USAID ADS: What's New in the ADS for March 2002

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What's New in the ADS for March 2002

>> ADS Home >> What's New in the ADS >> March 2002

Note: This chart summarizes new or revised policy/procedures or other changes, as applicable.

Disclaimer: Archived entries may have been recently changed or removed. Please check the current ADS chapters and references, as well as recent interim updates for the latest information.

ADS 103, Delegations of Authority
Revision: 03/14/2002

New Policy Directive Section 103.3.13.2, Enterprise Funds, now indicates that the award and administration of all E&E Enterprise Funds has been delegated to the Director of the Office of Management Initiatives (E&E/MT).

AIDAR
Revision: 03/21/2002
Editorial Change A link to CIB 98-21, Contractor Progress Reports, was added to AIDAR 752.7026.

Series 400 Interim Update 02-02, Approval of Outside Hiring for Headquarters

Revision: 03/04/2002

New Policy Directive
and Required Procedures This Interim Update is a restatement of the existing policy that all outside hiring requests must be approved by the Chief of Staff. It reinstates this policy for non-direct hires. They had been exempt since October pending the outcome of the Agency's project and portfolio reviews. Those reviews are now complete. It also brings institutional contractors under the policy for the first time. As the Notice states, the purpose of this policy is to assure that the Administrator has accurate and complete information on the total headquarters workforce and to assist in carrying out the Agency's reorganization plan. One of the primary reasons this is necessary is to preserve the ability to expand Agency resources in the field. Information regarding the reorganization will be forthcoming in a separate Notice.

Series 467, Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990 (FEPCA)

Revision: 03/27/2002

New Policy Directive
and Required Procedures
ADS 467 is a new chapter in the 400 Personnel Series on various pay authorities under the Federal Employees' Pay Comparability Act of 1990 (FEPCA), which may be used to assist in the recruitment and retention of Civil Service employees. ADS 467 is effective March 8, 2002, and supersedes two FEPCA Interim Operating Procedures published in Handbook 26, Chapter 3.

Detailed Agency guidelines on the policies, criteria, responsibilities, and approval process for use of each FEPCA authority are provided in internal mandatory references attached to this ADS chapter. Four references have been developed for each of the following FEPCA authorities:

retention allowances,

recruitment/relocation bonuses,

appointments above the minimum rate (also known as superior qualification appointments), and

payment of pre-employment interview travel expenses for candidates and travel and transportation expenses for new appointees. These pay authorities are intended to be used on a very selective and limited basis to assist in the recruitment and retention of employees who have specialized skills critical to accomplishment of the Agency's mission, primarily where there is strong competition with the private sector for the same skills.

Effective March 8, 2002, M/IRM is implementing a new Information Technology (IT) Professional Skills Pilot Program in conjunction with the Department of State. M/IRM employees in various IT-related occupational series who possess professional certifications that are directly related to the duties of their positions may be eligible to receive retention allowances under this new pilot program. An attachment to ADS 467 describes this program in detail including eligibility criteria, application procedures, panel review process, and general administration of the program.

Use of these recruitment and retention incentives is, of course, subject to available funding. Supervisors who are interested in using these pay authorities should contact the appropriate servicing personnel officer in M/HR/POD or M/HR/EM.

Series 500 Interim Update 02-08, Expanded Business Class Travel Policy
(Note: This link is only available to USAID employees who have access to the intranet.)

Issued: 03/15/2002

New Policy Directive
and Required Procedures Effective immediately, USAID will implement a limited expansion in the use of business class accommodations. This limited expansion is the result of initiatives underway both in the Department of State and in USAID to better support our employees and their family members (Reference: 6 FAM 147.2-4 Premium-Class Travel Other Than First-Class). Information in this Notice will be codified in ADS 522 in the near future. This new ADS chapter defines the policies and procedures for the Agency's new 401(k) pension plan for USPSCs. It identifies the eligibility requirements, contribution methods and limitations, and other related matters.

ADS 513, Mail Management

Revision: 03/22/2002

Revised Policy Directive
and Required Procedures
Section 513.3.6 was revised to reflect USPSCs' new pouch privileges:

Beginning November 15, 2000, internationally recruited USAID U.S. citizen Personal Service Contract (USPSC) employees have full pouch privileges.

USAID internationally recruited USPSCs receiving full pouch privileges must not be permanent residents of the country in which they are working for USAID. Locally recruited USPSCs are not entitled to pouch privileges even if they are U.S. citizens.

Employees of USAID contractors, grantees, and cooperators are eligible for limited pouch privileges under 5 FAM 343.2(B).

ADS 513, Mail Management

Revision: 03/27/2002

Revised External Mandatory Reference All references to EO 12356 were replaced with references to EO 12958, Classified National Security Information, which superseded EO 12356.

ADS 637, U.S. Personal Services Contractors 401(k) Defined Contribution Pension Plan

Revision: 03/05/2002

New Policy Directive
and Required Procedures This new ADS chapter defines the policies and procedures for the Agency's new 401(k) pension plan for USPSCs. It identifies the eligibility requirements, contribution methods and limitations, and other related matters

Certification of Participant Contribution Form, a Mandatory Reference for ADS 637

Revision: 02/28/2002

New Policy Directive
and Required Procedures Participants must complete this form, which requires the participant to certify that monies being contributed do not exceed the IRS allowable contribution limit.

