[Material Transmitted:]{.underline}

HHS Instruction 571-1, Payment of Travel and/or\
Transportation Expenses

[Material Superseded:]{.underline}

HHS Instruction 571-1 (all)

HHS Instruction 571-2 (all)

HHS Instruction 571-3 (all)

HHS Instruction 571-4 (all)

[Background:]{.underline}

This Instruction has been revised consistent with recent changes in the
organization of HHS, and in support of HHS administrative initiatives
calling for more streamlined rules and greater delegation of authority.

Under this issuance, the rules were streamlined by consolidating four
Instructions containing similar subject matter and the delegation of
authority was increased.

Any reference to \"OPDIV\" in this Instruction now includes AHCPR,
ATSDR, CDC , FDA, HRSA , IHS, NIH, SAMHSA , the Office of the Secretary,
the Program Support Center, HCFA, ACF, and AOA.

This issuance is effective immediately. Implementation of this issuance
must be carried out in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and
bargaining agreements.

[Filing Instructions:]{.underline}

Remove superseded material and file new material. Post receipt of this
transmittal to the HHS Check List of Transmittals and file this
transmittal in sequential order after the check list.

> John J. Callahan
>
> Assistant Secretary for
>
> Management and Budget

INSTRUCTION 571-1

Distribution: MS (PERS): HRFC-001

[HHS PERSONNEL INSTRUCTION 571-1]{.underline}

[PAYMENT OF TRAVEL AND/OR TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES]{.underline}

571-1-00 Purpose

10 Coverage

20 References

30 Policy

40 Employment Service Agreement Requirements

50 Separation Before Completing 12 Months of Service

> Exhibit 571-1-A Delegation of Authority to Pay Travel and/or
> Transportation\
> Expenses and to Waive 12-Month Employment Service Agreements

571-1-00 PURPOSE\
\
The purpose of this Instruction is to provide policy and guidance for
the payment of:

A.  Expenses for travel, transportation of immediate families, and
    transportation of household goods to a new post of duty.

B.  Travel expenses for pre-employment interviews.

C.  Travel and transportation expenses of an employee, his/her family,
    and household goods when an employees duty station is permanently
    changed (1) from an overseas area to the continental United
    States, (2) from one geographic area to another geographic area
    within the continental United States, and (3) within the same United
    States metropolitan area.

571-1-10 COVERAGE

A.  [Employees Covered]{.underline}\
    \
    This Instruction covers current and new civil service employees.

B.  [Employees Not Covered]{.underline}

    1.  Private persons

    2.  Experts and consultants

    3.  Members of National Advisory Councils or Advisory Committees

    4.  Members of the Commissioned Corps

    5.  Appointees recruited or transferred from the continental United
        States to overseas duty stations (See HHS Instruction 301-1)

    6.  Individuals appointed under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act

571-1-20 REFERENCES

A.  U. S. Code 5723 (law - travel and transportation expenses of new
    appointees and student trainees)

B.  U. S. Code 5724 (law - travel and transportation expenses of
    employees transferred; advancement of funds; reimbursement on
    commuted basis)

C.  U. S. Code 5724a (law - relocation expenses of employees transferred
    or reemployed)

D.  U. S. Code 5752 (law - travel expenses of senior executive service
    candidates)

E.  CFR, Part 572 (regulations - travel and transportation expenses; new
    appointees)

F.  CFR, Part 101-7 (regulations - Federal travel regulations)

G.  Comptroller General Decision, 48 CG 227

H.  Comptroller General Decision, 51 CG 187

I.  Comptroller General Decision, 54 CG 991

J.  Comptroller General Decision, 54 CG 993

K.  Comptroller General Decision, 56 CG 709

L.  Comptroller General Decision, 58 CG 744

M.  HHS Instruction 301-1 (United States citizens stationed overseas)

N.  HHS Travel Manual

571-1-30 POLICY

A.  Travel and/or transportation expenses incident to the situations
    identified in 571-1-00 A, B, and C above may be authorized when the
    following requirements have been met:

    1.  The authorized management official has determined that the new
        appointment or the transfer of an employee to a permanent duty
        station is in the best interest of the Department and is not
        primarily for the convenience or benefit of the employee or at
        his/her request.

    2.  The employee has signed an agreement to remain in Government
        service for 12 months following the date he/she reports for duty
        at a new permanent duty station, unless the employee is
        separated for reasons beyond his/her control and those reasons
        are acceptable to the Department.

