Federal Offset Program

• 1.1 Summary of Changes
• 1.2 Background
• 1.3 Description of Changes
• 1.4 Impact on States
• 1.5 Output Record Specification
• 1.6 Input Record Specification

• 2.1 Summary of Changes
• 2.2 Background
• 2.3 Description of Changes
• 2.4 Impact on States
• 2.5 Output Record Specification
• 2.6 Input Record Specification

• 3.1 Summary of Changes
• 3.2 Background
• 3.3 Description of Changes
• 3.4 Impact on States
• 3.5 Output Record Specification

1. FEDERAL OFFSET OUTPUT RECORD LAYOUT
2. FEDERAL OFFSET INPUT RECORD LAYOUT

Submitting State Code

• If Transaction Type equals 'B', 'C', 'L', 'M', 'R', 'S', 'T', 'Z' or 'D', all key fields (Submitting State Code, SSN, Case Type Indicator) must match key fields on the OCSE Case Master File in order for the transaction to be processed. If there is no match, the transaction will be rejected.

• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Add/Recertify Case), the local code that is submitted is compared against the OCSE State/Local Contact Phone and Address File. If the local code contains spaces or is not found, the local code for the case will be set to zeros on the OCSE Case Master File, and a local code of zeros will be submitted for the case to FMS.
• If Transaction Type equals 'L', and the local code that is submitted contains spaces, t he local code for the case will be set to zeros on the OCSE Case Master File, and a local code of zeros will be submitted for the case to FMS. Otherwise, the local code that is submitted is compared against the OCSE State/Local Contact Phone and Address File. If the local code is not found, the transaction will be rejected.
• If Transaction Type equals 'B', 'C', 'M', 'S', 'R', 'D', 'Z' or 'T', the local code, if present, will not be updated at OCSE or FMS.

• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Add/Recertify Case), the SSN is verified using an SSA-defined range check that automatically validates the area portion of the SSN (the first three positions of the SSN) against the current high digit being used for area . In addition, the group portion of the SSN (the fourth and fifth positions of the SSN) is compared against the area to ensure that the group number was issued with the particular area number. To verify the current high digits for area and group issued by SSA, refer to Chart D-3, "Online Resources", "IRS Web Sites".
• If Transaction Type equals 'B', 'C', 'L', 'M', 'R', 'S', 'T', 'Z' or 'D', all key fields (Submitting State Code, SSN, and Case Type Indicator) must match key fields on the OCSE Case Master File in order for the transaction to be processed. If there is no match, the transaction will be rejected.

• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Add/Recertify Case), if present, OCSE will store the field on the Case Master File without performing any edits. This field is not sent to FMS or DoS.
• If Transaction Type equals 'C' (Change Case ID), this field is required. The new Case ID will overwrite the existing Case ID without performing any edits.
• If Transaction Type equals 'B', 'L', 'M', 'R', 'S', 'T', 'Z' or 'D', the Case ID, if present, will not be updated at OCSE.

• If Transaction Type equals 'A', if the last name does not match the OCSE Case Master File for the obligor, the name is processed as a name change.
• If Transaction Type equals 'B' (Name Change), the first four positions must contain at least one alphabetic character.
• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Add Case) or 'B' (Name Change), the last name is stored on the OCSE Case Master File after the last name passes the edit check above.
• If Transaction Type equals 'C', 'L', 'M', 'R', 'S', 'T', 'Z' or 'D', the first 4 characters that are submitted must match the first 4 characters that are stored on the OCSE Case Master File or the first 4 characters of a Transaction Type 'B' (Name Change) transaction for the same case in the same process. If there is no match, the transaction will be rejected.

• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Add Case) or 'B' (Name Change), the first name is stored on the OCSE Case Master File after the first character passes the edit check above.
• If Transaction Type equals 'A', and the first name does not match the OCSE Case Master File for the obligor, the name is processed as a name change.
• If Transaction Type equals 'C', 'L', 'M', 'R', 'S', 'T', 'Z' or 'D', the obligor first name, if present, will not be updated at OCSE or FMS.

• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Add/Recertify Case), the arrearage amount is the current amount owed by the obligor. If the arrearage amount is less than $25, the Add Case transaction will be rejected.
• If Transaction Type equals 'A', 'M' or 'S', this field is required. This field must contain a numeric amount in whole dollars only. Decimal points, dollar signs, commas, or plus/minus signs are not valid (e.g., $1,500.00 = 00001500).
• If Transaction Type equals 'D', this field is not required. However, the existing arrearage amount will be zeroed out.
• If Transaction Type equals 'M', the arrearage amount is the current amount that is owed by the obligor. If the arrearage amount is equal to zero, the case will be flagged as deleted.
• If Transaction Type equals 'S', this field functions as the Accumulated Payment Amount Field and is referred to by that name. The accumulated payment amount is the accumulated State Payment Amount for the processing year.
• If Transaction Type equals 'B', 'C', 'L', 'R', 'Z' or 'T', the arrearage amount, if present, will not be updated at OCSE or FMS.

• If Transaction Type equals 'B', 'C', 'L', 'M', 'R', 'S', 'T', 'Z' or 'D', all key fields (Submitting State Code, SSN, and Case Type Indicator) must match key fields on the OCSE Case Master File in order for the transaction to be processed. If there is no match, the transaction will be rejected.

