Indian Health Service
                                                                                                                                     Rockville MD 20857
                         OCT 2 3 1992
                                                                                                                                     Personnel #4

.

           TO:            Associate Director
                             Office of Human Resources

           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 on October 23, 1992, I  hereby delegate to the Associate
              Director, Office of Human Resources (OHR) for personnel within Indian
              Health Service (IHS) headquarters including personnel in or under
              a regional office but excluding Public Health Service (PHS)
             Commissioned Officers, the authority to:

             a. 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;

              b. 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;

              c. 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 $10,000 for groups

              d. 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;

               e. Recommend and approve time off awards.

             REDELEGATION AND RESTRICTIONS

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

                     - The authority delegated in paragraph 1. e. above to approve time off
                        awards 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, The Public Health Service maintains a separate Incentive Awards Program at
                 the PHS level to provide recognition through types of awards appropriate
                 to PHS Commissioned Officers.

             7. The 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.

             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-l
               (amended August 9, 1991).

              SUPERSESSION

            This delegation supersedes the delegation in the 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