Circular 07-02

Refer to: OMS/DAS

1. Purpose
   
2. Policy
   
3. Responsibilities
   
4. Criteria
   
5. Conference Rooms
   
6. Procedures
   
7. Room Setup
   
8. Moving Partitions
   
9. Rearranging Conference Room Furniture
   
10. Food and Beverages
    
11. Spills and Cleanup
    
12. Decorations and Displays
    
13. Tabletops
    
14. Schedule
    
15. Supersedure
    
16. Effective Date

Circular Exhibit 2007-02-A, "Procedures for Headquarters (Rockville) Video Conference Calls"

1. PURPOSE.  This Circular establishes policy, procedures, and responsibilities governing the use and operation of the Indian Health Service (IHS) Headquarters conference rooms.  The conference rooms are located within the Reyes Building and the Twinbrook Metro Plaza Building.

2. POLICY.  Headquarters conference rooms may be used for both official and non-official purposes.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES.

   1. Chief, Office Services Branch.  The Chief, Office Services Branch (OSB), administers the management and use of the conference rooms and directs the Headquarter Conference Management (HCM) Team.

   2. Headquarters Conference Management Team.  The HCM Team monitors and assigns the conference rooms and is comprised of OSB employees, including the Headquarters Facility Manager.  The HCM Team members may be contacted by e-mail at “IHS HQ Conference Mgmt” in Microsoft (MS) Office Outlook.

4. CRITERIA.

   1. Priority Assignment.  In all cases, a request for conference rooms for “official” use takes priority over a request for “non-official” use.

   2. Official Use.  Conference rooms are available for official purposes such as staff meetings, advisory committee meetings, and job-related training.

   3. Non-Official Use.  Conference rooms are available for non-official purposes such as meetings of recognized Federal employee groups such as the Union and IHS Employee Association.  Based on availability, conference rooms may be used for private functions such as farewell gatherings.  Conference rooms may not be used for:

      1. a meeting or a performance sponsored or conducted by any organization or individual practicing or advocating discrimination based upon race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, or reprisal.

      2. a meeting or activity sponsored or conducted by or for commercial enterprises for profit-making purposes through the direct sale of articles, the charging of an admission fee, the making of an indirect assessment for admission, or the taking of a collection.

5. CONFERENCE ROOMS.  The following conference rooms are available for use:

   1. Reyes Building.  1st floor Computer Training Room 103.

   2. Reyes Building.  3rd floor Conference Room 347 (large conference room).

   3. Reyes Building.  4th floor Rhoades Conference Center (large conference room located right off elevators).  The Rhoades Conference Center can be divided into 3 sections; each section holds 14 participants and has tables with work surfaces.  The following configurations are available for the Rhoades Conference Center:

      1. Conference Room A

      2. Conference Room B

      3. Conference Room C

      4. Conference Rooms A and B

      5. Conference Rooms A, B, and C

   4. Twinbrook Metro Plaza Building.  4th floor Conference Room (large conference room located inside Suite 450 next to kitchen).

   5. Twinbrook Metro Plaza Building.  6th floor Conference Room (large conference room located right off elevators across from Fitness Center).

6. PROCEDURES.

   1. Availability.  Instructions to access. the IHS Conference Room Schedule:

      1. Open MS-Office Outlook and look in the first column on the left side: “Folders List”

      2. Click on “All Public Folders”

      3. Click on “IHS”

      4. Click on “HQE”

      5. Click on “Calendars”

      6. Click on “OMS”

      7. Click on “Reyes” Conference Room Calendar,” or

      8. Click on “Twinbrook Conference Rooms”

   2. Request for use of Conference Room(s).  The request to use a conference room must contain the following information:

      1. Date and time of requested conference room use

      2. The conference room (see Section 5 for listing)

      3. Purpose of meeting and/or title of meeting

      4. Specify service and/or equipment needs (see Section 6F)

      5. Complete title of requesting office

      6. Name and telephone number of requestor (person to be contacted concerning the reservation)

      7. The number of attendees/participants

      8. When requesting the Reyes 4th floor Rhoades Conference Center, please provide specific furniture arrangements (e.g., theater style or classroom style) at least 48 hours in advance.

   3. E-mail.  All requests for the use of the conference rooms must be e-mailed to the HCM Team: The e-mail address is:  “IHS -HQ Conference Mgmt.”

