This directive was reviewed and certified as current and necessary by Bruce M. Carnes,
Director, Office of Management, Budget and Evaluation/Chief Financial Officer, 9/18/02. |
| U. S. Department of Energy |
ORDER
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HQ O 344.1A
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Approved:
11-02-01
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| SUBJECT: PARKING | |
1. OBJECTIVE. To define policies and procedures governing the assignment, use, and
management of parking spaces controlled by the Department of Energy (DOE)/National
Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) in the Forrestal Facility.
2. CANCELLATION. This Order cancels HQ O 344.1, Parking, dated 3-5-97.
3. APPLICABILITY. This Order applies to DOE Federal employees, including National
Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Federal employees, parking at DOE Headquarters
in the Forrestal Building.
4. REQUIREMENTS.
a. General. It is the policy of DOE that its parking facility be operated in a manner
responsive to the needs of the Department, and for the maximum benefit of its
employees. The following rules apply:
(1) all Forrestal parking facilities controlled by DOE must be centrally managed by
the Office of Management, Budget and Evaluation, Office of Administration;
(2) assignment of parking spaces in the DOE Forrestal parking facility must comply
with national energy conservation policies, General Services Administration
(GSA) parking policies [41 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 101-20.104], and
this Order;
(3) the use of public transportation and ride-sharing is promoted and encouraged to
meet energy conservation objectives promulgated by relevant statutes,
regulations, and Executive orders;
(4) parking fees must be assessed to recover the cost of operating a parking facility
by a contractor;
(5) parking permits are not transferable; and
(6) contractor personnel working in the Forrestal complex may not park in the
garage but may be members of vanpools and carpools that park there.
b. Parking Committee. The Parking Committee approves or disapproves requests for
parking spaces and considers employee appeals. The committee consists of two
permanent members: one from Management, Budget and Evaluation (head of parking)
and the other, the Forrestal Chapter/National Treasury Employees Union President or
designee. If these two members cannot resolve an issue, a third individual, acceptable
to both management and the union, will be designated to review and decide the issue.
c. Allocation and Assignment.
(1) Parking spaces at Forrestal must be assigned for official needs according to the
following priority:
(a) Government-owned vehicles specifically designed and used for criminal
investigation, firefighting, and other emergency functions;
(b) other Government-owned and -leased vehicles, including motor pool
vehicles and vehicles assigned for general use; and
(c) service vehicles and Government vehicles being used by employees and
visitors.
(2) Parking spaces not required for Government vehicles or official needs must be
assigned to DOE Federal employees in the following priority:
(a) employees with disabilities;
(b) executive officials;
(c) vanpools;
(d) carpools;
(e) employees with unusual working hours;
(f) shift workers; and
(g) two-wheeled vehicles (subject to the availability of satisfactory and secure
space and facilities, DOE will provide parking for bicycles, motorcycles,
and other two-wheeled vehicles, if practical).
(3) If space is insufficient, priority for assignment of vanpool and carpool parking
permits will be based on the number of regular DOE members (Federal and
contractor) in vanpools and carpools (i.e., six members receive highest priority,
followed by five members, four members, three members, and two members,
respectively).
(4) When parking space is insufficient to meet the needs of vanpool/carpool
applicants, parking spaces will be reassigned according to the following priority:
(a) vanpools/carpools with the most DOE regular members (Federal and
contractor); and
(b) vanpools/carpools with most regular members (including personnel from
other agencies).
d. Parking Permit Applicants.
(1) General. Applicants for parking permits must submit two forms the "Parking
Permit Application," DOE F 1400.12, and the "Parking Authorization,"
HQ F 1400.22 to the Parking Management Office by the 15th day of the month
for review and approval or disapproval. When the 15th falls on a weekend or
holiday, the application must be submitted the preceding workday. Applications
received by the 15th will be considered for issuance of parking permits for the
following month.
