B-45102, SEP 20, 1948

B-45102, SEP 20, 1948

PRECIS-UNAVAILABLE

THE HONORABLE, THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE:

THERE HAS BEEN RECEIVED LETTER OF THE CIVILIAN DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF FINANCE COMPTROLLER, DATED SEPTEMBER 16, 1948, AS FOLLOWS:

"REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF 26 AUGUST 1943, GIVING APPROVAL TO THE USE OF WD FORM 383 FOR THE MAKING SMALL PURCHASES (OVER THE COUNTER TRANSACTIONS).

"LATER, BY LETTER OF 26 JUNE 1944, YOU AUTHORIZED A REVISION OF THIS FORM SO AS TO PROVIDE PARTIAL PAYMENTS.

"IT IS REQUESTED THAT AUTHORIZE THIS DEPARTMENT TO USE THAT FORM, COPY ATTACHED, UNTIL A SMALL PURCHASE PROCEDURE TOGETHER WITH FORMS CAN BE DEVISED AND DISCUSSED WITH YOU.

"AS THE PRESENT SUPPLY IS EXHAUSTED, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT IMMEDIATE AUTHORITY BE GRANTED TO US TO REPRODUCE THIS FORM.

"YOUR KIND COOPERATION IN THIS MATTER WILL BE APPRECIATED."

IN VIEW OF THE EMERGENCY SITUATION WITH RESPECT TO THE NEED FOR A SUPPLY OF FORMS TO CONTINUE CURRENT OPERATIONS FOR PROCUREMENT AND PAYMENT OF SMALL PURCHASES, AND INFORMAL CONFERENCE WAS HELD BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE, THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, AND THIS OFFICE AT WHICH IT WAS STATED THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY WOULD MAKE AN IMMEDIATE SUBMISSION ADVISING THAT THE SAID DEPARTMENT DID NOT WISH TO USE WD AGO FORM 383, PRESCRIBED BY THIS OFFICE AUGUST 19, 1947 (WHICH HAD NEVER BEEN PRINTED), AND THE PROCEDURE CONTEMPLATED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH. IT WAS FURTHER STATED AT THE SAID CONFERENCE THAT BOTH DEPARTMENTS WISHED TO USE AS A TEMPORARY EXPEDIENT WAR DEPARTMENT FORM NO. 383-REVISED, PRESCRIBED BY OFFICE LETTER OF AUGUST 28, 1945, A-51624.

IT WILL THEREFORE BE SATISFACTORY TO THIS OFFICE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE TO USE THE WAR DEPARTMENT FORM NO. 383-REVISED, PURCHASE ORDER OR DELIVERY ORDER AND VOUCHER FOR PURCHASES AND SERVICES OTHER THAN PERSONAL, PRESCRIBED AUGUST 28, 1945, PHOTOCOPY FORWARDED HEREWITH, WITH THE FULL UNDERSTANDING AS AGREED TO IN THE ABOVE REFERRED-TO CONFERENCE THAT THE FORM IS PREFERABLY FOR USE ON SINGLE PAYMENTS, BUT IN INSTANCES OF PARTIAL PAYMENTS UNDER ANY UNNUMBERED CONTRACT THE USE OF THE FORM AS A PURCHASE INSTRUMENT SHALL BE LIMITED TO CASES OF NOT MORE THAT FIVE PARTIAL PAYMENTS ON ANY GIVEN CONTRACT APPROVED; THAT THE FORM SHALL BE LIMITED TO PURCHASES OF $1,000 OR LESS; AND THAT THE FORM IS NOT FOR USE AFTER JUNE 30, 1949, AS PER NOTATION ON PHOTOCOPY ENCLOSED.

IT WAS FURTHER AGREED AT THE SAID CONFERENCE THAT BOTH THE DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY WILL PROCEED TO DEVISE A SMALL PURCHASE PROCEDURE TOGETHER WITH FORMS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE OFFICE FOR APPROVAL AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE DATE AND IN ANY EVENT IN AMPLE TIME TO ALLOW FULL CONSIDERATION FOR THE NECESSARY APPROVAL, PROCUREMENT OF FORMS, AND DISTRIBUTION THEREOF BEFORE THE ABOVE CITED TEMPORARY APPROVAL DATE EXPIRES.

IT IS ALSO TO BE UNDERSTOOD THAT IN THE PROCUREMENT OF THE TEMPORARILY APPROVED WD FORM NO. 383-REVISED, EITHER BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE OR THOUGH JOINT PROCUREMENT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, PRINTER'S PROOFS OF THE SAID FORM WILL BE FURNISHED THIS OFFICE FOR APPROVAL WHEN PROCURED EITHER FROM THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE OR UNDER FIELD PRINTING OR TEMPORARY DEPARTMENTAL REPRODUCTION OF ANY KIND.