Core Policy & Procedures Manual Glossary
Last updated on May 5, 2022| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
A
Accountable advance – Sum of money temporarily advanced. 4.3.9
Accounts receivable ageing – Process of categorizing each account receivable by the number of days/months/years it has been outstanding. 7.2.19
Accrual basis of accounting – Method of recording transactions by which revenues and expenditures are reflected in the accounts of the period in which they are considered to have been earned and incurred, whether or not all transactions have been finally settled by the recipient or payment of cash or its equivalent. 3.4.3 - Part III
Administrative Records Classification System (ARCS) – Records common to all offices and that are distinct from operational records (ORCS). Administrative records support housekeeping functions such as the management of facilities, property, materiel, finances, personnel, and information systems. Administrative records also relate to common management processes, including committees, agreements, contracts, information services, legal opinions, and other similar functions. 18.3.5
Annual Service Plan Report – A ministry report containing information normally found in a traditional annual report, with the additional requirement that a ministry's performance in meeting its service goals and targets is emphasized in the document. The document must link directly back to the ministry's corresponding service plan. In addition the document must contain a signed statement from the responsible minister to the effect that the minister is accountable for the actual results reported. The report is to be tabled in the Legislative Assembly each year. 3.3 - Part III
Appropriation – Any authority granted by the Legislative Assembly to disburse money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund. The appropriation will be provided in the Supply Act, the express provision of another Act, or by Special Warrant. 1.2.1
Approved request – This is one of the purchase instruments that has an Expense Authority approval associated with it. 4.3.2
Attractive asset – A fixed asset considered a target for theft or readily convertible into cash. 8.3.2
Audit trail – A set of records that collectively provide documentary evidence of processing used to aid in tracing from original transactions forward to related records and reports, and/or backwards from records and reports to their component source transaction. 7.2.4
Authorized officer – A public officer of the Province who is an authorized signing officer for a ministry bank account. 4.3.11
B
Banking instrument – As defined in the Financial Administration Act: means a cheque, draft, telegraphic or electronic transfer or other similar instrument. 7.2.5; 7.2.12
Bid Protest Mechanism – The process established to address complaints by Vendors that a Procurement was or is being conducted in a manner inconsistent with the obligations contained in any applicable Trade Agreement. Chapter 6
Block supplier – A supplier created and used to make payments to multiple payees under a single supplier number. Block supplier names begin with a “Z” prefix and are generic in title. D.13
Budget – The Budget Address and budget papers that are tabled by the Ministry of Finance, along with the Main Estimates. The Budget is usually presented on the third Tuesday of February each year. 3.1 - Part II; Estimates
Budget unit – A unit within a responsibility centre by which different levels of funding can be defined. 3.3.c - Part III
Business Impact Analysis (BIA) – A detailed and documented process designed to identify and prioritize business functions and workflow, including establishing Recovery Time Objectives by assessing impacts over time that might result if an organization was to experience a disruptive event. 16.3.3
Business priority service – Business function or process that is not mission critical, but should it not be performed, could lead to the loss of a major government service. 16.3
C
Cabinet – The decision-making body of the B.C. government, which comprises the Premier and all Cabinet ministers (also called the Executive Council) 17.1
Capital lease – A lease contract where by the lessee obtains ownership (lease to buy) or derives a substantial amount of the benefits of ownership by the end of the lease term. 3.4.3 - Part III
Capital project – A number of related activities intended to maintain, improve, develop or acquire a discrete capital asset, including land and betterments, buildings and highways, bridges and other long term assets. 5.2
Central Accounting System – A suite of applications and services that is the Province’s authoritative source for financial reporting. Supported by Corporate Accounting Services (CAS). Corporate Financial System
Charge card – A card issued under the authority of the Minister of Finance. 4.3.19
Chart of Accounts (COA) – A standard classification and reporting system, and along with budgetary processes, provides information to support program management. The chart of accounts supports external and internal hierarchical reporting from the same financial data. 3.4.2 - Part III
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) – A ministry officer who has been assigned responsibility for the specific operation and management of a ministry's system of financial administration. 1.3; 2.3
Chief Financial Officer bank account – A special type of ministry bank account that may be approved for purposes of paying ministry expenses, with specified amounts, directly to the suppliers. 4.3.12
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) – A rental vehicle option under which the rental company waives its right to collect from the renter for damages to its vehicle. 10.3.9; 11.3.5
Commission – An amount paid to a person collecting public money on behalf of government. The commission is calculated as a percentage of the amount collected, according to a dollar range, specified by contract or determined in some other way.
