FY 2012 Conference Spending (reported January 31, 2013)

As part of the Administration’s conference transparency initiative, HUD has implemented a departmental conference review, approval and reporting process to ensure that appropriated funds are spent properly relative to our essential mission. As part of the Campaign to Cut Waste (CCW) and other management initiatives, managers throughout the department are thoroughly evaluating ways to leverage technology when possible and maximize the benefit from the expenditures on conferences and travel. To this end, HUD has also increased the use of webcasts and online trainings in place of in person conferences and meetings.

HUD’s conference process includes input from within HUD and from our constituents on the required training and information exchange that is best accomplished in person. With proper internal controls, HUD’s leadership is confident that we will continue to be good stewards of the resources entrusted to us.

On May 11, 2012, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued Memorandum-12-12 “Promoting Efficient Spending to Support Agency Operations” (M-12-12). HUD provides information on conferences, as defined in footnote (4) of M-12-12:

⁴"Conference" is defined in this memorandum as it is in the FTR, as "[a] meeting, retreat, seminar, symposium or event that involves attendee travel. The term 'conference' also applies to training activities that are considered to be conferences under 5 CFR 410.404." See 41 CFR 300-3.1.

HUD is reporting on each conference sponsored by HUD during the prior fiscal year (FY) where US Government appropriated funds were expended in excess of $100,000.

Conferences in excess of $500,000

No individual conference sponsored by HUD during the FY ended September 30, 2012 (FY 2012) expended appropriated federal funds in excess of $500,000.

Conferences in excess of $100,000

Six events sponsored by HUD during FY 2012 meet the definition of ‘conference’ above and incurred the expenditure of appropriated funds in excess of $100,000. The following information is presented, per the guidance in M-12-12, for each of these conferences:

sponsoring HUD program office
conference name
location
date
total number of individuals whose travel expenses or other conference expenses were paid by HUD
total conference expenses incurred
brief explanation how the conference advanced HUD’s mission

Listing of HUD FY 2012 Sponsored Conferences Over $100k
Program Office The link to each program office home page is provided below	Conference (Name, Location and Date)	Number of Payees	Total Conference Expenses	How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency
Community & Planning Development	CPD Manager's Training Conference Location: Washington, DC Date: November 7-10, 2011	110	$291,635	This training conference provided management information on topics essential to HUD’s Community and Planning Development mission, including managing to results and supporting economic recovery. As a result of this event, participants were equipped to manage the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, “OneCPD” technical assistance efforts, underwriting training, and administrative areas such as planning and budget.
Community & Planning Development	CDBG Disaster Recovery Administration Training Location: Ft. Worth, TX Date: February 12-16, 2012	32	$131,221	HUD managers and approximately 300 of HUD’s grantee partners attending this event were provided with the tools and information needed to continue their work in successfully managing and delivering CDBG-DR funding.
Community & Planning Development	HEARTH ACT Training Location: Washington, DC Date: July 31-August 3, 2012	104	$126,000	The goal of this event was to train HUD field staff to successfully implement and manage the new programs and definitions under the McKinney-Vento Act, as amended by the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act. The Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs presented employees with needed information to ensure grantee compliance with eligible activities and record keeping requirements; to understand the nuances of the regulations; and to effectively manage their portfolios consisting of multiple homelessness assistance programs.
Office of Field Policy and Management	National Managers Training (this was not a conference but a training) Location: Washington, DC Date: July 31-August 3, 2012	150	$210,000	Trained all HUD field managers on the Department's Strategic Plan and the Administration’s New Initiatives.
Office of General Counsel	OGC Field Managers Meeting* Location: New York, NY Date: July 9-12, 2012	86	$164,889	This training was provided to OGC Senior Managers in the field, headquarters and Departmental Enforcement Center on the latest legal and enforcement policy developments. Continuing legal education credits were offered to participants. The theme was “Enforcement” and the focus was on the National Mortgage Servicing Settlement and other joint enforcement efforts with the Department of Justice and HUD Office of Inspector General. The HUD Inspector General, Counsel to the Inspector General, and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices of the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York provided training and led discussions on working together to identify and address mortgage fraud. One day of the training was focused on management competencies and conducted by the Brookings Executive Education Institute.
Office of Housing	Multifamily Senior Leadership Conference Location: Atlanta, GA Date: September 11-14, 2012	88	$114,912	The theme of our 2012 Senior Management Conference was ”Looking to the Future”. The theme characterized our efforts to improve effectiveness and efficiency in our asset management operations through the rollout of efforts to manage workload which increased significantly in response to historic levels of FHA Fund utilization. The mission of the agency was advanced by our ability to discuss new initiatives face-to-face, answer questions managers raised regarding technical implementation, and most importantly, our ability to cement the commitment of all of our Multifamily Leaders to the success of the department’s efforts.
Total			$1,038,657

*The OGC Conference Expense was added to this page on February 8th, 2013.

Please visit the conference reporting website of HUD Office of the Inspector General for the conference reporting by HUD OIG.