NCI-Frederick Guidance for Planning Conferences and Meetings

**[Site Selection]{.underline}**

The order of selection of a meeting site is:

\(1\) NIH facilities, other government facilities in the local area,

\(2\) other meeting sites in the local area

\(3\) meeting sites outside the local area.

When selecting a meeting site in the local area, a justification must be
provided why NIH facilities or other government facilities in the local
area have not been selected. If selecting a meeting site outside the
local area, an additional justification must be provided as to why it is
advantageous to hold the meeting outside the local area, for example,
piggybacking onto another meeting like AACR where we wouldn\'t have to
pay travel costs for most attendees, holding the meeting in a part of
the country where most of the attendees reside., etc. Unless other
larger meetings are being held, meetings should not be held at resort
areas to which the general public is attracted because of recreational
facilities or sightseeing attractions. Staff must be particularly
sensitive to the perception generated by their travel to conferences or
meetings held in such locations.

In accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation on Conference Planning,
cost comparisons with 3 different meeting sites are required. Cost
comparisons should include, but not be limited to, a determination of
adequacy of lodging rooms at the established per diem rates, overall
convenience of the conference location, cost of meeting space, lodging
rooms, equipment, supplies, and food and light refreshments if
applicable.

The cost comparisons must be documented on NIH Form 827-1 (see NIH
Manual Issuance 26101-17-1) and approved by the ARC Manager. The column
on form NIH 827-1 that says "Room & Board (per diem)" should only
include the cost of food and light refreshments. Under the block labeled
"Requisition Number", please indicate "SAIC." If a non-NIH meeting site
cannot provide a quote because space is not available, this does not
qualify as a quote.  If the reason for not using NIH space is cost, that
may count as one of the three quotes.

When planning a conference, you should consider all direct and indirect
conference costs paid by the Government, whether paid directly by
agencies or reimbursed to travelers or others associated with the
conference. When planning a conference, efforts must be made to: **1)**
minimize all conference costs, including administrative costs,
conference attendees' travel costs, and conference attendees' time
costs; **2)** maximize the use of Government-owned or Government
provided conference facilities as much as possible; **3)** identify
opportunities to reduce costs in selecting a particular conference
location and facility; (e.g., availability of lower rates during the
off-season at a site with seasonal rates); **4)** limit your agency\'s
representation to the minimum number of attendees determined necessary
to accomplish your agency\'s mission; and **5)** develop and establish
policies and procedures to ensure that these requirements are met.

**Accessibility.** All sponsors of Government conferences must ensure
that selected facilities are accessible to and usable by individuals
with disabilities as required under section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973, as amended by the Rehabilitation, Comprehensive Services,
and Developmental Disabilities Act of 1978, 29 U.S.C. 794, and
Departmental regulations at 45 C.F.R. Parts 84 and 85.

**Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Approved Accommodations.**
The FEMA publishes a list of hotels/motels that meet fire and life
requirements of the Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990. Federally
funded conferences cannot be held in properties that do not comply with
this law, unless a written waiver is granted for a particular event
based upon a public interest need (See Delegations of Authority NIH
Manual Issuance 1130, [Travel No.
17](http://www3.od.nih.gov/oma/manualchapters/delegations/travel/t17/),
\"Conference Planning Provisions\", and FTR 301-74.14 to 74.16).

**[Lodging and Meals]{.underline}**

Lodging and/or meals may **not** be provided at the government's expense
for government employees or Invited Guests whose home or office is
within the local commuting area.

Lodging and/or meals provided at the government's expense for government
employees on TDY travel orders or non-local Invited Guests must be
within the allowable per diem rate for the conference location. Invited
Guests may be allowed travel expenses and per diem only if they are
performing a direct service, i.e., making a presentation, advising in an
area of expertise, etc. for the NIH.

It is preferred that lodging and meals expenses for government employees
on TDY travel authorizations be paid directly by government employee and
then reimbursed on a travel voucher. However, when advantageous, it is
acceptable to pay for these expenses via a contract provided the
appropriate deductions are made prior to processing related travel
vouchers.

Lodging and meals expenses for Invited Guests (not receiving an
honorarium or fee for service) may be handled via a travel
authorization, a procurement mechanism such as a contract or
Professional Service Order, or through direct payment or reimbursement
via the Invited Guest Speaker Form.

Once an Invited Guest receives an honorarium or fee for service, they
are not to be placed on a Travel Authorization as an "Invitational
Traveler" and are not eligible for government fare rates. Their travel
and per diem must be prepared via an alternative mechanism. In line with
specific Internal Revenue Service requirements, the Federal Acquisition
Regulation and NIH internal financial policy, the splitting of the
compensated services into two different mechanisms, i.e., a PSO for the
honorarium expenses and a PO for the transportation and per diem; or a
PSO for the honorarium and a Travel Authorization for the transportation
and per diem, is strictly prohibited. The IC that is authorizing the
travel of the compensated Invited Guest initiates and prepares the PSO,
Purchase Order, or Contract accordingly, and obtains the appropriate
signatures. When any of these procurement mechanisms is used, each
applicable line item for services performed must receive the appropriate
subobject class identifier.

