IB-OR-2003-182-FY 2004 Education Awards Program
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Oregon State Office
P.O. Box 2965
Portland, OR 97208
In Reply Refer to:
1252 (OR-953) P
June 13, 2003
EMS TRANSMISSION 06/17/2003
Information Bulletin No. OR-2003-182
To:
All Employees
From:
Associate State Director
Subject:
FY 2004 Education Awards Program
DD:08/29/2003
I am pleased to announce the 12th year of the Oregon/Washington Education Awards Program sponsored by the State
Human Resource Development Committee (HRDC). This program will again provide an opportunity for eligible
Bureau employees to compete for government paid training for career development. The amount of an individual
award is $400.00.
Statewide there will be eleven awards, one per district and one for the State Office. Alternates will be selected in case
an award is forfeited.
The amount of each award will vary according to the cost of selected employees' approved courses, books, and
supplies (but not student activity fees). The employee does not receive cash, but the Bureau is billed by the education
or training institution. In no case will any one award exceed $400.00.
Employees must meet the following conditions to be eligible to apply for the awards:
a. Be currently employed by the Bureau of Land Management in Oregon/Washington;
b. Be serving under a career, career-conditional, unlimited excepted (SCEP, STEP), or term appointment;
c. Have a current record of service that is passing; and
d. Be currently employed in a position that is at or below a GS-11 full performance level.
2
Employees interested in being considered for an education award should complete and return the attached application
form (Attachment 1) to their State HRDC representative. For details on the selection process, please refer to
Attachment 2.
For counseling and assistance in completing the form, contact your supervisor, administrative office, or personnel
assistant. They can help you to determine how your personal goals may relate to skill and knowledge needs in the
Bureau of Land Management. One of the factors upon which your application will be rated is how your proposed
IB-OR-2003-182-FY 2004 Education Awards Program
training relates to these needs.
Applications must be received by the respective district or State Office HRDC representative by close of business
August 29, 2003. No extensions will be granted. The application recommended by the local HRDC's must then be
approved by the respective District
Manager/Associate State Director by September 30, 2003, and forwarded to the State HRDC representative.
Participation in this program does not preclude a District Manager, Deputy State Director and Branch Chief from
continuing to approve training for employees on a case-by-case basis for career development using colleges and
universities in accordance with an approved
Individual Development Plan (IDP) and Oregon/Washington policy.
Districts with Unions are reminded to notify their unions of this IB and satisfy any bargaining obligations before
implementation. Your servicing Human Resources Office or Labor Relations Specialist can provide you assistance in
this matter.
Signed by
Charles E. Wassinger
2 Attachment(s)
1 - Application Form (Word format) (4pp)
2 - Special Training Component (Word format) (3 pp)
Distribution
WO-700 (Room 5628, MIB) - 1
Authenticated by
Mary O'Leary
Management Assistant
Application No. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
SPECIAL TRAINING COMPONENT, FY 2004 State Human Resource Development Committee (HRDC) A. Name of Program: Oregon/Washington Education Award Program
Eleven awards will be granted; one per district and one in the State Office. Alternates
will be selected in case an award is forfeited.
B. Summary of Program Objective: Career development for Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) employees in OregonIW ashington.
Under this program, the employee will propose courses that will aid his or her
performance of "official duties" and/or accomplishment of career goals. Official duties
mean those tasks which are currently being performed, or which could reasonably be
expected to be performed in the future. This includes potential duties in a different job or
occupation. Each course proposal will be evaluated in terms of BLM needs and staffing
plans, and the career development needs of the employee.
C. Location: Provided the proposed course meets the identified career goals, the employee
may request courses from any institution or organization. On-site, correspondence,
extension, or telecommunication classes are acceptable.