Commitment – An obligation to pay that will result in a charge against an appropriation, or a future obligation of government. 4.3.7
Common components – In general, a common component:
- Exists as software;
- Can be used as a building block by other applications to deliver digital services;
- Is platform agnostic (i.e.: can be consumed by any platform) whenever possible;
- Provides narrow functionality; and
- Can be leveraged by many different applications. Chapter 12
Complainant – A Vendor that has submitted a complaint under the Vendor Complaint Review Process. Chapter 6
Consolidated Revenue Fund – The fund into which all public money other than trust funds must be paid.
Contract – A written agreement between parties creating mutual obligations that are enforceable or otherwise recognizable at law. Chapter 6
Contract Amendment – A written change to a Contract. Chapter 6
Contract Template – Contract templates for corporate use managed by the Office of the Comptroller General found here. Chapter 6
Contractor – A Vendor who has entered into a Contract. Chapter 6
Corporate Supply Arrangement – A Supply Arrangement for corporate use managed by Procurement and Supply Division found here. Chapter 6
Cost recovery – For fees and licenses, the rate at which the government will recover all the costs incurred in the provision of the fee or license. Costs include materials, direct labour and others, including administrative costs. 7.2.2
Credit note – Issued by a seller to a purchaser to record the reduction of a bill because of an allowance, return or cancellation. The opposite of an invoice. 7.2.5
Critical services – General term that collectively refers to Business Priority and Mission Critical services. 16.2
D
Data – The smallest meaningful units of recorded information generated by an organization, which gain significance when stored in a structured manner that enables them to be synthesized and interpreted. Chapter 12
Debit note – A note indicating an amount owed by a person or company. Serves the same function as an invoice. 7.2.7
Deficit – Amount by which spending exceeds available funds during a fiscal year. 1.2.3
Delegation instrument – A schedule of financial signing authorities granted by the minister or deputy minister. 4.3
Device – An IT resource that can connect (wired, wireless or cellular) to the government network, including but not limited to desktop computers, laptops, tablets, cellphones, smartphones, portable storage devices and access cards. Chapter 12
Direct Award – A Contract awarded to a Vendor without competitive process. Chapter 6
Direct invoicing – A vendor invoice for goods or services without a related purchase instrument (i.e., purchase order or contract). D.7
Directive – An instrument that relates to the internal policy of government made or approved by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, Treasury Board or Minister of Finance. 1.4
E
Electronic authentication – The process by which an electronic signature is verified to ensure, before further processing, that the identity of the signer can be positively identified, that the integrity of the authorized data was preserved and that the data are original. 4.3.5
Electronic authorization – The affixing or the logical association of an electronic signature to a transaction to identify the signer and to indicate the signer's intended approval of the associated information in the data message representing the transaction (as a rule, an audit trace associating the electronic signature to the transaction is created as a record of the electronic authorization). 4.3.5
Electronic signature – Data in electronic form that is logically associated with or affixed to a data message and used to identify the signer of the data message. Used to indicate the signer's approval of the information contained in the data message. 4.3.5
Employee – An individual working for, or on behalf of, a ministry, agency, board or commission subject to the Core Policy and Procedures Manual. Chapter 12
Encumbrance request – An order by legislation to divert monies owed by the Province to debtors (government employees/suppliers) and redirecting these monies to creditors for the repayment of outstanding debts and obligations. E.1
Enterprise architecture – The conceptual blueprint enabling efficient structure and use of IT across government as a whole for effective achievement of business outcomes. Chapter 12
