Guidelines On The Preparation Of Quarterly Reports For Public

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Guidelines on the preparation of quarterly reports for public

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Summary

Guidelines on the preparation of Quarterly
Reports for Public Entities
and Constitutional Institutions
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION 3
2. BACKGROUND 4
2.1. Current requirements for quarterly reporting ............................................................ 4
2.2. Challenges under the current reporting system ....................................................... 4
3. QUARTERLY REPORTING 4
3.1. Database................................................................................................................. 5
3.2. Programme/objective/activity information ................................................................ 5
3.3. Performance indicators and targets ......................................................................... 5
3.4. Borrowings and guarantees ..................................................................................... 6
3.5. Capital investment projects report ........................................................................... 6
3.6. Risk management ................................................................................................... 7
3.7. Job creation............................................................................................................. 7
3.8 Reporting timelines .................................................................................................. 7
ANNEXURE A: ADMINISTRATION PROGRAMME CONTENT 8
2
1. INTRODUCTION
Public entities are required to report on a quarterly basis to their Executive
Authority. Treasury Regulation 5.3.1 requires the accounting officer of a
constitutional institution to establish procedures for quarterly reporting to the
executive authority in order to facilitate effective performance monitoring, evaluation
and corrective action. Treasury Regulations 29.3.1 and 30.2.1 state that the
accounting authority of a public entity must establish procedures for quarterly
reporting to the executive authority in order to facilitate effective performance
monitoring, evaluation and corrective action

These guidelines are aimed at improving transparency and enhancing oversight
over the financial and non-financial performance of constitutional institutions and
public entities. This requires public entities to provide quarterly reports not only to
their Executive Authorities but also to departments at the centre of government. The
guidelines provide details on the nature and timing for submission of quarterly
reports by constitutional institutions and public entities listed in Schedules 2, 3A and
3B of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), 1999

A uniform system of collecting, storing, consolidating and analysing in-year financial
and non-financial information is essential to efficient public financial management

The quarterly reporting system will be utilised by all relevant business units within
the National Treasury, the South African Reserve Bank and Statistics South Africa

Further, the quarterly reporting process will reduce the reporting burden on public
entities and constitutional institutions by providing a single reporting template that
can cater for the information requirements of the National Treasury, the South
African Reserve Bank and Statistics South Africa. The Department of Performance
Monitoring and Evaluation may also require non-financial information from public
entities

Section 38(1)(b) of the PFMA states that Accounting Officers of constitutional
institutions are responsible for ensuring the effective, efficient, economical and
transparent use of the resources in the institution. Section 51(1)(f) of the PFMA
states that Accounting Authorities of public entities are responsible for the
submission of all reports , returns, notices and other information to Parliament or the
relevant provincial legislature and to the relevant Executive Authority or treasury as
may be required by the Act. Quarterly reporting will enable institutions1 to review
1
‘Institutions’ refers to constitutional institutions or public entities

3
progress towards the achievement of financial and non-financial performance on a
regular basis in a particular financial year

2. BACKGROUND
2.1. Current requirements for reporting
The reporting requirements of Accounting Officers of constitutional institutions, and
Accounting Authorities of public entities are provided in section 40(1)(f) and 51(1)(f)
of the PFMA, respectively. This includes reporting on financial affairs and any other
information as may be required by the PFMA. Treasury Regulation 25.1.3 requires
public entities to submit all information required by National Treasury in terms of the
PFMA and the Treasury Regulations

2.2. Challenges under the current reporting system
Existing databases available to the National Treasury on public entities and
constitutional institutions include budget information, annual financial statements,
and performance information to a limited extent. This information is only reported on
during the budget period and reflected in the Estimates of National Expenditure

Although there are various systems in place to source more information from
different public entities and constitutional institutions, such as, borrowings,
guarantees, and capital investment projects, these are fragmented as there is no
established formal process for in-year reporting on both financial and non-financial
information. This leaves a gap in terms of periodic monitoring and thorough analysis
of these institutions to track performance, and to inform policy and budget decisions