D. Program Administration:
1. The Program Administrator is the State HRDC. State HRDC members may apply.
2. An Education Award is a grant to an employee in an amount not to exceed $400.00.
An award may be applied to one course or to a series of courses which continue for more
than one semester or quarter. The employee does not receive the award as cash. Rather,
the BLM is billed by the education/training institution or supplier for the direct cost of
tuition. Books may also be paid for with BLM funds. However, they become the
property ofBLMand must be turned in to the appropriate BLM library upon completion
of the course (employees who want to retain their books must pay for them with personal
funds). The employee must pay for all student activity fees. Courses may be substituted
only by written petition to the Program Administrator, who must determine whether the
request for substitution preserves the purpose of the original proposal.
Only one award may be held by an employee at anyone time. Study under a prior award
must have been successfully completed before another award can be granted. If an
employee received awards for two consecutive years, they must wait two years from the
last award date before reapplying. Alternately, they may receive an award every other
year.
3. The employee will not have to pay back any tuition ifhe/she is transferring or moving
within a federal agency.
Attachment 2 - 1
Application No. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
4. Selection of Participants
a. All participants must at the time of application and use of the award:
(1) Be currently employed by ORlWA BLM.
(2) Be serving under a career, career-conditional, unlimited excepted
(SCEP, STEP), or term appointment (refer to BLM Manual 1400-410
[rev. 10/92]).
(3) Have a current record of service that is passing.
(4) Be currently employed in a position that is at or below a GS-11 full
performance level or equivalent.
b. Application Process:
(1) In accordance with instructions in the annual anrtouncement of the program,
interested employees should submit the application (Attachment 1) to their
State HRDC representative. The application should be detailed with both
long-range and short-range goals clearly defined, together with specific
supplemental data as to how this particular course of study will be utilized to
achieve those career goals. When more than one course is sought, the
information must be given for each. If specific course names are not available
at the time the application is prepared, the applicant should describe the
general course type that is desired. The statement should also relate the
separate courses to one another in terms of the career goals.
(2) Employees may submit only one application per year.
(3) The application must be signed by the employee's supervisor.
c. Following the closing date for applications, the district/State HRDC
representative will assign an "identification code" to each application to maintain
anonymity. Applications will be forwarded to the local HRDC for rating. Each
committee shall document their selection process.
d. On the basis of the information submitted by the applicants, each selection
committee will determine by consensus which applicant will be recommended to
the respective District Manager or Associate State Director for approval of an
Education Award. After approval, the selection will be forwarded to the State
HRDC for funding. The awardees will be subsequently announced by the State
Director.
e. Along with their recommended selection, the respective districts and the State
Office should include at least one, but not more than two alternates (ranked if
more than one). If an award is forfeited before the program begins, an alternate
may be awarded the amount unused by the original recipient. Participants who
leave OregonIWashington, or the BLM, will forfeit the award and must notify the
Program Administrator so that an alternate may benefit from the remaining award.
Attachment 2 - 2
Application No. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
5. Use of an Education Award
A. In all cases, the Education Award funds must be obligated in the fiscal year
they are awarded or the award will be forfeited. If you are unable to obligate
the funds, notify the Program Administrator immediately. Courses must be
completed within TWO CALENDAR YEARS from the date study began.
Class attendance (or use of correspondence or self-study material) ordinarily
will occur outside the person's normal duty hours. However, if the
requirement to complete the course after hours would prevent an awarded
from participation, office time may be approved in advance by the appropriate
supervIsor.
B. When each course of instructions has been completed, award recipients must,
within 30 days, present their course grade to the Program Administrator, who
will document that the course has been satisfactorily completed. If the
recipient fails to complete the course'work, they may be required to personally
pay for the costs of the course(s) (refer to BLM Manual 1400-410, paragraph
1.2f. [rev. 10/92]).
C. Provided the proposed course meets the identified career goal, the employee
may required courses from any institution or organization. On-site,
correspondence, telecommunication, or extension courses are acceptable.
This also includes study to prepare for a high school diploma equivalency
examination. Grants under this program are outside, and in addition to,
training and education scheduled and approved in the Annual Work Plan.
D. All of the above qualifications and restrictions must be met or the balance of
any award may be terminated by the State Director.
Attachment 2 - 3