Enterprise design – A holistic approach combining elements of enterprise architecture, IM and service design to shape how government defines and delivers IM IT products and services, including digital products and services. Chapter 12
Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) – The coordinated, ongoing application of risk management across all parts of an organization which flows from the strategic planning to the operational (service delivery) level. 14.0
Enterprise solutions – Tangible responses to whole-of-government IM IT issues. Enterprise solutions are often technical in nature and include, but are not limited to, enterprise services, common components, shared databases and data registers. Chapter 12
Entitlements – Includes government transfers that government must make if the recipient meets eligibility criteria. The eligible recipient and the amount of the entitlement are prescribed in legislation and other authorities. 21.3.2
Estimates – Or budget preparation means the estimates of revenue and expense for a fiscal year presented to the Legislative Assembly. 1.2.3; 3.2 - Part I
Expense Authority (EA) – Authority granted to ministry officials to approve expenditures and accounts. It includes, but is not limited to, the authorization of the purchase of goods and services, approval of transfers and entitlements, and approval of financing transactions. 4.3.2
Expenditure review – Process comparing funds released and expenditures made to date with the estimated expenditure to date, and providing explanations for variances. 3.3 - Part II
Expense reimbursement – Any travel or other approved out-of-pocket expense reimbursement. 10.3.2
Extinguishment – The forgiveness of a debt or obligation to the Province and, to the extent that it is forgiven, the right of the government to collect the debt, obligation due or claim is nullified. 7.2.27
Extraordinary losses – Are incurred when an employee or appointee conducting government business suffers a loss of or damage to personal property which is pertinent to the performance of their duties. 10.3.12
F
Financial administration – The administration of financial matters and affairs of the Province, including: administration of assets (including assets held in trust); revenues and expenditures; accounting and reporting systems; the establishment and maintenance of financial controls. 1.2.3
Financial information – The transactions or data produced or used in understanding, managing, and reporting on the financial aspects of an activity, and is not limited to accounting data. Financial information is relied on to make decisions of a financial nature. 13.2
Financial Management Report (FMR) – A report describing expenditures by ministry for the period to date, showing expenditures by service line, responsibility centre and object of expenditure and comparing those amounts with the budget. 3.3.b - Part III
Financial officer – A ministry officer who has been assigned responsibility for carrying out specialized activities associated with a ministry's system of financial administration. 1.3
Financial system – A significant system or process that produces or generates financial information. For example, systems that:
- collect, maintain, process, transmit or report financial transactions;
- support internal and external financial report preparation, such as, cost and revenue information, financial statements, and the Public Accounts;
- assist ministries and central agencies with financial management, control, budgeting and forecasting. 13.2
Force Approval – A CAS Oracle profile that permits release of payment for a direct invoice under certain conditions. 4.3.3.b; 4.3.6
Fraud – For the purposes of managing fraud risks within government, fraud can be defined as any intentional act to deceive others, resulting in government suffering a loss and/or the perpetrator achieving a gain. 20.4
Full-time Equivalent (FTE) – The equivalent of one person working 1,827 hours in one year. Direct FTEs include employees whose salaries are paid directly from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. Indirect FTEs include employees whose salaries are substantially paid by government indirectly through government transfers to external employers.
