Completed delivery does not mean every acceptance, settlement and payment stage is complete. For receivables arising from transactions with government departments or public institutions, first establish contractual requirements and actual progress. Procedures vary by project: the following is a working checklist, not a universal approval process or promise of a payment deadline.
Step 1: identify the parties, not just the project label
Record the contracting counterparty, organization handling the project, acceptance participants and contractual payment responsibility separately. A public purpose, government connection or state-owned enterprise involvement does not by itself establish a government department's payment liability. Preserve original documents and investigate further where parties have changed or third-party payment or multi-party arrangements exist.
Step 2: match documents to their milestones
| Milestone | Documents to check | Questions for the next step |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery and performance | Contracts, orders, delivery and receipt records | Is the agreed work complete? Are any items awaiting confirmation? |
| Acceptance | Applications, records, opinions and correction requests | Which confirmation is outstanding, and what documents are missing? |
| Settlement | Settlement applications, amount checks and discrepancy explanations | Do the figures agree, and who will investigate differences? |
| Payment processing | Applications, submission evidence, correction requests and replies | Were the materials received, and what is the next processing stage? |
| Receipt verification | Actual receipts and balance records | Was payment partial, and how will the remainder be tracked? |
Step 3: turn 'pending' into specific tasks
- For every unfinished task, record the source, responsible role, required materials and next review date.
- Preserve the original meaning of responses such as 'awaiting approval' or 'awaiting funding', while distinguishing verified information from unresolved points.
- When documents are repeatedly returned, record each submission, date and response and check for inconsistent versions.
- Use a shared issue list across participants so different discussions do not use conflicting balances or progress descriptions.
Use compliant channels without promising special access
Non-litigation work should be based on real transactions, client authorization and normal communication channels. It must not imply special relationships, administrative intervention or certain payment. Major disputes, responsibility questions and legally required measures should be referred to appropriate professional firms. Report document completion, clarified facts, verifiable responses and actual receipts separately rather than presenting them all as one 'success'.