United States Department of Agriculture
Research, Education, and Economics

ARS * CSREES * ERS * NASS
Policies and Procedures

Contents

1. Introduction
    Purpose
    Level of Delegations
    Exercise of Delegations
2. Organization, Position Management, and Classification
3. Staffing
4. Hours of Duty and Leave
5. Performance Management and Awards
6. Training
7. Employee Relations
8. Official Duty Station
9. Waivers of Repayment
10. Travel -- Domestic
11. Travel -- Foreign
12. Travel -- General
13. Attendance at Meetings (AD-202)
14. Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Requests
15. Purchases
16. Contracts and Agreements
17. Property, Vehicles, and Space
18. Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights
Glossary

1.    Introduction

Purpose

This document shows the delegation of administrative authorities to organizational levels and positions in the Economics Management Staff (EMS). It indicates whether officials in those positions may exercise discretion to redelegate those authorities to lower level positions.

Level of Delegations

This document shows the lowest level to which the Director, EMS, has delegated authority. Unless otherwise noted, higher level officials are also delegated this authority and retain the right to exercise those authorities. For example, the Director retains the authorities delegated to division directors. By the same token, division directors retain the right to exercise authorities delegated to branch chiefs.

Exercise of Delegations

In most cases, officials may only exercise delegated authorities when the action does not relate to them individually. This is always the case with Branch Chiefs and lower level officials. However, the Deputy Director and Division Directors may sign for themselves as approving officials in the following instances:

• Approving use of accrued annual and sick leave and other leave, except leave without pay, absence without leave, and advanced leave. Notification to the Director is required. Except in circumstances beyond the control of the employee (such as illness), the Director should be notified at least 5 working days in advance of leave in excess of 1 day.
  

• Approving temporary modifications to alternate work schedules;
  

• Certifying that Time and Attendance Reports are accurate and that time was worked and approved according to law and regulation.
  

• Authorizing routine domestic travel. Notification to the Director is required.
  

• Authorizing non-routine travel (1) on an actual subsistence basis; (2) on non-contract air carriers; (3) to attend meetings, conferences, seminars, or training (notification to the Director is required); (4) to testify in judicial proceedings; and (5) in an emergency.
  

• Authorizing attendance at meetings on official time. Notification to the Director is required.

The Director reserves the authority to deny or modify the action for authorities that require prior notification.

2.    Organization, Position Management, and Classification

3.    Staffing

4.    Hours of Duty and Leave

5.    Performance Management and Awards

6.    Training

7.    Employee Relations

8.    Official Duty Station

9.    Waivers of Repayment

10.    Travel -- Domestic

11.    Travel -- Foreign

12.   Travel -- General

13.    Attendance at Meetings (AD-202)

14.    Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Requests

15.    Purchases

16.    Contracts and Agreements

17.    Property, Vehicles, and Space

18.    Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights

Glossary

Accountable Property Officer. The officials assigned responsibility for the control and management of all property within their units.

AGPMR. Agriculture Property Management Regulations.

ATR. Agriculture Travel Regulations.

CFR. Code of Federal Regulations.

DPM. Departmental Personnel Manual.

DR. Departmental Regulation.

EEOC. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

FPM. Federal Personnel Manual.

GSA. General Services Administration.

IPA. Intergovernmental Personnel Act. This Act allows Federal officials to be assigned to temporary positions in state or local governments, and vice-versa.

OO. Office of Operations.

Property Custodian. The employee provided physical custody of property and who is responsible for its proper care.

TM. Travel Manual.

USC. United States Code.

Footnote: 1    ¹Organizational changes involving the gain or loss of a function at the division level or above require the approval of the Assistant Secretary for Administration.

Footnote: 2    ²Subject to remaining within the overall division staff-year ceiling and funds.

Footnote: 3    ³The Director of the Personnel Division may restrict the authority of an incumbent.

Footnote: 4    ⁴These authorities are subject to temporary withdrawal during a hiring freeze.

Footnote: 5    ⁵Subject to remaining within the overall division staff-year ceiling and funds.

Footnote: 6    ⁶Subject to discussion with the Director.

Footnote: 7    ⁷Subject to discussion with the Director.

Footnote: 8    ⁸Branch chiefs may be required to consult with their division director on selected positions.

Footnote: 9    ⁹Excludes the following details or reassignments that require prior clearance from the Office of Personnel: nonreimbursable details exceeding 30 days to other Federal departments (see Assistant Secretary for Administrations memorandum dated 6/20/79 to agency heads); details to the White House or to staffs and commissions of the President or Vice President; and details or reassignments involving SES employees, experts and consultants, and persons in regard to whom suitability questions have been raised (see DPM 277, Exhibit 1).