Functional guidance – Provision of advice and assistance related to established policies, systems and procedures. 2.3
Fund – A self-balancing accounting entity established to show monies received for specific purposes, the income earned thereon, expenditures for the purposes designated and the assets held against the capital of the fund and its liabilities. Examples are:
- Consolidated Revenue Fund, the primary accounting entity of the Province comprised of the main and special accounts combined with special funds. 1.2.1
- Special Fund, a group of assets reserved for a specific purpose. Special funds have all the characteristics of a complete accounting entity. 1.2.4
- Trust Fund, funds held and administered in trust for others over which the government has no power of appropriation. 3.3.d - Part III
G
Garnishment – A debt collection process (also called attachment) through which a creditor seeks to collect a debt owed by a debtor by obtaining a court order directed to a third party who owes money to the debtor (such as the debtor's employer or financial institution) and requiring that the third party pay that money into court or otherwise for the benefit of the creditor. 7.2.24
Government information – As defined in Part 1 of the Information Management Act. Chapter 12
Government Transfers – Transfers of monetary assets or tangible capital assets from the Province to individuals, businesses, or other entities, for which there is a non- exchange transaction where the Province is not the direct beneficiary of any goods or services, repayment, or investment. Government Transfers also include transfers of monetary assets or tangible capital assets received by the Province from an individual, a business, or other entities. 21.2
Grant – Includes payments to individuals, businesses, or other entities, which may include stipulations as to the use of funds, and that is not entitlements or shared cost arrangements. 21.3.2
Guarantee – A guarantee is a legally binding promise to pay a debt or perform an obligation of another party if that other party fails to do so. 9.2
Guidelines and Standards - A guideline is distinct from but similar to a policy. Guidelines are usually optional or a suggested best practice. A standard provides a specific technical requirement. Standards usually cover details such as implementation steps, design concepts and other specific controls. Guidelines and standards change because business processes, organizational structures and technologies change rapidly, while policies are intended to last for a longer period of time.
H
Hand-held communication devices – Include information and communications technologies such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), Blackberries, cell phones, etc. L.2
Headquarters – That area within a radius of 32 kilometres of where employees ordinarily perform their duties. 10.3.2
Holdback – That portion of a payment(s) under contract that is withheld until certain conditions relating to satisfactory performance as determined by the contract have been met. 4.3.17
I
Incremental contingent liability – An incremental contingent liability is an indemnity or a guarantee that increases a party’s financial exposure through the assumption of another party’s risk. 9.2
Indemnity – An indemnity is a legally binding promise to make another party financially whole in the event of specified losses or damages. 9.2
Information – Any collection of data that is processed, analyzed, interpreted, classified, recorded or communicated in order to serve a useful purpose, present fact or represent knowledge in any medium or form. Information includes both data and records. Chapter 12
Information incident – A single or a series of events involving the collection, protection, use, disclosure, or disposal of government information that threaten privacy or information security and/or contravene law or policy. Chapter 12
Information and information technology security incidents – Information and information technology security incidents where there is damage to or a compromising of the protection of data, systems, documentation, computer-generated information and facilities resulting in a loss of government information or property. These incidents can be accidental or deliberate threats to confidentiality, integrity or availability. 20.2.1; L.2
Information management (IM) – The means by which an organization plans, collects, organizes, governs, protects, uses, controls, disseminates, exchanges, maintains and disposes of its information; as well as any means through which the organization ensures its information’s value is identified and that the information is used to its fullest extent, including the facilitation of efficient discoverability of information. Chapter 12
Information technology (IT) – The common term for the entire spectrum of technologies for information processing, including software, hardware, communications technologies and related services. Chapter 12
Insurance proceeds – Amounts received or receivable by the government pursuant to a contract under which an insurer has agreed to indemnify the government in the event of a specified damage, loss or liability arising from the occurrence of certain events. 7.2.15
Internal audit – An independent, objective appraisal or the review of operations for senior management. 17.2
Internal control – The management framework and interrelated systems, processes and practices adopted by management for achieving objectives. 2.2.1
J
K
L
M
Magnetic disks – Include data storage devices such as floppy disks, IDE hard drives, serial ATA drives, zip disks. 20.2.1
Medium with information capacity – Material on which data are or may be recorded such as paper, punched cards, magnetic tape, hard drives, thumb drives, hand-held devices, magnetic disks, optical disks, etc. 20.2.1
Minister – A minister with portfolio or a minister of state per the Official Duties and Expense Regulation (BC Reg. 226/2001 as amended). 10.2
Ministerial Order – An order made by a minister in execution of a power conferred by an Act.