   4. Approval.  Approval or non-approval will be communicated by telephone and/or e-mail when the reservation is received.

   5. Cancellations.  The requestor is responsible for canceling a reservation as soon as it is determined that the room will not be needed.  The requestor must:

      1. Send an e-mail to the HCM Team: “IHS -HQ Conference Mgmt,” or

      2. telephone the DAS at (301) 443-0815 to release the conference room, and

      3. notify the Office of Information Technology (OIT) Help Desk of the cancellation, if services or equipment were requested from them.

   6. Standard Equipment.  Conference rooms are equipped with:

      1. Telephones.  Telephones are available in each conference room.

      2. Tables, Chairs, and Flipchart.  Each conference room contains tables, chairs, and flipchart stands.

   7. Services, Equipment, and Office Supplies.  The initial request must specify service and equipment needs such as, video conferencing teleconferencing, video media needs, etc:

      1. Audio and Video Conferencing.  Audio and/or video conferencing services must be requested at least 72-hours (3 workdays) in advance through the OIT User Support Team (“HQE Help Desk”) to ensure the proper set-up and testing of video and teleconferencing equipment.

         The requesting office is responsible for submitting the "Procedures for Headquarters (Rockville) Video Conference Calls," form (Circular Exhibit 2007-02-A) to the OIT User Support Team.

      2. Multi-media Equipment.  Media kits such as laptops and projectors can be acquired through the DAS, Property and Supply staff at (301) 443-1382.  Make the reservations as soon as possible to ensure availability of equipment.  The requesting office is responsible for contacting the OIT Help Desk at least 48 hours in advance for the set-up of the multi-media.

      3. Overhead Projector.  The request for an overhead projector must be made at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting’s start time to allow for the delivery and set-up of the overhead projector.  Projectors are available in the Rhoades Conference Center.

      4. Office Supplies.  Please bring your own supplies to your event.  Offices that are located adjacent to the conference rooms may not be requested to provide meeting participants with paper, writing instruments, or other office supplies.

7. ROOM SET-UP.  Rooms are arranged to provide maximum service to all users and must not be rearranged without the permission from the IHS Headquarters Facilities Manager.  The e-mail address is “IHS -HQ Conference Mgmt.”

8. MOVING PARTITIONS.  The Reyes 4th floor Rhoades Conference Center can be sectioned off into three separate rooms.  The moving partitions may be operated and adjusted ONLY by HCM Team personnel.  Contact the IHS Headquarters HCM Team well in advance to ensure that the partitions are reconfigured to your specifications if you need to open or close the partitions for your event.  Keep all doors to each room closed during the meeting or event.

9. REARRANGING CONFERENCE ROOM FURNITURE.  If a conference room is rearranged to meet specific needs, the individual who requested the conference room is responsible for reconfiguring the conference room and they must return the room to its original configuration when the event concludes.  This instruction does not apply to the 4th floor Rhoades Conference Center in the Reyes Building.  The requesting individual must notify the HCM Team, of any specific furniture arrangements required (e.g., theater style or classroom style), at least 48 hours in advance to allow ample time to schedule movers to arrange the furniture.

10. FOOD AND BEVERAGES.  Tables should be included in the set up of the conference room for events where food and beverages are to be provided.  Juggling plates and cups at an event where there are only chairs may lead to spillage.

11. SPILLS AND CLEANUP.  It is the meeting planner’s responsibility to immediately report any spills to IHS Headquarters Facilities Manager, in person or by telephone at (301) 443-0648 or (301) 443-0815.  The Facilities Manager will notify housekeeping as soon as possible.  The meeting planner must also increase the meeting participants’ awareness to be especially careful to avoid any spillage before any food or beverages are served.

12. DECORATIONS AND DISPLAYS.  Decorations should be free-standing and not be attached to any surfaces with adhesives of any kind.  No decoration (in any form) shall be attached to tables, chairs, walls, ceilings, or carpeting.

13. TABLETOPS.  Tabletop finishes are easily scratched.  Please use caution when using writing instruments, serving utensils, and other sharp objects on the tabletops in each of the conference rooms.

14. SCHEDULE.  A current conference room schedule will be posted near the door of each conference room.

15. SUPERSEDURE.  This circular supersedes IHS Circular No. 2002-04, dated November 18, 2002.

16. EFFECTIVE DATE.  This circular becomes effective on the date of signature