• If Transaction Type equals 'T', this field must contain a valid, two-character, alphabetic State abbreviation code for the transfer State. Refer to Appendix H, "State and Territory Abbreviations; Country Codes", for a list of these codes.
• If Transaction Type equals 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'L', 'M', 'S', 'Z' or 'R', this field, if present, will not be updated at OCSE.

• If Transaction Type equals 'T', this field should contain a three-position, alphanumeric local code for the transfer State. If present, this field is stored on the OCSE Case Master File.
• If Transaction Type equals 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'L', 'M', 'S', 'Z' or 'R', this field, if present, will not be updated at OCSE.

• If Transaction Type equals 'S', this field must be in CCYY format, and must contain the year that the tax refund or administrative payment was offset. The date must fall within the previous seven years of the current year.
• If Transaction Type equals 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'L', 'M', 'R', 'Z' or 'T', this field, if present, will not be updated at OCSE.

• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Add Case) or 'Z' (Address Change), this field contains the first address line of the obligor's mailing address. If this line is blank, the Obligor Address Line 2 Field will be checked for an address (refer to Section 2.1.5.3, "Address Processing", for information).
• If Transaction Type equals 'Z' (Address Change), Obligor Address Line 1 or Obligor Address Line 2 cannot both be all spaces.
• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Recertify Case), this field is not required. If present, the address that is currently stored at OCSE will be updated with the submitted address.
• If Transaction Type equals 'B', 'C', 'D', 'L', 'M', 'S', 'R' or 'T', the address, if present, will not be updated at OCSE or FMS.

• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Add Case) or 'Z' (Address Change), this field may contain the second address line for the obligor (refer to Section 2.1.5.3, "Add If Transaction Type equals 'Z' (Address Change), Obligor Address Line 1 or Obligor Address Line 2 cannot both be all spaces.
• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Recertify Case), this field is not required. If present, the address that is currently stored at OCSE will be updated with the submitted address.
• If Transaction Type equals 'B', 'C', 'D', 'L', 'M', 'S', 'R' or 'T', the address, if present, will not be updated at OCSE or FMS.ress Processing", for information)

• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Add Case) or 'Z' (Address Change), this field contains the city of the obligor's mailing address (refer to Section 2.1.5.3, "Address Processing for Notices", for information).
• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Recertify Case), this field is not required. If present, the address that is currently stored at OCSE will be updated with the submitted address.
• If Transaction Type equals 'Z' (Address Change), Obligor City is required.
• If Transaction Type equals 'B', 'C', 'D', 'L', 'M', 'S', 'R' or 'T', the address, if present, will not be updated at OCSE or FMS.

• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Add Case) or 'Z' (Address Change), this field contains a two-character, alphabetic State abbreviation code for the State of the obligor's mailing address (refer to Section 2.1.5.3, "Address Processing", for information regarding address processing).
• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Recertify Case), this field is not required. If present, the address that is currently stored at OCSE will be updated with the submitted address.
• If Transaction Type equals 'Z' (Address Change), Obligor State is required.
• If Transaction Type equals 'B', 'C', 'D', 'L', 'M', 'S', 'R' and 'T', the address, if present, will not be updated at OCSE or FMS.

• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Add Case) or 'Z' (Address Change), this field contains a 5 or 9 digit zip code (refer to Section 2.1.5.3, "Address Processing", for information regarding address processing).
• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Recertify Case), this field is not required. If present, the address that is currently stored at OCSE will be updated with the submitted address.
• If Transaction Type equals 'Z' (Address Change), Obligor Zip Code is required.
• If Transaction Type equals 'B', 'C', 'D', 'L', 'M', 'S', 'R' or 'T', the address, if present, will not be updated at OCSE or FMS.

• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Add/Recertify Case), and the State issues their own Pre-Offset Notices, this field is required. The date must be in CCYYMMDD format. This field indicates the date that the Pre-Offset Notice was mailed. If OCSE issues the Pre-Offset Notices, OCSE will fill in the date.
• If Transaction Type equals 'B', 'C', 'D', 'L', 'M', 'S', 'R', 'T' and 'Z', the date issued, if present, will not be updated at OCSE or FMS.

• If Transaction Type equals 'A' (Add/Recertify Case) or 'R', this field is optional. If setting more than one exclusion indicator, the indicators must be separated with a comma or space (e.g., RET,PAS,FIN, or RET PAS FIN). Valid exclusion indicators are:

ADM - Exclude all Administrative Offsets (RET, SAL, VEN)
RET - Exclude Federal Retirement Offset
VEN - Exclude Vendor Payment/Miscellaneous Offset
SAL - Exclude Federal Salary Offset (pre-set at FMS on all cases)
TAX - Exclude Tax Refund Offset
PAS - Exclude Passport Denial
FIN - Exclude Multistate Financial Institution Data Match
DCK - Exclude Debt Check Program (for participating States)
INS - Exclude Insurance Match (for participating States)
Space - Remove all existing exclusion indicators

• If Transaction Type equals 'B', 'C', 'D', 'L', 'M', 'S', 'Z' or 'T', this field, if present, will not be updated at OCSE or FMS.

• If Transaction Type equals 'M', this field should contain a 'P', to request that a Pre-Offset Notice be generated by OCSE. If present, this field will generate a PON if all of the edits are passed to update an arrearage amount and for processing a notice.
• If Transaction Type equals 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'L', 'R', 'S', 'T' or 'Z', no action will be taken at OCSE or FMS if this field contains a value.