Reduction in the Operating Expense Portion of the National Training Center Course Fees To: " WRD Archive File, Reston, VA " cc: "Isabelle Halley des Fontaines, Chief, Br. Admin. Mgmt. Sys., Reston, VA " Date: Sat, 28 Feb 1998 13:41:06 -0500 From: "Isabelle Halley des Fontaines, Chief, Br. Admin. Mgmt. Sys., Reston, VA " February 27, 1998 MEMORANDUM To: District Chiefs Branch Chiefs From: LeRoy Schroder Acting Chief, National Training Center Subject: Reduction in the Operating Expense Portion of the National Training Center Course Fees In an effort to make the course fees at the National Training Center (NTC) more competitive, we are reducing the operating expense portion of the fee by $150 effective from the start of fiscal year (FY) 1998.  The operating expense fee charged by the NTC covers demand-driven costs related to the courses conducted (e.g., equipment rental and maintenance, utilities, computer software licenses, etc.)  At the start of this FY, the operating expense costs were $400 per student for a standard (lecture) course and $450 per student for a computer course.  The operating expense cost will now be $250 per student for all courses.  This reduction is the result of internal cost cutting measures and increased course attendance since FY 1995 when the operating expense charges were last adjusted. We plan to refund the difference between the revised fee and the amount charged to students that have already taken courses at the NTC this FY.  (Note:  Students taking NT computer courses taught by a contractor will not receive a refund because they were charged $250 initially.)  The refund will be applied to the account number that was originally charged the equalization fee.  Approximately 200 students have already been charged for courses at the NTC this FY, so it will take us some time to process all of the refunds.  We hope to complete this process no later than April 30. We will continue to work to reduce costs at the NTC.  If you have questions regarding the refund or the revised course fees, please contact Paula Leshinski at 303-236-4932 x254 (email -- pleshins). ____________________________________________ Jeanette D. Heller U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division Branch of Technical Development and Quality Systems _____________________________________________ P.O. Box 25046, MS 401 Denver, CO 80225 E-mail: jheller@usgs.gov Phone: (303) 236-1870 ext. 306 ______________________________________________