Greetings IHS officers,
We have obtained conference attendance approval for the 2022 Commissioned Officers Foundation (COF) Scientific and Training Symposium (Symposium) in Phoenix, AZ from May 23-27, 2022. You can find more information on the COF website. Please be advised that at this time, the symposium is planned to be held in person. Symposium organizers will continue to review this on an ongoing basis and will update the website with any changes/decisions promptly. According to the COF website, full vaccination is required to register and attend symposium and State, local jurisdiction, and CDC guidance will determine mask and social distancing requirements at the time of the meeting.
Each Headquarters Office and Area Director will notify the Division of Commissioned Personnel Support of the names of PHS officers they will sponsor with local federal funding. If you are interested in attending the Symposium, please inform your supervisory chain of command and follow the Area’s instructions to request participation and/or consideration for sponsorship.
Summary
- Travelers are limited to up to 150 officers/civilians assigned to a federal IHS sites to attend the Symposium with Agency funding from your Office or Service Unit. There is no limit on the number of officers attending with funds from a Tribe/Tribal Organization or PHS officers paying out of pocket.
- Each Area Director and HQ Office Director will notify the Division of Commissioned Personnel Support of the participants in the Area/Office who will be sponsored with local federal funds no later than May 18, 2022.
- Registration must be via Purchase Card (P-card) by contacting your P-Card point of contact or local Acquisitions program leadership.
- The Anchor and Caduceus dinner (if attending) and other provided meals must be deducted from the travel authorization. The cost of the Anchor and Caduceus dinner is non-reimbursable and must be paid for by the officer, if attending. Officers should apply the locality Proportional Meal Rate (PMR) for any meals provided. The Concur system does not properly calculate PMR according to JTR, therefore, we need to manually enter the proper PMR in Concur. Officers are to manually adjust the M&IE in Concur by using the M&IE Override function found under the Show Per Diem Conditions of the applicable M&IE and manually enter $45.00. The applicable PMR rate for the locality if one (1) or two (2) meals are provided is $45.00. If all Meals are provided for a day, manually enter $5.00 for incidentals only. Officers should specify on the trip comments or document details if they are participating in the dinner. For Civilian employees, please select the radio button for the corresponding meal provided, for the meal reduction.
Selection of officers
The number of PHS Officers/attendees is limited to approximately 10% of the PHS officers assigned to the Area Federal sites. Travel estimates exclude airfare for Navajo, Phoenix, and Tucson as it is anticipated ground transportation will be utilized to attend.
Note: PHS Officers assigned to Tribes/Tribal organizations are excluded from the limits.
Payment of travel and registration costs
Each Headquarters and Area Office (either directly or through local Service Units) is responsible for the travel costs and/or registration fees for the PHS officers they elect to sponsor. Funding is limited and includes travel and Symposium registration. Remember – PHS Officers must pay the registration fee through the P-Card holder. Individual travel expenses (i.e. lodging, MI&E, airport parking, etc.) must be made on the PHS Officer’s federal travel card. The use of a personal credit card for travel costs when sponsored with federal funds is not permitted, except for the Anchor and Caduceus dinner which is a personal expense and not reimbursable.
Canceling your symposium registration will incur a $35.00 fee. Please notify your P-card holder if you must cancel your travel plans due to a medical emergency or deployment.
Additional attendees/Tribal Organizations
There are no restrictions on officers sponsored by Tribal Organizations or on Federal participants attending at their own expense while on approved annual/administrative leave. In accordance with the Commissioned Corps leave policy, participants choosing to attend at their own expense while on annual/administrative leave must have prior approval, and all applicable leave must be reflected in eCORPS.
Area Offices will submit their attendees list by May 18, 2022 for awareness and accounting. Questions regarding the symposium agenda or activities may be directed to your Regional DCPS Liaison Office.
V/r,
The Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, “Protecting, promoting and advancing the health and safety of the Nation.”