(2) Disabled Employees. Parking permit applications from disabled Government
employees must be accompanied by a certification from the DOE Headquarters
medical unit, justifying priority consideration. Prior to granting such a
certification, the medical unit must receive a statement from the employee's
physician that attests to the disability. Such certification will be based on a
medical determination by the agency medical officer, who will provide advice
and counsel on medical matters.
(3) Unusual Hours. An application for priority parking privileges because of
unusual work hours must be accompanied by a memorandum from the employee
and the administrative officer confirming and justifying the employee's unusual
work hours, listing the unusual hours that are to be worked (e.g., 8:30 a.m. to
7:30 p.m.), and stating that these hours will be worked 50 to 75 percent of the
time. Administrative officers should reevaluate the justification for existing
unusual hour permits within their organizations before submitting requests for
any additional unusual hour permits. Approval or disapproval of these requests
will be based on available space allocated to this category. If additional parking
spaces are unavailable, the Parking Committee must determine who will be
assigned the unusual hour permits within that organization. Alternative work
schedule (AWS) hours are not considered unusual hours.
(4) Employee Responsibilities.
(a) The employee to whom the parking permit is issued (i.e., the principal
member in a carpool or vanpool) must ensure that all information on the
parking permit application is accurate and current.
(b) Employees must submit a new application to the Parking Management
Office within 15 calendar days to register any change in unusual hours or
carpool membership. Permits may be canceled if employees fail to
resubmit their applications.
e. Operating Procedures.
(1) Parking Permit Issuance.
(a) Parking permits are issued during the last 4 working days of each month
and the first three working days of the new month and may be obtained
in the Forrestal garage at the attendant's booth near the 12th Street
entrance. Issuance hours and dates will be posted in visible areas of the
building and garage, and at the garage entrances to the building.
(b) Employees eligible for parking permits must have proper Government
identification and present a properly validated HQ F 1400.22, "Parking
Authorization."
(c) Parking permit holders who are on official travel or leave, or who are
absent for any reason during the issuance period, will be granted a 1-day
grace period upon their return.
(d) Parking permits, where applicable, will be issued to the authorized
vanpool/carpool principal and single vehicle drivers and are valid until
revoked, terminated, voluntarily surrendered by the holder, or forfeited for
failure to pay established fees or failure to pick up a permit for 2
consecutive months.
(e) When a valid parking permit is suspected to be lost or stolen, the holder
must report the circumstances to the Parking Management Office. Failure
to comply with this requirement may result in suspension or termination of
parking privileges.
(2) Parking Permit Verification.
(a) Prior to the issuance of an initial vanpool/carpool permit, the principal
member must provide an application form with the signature of each
carpool/vanpool member verifying membership.
(b) Once each year during the anniversary month of the issuance of the
parking permit or upon the request by the Parking Committee, the
principal member of each vanpool/carpool must recertify carpool
membership for each member within 10 days of the request for the update.
Failure to comply with this requirement will result in suspension or
termination of parking privileges.
(c) Under guidance of the Parking Management Office, the parking contractor
will check carpool/vanpool vehicles entering and exiting the Forrestal
parking facility to ensure compliance with parking regulations. The results
of these checks will be given to the Parking Committee for evaluation and
any action the Committee deems appropriate.
(3) Parking/Traffic Operating Procedures.
(a) DOE employees issued parking permits must park their vehicles in
accordance with the procedures established in this Order and those
instructions that may be given by the parking attendant. Employees will
comply with all posted directional signs and observe safety and traffic
regulations while operating a vehicle at the parking facility. Moreover, it
is expected that drivers will be courteous to other drivers, pedestrians, and
attendants. The Parking Committee may suspend for 1 month the permits
of individuals who fail to follow directions provided by the parking
attendants.
(b) Parking permits must be displayed on the driver's side dashboard. The
parking permit must be fully and clearly visible and include the names and
current office telephone numbers (not the voice mail number) of the
vanpool/carpool members who drive.
(c) Employees must show their parking permits to the parking attendant or
security personnel when entering the parking garage. Vehicles not
displaying the current monthly parking permit will not be admitted to the
garage without approval by the Parking Management Office.