Salary Reduction Agreement, a Mandatory Reference for ADS 637

Revision: 02/28/2002

New Policy Directive
and Required Procedures Participants must complete this form, which authorizes USAID to deduct contributions from the participant's salary

Questions about this web page or the ADS? Please contact us by using our Questions/Comments form page or send an e-mail to ads@usaid.gov.
To view PDF files, download the accessible version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

This document was last updated on 31

Last Updated on: March 20, 2003

ADS 103, Delegations of Authority
Revision:	03/14/2002
New Policy Directive	Section 103.3.13.2, Enterprise Funds, now indicates that the award and administration of all E&E Enterprise Funds has been delegated to the Director of the Office of Management Initiatives (E&E/MT).
AIDAR
Revision:	03/21/2002
Editorial Change	A link to CIB 98-21, Contractor Progress Reports, was added to AIDAR 752.7026.
Series 400 Interim Update 02-02, Approval of Outside Hiring for Headquarters
Revision:	03/04/2002
New Policy Directive and Required Procedures	This Interim Update is a restatement of the existing policy that all outside hiring requests must be approved by the Chief of Staff. It reinstates this policy for non-direct hires. They had been exempt since October pending the outcome of the Agency's project and portfolio reviews. Those reviews are now complete. It also brings institutional contractors under the policy for the first time. As the Notice states, the purpose of this policy is to assure that the Administrator has accurate and complete information on the total headquarters workforce and to assist in carrying out the Agency's reorganization plan. One of the primary reasons this is necessary is to preserve the ability to expand Agency resources in the field. Information regarding the reorganization will be forthcoming in a separate Notice.
Series 467, Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990 (FEPCA)
Revision:	03/27/2002
New Policy Directive and Required Procedures	ADS 467 is a new chapter in the 400 Personnel Series on various pay authorities under the Federal Employees' Pay Comparability Act of 1990 (FEPCA), which may be used to assist in the recruitment and retention of Civil Service employees. ADS 467 is effective March 8, 2002, and supersedes two FEPCA Interim Operating Procedures published in Handbook 26, Chapter 3. Detailed Agency guidelines on the policies, criteria, responsibilities, and approval process for use of each FEPCA authority are provided in internal mandatory references attached to this ADS chapter. Four references have been developed for each of the following FEPCA authorities: retention allowances, recruitment/relocation bonuses, appointments above the minimum rate (also known as superior qualification appointments), and payment of pre-employment interview travel expenses for candidates and travel and transportation expenses for new appointees. These pay authorities are intended to be used on a very selective and limited basis to assist in the recruitment and retention of employees who have specialized skills critical to accomplishment of the Agency's mission, primarily where there is strong competition with the private sector for the same skills. Effective March 8, 2002, M/IRM is implementing a new Information Technology (IT) Professional Skills Pilot Program in conjunction with the Department of State. M/IRM employees in various IT-related occupational series who possess professional certifications that are directly related to the duties of their positions may be eligible to receive retention allowances under this new pilot program. An attachment to ADS 467 describes this program in detail including eligibility criteria, application procedures, panel review process, and general administration of the program. Use of these recruitment and retention incentives is, of course, subject to available funding. Supervisors who are interested in using these pay authorities should contact the appropriate servicing personnel officer in M/HR/POD or M/HR/EM.
Series 500 Interim Update 02-08, Expanded Business Class Travel Policy (Note: This link is only available to USAID employees who have access to the intranet.)
Issued:	03/15/2002
New Policy Directive and Required Procedures	Effective immediately, USAID will implement a limited expansion in the use of business class accommodations. This limited expansion is the result of initiatives underway both in the Department of State and in USAID to better support our employees and their family members (Reference: 6 FAM 147.2-4 Premium-Class Travel Other Than First-Class). Information in this Notice will be codified in ADS 522 in the near future. This new ADS chapter defines the policies and procedures for the Agency's new 401(k) pension plan for USPSCs. It identifies the eligibility requirements, contribution methods and limitations, and other related matters.
ADS 513, Mail Management
Revision:	03/22/2002
Revised Policy Directive and Required Procedures	Section 513.3.6 was revised to reflect USPSCs' new pouch privileges: Beginning November 15, 2000, internationally recruited USAID U.S. citizen Personal Service Contract (USPSC) employees have full pouch privileges. USAID internationally recruited USPSCs receiving full pouch privileges must not be permanent residents of the country in which they are working for USAID. Locally recruited USPSCs are not entitled to pouch privileges even if they are U.S. citizens. Employees of USAID contractors, grantees, and cooperators are eligible for limited pouch privileges under 5 FAM 343.2(B).
ADS 513, Mail Management
Revision:	03/27/2002
Revised External Mandatory Reference	All references to EO 12356 were replaced with references to EO 12958, Classified National Security Information, which superseded EO 12356.
ADS 637, U.S. Personal Services Contractors 401(k) Defined Contribution Pension Plan
Revision:	03/05/2002
New Policy Directive and Required Procedures	This new ADS chapter defines the policies and procedures for the Agency's new 401(k) pension plan for USPSCs. It identifies the eligibility requirements, contribution methods and limitations, and other related matters
Certification of Participant Contribution Form, a Mandatory Reference for ADS 637
Revision:	02/28/2002
New Policy Directive and Required Procedures	Participants must complete this form, which requires the participant to certify that monies being contributed do not exceed the IRS allowable contribution limit.
Salary Reduction Agreement, a Mandatory Reference for ADS 637
Revision:	02/28/2002
New Policy Directive and Required Procedures	Participants must complete this form, which authorizes USAID to deduct contributions from the participant's salary
Questions about this web page or the ADS? Please contact us by using our Questions/Comments form page or send an e-mail to ads@usaid.gov. To view PDF files, download the accessible version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. This document was last updated on 31