While it is desirable to obtain lodging facilities within the
established lodging portion of the per diem rate for the chosen
locality, it may not always be possible. In negotiating lodging rates
with the properties in the chosen location, a Conference Lodging
Allowance (CLA) may be authorized by the NCI ARC Manager and the
established lodging portion of the per diem rate may be exceeded by up
to 25 percent. The CLA rate must be approved in advance of the
conference. Once CLA is approved, all government employees are entitled
to reimbursement up to the CLA rate for lodging. When selecting
conference facilities, Actual Expense Authorization (AEA) will not be
authorized except under rare situations. For example, a meeting is being
held to piggyback onto the AACR meeting and all hotels exceed the cost
of lodging beyond 25 percent of the per diem rate for that location. AEA
must be approved in advance of the conference. CLA and AEA cannot both
be used; only one reimbursement method may be used for the conference.

Allowable meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner) expenses paid by the
government can be paid under a contract or paid by reimbursement, such
as on a Travel Authorization, Invited Guest Speaker Form or Professional
Services Order. If the meal expense is paid for under a contract, the
appropriate deduction must be made to the M&IE portion of the per diem
rate prior to reimbursement to the attendee under a Travel
Authorization, Invited Guest Speaker Form, Professional Services Order,
or any other mechanism used to reimburse the attendee for expenses. If
any meal cost exceeds the per diem allowance, the additional monies must
be paid by the attendees and the attendees will not be reimbursed for
the amount over per diem. The additional cost over per diem cannot be
funded from elsewhere in a contract or appear on any contract
documentation.

At facilities within the local travel area that offer meals such as
lunch as part of an all-inclusive conference meeting package, government
employees and local guests must pay for the meals. The only exception in
the local travel area for an all-inclusive meeting package that includes
lunch is at Bolger which was noted in a Comptroller General Decision as
an exception to the rule because competition was obtained and Bolger was
determined to still be the least expensive location.

Once an Invited Guest receives an honorarium or fee for service, they
are not to be placed on a Travel Authorization as an "Invitational
Traveler". Their travel and per diem must be prepared via an alternative
mechanism. In line with specific Internal Revenue Service requirements,
the Federal Acquisition Regulation and NIH internal financial policy,
the splitting of the compensated services into two different mechanisms,
i.e., a PSO for the honorarium expenses and a PO for the transportation
and per diem; or a PSO for the honorarium and a Travel Authorization for
the transportation and per diem, is strictly prohibited. The IC that is
authorizing the travel of the compensated Invited Guest initiates and
prepares the PSO, Purchase Order, or Contract accordingly, and obtains
the appropriate signatures. When any of these procurement mechanisms is
used, each applicable line item for services performed must receive the
appropriate subobject class identifier.

**Exception allowing the payment of per diem within the local commuting
area.** Per diem allowance for travel in the local area for "Conference
Training" may be authorized in line with the following guidelines:

1.  If the travel is authorized under the Government Employees Training
    Act (5 U.S.C. 4109) and meets these conditions:

> a)The event must meet the definition of "training" defined as the
> process of providing for or making available to an employee and
> placing or enrolling the employee in a planned, prepared and
> coordinated program, course, curriculum which will improve individual
> and organizational performance and assist in achieving the agency\'s
> mission and performance goals.  (5 USC 4101);  AND
>
> b\) determination is made that the providing of meals is necessary to
> achieve the objectives of the training program; AND
>
> c)That **[all]{.underline}** participants attending the course have
> been required by NIH to stay in the same local hotel in order to
> foster the participation in daytime and evening training activities as
> a necessary training expense.
>
> AND;

2.  If the conditions outlined in 5 CFR 410.404 are met. CFR 410.404
    states:

> Agencies may sponsor an employee\'s attendance at a conference as a
> developmental assignment under [section
> 4110](http://www.washingtonwatchdog.org/documents/usc/ttl5/ptIII/subptC/ch41/sec4110.html)
> of title 5, United States Code, when---
>
> a)The announced purpose of the conference is educational or
> instructional;
>
> b\) More than half of the time is scheduled for a planned, organized
> exchange of information between presenters and audience which meets
> the definition of training in [section
> 4101](http://www.washingtonwatchdog.org/documents/usc/ttl5/ptIII/subptC/ch41/sec4101.html)
> of title 5, United States Code (cited above);
>
> c\) The content of the conference is germane to improving individual
> and/or organizational performance, and
>
> d\) Development benefits will be derived through the employee\'s
> attendance.