(d) Vehicles that do not display a valid monthly parking permit are subject to
an irrevocable parking ticket issued by the Federal Protective Service
and/or a notice of violation issued by the Parking Management Office.
(e) Stacked parking will prevail in all lanes, except those spaces specifically
designated otherwise. Vehicles must be parked in the last space available
in the lane. Vehicles must be backed into their respective lanes to
expedite egress.
(f) At the end of the workday, all vehicles must be moved within 15
minutes of the posted departure time for the lane (i.e., if the posted
departure time is 5:00 p.m., the vehicle must be moved no later than
5:15 p.m.). Every effort should be made to vacate the lane within the 15-
minute grace period. Employees who fail to move their vehicles within
15 minutes of the posted departure times or when asked to do so by
another employee may receive a violation notice and may be towed;
parking privileges for such employees may be terminated.
(g) Keys for all vehicles parked at Forrestal (except visitor lanes and early
departure lanes) must be left with a DOE employee whose name and
telephone number are on the displayed permit. When a stacked lane must
be exited during normal working hours, the operator of the blocked vehicle
must call the person identified on the parking permit of the blocking
vehicle and ask him/her to move the vehicle. Operators of vehicles that
must exit the garage for any reason should make a concentrated effort to
notify the operator of the vehicle that has them blocked at least 15 minutes
before their intended departure time. Once notified, the person must move
the vehicle immediately (i.e., within 15 minutes). Employees who must
leave their vehicle keys with personnel in their offices are responsible for
having the vehicle moved immediately when requested.
(h) Employees who intend to leave during the workday should park in lanes
designated for such access and egress if available. If such parking is not
available, a parking attendant should be asked to provide assistance.
(i) Reserved parking spaces are limited to those specifically authorized by the
Parking Management Office for Government vehicles, visitors, executive
officials, and disabled individuals.
(j) Vehicles should be parked in accordance with lane designations (e.g.,
small vehicles in small car lanes, vanpools in lanes assigned for vans, with
all other medium and large vehicles in other lanes).
(k) Motorcycles must park in designated motorcycle lanes.
(l) All vehicles must come to a complete stop at crosswalks and all
designated stop signs.
(m) The speed limit on the ramps and in the garage is 5 mph.
(n) Headlights should be on when entering and while in the garage.
(o) Drivers may not stop in traffic lanes or on ramps to pick up or drop off
passengers, park, wait, or stand in lanes or main garage traffic lanes.
Drivers may not stop and wait for front spaces.
(p) One-Day Temporary Parking Permits are available for Forrestal Federal
employees. A fee of $3.00 per day will be charged for each permit. An
employee may purchase two permits per month. One-Day Temporary
Parking Permit holders are subject to all policies, procedures, and
regulations that are in effect for the operation of the Forrestal parking
facility.
(q) Drivers must yield right-of-way to pedestrians and to vehicles that are in
the process of parking.
(r) Employees' vehicles must be locked. Personnel may not leave keys in
vehicles unless they are specifically requested to do so by the parking
attendant. Personal articles should not be left in vehicles. All windows
must be closed.
(s) All DOE employees may park in the Forrestal parking facility after 5:00
p.m. on weekdays and all day on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. On
weekdays, non-permitted vehicles must be removed by 6:30 a.m.
(t) Overnight parking for a DOE employee while on official travel is
available, but not necessarily guaranteed. Prior permission must be
granted by the Parking Management Office, and the vehicle must be
parked in the rearmost space in the lane and keys left with personnel in the
employee's office.
(u) If at any time the procedures outlined above are violated and a vehicle
must be moved, the Parking Management Office may have the vehicle
towed. The owner is responsible for all towing costs, reclamation fees,
and damage to the vehicle.
(4) Garage Entrances. Both entrances have 6'10" height restrictions, which limit
entry.
