IT Expenditure Coding Requirements and GASB 51

Please see the Roadmap Home page for the most current information on this topic.

This information supersedes previous announcements from OFM regarding upcoming statewide SAAM policy changes related to tracking Information Technology (IT) expenditures and the implementation of new accounting requirements issued by the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB).

Recent conversations with a larger group of stakeholders have led to the following decisions:

During recent sessions with agency Deputy Directors, Chief Information Officers and Fiscal Officers, we were advised to expand our outreach and broaden participation and communication to these communities in developing the IT definitions that will result in changes to statewide policy.  Because there is great value in collecting accurate and consistent information on IT costs, we will pursue their recommendation.

Next steps, for the state as a whole, include convening a workgroup with a mix of folks from the IT and financial communities to further refine the IT data definitions.  Once their work is formalized, it will be shared with the larger IT and financial community prior to implementation.

At the same time, we want to acknowledge the excellent work done by agency staff in anticipation of the changes related to IT expenditure coding.  Several agencies are ready to begin using the new coding structure for the biennium beginning July 1, 2009.  They have agreed to be early implementers of the IT project type coding structure.  We commend them for their willingness to be our “pilot agencies” in this venture and will work with them to ensure their success.

Thank you for your support in this initiative.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me at 360-725-0179 or send me an email at sadie.hawkins@ofm.wa.gov.  You may also contact the accounting consultant assigned to your agency.