Revised: 9/2011
Payment officers must maintain a record of all lost economically justified discounts for
reporting purposes. Organization unit payment systems are to include procedures that
take advantage of cash discounts as a matter of routine. Such procedures should expedite
the handling of Invoices offering cash discounts. For further guidance on taking cost-
effective discounts, see TFM Volume I.
Organization units should continuously review ways for improving early identification of
Invoices involving discounts. These procedural and operational reviews should include:
1. Determining which discounts are economically justified for early payment;
2. Placing appropriate Invoices on a "fast pay track"; and
3. Immediate follow-up to obtain the “Receiving Report” where such special
handling is warranted.
4. Such action must be cost-effective in terms of the discount involved.
.01 Time Considerations in Taking Discounts
For an organization unit to accept the offered discount, the unit need only properly
send payment. The date of mailing the check is controlling, not the date of receipt
by the payee. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) is encouraged. If the time provided
by the Contract is given as a certain number of days, the word "days" refers to
calendar days and not working days, unless otherwise stated. On Saturdays,
Sundays, and legal holidays, when Government offices are closed and Government
business is not expected to be conducted, payments falling due may be scheduled
for the next business day without losing the discount.
When a cost-effective cash discount is offered, the applicable Invoice must be
processed promptly to avoid loss of discount. Disbursing Vouchers for Invoices
with cash discounts will be prepared and sent to the Department of the Treasury to
permit check issuance as close as possible to, but no later than, the last day of the
discount period. A payment made by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) will be made
on the last day of the discount period.
The period for taking a discount, the “Discount Period”, is calculated from the
“Discount Date” placed on the Proper Invoice by the contractor. When a Time
Discount is taken, payment will be made as close as possible to, but not later than,
the discount date. However, if the contractor has not ‘dated’ the Invoice, the
Discount Period will begin on the date a Proper Invoice is actually received by the
designated Billing Office assuming that the organization unit has annotated the
Invoice with the date when the item(s) listed on such Invoice were received.
.02 Invoice Payments and Compliance with the Prompt Payment Act