(a) Twelfth Street (12th Street) Entrance. The 12th Street ramp will open at
6:00 a.m. and remain open until 7:00 p.m. on weekdays. On weekends
and holidays, the 12th Street ramp will be closed.
(b) Ninth Street (9th Street) Entrance. The 9th Street ramp will open each work
day at 3:00 p.m. and close at 9:00 a.m. the following work day. On
weekends and holidays, the 9th Street ramp will remain open 24 hours a
day (opening Friday at 3:00 p.m. and remaining open until 9:00 a.m.
Monday).
(5) Reporting Damages.
(a) If a driver accidentally strikes another vehicle in the parking facility, the
driver must stop and check for any damage to either vehicle. If the other
vehicle is damaged, the driver must notify the owner/driver immediately.
The driver must also provide pertinent information about the accident to
the security office and the parking attendant on duty. The parking
attendant will notify the Federal Protective Service and Headquarters
Security Office. In the event the parking office is closed at the time of the
accident, or the discovery of the accident, these notifications should be
accomplished at the first opportunity when the parking office is open for
business.
(b) Forms to claim damages caused by the contractor parking attendant
employee should be filed with that contractor. The requisite forms may be
obtained from the parking attendant.
(6) Liability. The Government is not responsible for any loss or damage to a vehicle
or its contents while parked in a DOE parking facility, except to the extent that
the Federal Tort Claims Act applies.
f. Revocation/Termination of Parking Privileges. Parking privileges may be terminated
for the total vanpool/carpool membership or unusual hours permit holders for any of
the violations outlined below.
(1) Failure to comply with the specified operating procedures outlined in this Order,
or other oral or written parking instructions provided by the Parking
Management Office, will result in a Notice of Violation. The first parking
violation is a warning. The second violation will result in a 1-month
suspension of parking privileges. The third violation will result in a 6-
month revocation, and the fourth violation will result in permanent
termination of parking privileges. Each violation will be removed from the
file after 12 months.
(2) Any falsification or misrepresentation of the information furnished on a parking
permit application will result in a 1-year revocation of parking privileges for the
first violation and permanent termination upon a second violation. In addition,
employees may be subject to disciplinary action for such falsification or evasion.
Suspended employees cannot join other carpools/vanpools while they are
suspended.
(3) Acts taken to circumvent the provisions of this Order or other established DOE
and/or GSA parking directives and procedures will result in a 1-year revocation
of parking privileges for the first violation and permanent termination upon the
second violation.
(4) Reproduction of a parking permit will result in permanent termination of parking
privileges.
(5) An employee whose parking permit is terminated in order to accommodate an
application that provides for a carpool with a larger number of riders will receive
15 calendar days notice of such termination. During that period, the employee
may acquire additional riders to justify continuation of the existing parking
permit.
(6) Failure to maintain the required number of members for a vanpool/carpool will
result in an immediate suspension of permit for 1 year.
(7) Failure to work unusual hours, as stated in the request for those hours, or failure
to update hours will result in a 1-year suspension from the garage.
g. Appeals Process.
(1) Official Appeal. Should parking permit holders wish to appeal any action taken
by the Parking Management Office, they must do so in writing to the Parking
Committee within 15 days of the action. The permit holder must explain fully
and clearly the basis for the appeal.
(2) Parking Committee Guidelines.
(a) The Parking Committee must act independently in hearing, considering,
and deciding for the Department in an impartial manner all matters
regarding appeals.
(b) The committee must meet as necessary, but at least once a month, to
provide for the orderly, fair, and expeditious handling of all parking appeal
matters. The decisions of all meetings must be recorded and retained in
the official files.
(c) Decisions of appeal rendered by the committee must be by majority vote
and are the final decision.
(d) To the extent possible, committee members may not vote on appeals
involving immediate supervisors or direct subordinates.
(e) The committee's final decision of record must include its consideration of
the employee's appeal, if submitted, to the actions taken in relation to
DOE's established policies and procedures. The appeal must address the
appropriateness of the action taken by the parking attendants (i.e., issuance
of the ticket), as well as the official comments or responses from all
involved parties.
