United States Department of Agriculture
Research, Education and Economics

ARS * CSREES * ERS * NASS

Bulletin

1.    Introduction

This bulletin provides revised guidelines for procuring and paying for training, as necessitated by conversion to the new accounting system, Foundation Financial Information System (FFIS), effective October 1, 2001. The National Finance Center (NFC) feeder system TRAI (Training Information System) is no longer used to make payments. Effective FY 2002, TRAI is used solely to record training received.

2.    Use of the SF-182

Paragraphs 3-5 below describe options and procedures for paying for training requests. Regardless of the payment method selected, form SF-182 (Request, Authorization, Agreement, and Certification of Training) will be used to document authorization and approval of training. It will serve as supporting documentation for obligating and paying for training courses and provide a record for the employee. The SF-182 is authorized for use when:

• the training cost of a single training event, program or instructional service does not exceed the simplified acquisition procedure dollar threshold of $100,000 established by U.S. General Services Administration;
  
• the cost is of a fixed nature, i.e., price per student or price per course, program or service is the published rate for any attendee; and,
  
• the program, course or instructional service is off-the-shelf, requiring no modification or re-development to meet the organization's needs. Such changes usually result in increased cost to the Government.

Training requests that do not meet the above criteria must be sent to the servicing Procurement Office for processing as explained in paragraph 5 below.

3.    Payment Options for Non-Federal (Commercial) Training Vendors

Preferred practice. Training should be purchased using the purchase card or convenience check to the maximum extent possible. If the training cost is $2,500 or less it may be purchased by a non-procurement cardholder. If the cost exceeds $2,500, it must be purchased by a procurement cardholder in the servicing Procurement Office.

The approved SF-182 is supporting documentation for use of a purchase card or convenience check. If the non-procurement cardholder has purchased up to the monthly limit, the approved SF-182 may either be given to another non-procurement cardholder within the organization who has not yet reached their monthly limit or to the servicing Procurement Office. When a purchase card is used to procure the training, the cardholder retains the Finance copy of the approved SF-182 to support the purchase. Do not send the Finance copy of the approved SF-182 to NFC.

When completing Block 25 of the SF-182, enter the applicable method of payment, i.e., PAID BY PURCHASE CARD (PCMS) or CONVENIENCE CHECK.

Alternative practice. If the training vendor does not accept payment by either purchase card or convenience check, either forward the SF-182 to the servicing Procurement Office for execution of a Purchase Order or direct enter into FFIS by the agency.

The originating office or Training Designee must request that the Vendor Coordinator search the FFIS VEND table to determine if the training vendor has been added. If the training vendor has not been added, the originating office or Training Designee must work with the Vendor Coordinator to obtain the specific information from the vendor so that the Vendor Code can be added. On the SF-182, enter the Vendor Code next to the Vendor Name in Block 15a.

The originating office or Training Designee must enter one of the following in Block 25:

ARS

• Headquarters and all Areas except SPA and PWA
  
      USDA _ OCFO, National Finance Center
      Financial Services Division
      FFIS Operations and Reporting Branch, Section 1
      P. O. Box 53326
      New Orleans, LA 70153
  
  
• SPA and PWA
  
      Area Budget and Fiscal Office
  

CSREES

    FMD-Fiscal Operations Branch
    Operations Section #2
    Suite 554, Portals Building
    Washington, DC 20250

Once approved, forward the Finance copy of the SF-182 with the screen print of the vendor code to the address shown in Block 25.

ERS

    “Paid by Purchase Order”

NASS

    Follow internal Agency procedures established for direct-entered FFIS documents.    

4.    Payments to Federal Government Training Vendors

All SF-182's for training provided by Federal Government vendors are paid via the OPAC system. On the SF-182, enter the Vendor Code next to the Vendor Name in Block 15a. To obtain the Vendor Code, follow the procedures outlined in paragraph 3 above under Alternative practice. Enter the following vendor billing information in Block 25:

    Agency Location Code (ALC)
    Accounting Code, Budget Object Code, Amount
    FFIS Referencing Document Number (RQ or M1/MO)
    Point of Contact (Name, Telephone No., Email Address)

Contact your servicing fiscal office if you have questions regarding the required information.

For ARS only, send the Finance copy to:
    
    USDA _ OCFO, National Finance Center
    Financial Services Division
    FFIS Operations and Reporting Branch, Section 1
    P. O. Box 53326
    New Orleans, LA 70153

5. Agency Specific Training

For training that is specifically designed and customized to your organization's needs, follow internal agency procedures established for processing form AD-700 (Procurement Request).

In addition to the AD-700, provide a detailed statement of work, number of course attendees, and other pertinent information. Allow sufficient time for completion of the procurement competition process when establishing timeframes for delivery of customized training.

6. Training Completion

After employee has completed training, update the employee's record in the TRAI system.

ARS. Originating office or Training Designee inputs training information directly into TRAI.

CSREES, ERS, and NASS. Originating office or Training Designee forwards a copy of the SF-182 to Employee Development Section (EDS) for input into TRAI.

7. Distribution of SF-182

• Original. To training vendor for registration or to EDS for special “calls” such as OPM Management Development Center and USDA Graduate School Leadership Development Academy courses
  
  
• Copies. One copy each to:
  
  
  • Agency employee training file
    
  • Servicing funds control office
    
  • Finance copy (based on payment method as noted above)
    
  • Employee's personal file
    
  • Evaluation (Copy 9)
    
  • CSREES/ERS/NASS: Send to EDS upon course completion

8. Summary of Responsibilities

REE Agency Heads

• Encourage all supervisors and managers to establish priorities for training employees and provide appropriate funds.
  
• Delegate training approval authority to the lowest possible level within their agencies.

Director, HRD, through Head, EDS

• Provides guidance on employee development issues relating to processing training requests.
  

Director, FMD

• Provides guidance on FFIS and other financial processing issues.

Director, PPD      Director, PPD

• Provides guidance on all aspects of the procurement process.
  

Supervisors and Managers      Supervisors and Managers

• Establish priorities for employee training and development and provide appropriate funding.
  
• Assure fair and equitable treatment of employees in all aspects of training and development.

Training Designees      Training Designees

• Ensure correct preparation and processing of SF-182's.

Servicing Procurement Office      Servicing Procurement Office

• Ensures timely processing of SF-182's using purchase card or convenience check or for processing via AD-700 for customized training requirements.

Non-Procurement Cardholders      Non-Procurement Cardholders

• Ensure timely processing of SF-182 using purchase card or convenience check.

Employees

• Attend and satisfactorily complete agency-sponsored training and actively apply the knowledge, skills, and abilities acquired to the mission.
  
• Comply with prescribed policies and procedures when requesting, completing, canceling, postponing, withdrawing from, and evaluating agency-sponsored training and development activities.
  
  

9. Glossary

AD-700. Procurement Request.

ALC. Agency Location Code.

EDS. Employee Development Section, REE Services Branch, Human Resources Division.

FFIS. Foundation Financial Information System.

NFC. National Finance Center.

OPAC. On-line Payments and Collections.

PCMS. Purchase Card Management System.

SF-182. Request, Authorization, Agreement, and Certification of Training.

TRAI. Training Information System.

KAREN M. BROWNELL
Director
Human Resources Division