FAR 52.232-38—Submission of Electronic Funds Transfer Information with Offer.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 52.232-38 is a solicitation provision that requires an offeror to submit the banking and payment information needed for the Government to make contract payments by electronic funds transfer (EFT) if the offeror receives an award. It covers the exact data elements that must accompany the offer: the solicitation or procurement identification number, the offeror’s name and remittance address, the authorized official’s signature, title, and telephone number, the financial agent’s name, address, and 9-digit Routing Transit Number, the offeror’s account number and account type, the Fedwire telegraphic abbreviation if applicable, and, when needed, correspondent bank information for wire transfers. The provision also explains that this submission satisfies the EFT information requirement in paragraphs (b)(1) and (j) of FAR 52.232-34, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-Other than System for Award Management. In practice, this provision exists to ensure the Government can establish accurate payment routing before award and avoid delays, rejected payments, or post-award administrative corrections. It is especially important for contractors that are not using SAM-based EFT data or that need to provide bank details directly with the offer. For contracting officers, it is a pre-award compliance and payment-readiness requirement that helps prevent award-to-payment disruptions.
Key Rules
EFT data must accompany offer
The offeror must provide the required EFT information with its offer, not later after award. This is a solicitation-level requirement intended to support payment setup for any resulting contract.
Required identification information
The submission must include the solicitation number or other procurement identification number, plus the offeror’s name and remittance address exactly as stated in the offer. This ties the banking data to the correct procurement and payee.
Authorized certification details
The offeror must provide the signature, title, and telephone number of the official authorized to furnish the EFT information. This confirms the submission is valid and traceable to an authorized representative.
Financial agent banking data
The offeror must identify its financial agent by name and address and provide the 9-digit Routing Transit Number. The Government uses this information to route EFT payments to the correct bank.
Account information required
The offeror must provide its account number and specify whether the account is checking, savings, or lockbox. This ensures the payment is credited to the correct account type at the receiving institution.
Fedwire information if applicable
If the financial agent uses Fedwire, the offeror must provide the bank’s telegraphic abbreviation. This supports wire transfer processing where that identifier is needed.
Correspondent bank data if needed
If the financial agent is not directly on-line to Fedwire and is not the receiving institution, the offeror must also provide the correspondent financial institution’s name, address, telegraphic abbreviation, and 9-digit Routing Transit Number. This additional layer of routing information is required only when the payment chain includes a correspondent bank.
Satisfies related EFT clause
This provision states that the submission fulfills the EFT information requirements in FAR 52.232-34(b)(1) and (j). In other words, the offeror’s submission here is the mechanism for meeting those related payment-data obligations.
Responsibilities
Offeror
Submit complete and accurate EFT information with the offer, including all required banking, account, and authorization details. Ensure the information matches the offeror’s name and remittance address and includes any additional correspondent-bank data if needed.
Authorized offeror official
Provide or authenticate the EFT information by signing manually or electronically, as appropriate, and supplying title and telephone number. This person must be authorized to bind or represent the offeror for payment-information purposes.
Contracting Officer
Include this provision when prescribed and verify that the offer contains the required EFT information before award or payment setup. If information is missing or inconsistent, the contracting officer should resolve the deficiency through appropriate pre-award communication or administrative follow-up.
Agency payment office
Use the submitted EFT data to establish payment routing and process contract payments accurately. The payment office must rely on the information provided in the offer unless later corrected through proper procedures.
Practical Implications
This provision is a pre-award payment setup requirement, so missing or incomplete banking data can delay award processing or first payment.
Offerors should make sure the remittance address, account number, and bank identifiers exactly match their banking records; small errors can cause rejected or misdirected EFT payments.
If the offeror’s bank uses a correspondent institution, that extra information is not optional when needed; omitting it can prevent the Government from completing the transfer.
The authorized signature requirement matters because an unsigned or improperly signed EFT submission may be treated as incomplete or unauthenticated.
Contracting officers should check that the EFT information aligns with the offer and the applicable payment clause, especially when the contractor is not providing data through SAM and must submit it directly with the offer.
Official Regulatory Text
As prescribed in 32.1110 (g) , insert the following provision: Submission of Electronic Funds Transfer Information with Offer (Jul 2013) The offeror shall provide, with its offer, the following information that is required to make payment by electronic funds transfer (EFT) under any contract that results from this solicitation. This submission satisfies the requirement to provide EFT information under paragraphs (b)(1) and (j) of the clause at 52.232-34 , Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-Other than System for Award Management. (1) The solicitation number (or other procurement identification number). (2) The offeror’s name and remittance address, as stated in the offer. (3) The signature (manual or electronic, as appropriate), title, and telephone number of the offeror’s official authorized to provide this information. (4) The name, address, and 9-digit Routing Transit Number of the offeror’s financial agent. (5) The offeror’s account number and the type of account (checking, savings, or lockbox). (6) If applicable, the Fedwire Transfer System telegraphic abbreviation of the offeror’s financial agent. (7) If applicable, the offeror shall also provide the name, address, telegraphic abbreviation, and 9-digit Routing Transit Number of the correspondent financial institution receiving the wire transfer payment if the offeror’s financial agent is not directly on-line to the Fedwire and, therefore, not the receiver of the wire transfer payment. (End of provision)