Footnote: 10    ¹⁰Nonstandard tours of duty include those necessitated by emergency situations, part-time and intermittent work, and adjustments to enable full-time, permanent employees to teach at educational institutions. Document the rationale for non-standard tours in a memorandum to the Personnel Division.

Footnote: 11    ¹¹DPM Chapter 430 requires that performance ratings be made by the supervisor who normally gives the employee work assignments, reviews or approves the work upon completion, and usually has responsibility for the employee's attendance, leave, etc. Employees wishing to dispute performance ratings should use agency grievance procedures {see P&P 4771).

Footnote: 12    ¹²Subject to prior consultation with the division director, if the decision is not to retain the employee.

Footnote: 13    ¹³The Department requires two levels of approval in all cases. For example, if a section head recommends 8 hours time off as an award, the branch chief must approve the recommendation.

Footnote: 14    ¹⁴Prior to withholding a within-grade increase, the supervisor must contact the Employee Services and Policy Development Branch. First-line supervisors may sign letters of decision, but the second level supervisor must concur.

Footnote: 15    ¹⁵Contact the Employee Services and Policy Development Branch for advice and assistance.

Footnote: 16    ¹⁶Contact the Employee Services and Policy Development Branch prior to proposing or taking any disciplinary action or responding to any grievance or appeal to ensure that actions are carried out in accordance with appropriate laws and regulations.

Footnote: 17    ¹⁷Decision letters must be signed at a higher level than notices of proposed adverse action.

Footnote: 18    ¹⁸The Director of the Budget, Finance, and Systems Automation Division must forward claims in excess of $500 to the Director of the Departmental Office of Finance and Management for determination.

Footnote: 19    ¹⁹The Director of the Departmental Office of Finance and Management may waive repayment of travel and transportation expenses up to $1,500. The Secretary must waive claims over $1,500.

Footnote: 20    ²⁰Subject to the advice of the Office of the General Counsel on claims of $400 or more.

Footnote: 21    ²¹Division Directors may waive overdrawn leave only when an employee is separated by death or disability retirement, entrance into military service with restoration rights, or resignation because disability prevents the employee from continuing or resuming service. Under all other circumstances, the separating employee must either refund the full amount of indebtedness or the employee's final salary and lump sum payments will be adjusted by this amount.

Footnote: 22    ²²The Assistant Secretary may establish this type of travel authorization for the Director only.

Footnote: 23    ²³This type of authorization is limited to employees who need to perform frequent, routine, repetitive travel within a work-related geographic area (foreign or domestic).

Footnote: 24    ²⁴USDA's Office of Personnel has delegated authority directly to the Director of the Personnel Division. Selecting officials first sign form AD-202 and then route it through the servicing personnel management specialist to the Director of the Personnel Division.

Footnote: 25    ²⁵Obtain advice and assistance concerning the proper use of this authority from the Personnel Division.

Footnote: 26    ²⁶For authority to approve attendance at meetings, conferences, training, and similar events, see Chapter 13.

Footnote: 27    ²⁷The only individuals who may approve travel vouchers are the traveler's working supervisor or another responsible individual who has knowledge of the purpose of the travel and its accomplishment.

Footnote: 28    ²⁸Does not apply to routine working meetings that are less than 1 day long.

Footnote: 29    ²⁹ATR 4-1.3.b. requires that meetings where a majority of the attendees will be Washington, D.C.-based personnel be held at a location within the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Either the Assistant Secretary or Deputy Assistant Secretary must authorize exceptions.

Footnote: 30    ³⁰The Foreign Agricultural Service's International Cooperation and Development office must approve attendance at certain intergovernmental meetings (except common interest meetings in Canada and Mexico). See ATR 1-13.4a and Figure 13-1.

Footnote: 31    ³¹The Director of the Administrative Services Division has redelegated this authority to the Chief of the Procurement, Property, and Space Branch.

Footnote: 32    ³²Expenditures greater than $25,000 are covered under Chapter 16, Contracts and Agreements.

Footnote: 33    ³³The Director or the Administrative Services Division has redelegate this authority to the Chief, Procurement, Property, and Space Branch - unlimited; the Head, Procurement Section, Contract Specialists, and Purchasing Agents, GS-1105-6 and above $25,000 Open Market and maximum order limitation on Federal Supply Schedule contracts and other mandatory sources.

Footnote: 34    The Director of the Administrative Services Division has redelegated unlimited authority to the Chief of the Procurement, Property, and Space Branch, and authority for contracts up to $200,000 to the Head of the Procurement Section.

Footnote: 35    Consult P&P 5200, "Property Management,. for situations when to use these forms.

Footnote: 36    Accountable Property Officers may designate Property Custodians to assist them as specified in P&P 5200.