DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

 

The Department of the Treasury’s FY 2015 Conference Spending Report 

In FY 2015, the Treasury Department continued initiatives to oversee conference spending and 

to ensure that appropriate policies, procedures, and controls were in place to that end. The 

Department’s bureaus continue to follow the Treasury-wide Directive that consolidates and 

streamlines the conference approval and reporting process and establishes consistent policy for 

all conference-related activities. The Assistant Secretary for Management, Deputy Secretary, 

and Secretary reviewed conference-related spending as preset forth in the policy, and all bureaus 

followed established internal policies to work to ensure that all conference-related activity 

adhered to appropriate guidelines. 

Treasury Department policy allows expenses for conferences only if they are necessary to carry 

out Treasury’s mission and are consistent with specific approval guidelines. In FY 2015, the 

Treasury Department sponsored meetings and training events to promote economic stability and 

growth, to strengthen and protect the integrity of the financial system, and to manage the U.S. 

government’s finances. 

In accordance with OMB Memorandum 12-12, below is detail on the Treasury-sponsored 

conferences in FY 2015 where the net expenses to the Department exceeded $100,000. This 

report does not cover conferences sponsored by the Treasury Office of the Inspector General, the 

Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Special Inspector General for the 

Treasury Asset Relief Program, or the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. 

 
2 

Date(s) of

Conference

Bureau Conference Name Location Purpose Number

of

Attendees

Total

Cost

6/5/2014 ‐ 

12/5/2014

IRS Special Agent Basic

Training

Glynco, GA Special Agent Basic Training is a

comprehensive training program

conducted at the Federal Law

Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in

Glynco, Georgia.  This course is designed

to provide new agents with the

opportunity to progressively learn and

practice complex tasks required to

perform on the job as a Special Agent.   

29 $379,212

9/11/2014 ‐ 

3/2/2015

IRS Special Agent Basic

Training

Glynco, GA Special Agent Basic Training is a

comprehensive training program

conducted at the Federal Law

Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in

Glynco, Georgia.  This course is designed

to provide new agents with the

opportunity to progressively learn and

practice complex tasks required to

perform on the job as a Special Agent.   

27 $342,850

10/6/2014 ‐

11/7/2014

IRS Tax Compliance

Officer 1 Classroom

Training ‐ Class 1

Saint Louis,

MO

Phase 1 training for Tax Compliance

Officer new hires in order for them to

learn and apply the tax law associated

with Individual Business and Non‐

Business returns.

24 $119,345

10/6/2014 ‐

11/7/2014

IRS Tax Compliance

Officer 1 Classroom

Training ‐ Class 3

Indianapolis,

IN

Phase 1 training for Tax Compliance

Officer new hires in order for them to

learn and apply the tax law associated

with Individual Business and Non‐

Business returns.

31 $168,774

10/6/2014 ‐

11/7/2014

IRS Tax Compliance

Officer 1 Classroom

Training ‐ Classes 4/5

Jacksonville,

FL

Phase 1 training for Tax Compliance

Officer new hires in order for them to

learn and apply the tax law associated

with Individual Business and Non‐

Business returns.    

50 $218,111

10/6/2014 ‐

11/7/2014

IRS Tax Compliance

Officer 1 Classroom

Training ‐ Class 2

Kansas City,

MO

Phase 1 training for Tax Compliance

Officer new hires in order for them to

learn and apply the tax law associated

with Individual Business and Non‐

Business returns.

26 $116,752
3 

10/16/2014 ‐ 

11/13/2014

IRS Revenue Officer  

Unit 1 ‐ Class 4

Franklin, TN Revenue Officer Unit 1 prepares newly‐

hired SB/SE Field Collection Revenue

Officers to perform the duties required in

their new jobs.  The training is the first

phase of entry‐level training provided to

new Revenue Officers.  The Revenue

Officer Unit training is designed to be

taught in a classroom environment due

to the necessity to have interactivity and

feedback to foster learning.  Face to face

training allows instructors to observe

practice interactions and evaluate and

measure whether the learner is

absorbing the information and provide

coaching to individuals and small groups.  

29 $182,792

10/16/2014 ‐ 

11/13/2014

IRS Revenue Officer  

Unit 1 ‐ Class 3

Oakland, CA Revenue Officer Unit 1 prepares newly‐

hired SB/SE Field Collection Revenue

officers to perform the duties required in

their new jobs.  The training is the first

phase of entry‐level training provided to

new Revenue Officers.  The Revenue

Officer Unit training is designed to be

taught in a classroom environment due

to the necessity to have interactivity and

feedback to foster learning.  Face to face

training allows instructors to observe

practice interactions and evaluate and

measure whether the learner is

absorbing the information and provide

coaching to individuals and small groups.  

