MINUTES OF THE IAG COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL PERSONNEL PROGRAMS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81-00314R000200090020-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 15, 2002
• Sequence Number: 20
• Publication Date: May 12, 1976
• Content Type: MIN

Approved For, lease 2002/05/16 : CIA-RDP81-00314 QO0200090020-1
UNITED STATES CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
Office of the Executive Director
Interagency Advisory Group
1900 E Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20415
Minutes of the IAG Committee on
Intergovernmental Personnel Programs
May 12, 1976
Mr. Joseph Robertson, Director of the Bureau of Intergovernmental Personnel
Programs, and Chairman of this IAG Committee opened the Committee's first meeting
with a review of some of the factors leading to the Committee's establishment.
In terms of salary costs alone, the IPA mobility program represents a public
expenditure of nearly $80 million, of which the national government has paid over
60%. When fringe benefits and relocation expenses are included, the program's
dollar costs exceed $100 million.
In addition to the fact that the mobility program represents a significant
expenditure, Congress has expressed increasing concern over how the program is
being administered. During the past two years, the General Accounting Office has
conducted two studies of the IPA mobility program. Last year, the Manpower and
Housing Subcommittee of the House Committee on Government Operations held a
series of hearings which focused in part on the operation of the IPA mobility
program. In the Committee's final report, it was recommended that the Commission
improve systems used to monitor mobility program activities.
Finally, the Office of Management and Budget has requested the Commission under-
take an evaluation of the mobility program. Since the head of each agency,
including his or her designees, has the authority to enter into mobility agree-
ments with State or local governments, institutions of higher education or
Indian tribal governments, it is essential that these agencies be closely involved
in Commission evaluation activities.
Mr. Robertson then reviewed the Committee's Charter. The Charter suggests that
the Committee focus on the following areas:
-- the IPA mobility program
-- faculty fellowship programs - those co-sponsored by the Commission
as well as those carried out by other agencies and organizations
-- intergovernmental training, as authorized under Title III of the
Intergovernmental Personnel Act
Approved For Release 2002/05/16 : CIA-RDP81-00314R000200090020-1
 Approved Forlease 2002/05/16 : CIA-RDP81-003140,00200090020-1
-2-
-- college and university relations, special emphasis on establish-
ment of Federal agency contacts for the various academic activities.
There was some discussion of college and university relations activities.
Mr. Robertson and Sy Pranger, Director of Personnel of the Department of
Agriculture, reviewed with the full committee recent Civil Service Commission
efforts designed to improve government-university relations. One issue
growing out of both formal and informal meetings with college and university
officials is their desire to have a central point of contact in each agency.
These contact points would assist college and university officials in
locating the specific office or program with which they should be working.
Mr. Robertson and Mr. Pranger recently participated in a two-day meeting,
hosted by the Civil Service Commission, in which about twenty deans of
selected graduate schools of business and public administration participated
along with key Federal officials.
Mr. Robertson then directed the Committee's attention to a tentative agenda.
This agenda included the following items:
-- Revise mobility guidelines and FPM Chapter 334.
-- Update agency policy guidance on mobility program.
-- Evaluate results of questionnaires on the effectiveness of
mobility assignments.
-- Identify job slots for faculty fellows.
-- Design follow-up effort to improve communications with college
and university deans.
Frederic Newman from Army, Clay Joseph representing the Office of the
Secretary of Defense, and Ann Elledge from the Department of Health,
Education, and Welfare, discussed some of the major points which should
be examined in reviewing and then revising program materials. In addition
to GAO recommendations, some other issues which must be addressed include:
-- the definition of a State, local or academic employee to preclude
less than full-time personnel or personnel who have not worked for
any time with the mobility employer;
-- how to preclude back-to-back mobility assignments;
-- advisability of establishing a maximum amount of time a person
could spend on mobility assignments during his or her career; and
the development of a new agreement form.
The Office of Faculty Fellows and Personnel Mobility, BIPP, will contact
individuals to serve on working groups to develop these materials. Suggestions
for changes have already been received from the following departments:
Interior, HEW, HUD, and Transportation.
Approved For Release 2002/05/16 : CIA-RDP81-00314R000200090020-1
 Approved For Release 2002/05/16 : CIA-RDP81-00314&000200090020-1
-3-
Al Huber of Commerce and Bob Lovegren of Interior raised a number of
questions concerning the mobility program questionnaire. Andrew Boesel,
Director of the Office of Faculty Fellows and Personnel Mobility, and
Ms. Jo Anner Wilson of that office pointed out that questionnaires are
being sent to all persons who have completed a mobility assignment and
to all supervisors of these individuals while on the mobility assignment.
