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Congratulations!

The Commonwealth is fortunate to have you among its leadership.

We in the Office of the Comptroller look forward to working with you.

In addition to your mission-based responsibilities, you have responsibility for the financial management and fiscal oversight of your agency. This critical oversight falls upon you under state finance law and the Comptroller’s decentralized Department Head Signature Authorization Policy.

Under the policies of the Office of the Comptroller, while retaining overall responsibility, you may delegate the day-to-day responsibilities among certain members of your leadership team and staff utilizing the Department Head Signature Authorization Policy. For details regarding the responsibilities of the key contacts, please review the Key State Law Compliance Roles and Responsibilities document.

This process will allow you and your delegates to use electronic signatures.

The CTR Signature Authorization and Electronic Signatures for MMARS Transactions Policy outlines what’s required to delegate signature authorization and to use electronic signatures for MMARS documents within the accounting system. Once the department head has delegated this authority, your agency’s department security officer must enter the MMARS transaction document, UDOC, to grant this level of authorization.

NOTE: Without re-approval, anyone who has previously received signatory authority will automatically lose it after 30 days of you assuming office.

Aprel McCabe, CTR’s Learning & Solutions Manager, serves ready to speak or meet with you and members of your leadership team to explain these key policies to you in greater detail and to help set your agency up to comply with these policies.

Your Immediate Attention Is Required

Within 30 days, please complete the following forms and return them to the Office of the Comptroller (CTR). Aprel McCabe will send the necessary forms via DocuSign for you to complete.

Forms and Explanations

DocuSign Envelope 1: Key Contact Listing Form and MMARS Security Certification

The Key Contact Listing Form

  • If there are no changes, the first line on the form should be checked and the form signed by the department head.
  • If there are changes, please check the second line on the form. Please include the name and the email address of the individual at the agency who can complete the Key Contact Update Form(s).  The department head along with the Key Contact Designee will be required to review and sign the Key Contact Update Form(s).

MMARS Security Certification

  • To be reviewed and completed by the department head. This certification must be signed by the department head, attesting their responsibilities as receiving MMARS security in relation to your role as a department head.

DocuSign Envelope 2: The Key Contact Update Form

The Key Contact Update Form

Each Department designates individuals to represent their agency regarding business with the Office of the Comptroller. We notify these people about new developments or requirements in state finance law, regulations, or policy.

This form is optional and is only needed if there are updates, which will be noted in Envelope 1. Once the form is completed it will be sent to the designee(s) for review and signature.  It will then move onto the department head for review and signature.

Please designate or confirm the following individuals using this form.

  • Department Head (yourself)
  • Chief Fiscal Officer
  • General Counsel
  • Department Security Officer
  • Internal Control Officer
  • Payroll Director
  • MMARS Liaison
  • Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) Liaison
  • Single Audit Liaison
  • Security Officer
  • Backup Security Officer

View descriptions of the above roles.

Instructions and a video webinar are available for this process at the CTR Intranet Electronic Signatures page [MAGNet or Commonwealth-issued VPN required].

NOTE: Appointments to these key contact roles cannot be made to contractors, contract employees, non-employees,  and should not be shared among multiple departments.

The form also asks for two key points-of-contact for two-way communications with the BEST Program.

  • BEST Chief Point of Contact for Agency
    For communications, coordination of meetings, information dissemination, and on-going feedback. This point-of-contact OC would be cc’d on any communications sent to the Technical POC or other agency staff working with the Project.
  • BEST Technical Point of Contact
    For coordination of input on items such as your agency’s software applications and interfaced data, other data exchanges, business intelligence/analytics, and reporting needs, impacts on agency systems, operational protocols, and security concerns.

DocuSign Envelope 3: Security Review

The security approval certifies that department heads have reviewed and approved enterprise system security reports.

Within 30 days of assuming the position, each new department head must conduct a security approval.  The form will first go to your designated Department Security Officer for review and approval.  If you have questions regarding  the form, please speak with your designated Department Security Officer.

Once you have conducted this review, certify, sign, and return the Department Head Approval of Statewide Enterprise Systems Security Access form, which the Office of the Comptroller will make available to you through DocuSign.

View our Statewide Enterprise Systems Security Policy for more information.

Additional CTR Resources

CTR Policies

This is a public-facing repository of all Office of the Comptroller policies pertaining to state finance, financial records retention, payroll, budgets, enterprise systems, and enterprise security.

VISIT PAGE
CTR Regulations

815 CMR applies to the fiscal transactions of the Commonwealth.

VISIT PAGE
Fiscal Year Memos

Fiscal Year Memos contain policy/procedure information issued for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for a specific fiscal year.

VISIT PAGE
Expenditure Classification Handbook

This Handbook includes the object code descriptions and instructions regarding the encumbering and expenditure of all funds and is used for all expenditures of the Commonwealth.

VISIT PAGE
Conducting Best Value Procurements

Guidance to Executive Departments on conducting competitive procurements, purchasing, and contract management requirements for goods and services, including use of the COMMBUYS.

VIEW ON MASS.GOV
CTR Cyber

The Office of the Comptroller has developed CTR Cyber to identify key cybersecurity internal controls for Commonwealth of Massachusetts departments, and to promote cybersecurity awareness and cyber vigilance for everyone in these organizations.

VISIT PAGE
Internal Controls

Tthe Comptroller is responsible for developing internal control guidelines for Commonwealth departments.

VISIT PAGE
MMARS Security Request Form

Can be used as part of your internal controls.

VIEW FILLABLE PDF
Chapter 647 of the Acts of 1989: Internal Control Legislation

An act relative to improving internal controls within state agencies.

VIEW ON MASS.GOV
Close/Open Calendar

Information regarding compliance and deadlines relating the close and open of a fiscal year.

VISIT ON CTR INTRANET
CTR Weekly Update

CTR issues weekly communications on guidance, new initiatives, and other news to MMARS and HR/CMS users, and key department contacts.

VISIT ON CTR INTRANET
CTR Statewide Learning

CTR provides training on state finance related topics for employees of state agencies.

VISIT ON CTR INTRANET