333

Comptroller General

of the United States

Washington, D.C. 20548

Decision 4

Matter of: Interagency Financing of Federal Executive Board

File: B-240316

Date: March 15, 1991

DIGEST

Although the Federal Bureau of Prisons may not use

appropriated funds to contribute, along with other federal

agencies, a pro-rata share of costs incurred by the

Dallas/Fort Worth Federal Executive Board for awards made by

the Board, it may use its appropriations to pay costs of

awards to its own employees for their services to the Board.

DECISION

The Comptroller, South Central Regional Office, Federal Bureau

of Prisons (Bureau) has requested an advance decision on the

propriety of using appropriated funds to pay a share of the

total costs incurred by the Dallas/Fort Worth Federal

Executive Board (Board) to recognize local federal employees

for their service to the Board. We conclude that the Bureau's

appropriations are not available for this purpose. The

Bureau, however, may use its appropriations to pay the costs

of awards to its own employees for exemplary service to the

Board.

BACKGROUND

Federal Executive Boards are interagency coordinating groups

created to strengthen federal management practices, improve

intergovernmental relations, and participate as a unified

federal fo ce in local civic affairs. See generally 65 Comp.

Gen. 689 V1986). The Boards were established by President

Kennedy in 1961; they have no legislative charter and receive

no appropriations. They rely on the voluntary participation

Of their members.

The Dallas/Fort Worth Board annually recognizes local federal

employees for their service in the accomplishment of Board

projects. In order to pay for the plaques, certificates and

Other costs of the awards program, the Board assesses each

member agency a pro-rata share of the total cost. (In 1990

the Board assessed each agency $100.)
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The Bureau's Comptroller in the Dallas Regional Office

suggests that the use of appropriated funds for interagency

financing of a board is improper.

DISCUSSION

Section 608 of the Treasury, Postal Service and General

Government Appropriations Act for fiscal year 1991 precludes

the Bureau from contributing a pro-rata share to the costs of

the Board's awards program; it prohibits the use of

appropriated funds for the interagency financing of boards

"which do not have a prior and specific statutory approval to

receive financial support from more than ~ne agency." Pub. L.

No. 101-509, 104 Stat. 1389-, 1472 (1990)N' We are aware of no

applicable prior and specific statutory approval for the

Board. Restrictions similar to that of section 608 have

appeared in appropriations laws since 1972, and result

specifically from congressional concerns regarding interagency

financing o,.Federal Executive Boards in pjrticular. 65 Comp.

Gen. at 69 f See also 67 Comp. Gen. 254 )257 (1988).

We see nothing wrong, however, with the Bureau using its

appropriations to reward its own employees for their service

to the Board. The Incentive Awards Act authorizes the head of

an agency to "pay a cash award to, and incur necessary expense

for the honorary recognition of, an employee who . . .

contributes to the efficiency, economy, or other improvement

of Government operations, or performs a special act or service

in the public interest in connection wish or related to his

official employment." 5 U.S.C. § 4503W Because of the nature

of the Board's mission, exemplary service in the

accomplishment of Board projects would fall within the

Incentive Awards Act's scope of activities authorized for

reward. See 70 Comp. Gen. (B-236040, Oct. 9, 1990)io

holding that the Bureau of Mines may pay, as "necessary

expenses" under that Act, a fee charged to its employees to

attend a Pittsburgh Federal Executive Board awards ceremony.

The fee was to cover, among other things, the costs of

plaques and recognition awards. We concluded that because the

awards were based on nominations submitted by each member

agency and were designed to recognize the employees of those

agencies, the Bureau of Mines could pay the fees charged

Bureau of Mines nominees, award recipients and their

supervisors or managers.

AntngComptroller General

of the United States

2 B-240316