Office of Management and Budget

OMB BULLETIN NO. 97-06 - Information on Voluntary Contributions to International organizations


May 23, 1997

 

BULLETIN NO. 97-06

SUBJECT:  Information on Voluntary Contributions to International organizations

1. Purpose. The purpose of this Bulletin is to provide instructions for preparing information for a semiannual report to the Congress listing all voluntary contributions to international organizations by all agencies of the United States Government.

2. Background and Authority. Section 306(b)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (see Attachment A), requires that the President transmit to the Congress semiannual reports listing all voluntary contributions, cash and in kind, by the United States Government to international organizations. Section 306(b)(2) requires that agencies making such contributions provide information on them to the Office of Management and Budget. Section 306(b) was enacted in 1980, and agencies have reported under this requirement previously.

3. Coverage. This Bulletin applies to all Federal agencies, including those of the Legislative and Judicial Branches.

4. Definitions. For the purposes of this Bulletin, the following definitions apply:

(a) Voluntary contribution means a contribution of any kind that is not assessed under a binding international agreement, including the furnishing of funds for other financial support; services of any kind (including the use of experts or other personnel); or commodities, equipment, supplies, or other material.

(b) International organization means any public international organization that is composed principally of governments. This does not include a foreign agency or organization that has an arrangement with the United States Government for bilateral contributions. Also, this does not include international organizations composed of individual members representing themselves or an organization, but not their respective governments.

5. Required Materials. Agencies that make voluntary contributions to any international organization will forward to the Office of Management and Budget information on those contributions in accordance with the attached instructions and in the format of the attached exhibit. Separate information will be prepared for each international organization receiving voluntary contributions. Materials will be sent to the International Affairs Division, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10026, New Executive office Building, Washington, D.C. 20503.

6. Due Dates. Information on contributions made in the first half of fiscal year 1996 is due no later than July 15, 1997. Information on contributions made in the second half of fiscal year 1996 is due no later than November 15, 1997.

7. Information Contact. Inquiries concerning this Bulletin may be addressed to John Burnim, International Affairs Division, Office of Management and Budget (telephone (202) 395-4848).

Franklin D. Raines
Director

Attachments
Exhibit


Attachment A

FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1961, AS AMENDED (22 U.S.C. 2226)

"Section 306(b) (1) The President shall submit semiannual reports to the Congress listing all voluntary contributions by the United States government to international organizations. One of the semiannual reports shall be submitted no later than July 1 and shall list all contributions made during the first six months of the then current fiscal year. The other semiannual report shall be submitted no later than January 1 and shall list all contributions made during the last six months of the preceding fiscal year. Each such report shall specify the government agency making the voluntary contribution, the international organization to which the contribution was made, the amount and form of the contribution, and the purpose of the contribution. Contributions shall be listed on both an agency-by-agency basis and an organization-by-organization basis.

(2) In order to facilitate the preparation of the reports required by paragraph (1), the head of any Government agency which makes a voluntary contribution to any international organization shall promptly report that contribution to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

(3) As used in this subsection, the term "contribution" means any contribution of any kind, including the furnishing of funds or other financial support, services of any kind (including the use of experts or other personnel), or commodities, equipment, supplies, or other material."


Attachment B

INSTRUCTIONS ON PREPARING INFORMATION ON VOLUNTARY
CONTRIBUTIONS TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Information on voluntary contributions to international organizations will be prepared on 8 ½" X 11" paper, as described below.

Enter the name of the agency making the contribution, the name of the international organization receiving the contribution, and the six month period for which contributions are being reported, as indicated in the Exhibit. Information will be entered in each column as indicated below:

Column (1). Enter the title of the appropriation or fund account that financed the contribution.


Column (2). Enter the amount of each contribution. Amounts for cash contributions will be outlays. The value of in kind contributions (services, commodities, equipment, supplies, or other material.) will be the cost to the agency of providing the services or goods. The value of in kind contributions should be determined by the contributing agency.

Column (3). Enter the form of each contribution made to the international organization during each reporting period. The form should be one or more of the following:

a. financial support
b. services
c. material

Column (4). Enter the primary purpose for which the contribution was made. Make the explanation brief. Do not provide attachments.


Exhibit

VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS


Period:

Agency: International Organization

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
Account Title Amounts
($ in thousands)		 Form Purpose