MARADMIN 608/25
GUIDANCE FOR USE OF MISCELLANEOUS PAYMENTS
R 162023Z DEC 25 MARADMIN 608/25 MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC L LPS// SUBJ/GUIDANCE FOR USE OF MISCELLANEOUS PAYMENTS// REF/A/DOC/DOD 7000.14-R FMR/DATES VARY BY VOLUME// REF/B/DOC/MCO 7300.21B/MAY/2015// REF/C/DOC/DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) GUIDEBOOK FOR MISCELLANEOUS PAYMENTS/DEC 21// REF/D/DOC/CFR 1315.9/JUN 2025// REF/E/DOC/MARADMIN 091/20/FEB 2020// REF/F/DOC/CMC L LPD WASHINGTON DC 071707Z/NOV 2024// REF/G/DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC L LPC(UC) 251415Z/APR/2014// REF/H/DOC/OMB CIRCULAR A-123/JUL 2016// REF/L/DOC/SECNAV M-5210.1// POC/KANTNER/MAJ/SUPPLY OPERATIONS OFFICER/DC IL, LPS-S/ TEL:571-256-7111/EMAIL/PAUL.KANTNER(AT)USMC.MIL// POC/PFARR/CWO5/DISBURSING OPERATIONS OFFICER/P&R, BEA/ TEL:703-697-5930/EMAIL/MATTHEW.PFARR(AT)USMC.MIL// NARR/REFERENCE A IS THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION, WHICH ARTICULATES FEDERAL REGULATIONS THAT PERTAIN TO THE DOD. REFERENCE B IS THE MARINE CORPS FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE MANUAL. REFERENCE C IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) GUIDEBOOK FOR MISCELLANEOUS PAYMENTS (MP). REFERENCE D IS THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS FOR REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION. REFERENCE E IS GUIDANCE FOR SPOUSE REIMBURSEMENT FOR STATE LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATION COSTS. REFERENCE F IS REINFORCING INTERIM POLICY AND PROCEDURE CHANGE FOR PROCUREMENT. REFERENCE G IS WIDE AREA WORKFLOW (WAWF) PROCEDURES FOR INVOICING, ACCEPTANCE AND CERTIFICATION OF INITIAL, REPLACEMENT AND SUPPLEMENTAL UNIFORM ISSUE PROCEDURES. REFERENCE H PROVIDES GUIDANCE ON RESPONSIBILITY FOR IMPLEMENTING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE INTERNAL CONTROLS. GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. Situation. A post-pay review of fiscal years 2022 And 2023 miscellaneous payments show an average 54% error rate across the miscellaneous type codes sampled. Examples of errors include incorrect payment type code, missing documentation, duplicate payments, incorrect payment system, inadequate funding, and unauthorized entitlements. Errors in processing miscellaneous payments result in waste, and possible fraud and abuse. Government personnel executing miscellaneous payments must utilize volume 10, chapters 11 and 12 of ref a, to verify that the payment is compliant with regulation. Guidance is provided in this message to strengthen processes and reduce errors in the miscellaneous payment process. 2. Background. A miscellaneous payment is described in Ref A and Ref C. Miscellaneous payment is not a method of procurement. Miscellaneous payment is a method of payment for government obligations approved under existing authorities. Miscellaneous payments may not be made to pay expenses that are not recognized as a valid government obligation. Type codes miscellaneous payment vendor (MISV) and miscellaneous payments employee (MISE) are flexible miscellaneous payment categories listed in the DoD guidebook for use by exception only. The lack of structure surrounding these payment categories presents risk of fraud, waste, and abuse with their use. Requests for payment in which the method of procurement is invalid, or otherwise not authorized, must be reported as unauthorized commitments and will be ratified prior to the payment being issued. 3. Mission. Requisitioning activities shall ensure key roles for the miscellaneous payments process are filled, and that miscellaneous payments are only made for expenses authorized in the references in order to prevent unauthorized commitments and ensure all requisition are advantageous to the government. 4. Execution. 4.a. Concept of operations. 4.a.1. Miscellaneous payment actions must follow the requirements of a miscellaneous payment category that is defined within Ref A volume 10, chapters 11 and 12, or Ref C. Miscellaneous payments are not authorized for expenses that fall outside the authorities listed in Ref A or Ref C. 4.a.2. Utilization of miscellaneous payments for goods or services to circumvent the requirements of the federal acquisition regulation is prohibited. 4.a.3. The references of this message outline government personnel payment authorities for specific expenses. Any payments made outside of or contrary to these references are prohibited. 4.a.4. To ensure segregation of duties in accordance with volume 5 of Ref A, the certifying official for a WAWF MP transaction cannot also process acceptance in WAWF for the same transaction. 4.a.5. To establish auditability and to validate entitlement systems and payment records, a copy of all supporting documentation must accompany each miscellaneous payment initiation in WAWF. Documentation must be iaw Ref D to allow an independent third party, such as an external auditor, to understand and verify the basis of the entitlement, to include the authority for the reimbursement as a liability of the DoD. 4.b. Tasks. 4.b.1. Deputy Commandant, Installations and Logistics (DC, IL). Provide oversight on the updated guidance as required. 4.b.2. Fleet Marine Force and supporting establishments. 4.b.2.a. Ensure compliance with this directive among subordinate commands and provide additional guidance as necessary. 4.b.2.b. Ensure all requisitioning activities have properly appointed key personnel to process miscellaneous payments. 4.b.2.c. For each miscellaneous payment, ensure the WAWF acceptor and WAWF miscellaneous payments certifier are not the same person. The functions of government acceptance and voucher certification are to be performed by different personnel to maintain separation of duties and procedural integrity. 4.c. Coordinating instructions. 4.c.1. Key personnel. Every requisitioning activity requires a properly appointed WAWF acceptor in WAWF and WAWF miscellaneous payments certifier in Defense Agencies Initiative (DAI) to process a miscellaneous payment. 4.c.1.a. Personnel must be correctly assigned to their unit's workflow in DAI before submission to avoid documents routing to the default certifier and delaying payment. 4.c.1.b. Documents routed to the default certifier in DAI will be returned to the paying activity for processing once a WAWF miscellaneous payments certifier has been assigned, causing a delay in payment processing. 4.c.1.c. Duty station changes and operational requirements can create a gap in government acceptance and certification capability resulting in delayed vendor payments and prompt payment interest. The key roles WAWF acceptor in WAWF and WAWF miscellaneous payments certifier in DAI must be consistently assigned and maintained to ensure accurate and timely processing of payments. 4.c.2. Key personnel and personnel utilizing miscellaneous payment methods must familiarize themselves with Ref A, as well as Ref C the DoD guidebook for miscellaneous payments. Miscellaneous payments can be made under various authorities, refer to each individual miscellaneous payment type for the specific authoritative reference for its utilization. 5. Administration and logistics. 5.a. A copy of this policy shall be posted as appropriate to local command directives sites. 5.b. Per Ref L, financial documentation will be retained for a period of ten years (three years active and seven years archived) and be readily available for audit purposes. 6. Command and signal. Questions concerning the contents of this message will be directed to the contacts listed above. 7. Release authorized by Major General Andrew M. Niebel, Assistant Deputy Commandant for Installations and Logistics.//