After the initial backlog of assignments is cleared up, these questionnaires
will continue to be sent out through FY 1976, the transition quarter, and
FY 1977. To date over 2,000 persons have completed an assignment and
about 1,500 questionnaires have been sent out.
Agencies will be contacted by the Office of Faculty Fellows and Personnel
Mobility to assist in locating some employees who have been on a mobility
assignment but may have subsequently moved or changed jobs. Agencies will
be provided with information on results from their agency participants.
Al Fontes, Personnel Director of the Securities and Exchange Commission,
requested information on the status of various amendments to the IPA.
Mr. Robertson brought the group up-to-date on the legislative status.
The amendments have passed the House and are now pending before the
Senate Government Operations Committee. Amendments affecting the IPA
grant program are the subject of intense debate and thus it is unclear
if there will be any Congressional action this year.
Amendments involving the IPA mobility program are identified in Attachment #1.
Each attendee was given a copy of the most recent report on the mobility
program and the most up-to-date data analysis, as well as the GAO report
and the Commission's response.
Mr. Robertson announced that he would like to meet fairly soon with about
six of the personnel directors who would serve with him as a steering
group for IPP Committee matters. He stated, also, that two small working
groups will be set up as a result of this first meeting. One of the groups
will assist in revising FPM Chapter 334, and is scheduled to meet on June 2.
The other working group will help analyze the results of the mobility
questionnaires now being circulated. A meeting date was not set.
The next quarterly meeting of the full Committee will be held during the
third quarter of calendar year 1976.
Approved For Release 2002/05/16 : CIA-RDP81-00314R000200090020-1
 Approved For Release 2002/05/16 : CIA-RDP81-00314R000200090020-1
Amendments to the IPA
Mobility Program
Senate Bill House Bill
(S._957) (H.R. 4414)
Attachment #1
Comments
1. Exempts mobility assignees from Not Included Included This provision was deleted from S. 957
Federal conflict of interest by Subcommittee action June 9, 1975
statutes in representations on
behalf of State or local governments
before any executive agency, other
than their employing agency, or an
executive agency with which employed
in the year prior to current mobility
assignment (amends section 3373 of
title 5, U.S. Code). - -
2. Retains certain employee benefits Included Included Identical in both bills
for D. C. Government employees and
State Cooperative extension employees
while on mobility assignment (amends
section 3374(b) of title 5, U.S. Code).
3. Supplements pay of certain State and Included Included Identical in both bills
local employees on mobility assignment
to establish equal pay for equal work
(amends section 3374(c)(1) of title 5,
U.S. Code).
4L
4. Permits reimbursement for certain Included Included House bill limits total reimbursement for
employer contributions to fringe (modified) pay of any mobility assignee to not in
benefits (retirement, life and health excess of GS-18 (currently $37,800).
insurance) for mobility assignees
(amends section 3374(c) of title 5,
U.S. Code).
Approved For Release 2002/05/16 : CIA-RDP81-00314R000200090020-1
 Approved For Release 2002/05/16 : CIA-RDP81-00314R000200090020-1
Senate Bill House Bill
(S. 957) (H.R. 4414)
5. Permits payment of up to $200 for Included
miscellaneous relocation expenses
related to accepting a mobility
assignment (amends section 3375(a)
of title 5, U.S. Code).
6. Includes the Trust Territory of the Included
Pacific Islands in the Mobility
Program (amends section 3371(1)(A)
of title 5, U.S. Code).
7. Excludes "Schedule C" employees Included
from mobility assignments (amends
section 3371 of title 5, U.S. Code).
Comments
Included Identical in both bills.
Included Identical in both bills.
Not Included Added by Senate Subcommittee June 9, 1975.
8. Establishes an obligated service Included Included Senate bill: *"whichever is shorter"
requirement of at least one year House bill: *"whiever is longer"
or the length of assignment *..., Senate bill provides for waiver of this
for mobility assignees and requires provision "for good and sufficient reason
the assignee to return to the executive as determined by the agency".
agency or State or local government
from which assigned (amends section
3372(a) of title 5, U.S. Code).
Approved For Release 2002/05/16 : CIA-RDP81-00314R000200090020-1