How to Deposit a Collection Received in the U.S.
(Updated 12/14/06 )

ITA program offices may receive collections (or funds) in the form of US and foreign checks, money orders and cash in payment for FOIA requests, user fees for commercial information products and business facilitation services, and participation fees collected for overseas trade promotion events. VISA and MasterCard credit cards are also accepted in some instances.

Responsibilities for Receiving and Processing Collections :

Checks or money orders must be made payable to one of the five following payees. Otherwise, they will be returned to the transmitting office.

International Trade Administration

ITA

International Trade Association

Department of Commerce

Dept of Commerce

United States and Foreign Commercial Service

US and Foreign Commercial Service

US & FCS

US Treasury

US Dept of Commerce

US Department of Commerce

US Embassy

The office transmitting the money to ITA accounts must provide their office accounting classification code. This accounting classification code includes the appropriation code (J/XXX), project code and performance goal (XXXXXX) and and cost center (also called organization code) (XXXX) on the back of each check and money order received.  Appropriate accounting codes for the various collection types are described in the Accounting Classification Code Lookup Menu at OurPlace, (http://ourplace.ita.doc.gov).

A Lockbox is a collection and processing service provided by financial institutions that accelerates the flow of funds to Treasury's General Account. This service includes collecting the agency's mail from a specified post office box, sorting, totaling, and recording the payments, processing the items, making the deposit and transferring the funds. Agencies receive remittance data either in hard copy or via electronic format.

Each office must ensure the following Treasury endorsement language appears on the reverse side of all checks and money orders prior to forwarding them to the Lockbox:

" Pay to the Order of any Federal Reserve Bank or Branch or General Depository for credit to the Treasurer of the United States. This check is a payment of an obligation to the United States and must be paid at par. N.P. Do not wire nonpayment. International Trade Administration Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. 20230 13-12-0001"

Each office receiving collections must obtain a stamp that includes the above endorsement language to be used when endorsing checks.

Cash collected at a domestic ITA office must be converted to a money order or check in the same type of currency as the cash received. The money order or check must be made payable to the "International Trade Administration" and transmitted to the appropriate place of deposit (listed on the table in the next section). Costs associated with converting the cash into a money order may be paid from the amount being converted, and must be noted on the Collections Transaction Record (CTR), Form number ITA-2057 or the Receipt for Order (RO). 

Procedures and Responsibilities to Transmit and Reconcile Deposits:

Offices located within the US will use the Collection Transaction Record (CTR) or the Receipt for Order (RO) to list and document collections being sent for deposit.  (The new CTR and instructions are available on-line at Through the Maze. Those offices without access to the Internet should contact the person listed at the end of these instructions to receive the updated information.

The original CTR or RO will accompany the checks to the Lockbox or to the National Business Center (NBC).

If the collection is for a Trade Event or Mission, a copy of the Participation Agreement (PA) must accompany each check to the Lockbox or to NBC.  The original PA and a copy of the check must be sent to the Office of Trade Event Management.

The type of check and the type of currency determines the location to which the deposit is mailed. ITA program offices that receive checks and money orders in the following form must make their deposits based on the type of check and the type of currency listed below.  The program offices must also complete separate CTRs or ROs based on the type of check and the type of currency listed below.  Multiple CTRs or ROs may be required when making a deposit.

The Lockbox address is: ITA, Post Office Box 11750, Philadelphia, PA 19101-0750.  Please send checks to the corresponding P.O Box:

An adding machine tape detailing the amount of each individual collection listed must accompany the CTR or RO to facilitate reconciliation, whenever more than one check is being deposited.

ITA transmitting offices must retain collection records for a period of 36 months.

Trade Event and Trade Mission collections must be entered into the E-Menu System.

US Department of Treasury's Collection and Deposit Requirements are Listed Below:

All funds received for credit should be deposited to the account of the US Treasury without delay. Depositors should limit their transmittal of deposits to one per day. (Depositors may need to set an internal "cut-off" time when preparing deposits. Any collections received after the established "cutoff" time must be deposited on the following day.)

1. Receipts $5,000 or More

Receipts of $5,000 or more must be deposited daily. Funds received after the established "cutoff" time must be deposited on the next business day.

2. Receipts Less than $5,000

Receipts of less than $5,000 may be accumulated and deposited when the total reaches $5,000. However, deposits must be made by Thursday of each week regardless of the amount.  Collections shall be deposited according to Treasury procedures (see Treasury Financial Manual, Volume 1 Part 6 - Chapter 8000).

3. Discretion over Deposits

Receipts of less than $5,000 may be deposited if:

1. Depositing offices lack adequate safeguards against loss or theft; and
2. Daily deposits are cost beneficial.

4. Basic Controls

Separation of duties is the practice of dividing the steps in a critical function among different individuals.  For example, one program office employee can create a deposit, while another authorizes the actual amounts listed on the CTR or RO.  Such a control keeps a single individual from subverting a critical process.

Separation of duties prevents the misuse of cash receipts and concealment of fraud in the accounting records. Special accounting controls are essential when sales or operating persons handle cash receipts.  Persons responsible for handling cash receipts should not participate in the accounting or operating functions relating to:

1. Shipping goods and billing for goods and services;
2. Controlling accounts receivable subsidiary ledgers;
3. Preparing and mailing statements of balances due;
4. Authorizing and providing credits for returns, and allowances or adjustments of amounts due; or
5. Reconciling bank or Treasury reports with accounting records.

Official collections shall not be commingled with personal funds or used for cashing checks or money orders.

Because of the separation of duties rule, no single individual may control a collection transaction. Offices must ensure that collection duties are separated and performed by different individuals.

National Business Center (NBC) role:

NBC will receive a record, both electronically and hard copy of each deposit sent to the Lockbox. The hard copy records will include all supporting information transmitted by the ITA office, as well as a photocopy of both sides of the check(s) or money order(s). NBC will reconcile Lockbox electronic and hard copy records.

NBC will notify foreign posts by email, confirming all deposits that were processed by the lockbox.

Mailing Addresses and Contacts:
 

For additional information contact NBC: Karen Hall at (303) 969-5432.