Electronic Commerce
This section provides information for COMMERCIAL
VENDORS only.
ALL OTHER CUSTOMERS, please visit our Home Page at http://www.dfas.mil to find the appropriate section for your needs.
Do you want the US Government to Pay you ON TIME?
Wide Area Workflow is an electronic document delivery system that will help you
get paid on time! The benefits include reduction of lost or misplaced documents,
quicker document routing, opportunity for discounts, total visibility of document
status, elimination of cost/time of U.S. mail, secure transactions with audit
trail, and downloadable software from the Web at no cost.
Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) will be holding free Wide Area Work Flow (WAWF) "hands-on" vendor training sessions at DFAS locations through out the United States. If you would like to attend, complete the online registration form at: http://www.dfas.mil/commpay/vptraining.htm.
Availability is limited to 25 vendors, and registration is accepted on a first
come, first served basis. These sessions fill very quickly, so please submit
your registration form promptly.
As part of the President's Management Agenda and in cooperation with the Chief Financial Officers' Financial Systems and E-Government Committee, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) is assisting with widespread adoption and implementation of Electronic Commerce/Electronic Data Interchange (EC/EDI) within the Department of Defense accounting and finance systems to improve financial management and expand electronic government.
To assist the Department of Defense in achieving its electronic commerce, electronic data interchange, and paperless contracting goals, DFAS has initiated several large scale efforts. These efforts include Web Invoicing, Wide Area Workflow, Electronic Document Access, Electronic Document Management, Electronic Data Interchange, Electronic Funds Transfer, and Power Track.
In addition to traditional Value Added Network (VAN) based EDI, DFAS has implemented a Web Invoicing System (WInS). WInS enables the current paper-based vendors to send invoices electronically via web based technology. Transparent to the contractor, the WInS application creates an EDI transaction for the DFAS payment systems. Edits and validations occur before the file is translated to ANSI X12 format and forwarded through the DoD information processing infrastructure to the payment system. For convenience and verification, an invoice log allows the vendor to review, edit, and print invoices for transmission tracking and archive purposes.
Wide Area Work Flow - Receipts and Acceptance (WAWF-RA)
Wide Area Work Flow - Receipts and Acceptance (WAWF-RA) is a Paperless Contracting DoD-wide application designed to eliminate paper from the receipts and acceptance process of the DoD contracting lifecycle. The goal is to enable authorized Defense contractors and DoD personnel the ability to create invoices and receiving reports and access contract related documents.
In the traditional DoD business method, three documents are required to make a payment - the contract, the receiving report and the invoice. Each of these may arrive at the payment office separately - if they are paper. They are processed individually as they arrive. Information is then manually keyed in to the payment system. Using WAWF-RA, electronic documents are shared, eliminating paper and redundant data entry. Data accuracy is increased and the risk of losing a document is greatly reduced.
The contract is available through a seamless interface with an application called Electronic Document Access (EDA). Contractors have electronic options for submitting invoices and receiving documents. They can submit documents on the Web, through FTP, or through EDI.
Authorized DoD personnel receive notification electronically of pending actions and have a virtual folder of documents accessible. Digital signatures are used to authenticate the users and to digitally sign documents. In some cases, userid and password can be used in lieu of a digital signature.
WAWF-RA supports DoD's efforts to reduce unmatched disbursements in the DoD receipt, acceptance, entitlement and payment process through data sharing and electronic processing. The benefits to DoD are global accessibility of documents, reduced need for re-keying, improved data accuracy, real-time processing, and secure transactions with audit capability. For vendors, benefits include the capability to electronically submit invoices, reduction of lost or misplaced documents, and online access to contract payment records.
For security purposes, with WAWF-RA, user identity is assured through the use of digital signatures and certificates or userid and password over an SSL connection. The online data transmissions are protected with encryption.
For additional information, please see the WAWF-RA website at https://wawf.eb.mil.
Electronic Certification System (ECS)
ECS is a web-based invoice certification system developed by DFAS Cleveland that provides the capability for authorized Department of Defense (DoD) personnel to approve/certify vendor pay invoices electronically for payment through the Standard Accounting and Reporting System - One Bill Pay (STARS-OBP). Electronic invoices or vouchers (EDI 810CI or 810V) are submitted via a Value-added Network (VAN) or through the DFAS developed Web Invoicing System (WInS) to the DLA Automated Addressing Service Center (DAASC) which translates the 810 into a file layout accepted by ECS. ECS notifies the responsible certifying official to perform certification and then forwards the certified invoice to STARS-OBP. ECS uses Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology to provide authentication of DoD personnel. ECS allows for approval by the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) prior to certification as well as the ability to securely upload supporting documentation files (via https://) directly from the desktop into ECS where the files become a permanent part of the approval/certification decision process. These files can then be retrieved for reference, review, or downloading to the user's desktop with a simple mouse click. ECS was built to replace the Standard Electronic Processing System (SEPS) certification system due to be phased out in FY03.