Ministry bank accounts – Cash balances in ministry bank accounts. Ministry bank accounts are assets of the Province and must be separated from accounts used for the deposit of public money. Ministries are responsible for control over these bank accounts. 4.3.11
Ministry Supply Arrangement – A Supply Arrangement for ministry use managed by a ministry. Chapter 6
Mission critical services – Those functions and processes that, should they not be performed, could lead to loss of life or injury, personal hardship to citizens, major damage to the environment, or significant loss of revenue or assets. 16.3
Motor vehicle charge card – A government-sponsored charge card issued to a government owned or leased vehicle, or to a deputy minister who uses their private vehicle. It is to be used by authorized persons for vehicle operating expenses. 4.3.19
Multi-Use List – A list of Qualified Vendors intended to be used for more than one subsequent Procurement opportunity. Chapter 6
Multi-Year Contracts – Contract that spans multiple fiscal years. Chapter 6
N
O
Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR) – The office of a ministry or agency that has primary responsibility for records in order to satisfy operational, financial, legal, audit and other requirements. 18.3.5.a
Official – A minister, a committee member, a parliamentary secretary, or a member of the Legislative Assembly designated by a minister on behalf of the Executive Council to attend or act in an official capacity at a meeting, conference, task force, committee, visitation, function or work on a project. See section 1, Definitions, of the Official Duties Expense Regulation (BC Reg. 226/2001 as amended). 10.2
Official duties – Means the same as "official duties" under the Official Duties Expense Regulation (BC Reg. 226/2001 as amended). 10.2
Operational Records Classification System (ORCS) – Records that relate to the operations and services provided by a ministry or agency in carrying out the functions for which it is responsible according to statute, mandate, or policy. Operational records are distinct from administrative records (ARCS) and are unique to each government organization. 18.3.5
Optical disks – Include data storage devices such as CDs, DVDs. 20.2.1
Order in Council (OIC) – An order under the authority of an existing statute approved by the Lieutenant Governor in Council upon the advice and consent of the Executive Council.
P
Payment based on contributions – A payment made from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of monies contributed to the government by a third party for a specified purpose as authorized under section 25 of the Financial Administration Act, even though no provision has been made in the Estimates for the receipt and disbursement of such a contribution. 4.3.15
Performance bond – A written guarantee that a contractor will promptly and faithfully perform the contract in accordance with its terms and specifications. In the event of a default by the contractor, the bonding company is responsible, up to the limit of the bond, for costs in excess of the original contract price. 8.3.4
Personal information – As defined in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Chapter 12
Petty cash expense – A cash payment made from an accountable advance. 4.3.9; 10.3.16
Physical security – The use of physical safeguards, procedural and system barriers, consistent with the level of risk identified, to prevent, delay or deter unauthorized access to assets. 8.1
Proactive disclosure – The action of making government information available without a request for access under Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Chapter 12
Procurement – The acquisition or intended acquisition, of goods, or services (including information management and information technology [IM/IT] goods or services) or construction by any means. Chapter 6
Procurement Practice Standard – The separate, written supplemental policy referred to in Chapter 6 that provides guidance on the Procurement obligations specified within that chapter. Chapter 6
Protected (Personal) – The security category assigned to documents, files or records series containing sensitive personal information. L.3
Public Accounts – The set of documents presented to the Legislative Assembly by the Minister of Finance to report financial information and to comply with legislative authorities. 2.2.3.d; 3.2 - Part III
Public body – As defined in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Chapter 12
Public private partnership – Arrangements that result from a competitive process, between government and private sector entities for the purpose of providing public infrastructure and related services. Such partnerships are categorized by the sharing of investment, risk, responsibility and reward between the partners. The reasons for establishing such partnerships vary but generally involve the financing, design, construction, operation and maintenance of public infrastructure and services. 5.3
Purchasing card – A payment instrument that allows ministry employees to acquire goods and services directly from a supplier. 4.3.19
Purchase instrument – This includes, but is not necessarily limited to:
- purchase orders;
- contracts; and
- invoices. 4.3.3
Q
Qualified Receiver (QR) – An individual who has been trained in their responsibilities for inspection or review of goods and services received. 4.3.2
