U.S. Geological Survey Manual

Information on the Intergovernment Personnel Act Mobility Program can be found on OPM's website at http://www.opm.gov/programs/ipa/. Questions may be directed to the USGS IPA Coordinator, Annie Smith, at (703) 648-4402 or asmith@usgs.gov.

1. Purpose. This chapter provides supplemental information to Federal Personnel Manual, Chapter 334 (Appendix A) on the assignment of employees between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and eligible non-Federal organizations.

2. Policy. It is USGS policy to make it feasible and convenient to assign skilled people for short periods of time when a real need exists and it serves sound public policy. The assignments must be of mutual benefit to the USGS and the non-Federal organization. The Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) of 1970, (5 U.S.C. 3371-3376), does not cover assignments to meet personal interests of employees, to circumvent personnel ceilings, or to avoid unpleasant personnel decisions.

3. Authority. Title IV of the IPA Act authorizes the temporary assignment of personnel, without loss of employee rights and benefits, between the Federal Government and State and local governments, institutions of higher education, Indian tribal governments, and other eligible organizations.

4. Responsibilities.

A. Assistant Director for Administration. The Assistant Director for Administration approves all IPA assignments.

B. Bureau IPA Coordinator. The IPA Coordinator, Office of Personnel, provides assistance in executing IPA agreements, reviews all agreements for accuracy and compliance with the Act, provides the Department of the Interior IPA coordinator with copies of the agreement, and prepares the annual IPA report.

5. Methods of Assignment.

A. Federal employees may be detailed or placed on leave without pay (LWOP) during assignments, and they retain all rights and benefits attached to their Federal positions. This includes accumulation of annual and sick leave, continued retirement, life insurance, and health benefits coverage, provided they continue to make necessary payments, and consideration for promotions for which they would otherwise have been eligible.

B. Eligible non-Federal employees may be detailed or appointed (see Appendix A, subchapter 4-3.a for appointing authority) to the USGS under the Act. Detailees do not count against full time equivalency (FTE) limitations, but appointees do count against FTE if the appointment is for more than 30 days.

6. Assignment Agreement. An assignment or extension thereof must be implemented in writing by completing Optional Form 69 (0F 69), Assignment Agreement (see Figure 1). This agreement is signed by the employee, an authorized official of the eligible non-Federal organization, and the Assistant Director for Administration. Two copies of the agreement and four copies of the IPA Summary Sheet (Figure 2) are to be forwarded by the Office of Personnel to the Department of the Interior, within 15 days after the agreement is signed.

7. Hiring Restrictions.

A. Freezes. The USGS may continue to detail non-Federal employees to jobs during a hiring freeze but cannot give a temporary appointment. A freeze does not affect employees going on assignments outside the USGS.

B. Furloughs. The specific authority for furloughing persons who are working under IPA agreements, either inside the Federal government or with other organizations, will depend upon the nature of individual agreements, the status of the appointments, and/or the funding arrangements for the assignments. As a general rule, the following principles are applicable in determining whether to furlough personnel on IPA assignments.

(1) Personnel from non-Federal organizations on appointments to the USGS are subject to furlough in the same manner as other employees.

(2) Personnel on detail to the USGS from non-Federal organizations may continue working, provided that the non-Federal organization pays the total cost of the detail. (3) Personnel on detail to the USGS from non-Federal organizations which share part of the cost of the detail may continue to work if the USGS portion of the cost was obligated from prior appropriations at the time of the IPA mobility agreements. In the event that a furlough takes place in the second year of the agreement at which time no funds are appropriated, the assignment should be terminated.

(4) Personnel on detail to the USGS from non-Federal organizations which do not pay or share the cost of the detail are subject to furlough in the same manner as other employees.

(5) Personnel assigned to non-Federal organizations who are on leave without pay from the USGS may continue that assignment.

8. Travel and Per Diem.

A. Per Diem Rate. Per diem allowances at the assignment location are intended to cover the additional expenses incurred by the employee only. Additional expenses incurred on behalf of the employee's family are not to be considered in establishing per diem rates. Employees on assignments for over 30 days should normally be authorized no more than 55 percent of the established per diem rate for the assignment location. A higher rate may be paid only when approved by the Director of Personnel. A lesser rate may be paid when the employee agrees in writing that the lesser rate (less than 55 percent of the per diem rate) is agreeable for the IPA assignment. Per diem or actual subsistence allowances may not be paid for more than 1 year. Travel and per diem allowances are authorized for assignees on official business away from the designated assignment duty station the same as regular employees.

B. Dual Lodging. Employees who are authorized per diem while on an IPA assignment and who travel on official business outside the local commuting area can request a travel authorization for actual expenses in order to defray the cost of maintaining dual temporary lodging. Comptroller General Decision B-18479, December 9, 1976, and 55 CG 690 (1976) state that an employee who has no alternative but to retain lodging in two locations can be reimbursed for actual expenses subsistence in lieu of per diem up to the maximum allowable amount. This does not authorize payment of dual per diem for a specific day, but does authorize reimbursement of the expenses incurred for dual lodging.

C. Relocation Expenses. If the USGS elects to pay relocation expenses in accordance with FPM Chapter 334, Subchapter l.7c (Appendix A), pre-assignment househunting trips and payment of certain real estate costs allowed in connection with permanent moves are not allowed due to the temporary nature of the IPA assignments.