Electronic Document Access (EDA)
Electronic Document Access acts as an electronic file cabinet for the storage and retrieval of documents used by multiple DoD activities. EDA replaces the paper process by providing a single, read-only "electronic file" that can be accessed by any authorized user, both within DoD and in the vendor community.
The system provides storage and retrieval of post-award contracts, contract modifications, personal property and freight government bills of lading (GBLs), vouchers, Contract Deficiency Reports (1716s), Summaries of Voucher Line Data (110 Reports), Materiel Acceptance and Accounts Payable Reports (MAAPRS), and Government Transportation Requests. EDA capitalizes on communication networks and commercial tools that are widely used today. EDA provides payment technicians at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), DoD contract officers, procurement officers, program and financial managers, and transportation officers with the ability to view and process documents without paper copies. Vendors have view-only capability of contract documents that match their validated DUNS or CAGE codes.
Benefits derived from EDA to date include a reduction in the DoD's unmatched disbursements, paper consumption, paper storage requirements, and increased convenience and efficiency provided to EDA's user community. Several contract writing systems have completely or partially transitioned from paper to electronic contracts and have noted improved access time by having documents readily available online. Users all view the same document(s) and the information is entered once and used many times, which eliminates the potential for transposition errors and redundant maintenance of information.
The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is the executive agent for EDA and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy, (OUSD(ATL)/DPAP) is the functional proponent.
Electronic Document Management (EDM)
Electronic Document Management (EDM) provides DFAS users with electronic access to payment affecting documents and information, advances the application of new methods and technologies, resolves the management of large volumes of hard copy documents, ensures the consistent implementation of business practices throughout DFAS, improves customer service and reduces operating costs. EDM technology involves the collective application of three tools: imaging, electronic foldering, and workflow. Together, these tools automate the presentation of material, in the integration of business applications and the standardization of business processes.
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is the computer to computer exchange of routine business information in a standard format. Working with the contracting community, DFAS has implemented EDI transactions to support commercial pay and accounting processes. These EDI transaction sets eliminate the need to re-enter critical data in commercial pay systems and accounting systems. Implementing EDI invoicing capability, coupled with increased use of Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), have been a major factor in decreasing errors and improving payment processing. Additional areas where EDI has been implemented are: Garnishments, Grants, Purchase Card, Travel, Transportation and Medical Logistics.
DFAS Commercial Pay has implemented the use of EDI for the submission of commercial invoices and other financial transactions for the following systems: Integrated Accounts Payable System (IAPS), Mechanization of Contract Administration Services (MOCAS), and Standard Automated Material Management System (SAMMS).
The following implementation guides contain information pertaining to what is needed to participate with the DFAS Commercial Pay invoicing process:
| (614) 693-6868 |
DFAS Columbus |
| (216) 522-6089 |
DFAS Cleveland and the following Operating Locations: Charleston, SC; Norfolk, VA; Oakland, CA; San Diego, CA; Pacific (Honolulu), HI; and Pensacola, FL.
|
| (303) 676-7774 |
DFAS Denver and the following Operating Locations: Dayton, OH; Omaha, NE; San Antonio, TX; Limestone, ME; and San Bernardino, CA. |
| (317) 510-3072 |
DFAS Indianapolis and the following Operating Locations: Orlando, FL; Lawton, OK; Rock Island, IL; Seaside, CA; St. Louis, MO; Rome, NY; and Lexington, KY. |
| (816) 926-5268 |
DFAS Kansas City
|
| (703) 602-4934 |
Arlington |
All DoD Vendors are required to be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database in order to be awarded a contract on solicitations dated after June 1, 1998. In addition, the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, requires payments on all Federal contracts to be made via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) if the solicitation was issued after June 26, 1996.
In order to reduce the burden of registering with each DFAS payment office, effective June 1, 1996, all DFAS payment offices are using the EFT data provided in the CCR in order to issue EFT payments. Vendors that are required to register in the CCR are no longer required to complete EFT registration forms for each payment office from which they receive payments.
Vendors who have not registered in the CCR can do so using the Internet or can complete a CCR Registration form and send it to the Registration Assistance Center that services them. For Internet Registration, go to:
www.ccr.gov/
Vendors can request and receive CCR registration forms by calling (888) 227-2423. Addresses to submit the form will be provided along with the form.
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