**From:** Papier, Joel (NIH/OD) \[E\]

**Sent:** Tuesday, September 25, 2007 3:47 PM

**To:** Sieber, Anna (NIH/OD) \[E\]

**Subject:** FW: OFM Transmittal No. 305 - Use of Appropriated Funds to
Pay for Professional Credentials

**Importance:** High

**Attachments:** 5 USC 5757 Approval Memo (2).doc

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From: Papier, Joel (NIH/OD) \[E\]

Sent: Monday, September 24, 2007 1:41 PM

To: Henderson, David (NIH/CC/OD) \[E\]; Adams, Linda (NIH/OD) \[E\];
Hunter, Robert (NIH/OD) \[E\]; Long, Stacey (NIH/NHLBI) \[E\]; Ruprecht,
Lisa (NIH/CC/OD) \[E\]; Burr, Matthew (NIH/NHGRI) \[E\]; Grosman, Gail
(NIH/NIGMS) \[E\]; Arnold, Teresa (NIH/OD) \[E\]; Romanesk, Annette
(NIH/OD) \[E\]; Carney, Deborah (NIH/NCI) \[E\]; Redmond, Randall
(NIH/NCI) \[E\]; Elmore, Gina (NIH/NCI) \[E\]; D\'Ascoli, Nicholas
(NIH/OD) \[E\]

Cc: Stith, Kenneth (NIH/OD) \[E\]; Kvochak, Patricia (NIH/OD) \[E\];
Weker, Laurie (NIH/OD) \[E\]; NIH Executive Officers; Irick, Priscilla
(NIH/OD) \[E\]; Coldsmith, Sam (NIH/OD) \[E\]; Baldus, Andy (NIH/OD)
\[E\]

Subject: OFM Transmittal No. 305 - Use of Appropriated Funds to Pay for
Professional Credentials

Importance: High

Good afternoon All,

The following guidance is being issued to you given your participation
on the Trans-NIH Committee that was convened for the purpose of
establishing policy as it pertains to the above subject. Please make
wide distribution to all officials who will be involved in this effort
w/in your respective IC communities.

Thanks,

Joel

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This office has learned that the IC Scientific Directors have decided as
a matter of NIH policy to pay the expense of one state license for all
employees who are health professionals credentialed at the Clinical
Center and who require licensure in order to provide clinical care. As a
result, we present the following question and answer guidance:

Q1) Under what statutory authority are ICs able to pay for an employee,
who is a health care professional and credentialed by the Clinical
Center (CC), his/her professional licensure expense?

A1) 5 U.S.C. 5757(a).

NOTE: The statutory language does not create an entitlement to payment;
instead, it authorizes agencies to consider such expenses as payable
from agency appropriations if the agency chooses to cover them. NIH
intends to consider other categories of employees for possible payment
in the future.

Q2) Which CC credentialed health care provider employees, as identified
above, are covered?

A2) GS and prevailing rate (wage) employees, SES and equivalent
employees, and employees appointed under Title 42 except as noted in A3,
who are health professionals credentialed at the Clinical Center and who
require licensure in order to provide clinical care.

NOTE: Contractors, trainees \[VFs, IRTAs, CRTAs, etc.\] and volunteers
are NOT employees.

Q3) Which CC credentialed health care provider employees are excluded
from coverage?

A3) Commissioned Corps Officers and Schedule C employees or employees
seeking to qualify for Schedule C appointments.

Q4) Who has the delegated authority to approve payment for licensure of
the employees listed in A2 above?

A4)

\* The IC Scientific Director may approve full or partial payment for
licensure for employees listed in A2. This authority may be redelegated
in writing to the IC Clinical Director.

Q5) What sorts of professional licenses can be paid/reimbursed?

A5) Examples of health professions, which are credentialed by the CC and
which require a license to perform clinical care, include, but are not
limited to: doctors, nurses, dentists, other licensed independent
practitioners, pharmacists, therapists, etc.

Q6) Can an IC delegated official authorize the use of appropriated funds
to pay for more than one license for one employee?

A6) No. At this time, an IC delegated official may authorize the use of
appropriated funds to pay for only one license per employee.

Q7) If a qualified employee previously paid out of pocket to obtain
professional licensure, can he/she be reimbursed for this expense?

A7) An employee who paid to obtain a necessary professional license
between October 1, 2006 and the date of this transmittal, may submit a
request for reimbursement provided the individual remains in a position
which necessitates licensure.

Q8) In accordance with A7 above, how does a qualified employee apply for
reimbursement of the payment of a professional license fee?

A8) Each employee is to submit the following items to his/her IC Budget
Officer or Administrative Officer:

· a copy of the canceled check or credit card statement;

· a statement from the organization (if available), along w/ a brief
justification for the need to purchase the credentials; and

· a SF-1034 "Public Voucher for Purchases and Services Other Than
Personal" to be completed and signed by the IC Scientific Director.

· NOTE: FY 2007 funds must be used for this purpose.

Q9 For all requests for payments made after September 30, 2007 what
mechanism(s) is to be used when appropriated funds are authorized for
the payment/reimbursement of professional licensure fees?

A9) An IC will have three options for payment/reimbursement:

1\) Use of the Government Purchase Card for an acquisition before the
fact; or

2\) A Purchase Order for an acquisition before the fact; or

3\) Use of the SF-1034 for reimbursement after the fact (All SF-1034
reimbursements will be processed through the OFM Commercial Accounts
office.)

(For a copy -- <http://forms.nih.gov/adobe/procurement/SF1034.pdf> )

Q10) For options listed in A9, what other procedures are to be followed?

A10) Each IC must prepare a "Request for Approval of Appropriated Funds
to Pay for Professional Credentials". The attached WORD document is to
be used for this purpose and can be accessed at the following web site
address:

<http://olao.od.nih.gov/Acquisitions/ImportantNotices/simplifiedacquisitions/mediallicenses.htm>
<http://olao.od.nih.gov/Acquisitions/ImportantNotices/simplifiedacquisitions/mediallicenses.htm>

NOTE: Please be advised that this web site address will be changing in
the near future at which time an announcement will go out to the NIH
community.

NOTE: For auditing purposes, a copy of the approval memorandum with
signature by the appropriate IC delegated official must be inserted in
the IC's procurement files along w/ a copy of the Purchase request
(electronic or hard copy), Government Purchase Card log, or the SF-1034.

Thanks,

Joel

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