Section 69I-24.002 - Definitions; ConstructionFor the purpose of this chapter, the following terms shall have the meaning indicated, unless the context of the rules indicates otherwise:
(1) "Agency" means any department, office, board, commission or other unit of state government in the executive or judicial branches which is required by law to file vouchers with the Chief Financial Officer. For the purposes of this rule, the individual entities as defined by section 240.2011, F.S., will be an agency.(2) "Agency head" means the highest policymaking authority within an agency. An "agency head" may delegate his responsibilities under this chapter.(3) "Bona fide dispute" means a good faith controversy:(a) with regard to the quality, quantity, price, or other matters which relates to the goods or services provided by the vendor to the agency; or(b) with regards to the claim for reimbursement submitted by a state officer or employee to the agency. A bona fide dispute shall not relate to the interest penalty amount.(4) "Chief Financial Officer" or "Department" means the Department of Financial Services and its head, the Chief Financial Officer, created pursuant to section 20.121, F.S. The terms Chief Financial Officer, Department, or Department of Financial Services, shall have the same meaning and be used interchangeably. The administration of this chapter is hereby delegated to the Bureau of Accounting, Division of Accounting and Auditing.(5) "Day" means a calendar day.(6) "Electronic funds transfer" means the automated deposit of funds into the account designated by the beneficiary of such a payment or disbursement. The account must be in a financial institution qualified to receive electronic funds transfers.(7) "Error" means a mistake made unintentionally, inadvertently or in good faith, as well as an error made in the course of good faith compliance with the law.(8) "Exceptional circumstances" are situations or events which in the opinion of the Department, could not be reasonably anticipated by the agency. Examples include, but are not limited to: excusable delay in inspection or testing the goods or services; circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the agency; or delays or errors in delivery. The Department may determine that certain other similar unforeseeable acts, conditions, occurrences or events are exceptional circumstances.(9) "Filed with the Chief Financial Officer" means vouchers authorizing payment of an invoice(s) is (are) physically presented to the appropriate offices as designated by the Division of Accounting and Auditing, Department of Financial Services for preaudit and issuance of a state warrant in payment thereof.(10) "Health Care Provider" means: (a) Health care practitioners licensed under chapters 458, 459, 460, 461, 463, 464, 465, 466, F.S.;(b) Health care facilities as defined in section 408.032, F.S., including ambulatory surgical centers;(c) Health maintenance organizations as defined in part I, chapter 641, F.S.;(d) Home health agency as defined in section 400.462, F.S.;(e) Hospice as defined in section 408.032, F.S.; or(f) Intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled as defined in section 408.032, F.S..(11) "Invoice" means:(a) In the case of a vendor furnishing goods or services, a written original document delivered to a purchaser showing the character, quantity, price, terms, nature of delivery and other particulars of goods sold or services rendered; and(b) In the case of reimbursements to state officers and employees a written original reimbursement request.(12) "Issuance date" means the first working day that payment is available for delivery or mailing to the vendor. In most cases this will be from one to three days after the warrant date, the exception being authorized state holidays. For electronic funds transfer payments, the issuance date is the date that the payment record is delivered to the Department's originating depository financial institution.(13) "Prompt delivery" means delivering or mailing of state warrants by each section of an agency responsible for distribution, within 3 working days after issuance date.(14) "Receipt of goods or services" means the goods or services are delivered at the place designated by the agency. If the agency fails to designate the place for delivery, the agency is deemed to have received the goods or services when any agency personnel takes physical custody of such goods or services.(15) "Receipt of invoice" means the date an invoice is first received at the place designated by the agency in the contract or purchase order. If the agency has failed to annotate the invoice with the actual date of receipt, then the agency is deemed to have received the invoice on the date of the invoice. If the agency failed at the time the order is placed or contract made to designate a specific location to which the invoice must be delivered, then the agency is deemed to have received the invoice on the date the invoice is received by the agency at any place. In the case of travel and other reimbursements to state officers and employees, receipt means the date a properly completed reimbursement form is received by the officer's or employee's supervisor or person authorized to approve same. Where the payee and approval authority are one and the same, receipt means the date a properly completed reimbursement form is received by the appropriate fiscal office applicable to that person.(16) "Voucher" means a standard Florida Accounting Information Resource Subsystem (FLAIR) voucher schedule as prescribed by the Chief Financial Officer complete with invoices and such other supporting documentation necessary to authenticate the recording of a transaction into the accounting records of an agency which will also serve as an official request by an agency to the Department for a warrant in satisfaction of an obligation incurred by an agency.(17) "Waiver in part" means satisfactory documentation to the Department that the agency's noncompliance with the voucher filing requirements of section 215.422, F.S., or the Department's noncompliance with the warrant issuance requirements of that section was attributable to an exceptional circumstance. When a waiver in part is granted, the agency's failure to comply with the voucher filing requirements or the Department's failure to comply with the warrant issuance requirements in that particular instance shall not be counted for purposes of compliance monitoring reports. However, the agency shall continue to be liable for any interest penalty payment which would otherwise be applicable.(18) "Waiver in whole" means satisfactory documentation to the Department that the agency's noncompliance with the voucher filing requirements of section 215.422, F.S., or the Department's noncompliance with the warrant issuance requirements of that section was attributable to an exceptional circumstance. When a waiver in whole is granted, the agency's failure to comply with the voucher filing or the Department's failure to comply with the warrant issuance requirements in that particular instance shall not be counted for purposes of compliance monitoring reports. In addition, the agency shall be relieved from liability for interest penalty payment on that invoice.(19) "Warrant" means an order issued by the Chief Financial Officer directing the Division of Treasury to pay a sum specific to the person designated thereon.(20) "Working day" means any day of the week excluding Saturday, Sunday and any legal holiday as designated in section 110.117, F.S.Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 69I-24.002
Rulemaking Authority 17.29, 215.422(8) FS. Law Implemented 215.422 FS.
New 3-8-90, Amended 9-3-91, 11-30-94, 5-12-97, Formerly 3A-24.002.New 3-8-90, Amended 9-3-91, 11-30-94, 5-12-97, Formerly 3A-24.002.