On the other hand, the South African Reserve Bank has a separate system to
collect information from selected public entities, which is also used by Statistics
South Africa

3. QUARTERLY REPORTING
Reporting on both financial and non-financial performance is important in measuring
the performance of government institutions. While financial information (expenditure
and revenue) is critical for determining the costs and efficiencies of
programmes/objectives/activities, non-financial information is equally important for
assessing progress towards predetermined service delivery or performance targets

Treasury Regulations 29.1.3(b) and 29.1.6(a)-(j) require public entities to report on
their borrowing programme on a quarterly basis. The National Treasury also
4
specifically requires public entities to report on guarantees issued on a quarterly
basis, including those related to foreign loans in order to comply with International
Monetary Fund (IMF) requirements. It is also essential to monitor public entity’s
progress of the implementation of their Infrastructure Investment Plan and any other
major projects. In-year monitoring reports also serve as an oversight tool to
Executive Authorities and as a management tool to institutions

3.1. Database
In order for public entities and constitutional institutions to report on similar core
aspects of financial and non-financial performance to the Executive Authority and to
National Treasury, a comprehensive reporting format has been developed and must
be used to compile quarterly reports. Data required from institutions in the
Microsoft® Excel reporting format reflects financial, and non-financial performance,
information on capital expenditure, borrowings, job creation, and risk, as well as
personnel information. The template is customised by type of entity to enable
various entities to complete applicable information

3.2. Programme/objective/activity information
Each institution should have programmes/objectives/activities and “Administration”
should be one of them. The Administration programme should be confined to
support services delivered for the institution as a whole which are not specific to
programmes, activities or objectives. The Administration programme should include
costs of overhead functions that apply to the institution as a whole; it should not
include functions involving service delivery to the public or enabling functions
performed in respect of other programmes/objectives/activities. Details of what
should be included in the Administration programme are provided in Annexure 1

3.3. Performance indicators and targets
Performance indicators and targets are identified and included in institution’s Annual
Performance Plans or Corporate Plans, to track on-going performance. Quarterly
monitoring of these performance indicators is an important element of the planning
and budgeting process. Reporting on performance indicators on a quarterly basis
provides progress on the implementation of the institution’s plans with particular
reference to monitoring delivery against the specific quarterly performance targets
set. Quarterly performance reporting is an important management tool for the
Accounting Officer, Accounting Authority and Executive Authority

5
Performance indicators and targets should be set relating to the budget year and
the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period in respect of strategic
objectives and programmes/objectives/activities contained in the Annual
Performance Plan or Corporate Plan. Institutions should consult the Framework for
Managing Programme Performance Information (FMPPI) and the Framework for
Strategic Plans and Annual Performance Plans for guidance on the management of
each indicator, the method of collecting data to report on the indicators; for
calculating, analysing and for interpreting performance data collected

Quantitative and qualitative indicators and targets must reflect trends and progress
between quarters. Indicators must be specific measurements that track progress
towards achieving the goals of an institution. Indicators may reflect inputs, activities,
outputs, outcomes, or in certain instances, explanatory information about the factors
that could affect performance

3.4. Borrowings and guarantees
Relevant public entities identified by National Treasury should provide information
on their borrowing programme to the National Treasury, reflecting actual borrowings
for that quarter and projected borrowings for other quarters. Updates on debt
maturity profile and the borrowing programme should also be reported on. The
borrowing programme must include terms and conditions on which the money is
borrowed, information on proposed domestic and foreign borrowing, short and long-
term borrowing requirements, borrowing in relation to a pre-approved corporate
plan, the maturity profile of the debt, confirmation of compliance with existing and
proposed loan covenants, and debts guaranteed by government. Motivations for
government guarantees, and the Executive Authority’s approval of the borrowing
programme, if required by the legislation in terms of which the public entity was
established should be submitted. Public entities issued with government guarantees
should report on compliance with the guarantee conditions as set out in the
guarantee agreements