Qualified Vendor – A Vendor that has been prequalified through an initial competitive process to respond to one or more subsequent Procurement of specific goods, services, or construction. Chapter 6
R
Real property and accommodation infrastructure services – The provision of all the customer's workplace needs, including physical accommodation, furniture, equipment and environmental and telecommunications services that support customer program delivery. 18.3.1.a
Receivables – All amounts claimed by the province against debtors. Amounts claimed arise from:
- taxes, fines and penalties not paid or recorded on a cash basis;
- accountable advances;
- loans and mortgages;
- shareable and recoverable costs;
- sales provided on credit;
- advances to employees (including amounts due to fraud, embezzlement or salary; overpayment);
- overpayments; and
- royalties and other rights provided under agreement. 7.1
Recipient – An individual, an organization, or another government that is in receipt of a government transfer of monetary assets or tangible capital assets for which there is a non-exchange transaction where the Province is not the direct beneficiary of any goods or services, repayment, or investment. A recipient is also the Province receiving transfers of monetary assets or tangible capital assets from an individual, a business, or other entities. 21.2
Record – Recorded information created, received, and maintained by an organization or person, in pursuance of legal obligations or in the transaction of business. This includes records formats defined in the Interpretation Act and Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Chapter 12
Records management – The field of management responsible for the efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use and disposition of records, including processes for capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about business activities and transactions in the form of records. (Source: ISO 15489, cited in International Council on Archives). Chapter 12
Refund – A repayment in part or in full of monies received by the government. 7.2.11
Refund of expenses – The recovery of a payment previously authorized and made from the Consolidated Revenue Fund under the authority of an Act, appropriation or trust fund. 4.3.16
Regulation – An order, rule, tariff of costs or fees, warrant, bylaw or other instrument enacted in execution of a power conferred under an Act, or the authority of the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
Remission – Conditional or unconditional forgiveness and cancellation, in whole or in part, of a tax, royalty, fee, forfeiture, fine, pecuniary penalty or other sum due to the government imposed or authorized to be imposed by an enactment and authorized by section 19 of the Financial Administration Act. 7.2.28
Requisition – A formal request to acquire goods and services. 4.3.2
Responsibility centre manager – A ministry officer delegated responsibility for carrying out specific activities associated with the programs of a ministry and who has been given financial authority and budgetary responsibility for those activities. 3.3 - Part II
Revenue – The gross proceeds for a fiscal year from taxes, licenses, fees, rights under an agreement, transfer payments and other sources other than borrowing. 7.1
Revenue bank account – A ministry bank account for depositing public money, which is then transferred each day to the consolidated revenue account. 7.2.10
Risk – The effect of uncertainty on objectives. 14.0
Risk management – Structured and disciplined efforts undertaken to identify and mitigate risk and to reduce uncertainty in the achievement of organizational goals and objectives. 14.0
S
Security – Risk control techniques to protect people, assets and the operations of government from loss or harm. 15.0
Security Threat and Risk Assessment (STRA) – A component of a risk analysis specifically aimed at identifying security exposures. 4.3.5
Service Plan – A plan that describes a ministry's purpose or mission, its direction or vision, its goals and objectives, the operational strategies and resources it intends to use to achieve those objectives, and how it will know if it has been successful (i.e., through the use of performance measures and targets). 2.3; 3.3 - Part III
Service provider – A person retained under a contract or service agreement to perform services for a ministry, agency, board or commission subject to the Core Policy and Procedures Manual. Chapter 12
Set-off – A process established within government by ministries that are owed money by a debtor external to government. Where the debtor is owed money by the government for some purpose; section 38 of the Financial Administration Act provides that the amount owed to the government can be deducted in deciding the final amount to be paid to the debtor. 7.2.23
Shared cost arrangement – Include reimbursement and financing arrangements under contract or formal written agreement to individuals, businesses, or other entities for purposes specified within the agreement. They are non-exchange transactions (i.e., government is not the direct beneficiary of goods or services) and the transferring government has significant control over how the funds are to be spent. Stipulations should be attached to recipient spending. 21.3.2
