OSA Weekly Update - 3/27/2026
1. Message from Auditor Blaha
2. Released: Financial and Investment Report of Fire Relief Associations
3. Cities and Townships: 2025 Annual Financial Reporting Information
4. Avoiding Pitfall: Cooperative Purchasing Venture
5. Upcoming Deadlines
1. Message from Auditor Blaha
As the United States starts its long goodbye to the penny, it’s time to brush up on symmetrical rounding to the nearest nickel. While this isn’t the only way to round numbers, it’s the way most commonly used by government entities so far. For instance, the U.S. Postal Service now rounds to the nickel for cash transactions where no pennies are available. Even if you’re familiar with this kind of rounding, it can be tricky to explain to the general public. Luckily, our middle school teacher friends around the world who discontinued pennies before us figured it out. Here’s a quick video I use to help me get my explanations clear and tight.
2. Released: Financial and Investment Report of Fire Relief Associations
This week, State Auditor Julie Blaha released the Financial and Investment Report of Fire Relief Associations for the year ended 2024. The report summarizes and evaluates the finances, basic benefit structure, and investment performance of Minnesota’s fire relief associations, and includes annual benefit levels, municipal contribution amounts, fire state aid amounts, and rates of return for each relief association.
3. Cities and Townships: 2025 Annual Financial Reporting Information
For cities and townships reporting on a cash basis of accounting, the Reporting Form (CTAS Users: State Auditor Data File) and Unaudited Financial Statements are due by March 31, 2026. For cities and townships reporting on a cash basis of accounting required to have an Audit or Agreed Upon Procedures Engagement (AUP) completed, the Reporting Form, Audit or Financial Statements, and AUP are due June 15, 2026. For cities and townships reporting on a GAAP basis of accounting, the Reporting Form and Audit are due by June 30, 2026.
Instructions for completing the Reporting Form can be found on the OSA website. CTAS Users are now also able to submit the State Auditor Data File and Financial Statements right from CTAS. Instructions for Year-End Reporting Using CTAS is available on the OSA website. We are accepting CTAS versions 2025 Update 3 and 2026.
4. Avoiding Pitfall: Cooperative Purchasing Venture
Vendors sometimes market their businesses by claiming that local units of government can purchase from them without bidding. Vendors may emphasize that they are part of the “state contract” or that they will sell at the “state contract price.” Public entities should be cautious before proceeding with these purchases. Public entities cannot avoid the normal bidding requirements simply by purchasing from these vendors.
Public entities can avoid contract bidding requirements by joining and using the Cooperative Purchasing Venture (CPV). The CPV is a members-only joint powers program operated by the Minnesota Department of Administration. The CPV allows members to purchase goods and services under contract terms established by the State of Minnesota. It is available only to governmental units that have joined the CPV, for which there is currently no fee. More information on the CPV, and how to become a member, can be found online.
The full avoiding pitfall is available on the OSA website.
5. Upcoming Deadlines
County TIF Information Forms Due March 31
The County TIF Information Form is due from counties by March 31, 2026. The form captures activity that occurred in 2025 including the county's TIF administrative activities, distributions of tax increment, and transfers of TIF enforcement deduction. The information assists the OSA in its oversight of TIF authorities. Instructions on accessing the form in SAFES were emailed to county representatives on January 22, 2026.
If you have any questions, contact us at TIF@osa.state.mn.us.