Managing Quarters Funds

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OVERVIEW

2.1 What is the purpose of this chapter? This chapter describes:

A. The source of and restrictions on quarters funds in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service);

B. Management of quarters funds through the 5-Year Plan business rules for the field station, Regional office, and Headquarters (HQ); and

C. How employees can transfer funds. 

2.2 What is the scope of this chapter? This chapter applies to all employees involved in the management of quarters that the Service owns, leases, or manages through other means (e.g., service level agreements).

2.3 What is the overall policy? We must:

A. Charge tenants accurate rental rates following the instructions in Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-45;

B. Deposit quarters rents and money the Service receives from other rental charges in a special fund, FWS Subactivity 8610. These funds are “no-year” accounts, which means they are available until they are spent;

C. Spend these funds on operations and maintenance in accordance with the Department of the Interior’s (Department) Housing Management Handbook. In addition:

(1) Project Leaders/Field Station Managers may only spend quarters funds (8610) on units currently collecting rent or that have collected rent in the past. 

     (a) If we are using the unit to house volunteers, personnel on travel, or interns and rent is under a Benefitting Account designation in the internet Quarters Management Information System (iQMIS), the station must use their operational or maintenance funds for the care of that unit since they are benefitting from their services. 

     (b) For continuous occupancy, volunteers must be providing services sufficient to cover the cost of rent, have a current volunteer agreement signed and uploaded to iQMIS, and annual approval from the National Quarters Officer (NQO). 

(2) Project Leaders/Field Station Managers may use quarters funds to prepare a vacant unit for occupancy by an employee who will pay rent. Project Leaders/Field Station Managers may not use quarters funds on units that will be used by tenants under the Benefitting Account designation. 

2.4 What are the authorities and responsibilities for this chapter? See 371 FW 1 for a list of authorities and responsibilities for all the chapters in Part 371.

QUARTERS MANAGEMENT 5-YEAR PLAN

2.5 What are the business rules for the 5-Year Plan related to quarters?

A. The National Wildlife Refuge System’s Division of Budget, Performance, and Workforce at HQ will disperse rent collections (8610 funds) to the Regions monthly.

B. The Regions distribute collections in the following manner:

(1) Regional Budget Chiefs return all utilities collected back to the field station.

(2) After utilities, the field stations receive 25% of their remaining collections and the Region retains 75% to tackle projects in the 5-Year Plan. 

C. The Regions develop 5-Year Plans with input from the field stations to address Deferred Maintenance (DM) issues and begin to transition to lifecycle management of the quarters portfolio.

(1) The Infrastructure Management Division (IMD) in HQ sends out an annual memorandum with additional guidance, details, and timelines for Regions to submit their 5-Year Plans so that IMD can develop the national Quarters Management 5-Year Plan. 

(2) Regions use the prior 3 years’ quarters collections to estimate plan year budgets.

D. Prior year collections fund the current plan year, so the funds are available to the Regions immediately at the start of the fiscal year so that they can award contracts.

(1) To maximize the return on investment, Regions should continue to leverage quarters funding with DM, construction, other special funding legislation (e.g., Great American Outdoors Act Great American Outdoors Act
This landmark conservation law, enacted in 2020, authorizes the use of up to $1.9 billion a year in energy development revenues for five years for needed maintenance to facilities and infrastructure in our wildlife refuges, national parks, forests, recreation areas and American Indian schools.

Learn more about Great American Outdoors Act ), and other fund sources with resources such as Maintenance Action Teams and partnerships to accomplish large scale projects.

(2) Regions may choose to charge up to 25% of the Regional Quarters Officer’s (RQO) salary against their portion of the collections. 

(3) Regions use carry over budgets to support improving the condition of quarters. Regions may carry over a maximum of 30% of the prior year’s collections in addition to their current plan year funds (see section 2.7). 

(4) Project Leaders/Field Station Managers, the RQOs, and the National Quarters Office must track plan funding using a unique Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) code. Digits 5-8 are 8610 to designate the funds, and digit 11 will be Q to allow reports to be pulled for the 5-Year Plans. Example: FVRS861009Q1234

2.6 How does the Service make changes to the Quarters Management 5-Year Plan?

A. We only make changes to the 5-Year Plan due to new mandates that IMD sends out in the annual memorandum, emergencies, natural disasters, or previously unidentified critical health and safety needs. 

B. If there is a funding reduction or cost overrun, we minimize changes to the plan by moving lower priority projects to the next plan year. If projects are new to the plan, they may be added to out-years.

C. Regions should follow the communication and approval processes or policies in place for their programs and the Directorate to process changes to the 5-Year Plans.

D. Regions should provide updates and any approved Regional changes to the 5-Year Plan to the NQO for awareness.

2.7 How does the Service handle carryover balances? Regions may carry over 30% of the prior year’s collections in addition to their current plan year funds.

A. If the carryover will be more than 30% due to costs lower than estimated, project award delays, or other delays, the RQO must send a memorandum to the appropriate program Assistant Regional Director (ARD) and an email to the NQO explaining the circumstances and when it will be resolved. 

B. If the carryover will be more than 60%, the RQO must send a memorandum explaining the circumstances to the ARD for signature. The signed memorandum must be uploaded to the Document Tracking System, approved by the Regional Director, and surnamed by the NQO. 

TRANSFERRING FUNDS

2.8 What is the process for transferring quarters funds?

A. We may transfer quarters collections between stations or Regions when:

(1) The station or Region that wants to transfer funds has the capability to do so without creating an issue internally, and 

(2) The station requesting the transfer does not have sufficient funds to pay for those projects that could affect the health and safety of occupants or, if not addressed, could lead to further structural damage.

B. The official approving the transfer must review the proposed transfer with the station/Region providing the funds. The official must also review the station's maintenance backlog in the Service Asset and Maintenance Management System (SAMMS) to ensure the appropriate work orders are in place and that there are no other issues in the backlog.