(f) Within 15 days of receiving the appeal, the committee will provide its
final decision to the employee in writing, along with all related materials
for review. Copies of committee decisions will be distributed to the
Parking Management Office for the official files.
h. Ridesharing. The Federal Government, in conjunction with the Metropolitan
Washington Council of Governments, has established a computerized ridesharing
matching system, known as the Ridefinders Network, to assist individuals in becoming
ridesharers. Employees are encouraged to participate in the program through the
Headquarters Employee Transportation Coordinator listed in the DOE Telephone
Directory (Functional) under "Carpooling Information." The "Ridefinders
Application" (HQ F 1400.2B) is available at the entrances of most DOE facilities in the
Washington metropolitan area.
i. Forms Availability. The forms referenced in this directive may be obtained from the
Parking Management Office, room 1G-059, Forrestal Building, or may be accessed
electronically on the Office of Administration Web site located at
http://www.administration.hr.doe.gov, Office of Operations, Parking.
j. Collective Bargaining. Sections of this Order pertaining to bargaining unit employees
are subject to the collective bargaining agreement.
5. RESPONSIBILITIES.
a. The Director of Management, Budget and Evaluation. Establishes and implements
appropriate parking policies and procedures for DOE Headquarters facilities.
b. The Parking Committee.
(1) Issues final decisions on unusual hours, vanpool/carpool
applications/revocations, and appeals filed by employees whose permits are
being revoked as a result of parking violations.
(2) Approves parking for carpools, vanpools, and employees with unusual hours.
c. Management, Budget and Evaluation.
(1) Develops and promulgates policies, standards, and procedures for parking
management.
(2) Ensures that policies and procedures comply with all applicable Federal statutes
and GSA guidelines.
(3) Maintains necessary liaison with GSA on policy and procedural matters.
(4) Provides necessary staff and/or contractual services to effectively manage the
DOE Headquarters parking facilities.
(5) Designates Employee Transportation Coordinators for Headquarters facilities.
(6) Performs periodic reviews to confirm effective implementation of the parking
management program in accordance with the criteria of this Order.
(7) Promotes Federal ridesharing at DOE Headquarters.
6. REFERENCES.
a. Title 41 CFR 101-20.104, "Parking Facilities," outlines procedures for the
management, regulation, and policing of Federally owned or controlled parking
facilities.
b. Title 41 CFR 101-6.3, "Ridesharing," provides information and guidelines for the
promotion of ridesharing by Federal executive agencies.
c. Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Public Law 93-112, Section 504, (as revised).
d. DOE 5632.1C, PROTECTION AND CONTROL OF SAFEGUARDS AND
SECURITY INTERESTS, dated 7-15-94.. Policies and procedures contained in this
Order will take precedence in governing access to parking facilities during periods of
national emergency.
7. DEFINITIONS. The following definitions are to be used for HQ O 344.1X, PARKING.
a. Carpool. A minimum of two DOE persons using a motor vehicle for transportation to
and from work who ride together on a daily basis. Two of the regular carpool members
must be DOE employees, one of whom is the carpool principal; the individuals must
work in the facility for which they seek or have been authorized parking privileges. If
one member of a two-member carpool is a contractor, the Federal employee must be
the primary permit holder.
b. Employee Transportation Coordinator. An individual at the Forrestal or Germantown
facility designated to provide commuter ridesharing services to all employees at the
facility and who serves as a point of contact for local and State ridesharing agencies,
where they exist. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards are used by DOE.
c. Employee With Disability. A Government employee who, as determined by a licensed
physician with concurrence by the agency Medical Officer, has a severe, permanent
disability that for all practical purposes precludes the use of public transportation, or an
employee unable to operate a vehicle as a result of a permanent disability who is driven
to his/her place of employment. Temporarily disabled employees will require
certification by their physicians as well as the agency Medical Officer to qualify for an
available temporary parking space. Employees with disabilities are encouraged to
participate in ridesharing. American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards are used
by DOE.
