From: For OS announcements to all of HHS <HHS-NEWS-ALL@LIST.NIH.GOV> On Behalf Of HHS News (HHS/ASPA)
Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2020 10:39 AM
To: HHS-NEWS-ALL@LIST.NIH.GOV
Subject: February 28, 2020 Deadline for Submission of Annual CY 2019 Report of Outside Activities, HHS Form 521
HHS Employees,
Each HHS employee who engaged in certain types of outside employment, or other outside activities, must file an annual report of those activities. 5 C.F.R. § 5502.102. The outside activities covered by this requirement are: (1) consultative or professional services; (2) teaching, speaking, writing, or editing that relates to official duties, or that is undertaken at the invitation of a prohibited source; and (3) service as an officer, director, board member, or member of a council, commission, or panel for a non-Federal entity. 5 C.F.R. § 5501.106(d).
The report form, HHS 521, “Annual Report of Outside Activity,” is due annually on or before February 28 for the prior year and covers: (1) outside activities occurring in the prior year that were approved using an HHS 520 Form, “Request for Approval of Outside Activity,” even if not undertaken; (2) any activities that were undertaken, even if not previously approved; and (3) any activity approved in 2018 that did not begin until 2019.
The HHS 521 is submitted through the employee’s supervisor to the appropriate ethics official for your division. To identify your appropriate ethics official, go to http://www.hhs.gov/ogc/contact/contacts.html. If you are an NIH employee, go to http://ethics.od.nih.gov/coord.pdf to find your Institute’s or Center’s ethics officials.
Employees are NOT required to submit Negative HHS 521 reports. This means if you did not engage in the types activities described above or did not have an approved an HHS 520 for activities that occurred during some portion of 2019 you do not file an HHS 521, as you have nothing to report. Also, HHS employees who were hired after January 1, 2020, do not file an HHS 521 for CY 2019 either.
Unlike the HHS 520, a single HHS 521 may cover several different activities. For more information as to what types of outside activities need to be reported on an HHS 521, see http://intranet.hhs.gov/ethics/ethics_topics/outsideactivities.html. If you have further questions, contact your ethics official.
HHS 520 and HHS 521 forms may be found on the HHS PSC forms site at: http://intranet.hhs.gov/forms/hhs_forms.html. If you lack access to the HHS Intranet or the Intranet form will not open for you, these same forms may also be obtained on the Internet at: http://www.hhs.gov/forms/publicuse.html. Filers have the option of submitting them to their supervisors signed in ink or by email using their PIV card to sign electronically.
The information below is ONLY to be used by ACF, CDC, CMS, HRSA, and NIH employees in submitting their HHS 521 form:
NOTE: ACF employees must submit their HHS-521 forms electronically using the HHS 521 Outside Activity Filing system, found here: https://extranet.acf.hhs.gov/ethics_521 . This online system allows users to complete, review, sign, and submit annual reports of outside activity. If you need to file an HHS 520 go to https://extranet.acf.hhs.gov/ethics_520. For questions or concerns, contact the ACF Ethics Program staff: ethics@acf.hhs.gov .
NOTE: CDC employees must submit their HHS-521 forms electronically using the Ethics Program Activity Tracking System (EPATS). EPATS allows users to complete, review, sign, and submit: financial disclosure reports, request for outside activities, and annual reports of outside activities. You may access EPATS at: http://epats.cdc.gov/ to complete and submit your HHS-521, using the guidance provided at: http://intranet.cdc.gov/ocio/docs/systems-tools/EPATS_HHS521_UserGuide.pdf. If you need to file an HHS-520, use the EPATS and follow the guidance provided at: http://intranet.cdc.gov/ocio/docs/systems-tools/EPATS_HHS520_UserGuide.pdf.
NOTE: CMS employees must submit their HHS 520 and 521s in CATS, found here: https://cats.cms.gov/.
NOTE: HRSA employees must complete and submit their 520s and 521s electronically via the HRSA SharePoint: https://apps.hrsa.gov/forms/hr/Pages/Home.aspx.
NOTE: NIH employees must submit their HHS 521 forms electronically using the NIH Enterprise Ethics System (NEES), pursuant to the guidance provided at: http://ethics.od.nih.gov/procedures/HHS-521-Procedure.pdf. If you need to file an HHS 520, use the NEES and follow the guidance at: https://ethics.od.nih.gov/procedures/HHS-520-Submit-Procedure.pdf.