Signing authority officer – A ministry officer delegated by the deputy minister who is responsible for the administration and control of ministry expense authorities, including specimen signature cards or electronic versions. 4.3.1
Solicitation – The method used to seek responses from Vendors related to a Procurement. Chapter 6
Solicitation Template – Solicitation templates for corporate use managed by the Procurement and Supply Division found here. Chapter 6
Special account – An account in the general fund where the authorization to spend money from the account is located in an Act other than a Supply Act. 1.3
Staffing action – The authority to approve staffing requisitions involving payments to government personnel and other requests under their responsibility (e.g., overtime and meal allowances, but not pay increases governed by collective agreements). 4.3.4
Standard Object of Expenditure (STOB) – The nature of the expenditure (article purchased or service obtained) or expenditure classification on which funds are spent and reported. 3.4.2 - Part III
Standing advance – An accountable advance made to a person in a fixed amount that is required to reimburse expenditures on a continuing basis and reimbursed to that fixed amount each time an accounting for expenditures is made. Standing advances include advances made for working capital, to establish petty cash funds and to establish working capital in approved ministry bank accounts. 4.3.9
Subsidiary accounts – A grouping of individual accounts that in total equal the balance of a control account in the General Ledger. 7.2.17
Supervisor – A person to whom an employee directly reports, or a person who manages a service provider contract or service agreement. Chapter 12
Supply Arrangement – A framework involving one or more Vendors selected through a competitive process that allows for the Procurement of goods, services, or construction generally without needing additional Solicitation processes. Supply Arrangements can be Ministry Supply Arrangements or Corporate Supply Arrangements available through the Ministry of Citizens’ Services Procurement and Supply Division. Chapter 6
Suspense account – An account to which an entry for a transaction is posted until ultimate disposition is determined. 7.2.14
T
Tangible capital asset – Non-financial assets with physical substance that are acquired, constructed, or developed for new or existing non-financial assets and held generally for use in the production or supply of goods and/or services. These assets have different useful lives extending beyond an accounting period which are classified into different asset categories. They include land, highways, buildings, automobiles, computer hardware and software, but exclude inventories, Crown land and assets purchased by third parties or by capital grants issued by the Province. 8.3.2
Tax Verification Letter – A letter issued by the Ministry of Finance verifying that a Vendor has met specific tax obligations. Chapter 6
Temporary advance – An accountable advance made to a person in a fixed amount for a fixed period that is required to reimburse expenditures made by that person for a specific purpose. 4.3.9
Third party demand – A legal document issued because certain federal government departments and provincial ministries have the power, under legislation, enabling them to seize money owing to individuals or firms in default. 7.2.24
Trade Agreement – Any domestic or international trade agreements which contain procurement obligations that apply to the Province. Chapter 6
Travel status – The absence of an employee from their designated headquarters on government business with the employer's approval. Travel status does not apply to employees temporarily assigned to a position outside the designated headquarters or to field status employees. 10.3.2
Treasury Board Regulation – A regulation enacted by Treasury Board in execution of a power conferred under an Act.
Treasury Board Directive – An instrument made or approved by Treasury Board that relates to government's internal policy. 1.4
Treasury Board Order – An instrument made or approved by Treasury Board that relates to government's internal personnel administration.
Trust fund – Funds held and administered in trust for others over which the government has no power of appropriation. 3.3.d - Part III
U
V
Vendor – A person, business or other legal entity that could provide goods, services, or construction. Chapter 6
Vendor Complaint Review Process – The process described in Procedure N by which a Complainant can raise concerns with a Procurement covered under Chapter 6. Chapter 6, Procedure N
Vote – A major program or combination of interrelated programs of the government separated from other votes of expenditures presented to Members of the Legislative Assembly and the general public. It is the level at which the Legislative Assembly votes funds. 1.2.1; 3.4.2 - Part III
W
Wire transfer payments – A secure electronic, irrevocable and immediate payment method for the bank to bank transfer of funds. D.12
Working capital advance – A temporary accountable advance made to ministries for a specific purpose for which ministries are accountable. 4.3.9
Write-off – Removal of all or part of a debt or obligation from the accounts of the Province, but does not extinguish the right of the government to collect the debt, obligation or claim written off. 7.2.26