Participant Information

Planning your stay and activities in

Fort Collins, Colorado

Travel information below explains the travel arrangement process.  

Pre-travel forms are required from each participant in order to arrange appropriate travel and lodging accommodations. Working Group Principal Investigators (PI) will designate a Point of Contact (POC) who will receive several communications from the Powell Center. The POC is responsible for distributing the information and forms to their groups and holding group members accountable for the return of forms, specific communications with the Powell Center, and other means to be determined.

Travel information is different depending on they type of traveler. Examples: USGS employees, other Federal agency employees, US travelers, international travelers, etc. For this reason, the Powell Center will contact every traveler individually, ~6-8 weeks before the Working Group meeting, to give instructions about their specific travel circumstances, arrangements, and needs. 

While the Powell Center Travel Arrangers will attempt to ease travel arrangement requirements, there are many different forms required, so please pay attention to all communications and deadlines. Traveler's failure to initiate and facilitate the travel arrangement process increases the workload and may result in delayed reimbursement.

Powell Center will notify Working Group Principal Investigators about missing pre- and post-travel forms, requesting that the PIs contact those travelers to provide the required information. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. Please reach out with any questions or concerns. Powell Center Travel: GS_Powell_Center_Travel@usgs.gov 

General Travel Information:

DO NOT BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS (unless instructed by the Powell Center Travel Arranger)

Powell Center cannot reimburse you for flights if you purchase your own ticket. The Powell Center covers all travel and per diem expenses for participants. A Travel Reimbursement Checklist will be sent to the PIs for distribution among the group.

Acceptable travel expenses:

• Hotel expenses for the length of the meeting, to include the day before and after meeting, if necessary, (government rate only)
• Meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) for the length of the meeting, to include the day before and after meeting, if necessary
• Airline tickets from a participant’s originating airport to Denver International Airport and the return to originating airport - DO NOT BOOK YOUR OWN FLIGHTS UNLESS INSTRUCTED OTHERWISE BY USGS TRAVEL AGENT (Concur)
• Two-way mileage between participant’s residence and home airport or between the participant’s residence and Fort Collins (2022 mileage rate = .585 cents/mile)
• Parking at home airport (not to exceed $150.00)
• Shuttle/taxi to and from home airport (not to exceed $80.00 unless pre-approved by Powell Center)

Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

Powell Center Travel: gs_powell_center_travel@usgs.gov

What to bring for unstructured days at the Powell Center

We strongly encourage Working Groups to take a half or full day of “unstructured” time as a group away from the Powell Center while your group is meeting. Group dynamics are very different on a trial or bicycle than they are around a table. Being unstructured encourages relationships with your trail mates and promotes the associative thinking that leads to breakthroughs in understanding. However, Colorado terrain and weather may differ from where you come from, so come prepared for your time outside. Please consider these gear items essential and plan to bring them with you or purchase them in Fort Collins.

SUMMER

Sunscreen

Sun hat

Sunglasses

Comfortable walking shoes – running shoes are fine

Water bottle (1 L minimum)

Fleece, wool or down sweater

Wind or rain shell

Daypack to carry everything

WINTER

All of the above!!

Long underwear

Layers of clothing to take on or off to maintain warmth (wool or microfiber)

Warm hat

Warm gloves or mittens

Snow or wind pants

Boots if you will be in snow