Student Contract Availability Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 12:47:49 -0500 To: "A - Division Chief and Staff", "B - Branch Chiefs and Offices", "DC - All District Chiefs", "AO - All Administrative Officers" From: "Alice A. Sabatini, Division Administrative Officer, WRD" Subject: Student Contract Availability I have been informed by the Regional AOs that the student contract authority is being implemented within their regions. Cost centers are contacting their regional procurement office for assistance in creating packages and in obtaining competition for the student hires. Most awards are being done directly with students because we did not receive much response from universities in response to our nationwide "solicitation". If you are interested in hiring students this year, please contact the Chief of your local procurement office's Small Purchase Branch. You can obligate the student stipend for up to 12 months from the date of award. For example, if the award is made on March 30, 1999 it can run for one full calendar year, to March 29, 2000 and funds to cover the student stipend for the entire year can be obligated at the time of award. Please be aware that because of tax liability issues, the USGS has decided not to contract with 1st year college students. This decision was made because it is believed that a certain level of maturity is required to handle the payment of taxes to the IRS. The USGS includes money to cover employer taxes in the stipend, but when we contract with the student directly, it is their responsibility to make quarterly tax payments to the IRS. The procurement office provides them with information and instruction on how to do this.