25 $163,518

10/16/2014 ‐ 

11/13/2014

IRS Revenue Officer  

Unit 1 ‐ Class 1

Jacksonville,

FL

Revenue Officer Unit 1 prepares newly‐

hired SB/SE Field Collection Revenue

Officers to perform the duties required in

their new jobs.  The training is the first

phase of entry‐level training provided to

new Revenue Officers.  The Revenue

Officer Unit training is designed to be

taught in a classroom environment due

to the necessity to have interactivity and

feedback to foster learning.  Face to face

training allows instructors to observe

practice interactions and evaluate and

measure whether the learner is

absorbing the information and provide

coaching to individuals and small groups.  

26 $117,264
4 

10/21/2014 ‐ 

11/7/2014

IRS Filing Season

Apprentice 1 ‐ Tax

Law

Cincinnati,

OH

Core training needed for new hires to

provide service to taxpayers.  This course

allows employees to build their

knowledge and skill bases to provide

effective customer service to taxpayers

at IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers during

filing season. Topics include non‐receipt

of Forms W‐2 and 1099, using basic

Integrated Data Retrieval System

command codes, and understand

disclosure policy.  Students also learn to

use automated tools such as the

Servicewide Electronic Research

Program, the Accounts Management

System basic functionality, Integrated

Automation Technologies.  Face‐to‐face

setting is needed to ensure

understanding and to achieve knowledge

transfer.

21 $101,492

11/17/2014 ‐ 

11/21/2014

DO Office of Technical

Assistance (OTA)

Global Conference

Alexandria,

VA

The OTA Global Conference was critical

to helping ensure that the efforts of

Treasury technical advisors deployed

around the world are aligned with and

facilitate the achievement of Treasury

and USG policy objectives.  Senior

Treasury leadership spoke directly with

OTA advisors regarding the role that

technical assistance plays in supporting

Treasury policy priorities, such as

promoting economic and fiscal stability

and sound and secure financial

sectors.  The conference also afforded

OTA and Treasury management the

opportunity to have in‐depth discussions

with advisors regarding the status of

Treasury’s 90+ technical assistance

projects, which are being executed in

more than 40 countries

globally.  Advisors also received training,

both on technical matters related to OTA

projects as well as mandatory ethics

training, and learned of changes in OTA

policy regarding project implementation

and evaluation, logistical support, human

resources, and contracting.

186 $382,657

1/26/2015 ‐ 

2/13/2015

IRS Tax Compliance

Officer 2 ‐ Session 1

Oakland, CA Phase 2 training for Tax Compliance

Officer new hires in order for them to

learn and apply the tax law associated

with Individual Business and Non‐

Business returns.

28 $101,868
5 

1/26/2015 ‐ 

2/13/2015

IRS Tax Compliance

Officer 2 ‐ Session 2

Indianapolis,

IN

Phase 2 training for Tax Compliance

Officer new hires in order for them to

learn and apply the tax law associated

with Individual Business and Non‐

Business returns.

38 $142,766

1/26/2015 ‐ 

2/13/2015

IRS Tax Compliance

Officer 2 ‐ Session 3

Jacksonville,

FL

Phase 2 training for Tax Compliance

Officer new hires in order for them to

learn and apply the tax law associated

with Individual Business and Non‐

Business returns.

46 $138,052

2/2/2015 ‐ 

2/5/2015

IRS Taxpayer Advocate

Service (TAS)

Congressional Affairs

Program (CAP)

Conference

Washington,

DC

The CAP Conference allows the Local

Taxpayer Advocates (LTAs) and Taxpayer

Advocate Service (TAS) senior leadership

to be able to satisfy its statutory

requirements of IRC §§ 7803(c)(2)(A) and

7803(c)(2)(B)(ii).  This event consists of

organizational and educational sessions

(core technical training) followed by

scheduled LTA meetings on Capitol Hill

with the Senators and Representatives

from the LTAs’ home states.

107 $132,268

2/18/2015 ‐ 

3/10/2015

IRS Revenue Officer  

Unit 2

Dallas, TX Revenue Officer Unit 2 prepares newly‐

hired SB/SE Field Collection Revenue

Officers to perform the duties required in

their new jobs.  The training is the

second phase of entry‐level training

provided to new revenue officers. ‐It

provides the foundation for the skills

needed by all Revenue Officers.  The

Revenue Officer Unit 2 training is

designed to be taught in a classroom

environment due to the necessity to

have interactivity and feedback to foster

learning.  Face‐to‐face training allows

instructors to observe practice

interactions and evaluate and measure

whether the learner is absorbing the

information and provide coaching to

individuals and small groups.  