Training under GETA generally applies only to meetings sponsored by
nongovernmental organizations, it has been extended to
government-sponsored meetings as long as the meeting satisfies the same
conditions as required for nongovernment-sponsored meetings and the
government sponsored meeting is not as internal day-to-day business
meeting.

See NIH Manual 1160-1, Appendix 3 and Appendix 4, for a matrix on the
use of appropriated and gift funds for the payment of meals and light
refreshments for training and non-training conference events.

**[Light Refreshments]{.underline}**

Requests for light refreshments to be served must be made on NIH Form
2408-1. Requests for food and light refreshments must include 1) the NIH
827-1 form indicating the three facilities that were competed, 2) a copy
of the meeting agenda, 3) a copy of the hotel's or caterer's contract
indicating the cost, and 4) a copy of the menu for the event.

According to the Federal Travel Regulation, light refreshments for
morning, afternoon or evening breaks are defined to include, but not be
limited to, coffee, tea, milk, juice, soft drinks, donuts, bagels,
fruit, pretzels, cookies, chips, or muffins. Food selected should
emphasize the importance of proper nutrition to help prevent cancer. Hot
food may not be served as a light refreshment. Food that could be
construed as meal types of food such as cereal, tea sandwiches, sandwich
wraps, etc. will not be authorized.

If the meeting is an internal meeting (i.e., a meeting between NIHers
only or between NIHers and other government employees), light
refreshments will not be authorized for meetings held at the official
duty station or within the local area. Whether the meeting is held on a
day-to-day basis or non day-to-day basis is irrelevant.

If the meeting is a non-internal meeting (i.e., a meeting between NIHers
and nonfederal persons or other feds), light refreshments for meetings
held at the official duty station or within the local area will be
authorized when the non-government attendees exceed 51% of the
attendees.

Continental breakfasts will not be approved. However, many hotels and
caterers label their morning breaks as continental breakfasts and this
will be approved as long as the items to be served meet the definition
of light refreshments. Food items that could be construed as a breakfast
meal will not be approved.

Only one morning break will be authorized. A light refreshment break
early in the morning such as a continental breakfast break followed by a
mid-morning beverage refresh will not be permitted. A continuous coffee
break will only be approved if it is part of an established
all-inclusive meeting package and is more cost effective than individual
breaks. Meeting planners may not make a request to the meeting facility
for a continuous coffee break.

No deduction of the M&IE allowance is required if light refreshments are
provided.

For conferences, meetings, workshops, etc., light refreshments and
meals, where appropriate, will only be obtained using appropriated
funds. Gift funds may not be used to obtain food at these events. Gift
funds may be requested for light refreshments for site visits and other
special events.

Evening receptions will not be permitted unless the items being served
meet the definition of light refreshments.

Alcohol will not be authorized to be purchased for any event.

**Requirements for processing requests for light refreshments (NIH
2408-1). **

1.  Use the NCI routing slip for Entertainment-Light Refreshments.

2.  Requests for light refreshments must be received in the Office of
    Administration/NCI (Building 31/Room 11A35, Attention: Lucy Greene)
    **[at least two weeks prior to the event]{.underline}**. If a
    request is sent with less than two weeks to the event, a note of
    explanation for the late submission must be included.

3.  Requests are not being properly justified in the
    Justification/Remarks block on the NIH 2408-1 form.  The
    justification must provide:

    a.  a description of the purpose of the event including the number
        of hours the event will be held per day   

    b.  a statement that the light refreshments are incidental to the
        event

    c.  an explanation why partaking of light refreshments is necessary
        for participants to participate fully in the event

    d.  an explanation why participants are not able to take the light
        refreshments elsewhere without missing the event (for example,
        if the event is held in a facility with a cafeteria or coffee
        shop)

4.  Attach the following to the NIH 2408-1:

    a.  an agenda (if applicable)

    b.  the approved NIH 827-1 (if applicable),

    c.  the hotel or caterer\'s contract

    d.  the menu 

5.  NIH conference facilities should be used whenever possible for
    conferences, meetings, and events.  If the event is being held in a
    non-NIH conference facility, the NIH 827-1 must explain why NIH
    space is not feasible.  In addition, three quotes for non-NIH space
    must be obtained.  If a non-NIH meeting site cannot provide a quote
    because space is not available, this does not qualify as a quote. 
    If the reason for not using NIH space is cost, that may count as one
    of the three quotes.

The Total Cost block should be reflective of the food costs only. Some
facilities, for example, the Bethesda North Marriott, have meeting
packages which include light refreshments in the overall cost of the
meeting package. On the NIH 2408-1, please identify what the food costs
are only. In the Justification block, include the total meeting package
cost.

