International Program Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 16:25:23 -0400 From: Anna Lenox Reply-To: "Anna M Lenox, Chief, IWRP, Reston, VA" To: "E - All WRD Employees", "Cynthia M Cluck, Reston, VA" , "William P Gregg, Reston, VA" , "Bruce F Molnia, Reston, VA" , "Barbara J Ryan, Reston, VA" CC: "Anna M Lenox, Chief, IWRP, Reston, VA" Subject: International Program--Changing Practices MEMORANDUM To: All WRD Employees From: Chief, International Water Resources Program Subject: International Program We live in an era of changing business practices, and requirements related to international activities seem to move in lock step. This memorandum is intended to inform employees who may become involved in international activities of recent changes in the way that we do business and to remind them of continuing requirements. First, all Water Resources Division (WRD) employees who travel to Canada are asked to review WRD Memorandum No. 95.48. Although travel to Canada does not require initiation of a Foreign Travel Certification Form (DI-1175), a Travel Information Sheet must be provided to this office for consolidation with bureau reports to the Departments of Interior and State. It is essential that the American Embassy in Canada be notified a minimum of 7 days prior to an employee's departure for Canada, and Embassy notification cannot be delegated below the Headquarters level. Violation of this requirement could result in departmental revocation of the Canadian exemption from the foreign travel process. Second, The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Operations Council has agreed to a new policy regarding employee use of annual leave while on foreign travel. Effective immediately, it is the policy of the USGS that use of reasonable amounts of annual leave may be authorized at the discretion of an employee's supervisor in accordance with general governmentwide and departmental policies on use of annual leave. Any request for annual leave in conjunction with foreign travel must be reported on the DI-1175, and the leave shall not increase the cost to the government of the official travel. A reconstructed travel voucher must be filed to claim reimbursement for (only) the official travel; please note that IWRP does not need a copy of the voucher. Third, but equally important--any request for approval of foreign travel (with the exception of bona fide emergency travel) that is not received in this office 6 weeks prior to departure from the United States will not be processed. This policy is based upon the following: (a) The bureau requires submission of a DI-1175 no fewer than 21 days prior to an employee's departure from the United States. (b) The bureau also requires that all travel to meetings, symposia, workshops, training, etc., be included in the quarterly foreign travel report--which requires submission minimally 6 months prior to travel. (c) A country clearance cable must be initiated to obtain both approval of the country desk officer at the Department of State and the American Embassy in the country to be visited; many countries require this cable be initiated 2-4 weeks prior to arrival. Violation of either (a) or (b) above requires this office to initiate a formal memorandum to the bureau Associate Director for Operations providing a strong justification for submitting a late request. Many WRD employees zealously observe these requirements; unfortunately, some do not. Processing a late request delays processing of those requests received on time. This puts undue stress on IWRP staff, brings censure from both the Director's Office and the department, and delays approval of other employees' travel. For all the reasons stated above, I want to emphasize that, with the exception of bona fide emergency travel, IWRP will not process any request for approval of foreign travel that is not received in this office at least 6 weeks prior to departure from the United States. My phone number is 703-648-5053 if you have questions or need clarification of the above guidelines. Thanks from the IWRP staff for your cooperation! -- Anna M. Lenox Chief, International Water Resources Program U.S. Geological Survey 420 National Center Reston, VA 20192 Phone: 703-648-5053 Fax: 703-648-6687 Email: alenox@usgs.gov