Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a question about the Financial Organization Master File (FOMF) or about a specific aspect of the file format for the Standard Payment Request (SPR), you may find it on the Formats for Payments Requests page.
Send an e-mail to PAM.SAT@fiscal.treasury.gov.
In the e-mail, define your test scope and requirements. Also tell us the dates you
want for testing.
Yes. We encourage your software providers to attend our training sessions and webinars with people from your agency.
For the training schedule, see Fiscal Service’s main Training page. That page is organized alphabetically by Fiscal Service program. You may have to scroll to find sessions or webinars about PAM.
Each session description includes a list of recommended participants.
Yes. You must use the PAM SPR file format.
The current version is 5.0.0. It dates from August 9, 2012.
If you don't have that version, ask for it by e-mailing us: FS.AgencyOutreach@fiscal.treasury.gov.
Yes, but only if you set up more than one schedule in your SPR.
An SPR can have multiple schedules in the bulk file.
However, each schedule may have only one type of payment and only one method of payment.
Examples of types of payment: Benefit, Miscellaneous, Travel, Vendor
Examples of methods of payment: ACH, check
Type A payments are requests that you make through the Secure Payment System (SPS).
Type B payments are requests that you make using a bulk file that you submit through Connect: Direct or the Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).
For Type A payments, you type the payment detail information into the SPS system or you import the information into SPS using the 440 format. You also give the summary information for certification through SPS.
For Type B payments, you include the payment detail information with the bulk file. However, you still put the summary information for certification through SPS.
PAM allows these 3-letter codes:
- PPD (Prearranged Payment and Deposit) – Use PPD when the ACH payment is going to an individual's bank account.
- CCD (Cash Concentration or Disbursement) – Use CCD when the ACH payment is going to a company's bank account.
- CTX (Corporate Trade Exchange) – With CCD, you transmit only the payment amount, not all the details of the payment. With CTX, you can add a lot of information, so you can send complete payment details and you can cover multiple invoices. Always use CTX if possible because all the details are sent electronically with the payment.
- IAT (International ACH Transaction) – Use this for a payment that is going to a payee with a foreign address. For a further explanation of IAT, open the next question.
An IAT payment is a type of ACH payment where you are paying in U.S. dollars with a U.S. bank's routing number but to a foreign payee address. (Remember that Puerto Rico and Guam are U.S. territories; they are not considered foreign.)
You must put an IAT payment on a separate schedule in your PAM SPR.
Use the Standard Entry Class Code: IAT
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) screens IAT payments.
An IAT payment is an ACH payment in U.S. dollars to a U.S. bank where the payee's address is foreign.
ITS.gov is for payments in a foreign currency, using an International Banking Account Number (IBAN) and a Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) code – not to a U.S. bank with a U.S. bank routing number.
You use either Connect: Direct or the Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).
No. PAM does not validate TAS/BETCs.
However, PAM compares TAS/BETC information in the bulk file to the TAS/BETC information that comes with the certification through SPS. PAM creates a report with any differences.
Even if PAM finds differences, the payments will go through.
If PAM reports differences, you will need to correct them by using CARS to re-classify the payments.
You can check PACER On-Line immediately for the status of a check or initial claim.
You can check the Daily Advice of Status for check claims within 48 hours after the claim is entered.