26 $130,119

2/18/2015 ‐ 

3/10/2015

IRS Revenue Officer  

Unit 2

Oakland, CA Revenue Officer Unit 2 prepares newly‐

hired SB/SE Field Collection Revenue

Officers to perform the duties required in

their new jobs. ‐The training is the

second phase of entry‐level training

provided to new revenue officers. ‐It

provides the foundation for the skills

needed by all Revenue Officers.  The

Revenue Officer Unit 2 training is

designed to be taught in a classroom

environment due to the necessity to

26 $124,437
6 

have interactivity and feedback to foster

learning.  Face‐to‐face training allows

instructors to observe practice

interactions and evaluate and measure

whether the learner is absorbing the

information and provide coaching to

individuals and small groups.  

6/22/2015 ‐ 

6/26/2015

IRS Office of Chief

Counsel ‐ Advanced

Trial Advocacy

Dallas, TX The Advanced Trial Advocacy program is

designated to develop Chief Counsel

attorneys’ litigation skills through Tax

Court trial simulation.  Working together

with other experienced attorneys and

instructors, students will enhance their

trial advocacy skills through a regular

series of pre‐trial (i.e., pre‐training)

conferences and rigorous analysis of a

highly complex case file followed by

classroom exercises, critique, and a trial.

The course curriculum is designed to

enhance the analytical and

presentational trial skills through

presentations on evidence and

procedural topics, demonstrations,

simulations, role plays, and student

performances.   

63 $109,055

7/14/2015 ‐ 

7/16/2015

IRS Office of Chief

Counsel ‐ Colloquium

on International Tax

(East)

Washington,

DC

The purpose of the 2015 Colloquium on

International Tax (East) is two‐fold:  first,

to provide experts in international tax

issues within Chief Counsel and the IRS

the technical training on emerging and

strategic international topics.   Second, it

will enable employees to schedule

essential face‐to‐face meetings with

international tax experts regarding actual

cases, and to establish relationships with

other professionals similarly charged

with international tax administration.

207 $161,363

8/3/2015 ‐ 

8/7/2015

IRS Office of Chief

Counsel ‐ Colloquium

on International Tax

(West)

Oakland, CA The purpose of the 2015 Colloquium on

International Tax (West) is two‐fold:  

first, to provide experts in international

tax issues within Chief Counsel and the

IRS the technical training on emerging

and strategic international topics.  

Second, it will enable employees to

schedule essential face‐to‐face meetings

with international tax experts regarding

actual cases, and to establish

relationships with other professionals

similarly charged with international tax

administration.

143 $156,230
7 

8/11/2015 ‐ 

8/13/2015

BFS 25th Annual

Government

Financial

Management

Conference

Washington,

DC

The Financial Management Conference is

an educational and training event,

providing up‐to‐date and expert

information on improvements,

advancements, and developments in

federal financial management.  Educating

customers to better manage financial

systems and comply with accounting

requirements furthers Fiscal Service's

mission, and the Department's; to

transform financial management in the

federal government.  

750 $106,475

8/17/2015 –

8/28/2015

IRS Undercover Agent

Training

Indianapolis,

IN

Special Investigative Techniques is a

unique and high‐risk operational

program area whose agents require

intense and specialized training. This

training helps determine if candidates

are suited for SIT work. SIT training is

conducted in two phases.  Phase 2

training requires a classroom setting for

participants including the students,

instructors, mentors, and SIT employees

who lead the training. The scenarios

require a minimum of four residential

type locations so mentors and instructors

can observe the scenarios without being

physically present in the scenario and,

therefore, distracting to the candidates.

In addition, Phase 2 requires a classroom

for presentations, an "office" setting

where candidates can complete

paperwork associated with the practical

exercises, an area to prepare the

candidates with SIT equipment and a

private room to meet with a

psychologist.  

45 $103,370

9/21/2015 –

9/25/2015

IRS Wi‐Fi Tools for

Analysis and GEO‐

Locating (WTAG)

Training Program

Glynco, GA The WTAG training program is designed

to review the capability of hidden devices

in structures, peer‐to‐peer hidden

communication through use of common

devices, and geo‐location of those Wi‐Fi

devices. The program will also review

real‐world circumstance of Wi‐Fi being

involved in Child Pornography, Terrorism,

and Child Exploitation.   The WTAG will

review the threats, the exploits, and the

defense techniques along with real‐world

investigative techniques available to Law

Enforcement.   

20 $100,374