**[Transportation]{.underline}**

Transportation expenses for government employees should be handled via
government travel authorization and in accordance with the Federal
Travel Regulation. Transportation expenses for Invited Guests (not
receiving an honorarium or fee for service) may be handled via a travel
authorization, a procurement mechanism such as a record of call or
Professional Service Order, or through direct payment or reimbursement
via the Invited Guest Speaker form. The Federal Travel Regulation should
be followed and care should be used when Invited Guests are to be
reimbursed to assure they do not incur unauthorized expenses such as the
use of a non-US carrier. Invited Guests may be allowed travel expenses
and per diem only if they are performing a direct service, i.e., making
a presentation, advising in an area of expertise, etc. for the NIH.

Once an Invited Guest receives an honorarium or fee for service, they
are not to be placed on a Travel Authorization as an "Invitational
Traveler" and are not eligible for government fare rates. Their travel
and per diem must be prepared via an alternative mechanism. In line with
specific Internal Revenue Service requirements, the Federal Acquisition
Regulation and NIH internal financial policy, the splitting of the
compensated services into two different mechanisms, i.e., a PSO for the
honorarium expenses and a PO for the transportation and per diem; or a
PSO for the honorarium and a Travel Authorization for the transportation
and per diem, is strictly prohibited. The IC that is authorizing the
travel of the compensated Invited Guest initiates and prepares the PSO,
Purchase Order, or Contract accordingly, and obtains the appropriate
signatures. When any of these procurement mechanisms is used, each
applicable line item for services performed must receive the appropriate
subobject class identifier.

The government can contract for bus or shuttle services when they are
cost effective.

**[Signing Hotel/Meeting Space/Caterer Contracts]{.underline}**

Agreements for meeting space, lodging rooms, food, etc. generally
include a cancellation and/or attrition fee that must be paid if the
event is canceled or minimum agreements are not met. Contractors must
obtain prior written approval via e-mail from the Contracting Officer
before signing hotel/meeting space/caterer contracts. Prior to signing
such an agreement containing a cancellation and/or attrition fee, the
NCI Administrative Officer for the program area must provide written
acknowledgment via e-mail that such funds will be made available to
cover any cancellation and attrition fees.

**[Registration Fees]{.underline}**

A recent GAO Decision (B-300826) dated March 3, 2005, stated that
\"Without statutory authority to charge a fee and retain the proceeds,
NIH may not charge registration or other fee to defray the costs of
providing meals or light refreshments.\"   While the NIH is developing
further guidance on this GAO decision, it is incumbent upon the NIH
community to ensure that no registration fees are being charged either
directly by the NIH or via contracts for conference support. 

**[Co-Sponsorship of a Conference]{.underline}**

The term \"co-sponsorship\" refers to the joint development of a
conference, seminar, symposium, educational program, public information
campaign, or similar event related to the mission of the Department, by
HHS and one or more non-Federal entities that share a mutual interest in
the subject matter. This definition excludes prospective co-sponsors
that would provide only funding for an event, as well as prospective
co-sponsors that do not have a demonstrable substantive interest in the
subject matter of the event. Any conference involving a co-sponsor
should be planned in accordance with the *Co-Sponsorship Guidance* and
*Model Agreement* issued by the Associate General Counsel for Ethics,
August 8, 2004 and/or in consultation with the NCI Deputy Ethics
Counselor.

**[References]{.underline}**

Federal Travel Regulation;

<http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/channelView.do?pageTypeId=8199&channelId=-16524&specialContentType=FTR&file=FTR/Chapter301pAppE.html#wp1185528>

NIH Manual Issuance 1160-1 Entertainment;
<http://www1.od.nih.gov/oma/manualchapters/management/1160-1/>

NCI Entertainment Policy Fact Sheet;
<http://camp.nci.nih.gov/admin/oem/mab/directory/ch15.htm>

NIH Manual Issuance 1500 travel Policies and Procedures;
<http://www1.od.nih.gov/oma/manualchapters/management/1500/>

NIH Manual Issuance 26101-17-1 Acquisition of Temporary Non-NIH
Conference Space;
<http://www1.od.nih.gov/oma/manualchapters/acquisitions/26101-17-1/>

NCI, RCB Consolidated Support Services Contracts;
<http://rcb-intranet.nci.nih.gov/con_serv_set.htm>; and, supplement 1;
[http://rcb-intranet.nci.nih.gov/CSS%20Guidelines%20Final%208-3-04.pdf](http://rcb-intranet.nci.nih.gov/CSS Guidelines Final 8-3-04.pdf)

Form 2408-1 as PDF

<http://forms.cit.nih.gov/adobe/misc/NH2408_1.PDF>

Form 827-1 as PDF

<http://forms.cit.nih.gov/adobe/procurement/NH827_1.PDF>