Business Continuity
The Federal Reserve System plays a major role in maintaining
the stability and integrity of the nation's payments
systems. Since the vast majority of dollars that move
through the U.S. payments systems rely in some way on
electronic networks, it is critical that we continuously
revisit and update our Business Continuity plans.
The Reserve Banks constantly seek ways to minimize
the likelihood of a service disruption. However, your
business continuity plan should include your institution's
preparations for an emergency situation, and the actions
your institution would take during and immediately following
a Federal Reserve business disruption.
National Business Continuity
Boston Fed (Local) Business Continuity
Pandemic
Flu Planning Resources
National
Business Continuity Information
National
Business Continuity Guide 
Because most of our services are managed nationally,
we have developed this on-line guide, which should
replace any previous Continuity Guides you may
have received from the Federal Reserve Bank of
Boston. We encourage all customers to widely
distribute the addresses of the National Continuity
Guide and
this Local Information page within your institution, to bookmark the pages
for easy reference in an emergency, and to retain
a hard copy for your records. When we implement
changes that affect how you access our business
functions, or your required actions during a disruption,
this on-line National Guide will enable us to provide
updated information in a timely fashion.
Covered in the National
Guide are:
- Account Services
- National FedCash Services *
- National Check Services *
- Discount Window
- Electronic Access
- FedACH
- Reserves Administration
- Statistical Reporting
- Supervision and Regulation
- Treasury Services (including Treasury Direct, TT&L,
Treasury Auction, Savings Bonds and FR-ETA)
- Fedwire Funds Transfer and Fedwire Securities Transfer
* Information on Local
Cash and Local Check services
during emergencies is provided below.
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Boston Fed (Local)
Business Continuity Information
Business Resumption Plans
The Boston Reserve Bank and the Federal Reserve System
are committed to providing you and your customers with
quality payment and other business services that are
reliable and secure. Nonetheless, our services could
be disrupted for a number of reasons, such as fire or
water damage, or another event that prevents access
to one of our buildings. We strongly encourage you to
develop and refine your own business continuity plans
that will facilitate the timely resumption of those
business functions critical to your institution and
your customers.
The Boston Reserve Bank subscribes to multiple energy
and communications vendors to minimize chances of a
communications or other disruption in the event of an
outage. We maintain a state-of-the-art security system
and continuously monitor and improve our facilities
to prevent disruption to the building and our critical
operations. In the event that our building did have
to be evacuated, all of our critical business functions
would be moved to a District relocation facility or
remote processing locations. Designated staff regularly visit our relocation facility
for test drills to evaluate our business resumption
plans and to maintain familiarity with our business
continuity procedures.
The Boston Reserve Bank has comprehensive procedures
in place to assist in resuming critical business functions
in the event of a disruption. We exercise these procedures
on a regular basis to prepare our systems, staff and
customers for recovery from all types of disruption
situations. Our goal is to recover our systems and continue
critical function processing the same day.
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Information Sources
During an emergency or Federal Reserve business
disruption, the Federal Reseve Bank of Boston will provide information to our customers
and other stakeholders via the following means.
- Emergency Information Line (800-DFI-INFO)
Recorded message line that will be updated periodically
in the event of a disruption.
- www.bos.frb.org
The Boston Reserve Bank's public web site will be
updated periodically during an emergency.
- FedLine Broadcast Message
Subscribers to these services will receive messages
via this facility.
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Contact Information
During an emergency, you should first attempt to
contact us via your regular contact names and numbers
for both financial services (such as FedACH) or your Account
Executive.
If you are unable to reach those contacts, please
call our Emergency Information Line (800-DFI-INFO) to
determine whether it has been updated with any information
pertaining to a disruption, and if so, follow the instructions
contained in that message.
If no emergency information is available, you should
contact your Account
Executive.
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Cash
Services
In the Event of
A Business Disruption at the Federal Reserve
Federal Reserve Cash Services maintains comprehensive
business continuity plans that will be activated in
the event of a business disruption. The Federal Reserve
Bank of Boston's business continuity plans are aligned
with those of other Federal Reserve Districts to support
continuity of service. Please visit our National
Cash Services business continuity page for
more information.
