12/11/2006

**[CDC/ATSDR OAK RIDGE INSTITUTE FOR SCIENCE AND EDUCATION (ORISE)
GUIDELINES]{.underline}**

1\. OBJECTIVE: The CDC/ATSDR ORISE program is intended to provide
students, postgraduates and university faculty opportunities for
participation in project-specific CDC research and related public health
activities. It is an educational and developmental program thus CDC
ORISE participants do not perform work in place of federal employees nor
are they considered to be CDC employees. The CDC ORISE program is
considered a valuable Human Capital tool which provides educational
experiences in public health as a means to introduce highly motivated
participants to potential public health careers.

2\. CRITERIA:

a\. The participant must be enrolled in an accredited college or
university working toward a degree in an appropriate field (see 2c),
received a college degree within 5 years of the initial ORISE
appointment date or serve as a full time faculty member at an accredited
college or university.

b\. The participant may be a non-US citizen but must comply with all
applicable visa and other pertinent requirements.

c\. The participant must have obtained or currently enrolled in
applicable courses towards a degree in a professional science or
engineering discipline, or a related public health discipline such as
economics or health communications and be involved in a public health
project that clearly requires this educational background.

d\. The project must be well defined and supportive of the
scientific/public health educational and developmental aspects of this
program.

e\. The initial ORISE appointment can be no longer than one year with
subsequent extensions in one year intervals due to security
requirements. Participation is limited to a total of four (4) years
inclusive of all ORISE appointments at CDC/ATSDR.

f\. The participant is not considered to be performing a job or provide
consulting or expert advice, and may not perform any inherently
governmental functions, e.g., supervising federal employees, approving
expenditures of funds, etc.

g\. The participant must be located in a CDC facility with an assigned
mentor, i.e., "flexi-place" is not permitted except for very short
periods as required by the project. The main exception is faculty
appointments as these may not be at a CDC facility.

h\. An overseas project location for a participant is not authorized.
However, short-term international travel, of limited duration, may be
authorized by the Chief Management Official (CMO) if critical for
project completion upon coordination with OGH, OGC and DCOO and in
accordance with pertinent federal/HHS/CDC travel regulations and project
requirements.

i\. An overseas project location for a non-citizen ORISE participant is
not authorized.

3\. STIPEND DETERMINATION: The following does not apply to a faculty
ORISE appointment. Separate determinations will be made on a
case-by-case basis for academic faculty.

a\. The initial stipend is determined primarily in consideration of the
educational level obtained and the correlating complexity of the
project. CDC will not "match" private or public sector compensation due
to the temporary and educational nature of the ORISE appointment.

.

b\. Initial stipend determination:

Less than a four year degree= [maximum]{.underline} equivalent to GS-5
step 1

Four year degree= [maximum]{.underline} equivalent to GS-7 step 1

Master's degree= [maximum]{.underline} equivalent to GS-9 step 1

MD/PhD/equivalent= [maximum]{.underline} equivalent to GS-11 step 1

MD/PhD/equivalent with at least two years of related post graduate work
has a [maximum]{.underline} stipend equivalent to GS-12 step 1.
Additional steps at this degree level may be added for related post
graduate work experience up to a maximum of the equivalent of GS-12 step
5.

The monthly stipend of a full time participant may not exceed the
equivalent of a GS-12 step 5 on the appropriate locality pay table at
any time unless on a faculty appointment.

c\. The stipend must be documented on the Form 410 along with the number
of hours per week. The stipend must be calculated per month unless the
appointment has intermittent hours. The stipend is the amount considered
when determining relative General Schedule grade comparability and
equity, but does not include the amount of funding for health insurance,
travel, transportation or training costs.

d\. The stipend may be increased annually on the anniversary date up to
a maximum of 6% based on satisfactory performance of the project
requirements.

e\. College and university faculty participants receive a monthly
stipend based on their

academic salaries and the CDC portion negotiated. These will be
determined on a case-by-case basis.

f\. The payment of an "incentive award" in the form of an additional
stipend is

not authorized.

4\. HEALTH INSURANCE: The Fellow must have health insurance to be
appointed

Under ORISE but it is management's discretion whether to pay all or part
of the health insurance premium. In either case, the maximum amount
permitted equates to no more than the current ORISE premium cost for
"self only" or "family" policy, whichever is appropriate, whether
through ORISE or another provider. The health insurance funding is added
to the stipend to determine the funding needed and must be annotated
separately on the Form 410 as such. The participant must provide proof
to the CIO within 30 days of receipt that the additional stipend for
non-ORISE health insurance was used for that purpose.

5\. ABSENCES:

a\. A participant does not earn annual or sick leave.

b\. A participant with a one year appointment is allowed no more than 10
personal days a year for absence without a reduction of their stipend.
The number of personal days allowed under shorter appointments or for
less than a full time appointment is prorated. Federal holidays are not
included in the 10 personal days.

c\. All absences must be approved in advance by the mentor.

d\. Any absence exceeding the 10 personal days per year requires
notification to the

ORISE coordinator and subsequent designation of "leave without pay".

e\. Emergency time off for serious family illnesses, emergencies, etc.
will be handled

on a case by case basis, in consideration of the project requirements,
and must

comply with paragraph 5d and have higher level management approval.

6\. PROCEDURES:

a\. Each Coordinating Center (CC) and Staff Office should have a
designated CDC

ORISE action officer responsible for reviewing and authorizing all ORISE
requests

within these guidelines. This action officer is the point of contact for
the Office of

the Chief Operating Officer (OCOO) and the Office of Security and
Emergency

Preparedness (OSEP).

b\. The approved package will be transmitted by the CC to OSEP for
security

processing and to OCOO for review prior to the ORISE appointment date.

c\. OSEP will finalize the processing and notify ORISE, the mentor and
CC/CIO action officer of the appointment dates, stipend, hours, etc.

d\. The CC action officer must ensure that adequate processing time is
provided prior

to the tentative start or extension date. The approval of "back pay" by
the DCOO

will be on a case-by-case basis and only under rare circumstances, not
to include

OSEP/OCOO receipt of documentation on/after the expiration of the
appointment.

7\. Any exception to these guidelines must be approved by the CDC DCOO
or designee.