d. Executive Official. A Government official with responsibilities that, in the judgment
of the Secretary or his/her designee, require preferential parking privileges. Generally,
these preferential parking privileges are restricted to employees of the Office of the
Secretary, each Assistant Secretary, and their principal deputies. Executive officials
are encouraged to sponsor and participate in ridesharing.
e. Official Parking. Includes parking spaces reserved for Government-owned and -leased
vehicles, including motor pool vehicles and vehicles assigned for general use. Where
parking space is available, service vehicles of commercial firms that provide a service
to the Department may also be accommodated.
f. Parking Space. The area allocated in the parking facility for temporary use of
passenger-carrying motor vehicles.
g. Parking Committee. The group that approves unusual hours and carpool requests and
is made up of the designated head of parking and the union president or designee. The
Parking Committee, at its discretion, may waive or sustain appeals concerning tickets
or revocation of parking permits.
h. Regular Carpool/Vanpool Member. A person who travels daily (leave excepted) in a
carpool or vanpool. A student or a child who rides to work with a parent(s) will not be
considered a regular member. In granting the permit, the Parking Committee must
consider the number of carpool members, the distance traveled, the route taken, etc.
i. Ridematching. Any manual or automated system that gathers and processes commuter
information to identify potential ridesharing arrangements among interested
individuals.
j. Ridesharing. The sharing of the commute to and from work by two or more people, on
a continuing basis, regardless of their relationship to each other, in any mode of
transportation including, but not limited to, carpools, vanpools, buspools, and mass
transit.
k. One-Day Temporary Parking Permits. One-Day Temporary Parking Permits are
available for Forrestal Federal employees. A fee of $3.00 per day will be charged for
each permit, and employees may purchase two permits per month. One-Day
Temporary Parking Permit holders are subject to all policies, procedures, and
regulations in effect for operation of the Forrestal parking facility.
l. Shift Workers. Employees whose scheduled duty hours are established as a shift
starting or ending outside the Department's normal working hours, including "swing"
or "midnight" shifts. Excluded from these criteria are employees on overtime or
alternative work schedules.
m. Stacked Parking. Stacked parking describes the procedure for parking vehicles in both
the four car lanes and the two-car lanes. Four-cars lanes: Cars are "stacked" four deep
with the first arriving car parking at the back of the lane and each car thereafter parking
in front, until four cars are parked in the lane. Two-car-lanes: Cars are "stacked" two
deep with the first arriving car parking at the back of the lane and the next car parking
in the front.
n. Two-Wheeled Vehicles. Motorcycles and bicycles. These vehicles may not be
transported on elevators or stairways, or parked in offices. These vehicles must be
parked in designated lanes or areas.
o. Unusual Hours. Work hours that are frequently required to be varied and do not
coincide with any regular work schedule. These unusual hours must be worked 50 to
75 percent of the time. This category includes employees who regularly or frequently
work significantly more than 8 hours per day (9 hours per day if on AWS). Unusual
hours do not include shift workers or those granted exceptions to the normal work
schedule (e.g., alternate work schedules). An AWS schedule is not considered unusual
hours.
p. Vanpool. A group of at least 8 persons using a passenger van or a commuter bus
designed to carry 10 or more passengers for transportation to and from the workplace
in a single daily round trip. The vanpool principal must be a DOE employee who
works in the facility for which they seek or have been authorized parking privileges.
Only legitimate vanpools will be authorized to park in the designated vanpool lanes.
q. Visitor Parking. Parking reserved for the exclusive use of DOE visitors for a limited
period (not to exceed 2 hours). In unusual circumstances, the Parking Management
Office may approve visitor parking in excess of 2 hours. DOE employees are not
permitted to park in visitor parking.
8. CONTACT. For additional information, contact the Parking Management Office at (202)
586-4271.
BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY:
FRANCIS S. BLAKE
Deputy Secretary