If the normal provision of cash services is impaired,
the First District will notify its customers via: FedLine
broadcast message, the District's
Emergency Information Line message, and email messages
to customers that have provided Cash contact email addresses.
Accessing
Federal Reserve Cash Services
If your normal currency and coin ordering channels (e.g.,
FedLine for the Web) are unavailable, you
can also place orders by contacting your local Federal
Reserve office via telephone. Please see contact numbers
provided below.
If the Boston Reserve Bank becomes inaccessible for
an extended period of time, your financial institution
may be directed to place orders with other Federal Reserve
offices. You may also be informed about restrictions
on currency and coin orders and deposits, and may be
directed to alternative pick-up and delivery points.
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FRB Boston Cash Services Contact
Numbers
| Customer Service: |
617-973-3816 or 617-973-3706 |
| Currency and Coin Order Inquiries: |
617-973-3816 |
| Fax Orders -
Currency and Coin: |
617-973-3825 |
| After-hours Emergency
Bank Number: |
617-973-3602 |
| Emergency Information
Line: |
800-334-4636 (800
DFI INFO) |
| District Relocation Facility: |
617-928-6470 |
Local Check
Services
In The Event of
A Business Disruption at the Federal Reserve
During a business disruption, Federal Reserve staff
will work to ensure the highest possible level of
service for our customers. Successful operations will
require preparation, coordination and cooperation
between your institution and Federal Reserve staff.
Answers to your critical questions about local Federal
Reserve Check Services continuity procedures are provided
below. National
check continuity information is available at www.frbservices.org/businesscontinuity/check_services.html.
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How Will the Federal
Reserve Contact Us During a Business Disruption?
The First District has established an Emergency Information
Line (800-334-4636/800-DFI-INFO) for depository financial
institutions to call to obtain information in the event
of an emergency. Federal Reserve Banks will use FedLine to share information and provide updates to
customers during an emergency. In addition, information
will be made available and updated periodically on the
web at www.bos.frb.org.
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How
Can We Obtain Information on Shipping/Drop Points for
Deposits During a Business Disruption?
The First District operates two Transit Point facilities
(one in Windsor Locks, CT and one in Southborough,
MA) which relay checks to the Federal Reserve Bank
of Philadelphia for processing.
In the event of a prolonged
disruption to services at any of these sites, the First
District will rely on the Federal Reserve's National
Check Processing contingency plans. Information about
changes in transportation routes, drop-off locations
and pick-up schedules will be communicated via our
Emergency Information Line, through our FedBoston News,
national e-mail and FedLine broadcast facilities, and
online at www.bos.frb.org.
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Check Services
Contact Telephone Numbers
The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's regular
customer service line typically will be the first point
of contact for depository financial institutions.
| Paper Check Check Services -
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia |
877-574-1776 |
If you are unable to reach your regular Reserve
Bank contacts or a check support specialist at the
number above, please call the First District's Emergency
Information Line 1-800-334-4636 (1-800-DFI-INFO) for
disaster and relocation information. The Emergency
Information Line will be updated periodically in the
event of an emergency.
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What Else Do
We Need to Know About Local Federal Reserve Continuity
Procedures for Check Services?
If the disruption requires us to process work in accordance
with the Federal Reserve System's National Check Processing
plans, we may not be able to process your
physical checks or provide electronic check files according
to normal schedules. To accommodate the combined-office
processing, we may need to change processing cut-off
and delivery times.
Information about the status of our check processing
or changes in delivery schedules will be posted to
the sources shown above as soon as it becomes available.
You may also call (877) 574-1776 for information about
the availability of your items.
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Pandemic
Flu Planning Resources
The Federal Reserve System and the Federal Reserve Banks
have incorporated pandemic flu planning into our business
continuity activities.
We recommend the following
official web sites that provide general information
about pandemic flu, and resources that can
help your institution develop an appropriate plan for
your business needs.
- PandemicFlu.gov
Managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, this site is designed to serve as "one-stop
access to U.S. Government avian and pandemic flu
information." The site's resources include
information about pandemic flu, as well as "Workplace
Planning."
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