Information on borrowings and guarantees should be submitted through the
Microsoft® Excel template and in a written report

3.5. Capital investment projects report
Progress on the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment Plan, as reflected
in the Corporate Plan, or any major project not reflected in the Corporate Plan of an
6
institution should be reported. The template provides for reporting of progress since
inception up to project completion

3.6. Risk management
Top enterprise risks and any other new risks identified during the quarter that may
impact on the achievement of the public entity's strategic objectives should be
included in the quarterly reporting template

3.7. Job creation
Jobs created through infrastructure investment projects should be reported on a
quarterly basis. This includes direct and indirect jobs, as well as permanent and
temporary jobs

3.8 Reporting timelines
All quarterly information must be signed off by the Accounting Officer or Accounting
Authority of the institution and submitted in the format required, to the Executive
Authority and to National Treasury within 30 days after the end of each quarter. In
the event that the submission date falls on a non-working day, the quarterly report
should be submitted on the first working day following the submission date. The due
dates for submission are as follows:
Quarter Due date for submission
Q1: Quarter ending 30 June 31 July
Q2: Quarter ending 30 September 30 October
Q3: Quarter ending 31 December 31 January
Q4: Quarter ending 31 March 30 April
7
ANNEXURE 1: ADMINISTRATION PROGRAMME CONTENT
The Administration programme should include the following2:
 Institutional Management: includes all allocable support expenses of the Accounting
Officer/ Authority, including the board of directors. For example salaries, direct office
support costs, travel expenses and expenses in respect of their staff, costs of
advisory staff as well as residential and car allowance(s). It also includes the costs of
the programme manager of the Administration programme/ support services function

NB: The salary, allowances and other support costs of other managers for other
programmes/ projects should be assigned to the programme or subprogramme/
projects where they are located

 Corporate Services: includes Human Resources, Legal Services, Communications,
Information Technology and Other support services (based on the entity’s decision)

 Finance Administration: includes management of the Office of the Chief Financial
Officer, recognising that the reporting channel of the Chief Financial Officer may not
be through the programme manager of the Administration programme

 Internal Audit: recognising that the reporting channel for the Head of Internal Audit is
not through the programme manager of the Administration programme

 Office Accommodation: includes activities and costs relating to the provision of office
accommodation functions for the entity. Where office accommodation functions
relating to other specific programmes/projects of the institution can be identified, they
should be assigned to the relevant programme

2
Source: Guidelines on Budget Programmes (National Treasury. 2010.) Content has been amended to suit
public entities and constitutional institutions
8

All quarterly information must be signed off by the Accounting Officer or Accounting Authority of the institution and submitted in the format required, to the Executive Authority and to National …

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do i prepare for quarterly reporting?

The key to preparing for quarterly reporting is for your company to act like a public company long before an IPO. An extended “rehearsal” as a public company will help you identify and correct problems that arise before the stakes are high. Your quarterly close is key to providing accurate information in a timely manner.

What is a quarterly performance report?

Quarterly performance reports are based on the quarterly targets set in the Annual Performance Plans. The purpose of quarterly performance reports is to provide information on the overall progress made. with the implementation of an institution’s performance plan, on a quarterly, biannually and an annual. basis.

Do public entities need to report to the executive authority?

Public entities are required to report on a quarterly basis to their Executive Authority. Treasury Regulation 5.3.1 requires the accounting officer of a constitutional institution to establish procedures for quarterly reporting to the executive authority in order to facilitate effective performance monitoring, evaluation and corrective action.

When should a pre ipo company start preparing for quarterly reporting?

Because of the quick turnaround needed to file a 10-Q and the requirements for quarterly results in the S-1, pre-IPO companies should ideally begin preparing for quarterly reporting at least 18 months before going public.