    3.  The authorized management official has determined that it is in
        the best interest of the Department to interview candidates from
        outside of the commuting area. The payment of travel expenses
        for pre-employment interviews may not be used as a recruiting
        device and may not be used to encourage-one\--appl-icant
        by-paying his/her-expenses or to discourage another applicant by
        not paying his/her expenses.

B.  Relocation expenses [must]{.underline} be paid for current Federal
    employees who are selectees under merit promotion procedures when
    applications have been solicited or accepted from outside the
    commuting area for a deliberate management purpose such as
    overcoming an inadequate supply of highly qualified candidates
    within the commuting area; meeting a need for a work force which has
    diversified experience in different locations or in different
    organizations; addressing underrepresentation of minorities, women,
    or disabled individuals in the local work force; or planned career
    development.

C.  When a position is to be advertised under merit promotion
    procedures, HHS managers [have the option]{.underline} to determine
    that relocation expenses will not be paid if they are satisfied that
    there will be a sufficient supply of highly qualified candidates
    from the local commuting area and no particular management purpose
    would be served by recruiting from outside the commuting area.

    1.  This option is also available in the following cases:

        a.  The normal or prescribed recruitment area of competition
            under merit promotion procedures is regionwide or
            nationwide.

        b.  Management wants to expand the normal recruiting area to
            afford employees in other locations an opportunity to apply.

    2.  This option of not paying relocation expenses cannot be based on
        a lack of travel and transportation funds (see 56 Comp. Gen.
        709).

    3.  The selecting official, with the concurrence of the personnel
        officer, may restrict payment of relocation expenses. This
        decision must be documented as part of the merit promotion file.
        The decision not to pay relocation expenses must be stated on
        the vacancy announcement.

571-1-40 EMPLOYMENT SERVICE AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Employees are required to sign an appropriate employment service
agreement to remain in Government for 12 months before any expenses for
travel, transportation, and related costs are authorized . incident to:

A.  Appointment or transfer to a new duty station.

B.  Transfer to a duty station at the employees place of actual
    residence, or to a place involving no greater distance than a
    transfer to the employee\'s place of residence when miscellaneous
    expenses and/or temporary quarters are authorized.

571-1-50 SEPARATION BEFORE COMPLETING 12 MONTHS OF SERVICE

A.  When an employee for whom travel and transportation expenses have
    been paid under this Instruction leaves Government service within 12
    months, the manager with delegated authority must determine whether
    repayment of these amounts to the Government must be required or may
    be waived. The determination shall be entered on the Notification of
    Personnel Action.

B.  Repayment may be waived when the reasons are acceptable to the
    manager exercising the authority. Requests for waiver must be for
    personal reasons of a humanitarian or compassionate nature, such as
    those which may involve the physical or mental health of the
    employee or a member of the employee\'s immediate family.

C.  If the employee leaves this Department to work for another Federal
    agency, his/her obligation to serve 12 months is transferred to the
    receiving agency.

HHS Instruction 571-1 - Exhibit A

DELEGATION- OF-AUTHORITY- TO -APPROVE-PAYMENT OF TRAVEL AND/OR
TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES AND TO WAIVE EMPLOYMENT SERVICE AGREEMENTS

A.  [Authority Delegated]{.underline}

    1.  I hereby delegate to the Heads of Operating Divisions (OPDIVs)
        and Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs) the authority to:

        a.  Approve payment of travel, transportation of immediate
            families, and transportation of household goods to a new
            post of duty.

        b.  Approve payment of travel expenses for pre-employment
            interviews.

        c.  Approve payment of travel and transportation expenses
            incident to a permanent change of station to and within the
            continental United States.

        d.  Waive the employment service agreement required by law to
            remain in Government service for a period of one year from
            the date of appointment or transfer when the reason for
            early separation is one that is beyond the control of the
            employee.

    2.  These authorities may be redelegate with further redelegations
        authorized.

B.  [Prior Delegations]{.underline}

    This delegation supersedes all prior delegations. To the extent that
    previous redelegations of authority covering the above subjects are
    consistent with the provisions of this delegation, they may remain
    in effect until new redelegations are made under the authority of
    this delegation.

C.  [Effective Date]{.underline}

This delegation is effective on the date of this transmittal.