Payment Processing: Validation After Payment on a Sampling Basis

GAO provided information on the Department of Housing and Urban Development's proposed use of a "fast-pay" process to validate receipt and acceptance of goods and services ordered and the accuracy of invoices after payment certification for purchases costing $2500 or less. This process would be in lieu of the validation, required by Title 7 of GAO's Policy and Procedures Manual for Guidance of Federal Agencies, in most instances prior to payment certification. GAO noted that, since it has not tested HUD's system, its response only addresses the issue conceptually.