Users include governmental agencies as well as individuals and private concerns, under certain conditions. Industrial funds provide services on a reimbursable basis to authorized customers. Collections for the performance of services are available immediately for use in the performance of other services. Industrial fund activities also receive their initial working capital through an appropriation or through a transfer of resources from an existing operating activity or revolving fund. Industrial funds do not maintain inventories of finished products.
Work is generated by the acceptance of customer orders.
An industrial fund must operate on a break-even basis over the long run. An industrial fund must operate using a formal cost accounting system. Industrial funds remain available for obligation without fiscal year limitation for their specified purpose until expended or withdrawn. The statute requires that money received from any source be deposited in the Treasury without any deductions. The income and the proceeds from the disposition of property, derived from operations financed out of a revolving fund, represent money collected for the use of the United States.