Payment Instructions for Indian Leases

Payments made to MMS for Tribes or BIA Area/Agency Offices

Payments by Check

Separate payments are required for each tribe or BIA area or agency office.  30 CFR §218.51 states, in part, "For an Indian allottee payment, send a separate payment for each BIA agency or area office represented by the leases on your report or invoice document.  For an Indian tribal payment other than a lockbox payment, send a separate payment for each tribe represented by the leases on your report or invoice document."

Unfortunately many companies are not issuing separate checks for the total due each tribe or BIA area/agency office or advising MMS of the total due to each tribe or BIA area/agency office.  To facilitate multiple payments made by checks we are reiterating the need to include the name of the tribe, BIA area/agency office and the amount for each.  Instead of providing the name of the tribe, BIA area/agency office on checks you may reference the applicable fund code.  Access listing of  Indian Leases Cross-walked to Distribution Codes.

Include the following information on the check or check stub:

• Payor code
• Payor Assigned Document (PAD) number -  Assign a unique PAD number to each report and corresponding payment. This enables MMS to timely match the 2014 to  its corresponding payment.
• For Allotted leases;  include the name of the BIA agency/area office or the applicable fund code. 
• For Tribal leases: include the name of the Tribe or applicable fund code. 
   

Electronic Payments

For questions on how to pay electronically please contact David Barnes at 303-231-3034 or access the Electronic Payment Information links for the U.S. Treasury FEDWIRE Deposit System or Automated Clearing House (ACH) Payments.

Lockbox Payments

For questions on how to report and pay to the Blackfeet Tribe, Navajo Nation, Jicarilla Apache Tribe, Ute Indian Tribe or Southern Ute Tribe please see the  Reporter Handbook, Dear Reporter letter dated February 20, 2004,
Dear Reporter letter dated May 11, 2007.