Treasury publishes new Do Not Pay matching program notice; NACo evaluating for comment
Key Takeaways
On May 18, the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) published a Federal Register notice establishing a new computer matching program under the Privacy Act of 1974. The notice authorizes Treasury to compare records held by about 40 of its programs against the Do Not Pay (DNP) Working System, a centralized verification portal operated by Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service. The stated purpose is to identify and prevent improper payments and to support related recovery activities.
The notice is effective 30 days after publication and remains in effect through Sept. 10, 2029. The public comment period closes June 17.
Read the Federal Register notice
What the notice does
Under the matching program, Treasury programs may submit applicant and recipient records to the DNP Working System for verification before payment or award. When a record matches an entry in DNP, the submitting program is notified and can take action. The notice covers records such as applicant names, Social Security numbers, taxpayer identification numbers, addresses, dates of birth, contact information and bank account information.
The covered programs span Treasury’s portfolio, including pandemic-era recovery programs that counties administer or receive funds through, routine federal payment programs, Internal Revenue Service operations and others.
Why it matters for counties
Counties administer and pass through a wide range of federally funded programs and serve as a primary point of contact for residents who apply for and receive federal assistance. Several programs identified in the notice - including the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF), Emergency Rental Assistance and the Homeowner Assistance Fund - are programs counties have administered directly or supported as subrecipient pass-through entities.
The matching program runs through September 2029, which overlaps with the SLFRF expenditure deadline of Dec. 31, 2026, and the ensuing audit and closeout window. NACo is reviewing the notice to assess implications for county administrative responsibilities, county-collected applicant and beneficiary data and the broader intergovernmental partnership on federal program delivery.
What’s next
NACo will keep counties updated ahead of the June 17 comment deadline.
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