Indian Health Service
                                                                                                                                          Rockville MD 20857
                                                                        OCT 23 1992

                                                                                                                                          Personnel #4
               TO:         Associate.Director
                              Office of Health Program Research and Development
.
             FROM:      Director of Headquarters Operations

             SUBJECT:  Delegation of Authority for Incentive Awards Programs
 

             AUTHORITY DELEGATED AND TO WHOM

           1. Pursuant to the authority delegated to the Director of Headquarters
               Operations by the Director, Indian Health Service (IHS), on
               October 23, 1992, I hereby delegate to the Associate Director,
               Office of Health Program Research and Development (OHPRD) for
               personnel within her organization, including personnel in
               or under a regional office but excluding Public Health Service (PHS)
               Commissioned Officers, the authority to:

          a. Grant cash awards based on special acts or services, inventions,
              and adopted employee suggestions in amounts not to exceed $2,500
              for individuals or groups (award funds must be apportioned
             quarterly so that no more than one fourth of the total funds
             are paid out in any one quarter);

        b.  Establish and grant honor awards, in accordance with Instruction
             HHS 451-1, subject to the approval of the Director, IHS, that are
             in addition to those prescribed Departmentwide, PHS and Indian
             Health Servicewide;

      c. Recommend groups to the Director, IHS, for recommendation to the
          Assistant Secretary for Health for cash awards for special acts or services,
          inventions, and adopted employee suggestions in amounts
           between $5,001 and $7,500;

      d. Recommend individuals or groups to the Director, IHS, for
          recommendation to the Assistant Secretary for Health for
          recommendation to the Secretary for cash awards for special acts or
          services, inventions, and adopted employee suggestions in amounts
          between $3,501 and $10,000 for individuals and between $7,501 and $lO,O0O
          for groups;

    e. Recommend individuals or groups to the Director, IHS, for
        recommendation to the Assistant Secretary for Health for
        recommendation to the Secretary for Presidential, Departmental and
        non-HHS awards;

     f. Grant length-of-service recognition for service of 34 years or less;

     g.  Sign retirement certificates; and

     h. Recommend and approve time off awards.
 

       REDELEGATION AND RESTRICTIONS .

      2.  Except as noted below, the authorities delegated in paragraph 1. above
           may be redelegated, with further redelegation authorized:

         a. The authority to approve cash awards in amounts up to $2,500 may
             not be redelegated.

         b. The authority delegated in paragraph 1. h. above may be redelegated
             with further redelegation authorized; however, the official approving
             a time off award for more than one work day must be at a higher level
             than the official recommending the award. Recommending officials are
             authorized to grant time off awards without review or approval for
             periods not to exceed one work day.

      3. Regional Directors have been delegated the authority to grant the Regional
          Director's Citation to employees in or under a regional office or to individuals
          or organizations outside the Department. This authority may not be redelegated.

    4.  Regional Directors must be given the opportunity to provide comments on
         individual recommendations that require approval by the Secretary, for
         Presidential, Departmental, or non-HHS awards, when such recommendations
         are submitted for an employee in or under the regional office.

    5.  All proposed cash incentive awards for SES members must be forwarded to
         the Director, IHS, who must concur prior to review by the Office of the
         Assistant Secretary for Personnel Administration.

     6.  PHS maintains a separate Incentive Awards Program at the PHS level to
          provide recognition through types of awards appropriate to PHS
          Commissioned Officers.

      7. IHS Personnel Office (Headquarters) has responsibility for the central
          administrative direction of the Incentive Awards Program within IHS.

     8. All redelegations must be in writing and be in accordance with Instruction
         HHS 250-3, Delegation of Personnel, Equal Employment Opportunity Authority
         and Headquarters/Regional Office Relationships.

     RETENTION OF AUTHORITY

    The Director, IHS, retains the authority to:

       -    Approve cash awards for amounts between $2,501 and $3,500 for
            individuals and between $2,501 and $5,000 for groups; and

        -  Grant length-of-service recognition for 35 to 50 years of service;
 

         INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE.

          9, Requirements and instructions for exercising this authority are contained
              in United States Office of Personnel Management interim regulations,
              Federal Personnel Manual, Chapter 451, and Personnel Instruction HHS 451-1
              (amended August 9, 1991).

      SUPERSESSION

        This delegation supersedes Indian Health Manual, Part 1, Chapter 5,
        Delegations of Authority, Exhibit l-5.2F-4, Incentive Awards and Employee
       Suggestions Program, TN 89-1, dated April 10, 1989.

     EFFECTIVE DATE

       This delegation is effective upon date of signature
 

                                         
                                                      Assistant Surgeon General