NAP-19, NNSA Administrator's Official Reception and Representation Fund

NNSA POLICY LETTER NAP-19 Approved: 02-15-08 NNSA ADMINISTRATOR’S OFFICIAL RECEPTION AND REPRESENTATION FUND NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION Office of Business Operations AVAILABLE ONLINE AT: INITIATED BY: http://hq.na.gov Office of Business Operations NAP-19 1 02-15-08 NNSA ADMINISTRATOR’S OFFICIAL RECEPTION AND REPRESENTATION FUND 1. PURPOSE. To establish NNSA policy and procedures on the use of the NNSA Administrator’s Reception and Representation Fund (R&R Fund). 2. CANCELLATIONS. None. 3. APPLICABILITY. The provisions of this Policy Letter apply to all NNSA organizations. 4. BACKGROUND. Congress annually authorizes NNSA to use a small portion of its funds for official reception and representation expenses and establishes a dollar limit on the amount of these expenses. The Administrator’s custodianship of official reception and representation funding traditionally entails a great deal of discretion as to expenditures. This does not mean, however, that there are no limits on the proper expenditure of the fund. Because public confidence in the integrity of those who spend the taxpayer’s money is essential, only the Administrator and Principal Deputy Administrator may authorize expenditure of R&R Funds. NNSA’s R&R Funds provide for the proper representation of the United States in fulfilling the NNSA mission. Every effort shall be made to limit the provision of gifts using representation funds in connection with only high-level activities that are clearly representational in nature. This fund is used by the Administrator and Principal Deputy Administrator for activities connected with official agency business. The appropriations for this fund are limited. It is the goal of NNSA to make effective but conservative use of limited resources. 5. REQUIREMENTS. a. R&R Fund expenditures must be approved in advance. Employees who expend R&R funds without prior authorization may be held personally liable for the expenditures. b. Only the Administrator or Principal Deputy Administrator may authorize expenditure of R&R Funds. c. Official R&R Funds are available for official entertainment hosted in a formal sense by high-level agency officials, as authorized by the Administrator or Principal Deputy Administrator, and may not be used for entertainment in connection with an unauthorized activity. d. The NNSA Administrator’s R&R Fund is the primary source of money for funding various business and social functions which aid the NNSA in improving 2 NAP-19 02-15-08 its working relationships and image, especially with other agencies, governments, and private citizens. For such functions to warrant the use of R&R Funds they must: (1) be hosted by the Administrator or Principal Deputy Administrator; (2) serve the goal of representing the official work of the NNSA; (3) promote interests relevant to the lawful mission of the NNSA; (4) when requested by the U.S. Department of State’s Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy, promote the interest of the diplomatic mission of the United States; and (5) when requested by the Director of a DOE/NNSA International Office for an event sanctioned by the U.S. Department of State’s Deputy Chief of Mission (or Minister Counselor for Administrative Affairs, in the DCM’s absence) at the U.S. Mission, to promote NNSA interests at the diplomatic mission of the United States. e. As a general rule, appropriated funds may not be used to provide food or meals

for Federal civilian employees at their official duty stations. R&R Funds may be used, however, to pay the costs of limited breakfast or lunch or light refreshments at functions that involve representation of NNSA to other agencies, governments, and private citizens. Federal employees at these events must have a principle role in the event or meeting. The Administrator or Principal Deputy Administrator must be present and personally participate in such events. For overseas functions, the Director of the DOE International Office, who represents the Administrator, must be present and personally participate in such events. f. R&R vouchers must include the following information: (1) Type, purpose, and location of function; (2) Names and titles of American and foreign guests of honor; and (3) A brief description of the official business conducted. g. R&R Funds may be used to purchase diplomatic gifts given by the Administrator or Principal Deputy Administrator for representation purposes. Such gifts will be ordered and inventoried through the Office of the Associate Administrator for Management and Administration. After approval from the Associate Administrator for Management and Administration, the Directors of DOE/NNSA International Offices may also purchase gifts and present them on behalf of the Administrator. Such gifts may be purchased in the host country but must be coordinated in advance with the Office of the Associate Administrator for Management and Administration. h. Individual diplomatic gifts given by the Administrator or Principal Deputy Administrator will cost no more than $225.00. Additional approval will be NAP-19 3 02-15-08 required if this amount is to be exceeded (see paragraph 6.c below). Recommended gift values by positions are as follows: (1) Cabinet and Sub-Cabinet or Equivalent Officials – between $51 and $200 (2) Deputy Assistant Secretaries, Ministers, Diplomatic Corp Officials – between $21 and $50 (3) Special Assistants, Host Country Executives, Support Staff – under $20. i. The advance person accompanying the Administrator or Principal Deputy Administrator will be responsible for ensuring the diplomatic gift is ready and available for the Administrator or Principal Deputy Administrator to present during the meeting with the foreign dignitary. j. At the end of a trip, the advance person accompanying the Administrator or Principal Deputy Administrator will provide the Office of the Associate Administrator for Management and Administration a written record of all diplomatic gifts the Administrator or Principal Deputy Administrator presents to foreign dignitaries. At a minimum the record shall include the following: (1) Item presented. (2) Name of individual. (3) Title/organization and country represented. (4) Event. k. R&R Funds may be used to purchase token gifts that remind the recipient of NNSA’s mission or goals. Token gifts include items such as coffee mugs, paper pads, pencils, ballpoint pens and lanyards that do not exceed $20. l. Token gifts will be ordered and inventoried through the Office of the Associate Administrator for Management and Administration. m. During any fiscal year, no more than $20 shall be spent on gifts for any one recipient. n. Distribution of gifts purchased using R&R Funds by any one other than the Administrator or Principal Deputy Administrator are restricted to items of de minimis value, such as coffee mugs, paper pads, pencils, ballpoint pens and lanyards imprinted with the NNSA logo.

o. R&R funds not obligated during the year of their appropriation are carried over and will be available to the Administrator or Principal Deputy Administrator in subsequent years, until expended. 4 NAP-19 02-15-08 6. PROHIBITIONS. a. Purely social and personal events must not be charged to R&R Funds. b. NNSA may not use operating appropriations to purchase or pay contractors for gifts, meals, or receptions for foreign and domestic participants in U.S. Government-sponsored cooperative activities under international agreement. c. No appropriated funds other than funds from the “Emergencies in the Diplomatic and Consular Service” account of the Department of State may be used to purchase any tangible gift of more than minimal value (as that term is defined in 10 C.F.R. § 1050.103(e)) for any foreign individual unless such gift has been approved by Congress. d. R&R Funds may not be used to provide food or refreshments at intra-government work sessions or routine business meetings, even if held outside normal working hours. e. The costs of food for United States Government employees on temporary duty who do not have a principal role in the event or meeting and attend R&R functions where meals are provided will not be included in R&R vouchers. Instead, they will pay for their meal out of their Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) funds on their travel vouchers. 7. RESPONSIBILITIES. a. NNSA Administrator and Principal Deputy Administrator: (1) Authorize expenditure of R&R Funds. (2) Designate senior NNSA officials who are authorized to host R&R functions. b. Office of the Associate Administrator for Management and Administration: (1) Complete DOE F 1500.4, “Request and Authorization for Expenditure of Office Reception and Representation Expenses” for each expenditure of R&R Funds. Ensure obligation of R&R funds through the ECWeb System or funding memo to accounting. (2) Order and inventory diplomatic gifts to be given by the Administrator or Principal Deputy Administrator and paid for from the Administrator’s R&R Fund.