How to Prepare a Fiscal Plan

Updated 09/14/2007

See (Sample)

A fiscal plan is prepared to display how funds will be spent for a fiscal year within each International Trade Administration (ITA) Assistant Secretary program unit. A fiscal year runs from October 1 through September 30.

Fiscal Plan Content:

1. The total amount shown on the fiscal plan may not exceed fiscal plan targets issued by  the Deputy Under Secretary through the Chief Financial Officer/Office of Financial Management for appropriated and deposit fund dollars for each ITA Assistant Secretary program unit. The program units that prepare fiscal plans are:

Import Administration

Trade Development

Market Access and Compliance

U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

Executive Direction and Administration

The fiscal plan target amounts are provided by the Deputy Under Secretary for International Trade through a Financial Table prepared by the Chief Financial Officer/Office of Financial Management.  When preparing fiscal plans, use whole dollar amounts.

2. Fiscal plans are broken out by object classes[1] and dollars on a quarterly basis. The object classes used are defined in the Office of Management and Budget Circular No. A-11 (http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a11/current_year/a11_toc.html) guidelines.  

3. The major budget object classes are defined at the two digits level in the OMB Circular A-11 as follows:

11     Personnel Compensation

12     Benefits

13     Benefits for Former Personnel

21     Travel

22     Transportation of Things

23     Rents Communication and Utilities

24     Printing

25     Other Services

26     Supplies and Materials

31     Equipment

41     Grants Subsidies, and Contributions

4. Fiscal plans should be revised and updated when funding availability changes, when program objectives change, or when anticipated spending patterns are not met during the fiscal year.   

5. Each account[2] should have a separate fiscal plan. 

6. Fiscal plans are usually prepared at the cost center[3]level but can be broken-out at the project[4] level if needed.

7. Fiscal plans must be produced using Excel software and supplied in both hard copy and electronically to the Resource Management Coordinator[5] for your Assistant Secretary program unit.

For additional information contact your OFM Budget Analyst:

Toni Persaud-Exec. Dir./Admin. 202-482-5581

Clarance Burden-USFCS Domestic and Trade Events 202-482-4385

Clarance Burden-USFCS Overseas and Headquarters 202-482-4385

Peggy Fouts- IA 202-482-1952

Paula Dawson-MAS 202-482-0813

Peggy Fouts-MAC 202-482-1952

[1] Object Classes are categories in a classification system that present obligations by the items or services purchased by the Federal Government.  The classification code used on an obligation document must include a four-digit budget object class code.  For example, budget object class 2100 refers to costs associated with travel expenses.

[2]ITA commonly used accounts include:

Appropriated funds (01), Public Law (CR HJ Resolution 124)

Reimbursable fund (08), Public Law (CR HJ Resolution 124)

Product and Events Expenses (20), Public Law (CR HJ Resolution 124)

[3] Cost Center or Organization Code is represented by 4-characters that are used to designate the organization in which costs originate.  The first two characters normally indicate the cost center at the Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) level.  The last two characters represent a division or staff within the DAS-level

[4] Project codes and titles are established by cost centers/organization to identify and accumulate costs at the lowest level of detail associated with a particular project.  Represented by a 4-character identifier some project codes may be crosscutting in nature.  For example, the project code 3510 is used for training by all organizations.

[5]