Reference: The Office of Personnel Management Training Handbook, Legal References by Subject Area, Expenses Related to Training, Advance Payment of Expenses http://www.opm.gov/hrd/lead/pubs/handbook/lrbsa8.asp#advancepayment

Purpose:  To communicate the option to use current year dollars to advance pay for training.
 
Policy:  USGS offices have the option to use current fiscal year funds to advance pay for training when the need is identified in the current fiscal year and the training could not be scheduled until the following fiscal year.  If this occurs, training must be completed no later than January 31 of the following fiscal year.

Training tends to be nonseverable.  Thus, where a training obligation is incurred in one fiscal year, the entire cost is chargeable to that year regardless of the fact that performance may extend into the following year. 

Offices interested in this option must review the website referenced above.  Advance payment of training is authorized regardless of who provides the training.

For USGS course offerings the Office of Employee Development’s (OED) FY 2007 training and tuition rates can be located at http://training.usgs.gov.  This website is updated as courses are scheduled. 

All training courses must be taken by January 31of the following year. 

To use the authority you must prepare an SF 182 Training form referencing the current fiscal year account.  The SF 182 must be routed and approved through normal channels.

Karen D. Baker  /s/ Karen D. Baker
Associate Director for Administrative Policy and Services