rate was decreased, and the Payroll Services and Core Services rates were increased for fiscal year 2025. The Division anticipates that these rate adjustments will eliminate the excess reserves.
Contact Person: John Barrand, jbarrand@utah.gov, Director, Division of Human Resource
Management Anticipated Correction Date: June 30, 2025