U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Commissioned Corps Delegation #7

CHAPTER 5
DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY

	Commissioned Corp #7

SUBJECT: PHS COMMISSIONED OFFICERS TRAVEL

Pursuant to the authority vested in the Director, Indian Health Service, by the Reorganization Order of January 4, 1988, (52 FR 47053), which elevated the Indian Health Service to a PHS Agency, and in accordance with the authority delegated to all PHS Agency Heads by the Director, Office of Management, PHS, on February 10, 1983, as amended by April 29, 1983 and February 8, 1984 memorandums, I hereby delegate the following authorities as indicated below:

The authorities to:

Issue Government travel requests (GTR's);
Determine that U.S. certified air carrier or vessel of U.S. registry is unavailable and authorize use of non-U.S. certified air carrier or vessel of foreign registry;
Direct specific mode of temporary duty travel or use of transportation request;
Authorize use of privately owned vehicle for temporary duty travel;
Authorize use of transoceanic ferry for temporary duty travel;
Authorize rest stop for officers in temporary duty travel status;
Establish rate of per diem (within Joint Travel Regulations (JFTR) specified maximum) for temporary duty or travel aboard commercial vessel or U.S. Government vessel totally leased for commercial operation;
Authorize use of apartment, house, mobile home, travel trailer, or recreational vehicle as quarters while on temporary duty;
Authorize use of Aero Club aircraft incident to temporary duty travel;
Authorize reimbursement for trip insurance when necessary to meet legal requirements of travel in a foreign country;
Authorize incidental expenses related to official travel when necessary to successful performance of duty;
Authorize reimbursement for travel expenses incurred in and around duty station while conducting official business;
Determine the local commuting area of a station, where such determination has not already been made by higher authority;
Authorize travel of attendants or escorts for officers and dependents and deceased active duty officers; and authorize payment of expenses for such travel;
Authorize withdrawal and delivery of one partial lot of household goods from temporary storage at Government expense;
Authorize transportation at Government expense of remains of deceased officer;
Authorize transportation of remains of deceased dependent of officer on duty (other than active duty for training) both within and outside the United States;
Authorize reshipment of household goods when improperly shipped; and
Authorize advance of funds for travel.

TO WHOM DELEGATED	AREA OF AUTHORITY	AUTHORITY DELEGATED
Deputy Director, IHS	IHS-wide	(a) - (s)
Director of Headquarters Operations	IHS-wide	(a) - (s)
Associate Directors, IHS	IHS-wide	(a) - (s)
Deputy Associate Director, OHPRD	Tucson, AZ	(a) - (s)
Administrative Officer, OHPRD	Tucson, AZ	(a) - (s)
Director, Clinical Support Center	Phoenix, AZ	(a) - (s)
Area Directors	Respective Area	(a) - (s)
Area Deputy Directors	Respective Area	(a) - (s)
Area Executive Officers	Respective Area	(a) - (s)
Service Unit Directors	Respective Service Unit	(a) - (s)
Administrative Officers	Respective Service Unit	(a) - (s)
Program Manager, Headquarters West	Headquarters Personnel, Albuquerque, NM	(a) - (s)
Chief Fiscal Officer, IHS	IHS-wide	(s)

AUTHORITY TO REDELEGATE

The authorities under paragraph one (1), except for authorities under (h), (i), (l), (m), (n), (p) and (q) may be redelegated by Area Directors and Associate Directors, IHS, no lower than one organizational segment below the Office of the Headquarters Associate Director or the Office of the Area Director. Service Unit Directors may redelegate this authority one organizational segment below the Office of the Service Unit Director. Headquarters Associate Directors and Area Directors shall ensure that (1) travel allocation plans exist for their respective office and those organization segments to which this authority is delegated and all travel orders have a stamped or written certification by the financial management office that funds are available in accordance with the organization segments approved travel plan.

All the authorities under paragraph one (1) may be exercised by the delegates in the preceding paragraph. The Service Unit Director and Administrative Officer are delegated, without authority to redelegate, all the authorities under paragraph one (1).

Issue travel orders and direct an officer or group of officers to perform temporary duty not to exceed six months duration, and approve travel orders issued under unusual conditions which were not originated by competent authority (such as travel incident to emergency), involving the following types of travel:

Travel between points within the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia (referred to herein as CONUS);
Travel within an overseas area, including Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. Territories, but not including transoceanic travel as defined in Appendix J, JFTR Volume 1;
Travel between a point within CONUS and a point outside CONUS; and
Travel between points outside CONUS involving transoceanic travel as defined in Appendix J, JFTR, Volume 1.

TO WHOM DELEGATED	AREA OF AUTHORITY	AUTHORITY DELEGATED
Deputy Director, IHS	IHS-wide	(a) - (d)
Director of Headquarters Operations	IHS-wide	(a) - (d)
Associate Directors, IHS	IHS-wide	(a) - (d)


Director, Clinical Support Center	Phoenix, AZ	(a) - (b)
Area Directors	Respective Area	(a) - (b)
Area Deputy Directors	Respective Area	(a) - (b)
Area Executive Officers	Respective Area	(a) - (b)
Associate Director, OHPRD	Tucson, AZ	(a) - (b)
Deputy Associate Director, OHPRD	Tucson, AZ	(a) - (b)
Executive Officer, OHPRD	Tucson, AZ	(a) - (b)
Service Unit Directors	Respective Service Unit	(a) - (b)
Administrative Officers	Respective Service Unit	(a) - (b)
Program Manager, Headquarters West	Headquarters Personnel, Albuquerque, NM	(a) - (b)

AUTHORITY TO REDELEGATE

The authorities under 2(a) and 2(b) may be redelegated. The authorities under 2(c) and 2(d) may not be redelegated.

The authority to direct travel of applicants for the commissioned corps, and authorize payment for such travel.

TO WHOM DELEGATED	AREA OF AUTHORITY
Associate Director, OHPRD	Tucson, Arizona
Deputy Associate Director, OHPRD	Tucson, Arizona
Area Directors	Respective Area
Area Deputy Directors	Respective Area

AUTHORITY TO REDELEGATE

The authority may be redelegated only to directors of Service Units where physical examinations, qualifying examinations, or other processing will take place.

RETENTION OF AUTHORITY

The Director, IHS, was delegated the following authorities without authority to redelegate:
1. Authorize acceptance from non-Federal sources of cash for deposit to the appropriation to cover travel expenses (reimbursement in cash - RC);
2. Authorize acceptance from non-Federal sources of services-in-kind, the purpose of which is to defray travel expenses (reimbursement in-kind - RK);
3. Authorize acceptance of cash reimbursement to the traveler for retention by him (cash reimbursement retained by traveler - RR); and
4. Authorize travel of the dependents, shipment of household goods, and transportation of the privately-owned motor vehicle of a commissioned officer who dies while on active duty. (This authority will be exercised in accordance with chapter 7, part D; chapter 8, part G; and chapter 11, paragraph 11005, of the Joint Federal Travel Regulations of the Uniformed Service.)
The Director, Office of Management, PHS, retains the following authorities:
1. Authorize or approve the use of first class accommodations on commercial aircraft, or accommodations superior to lowest first-class on trains and vessels;
2. Authorize travel and transportation entitlements pursuant to a missing persons determination; and
3. Direct or authorize travel and transportation entitlements pursuant to:
  1. Temporary duty pending further assignment;
  2. Temporary duty in connection with a permanent change of station;
  3. Temporary duty for an indefinite period of time or which exceeds six months; and
  4. Temporary duty under orders which do not direct return to the permanent station.

RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS

An official to whom authority is delegated may exercise such authority within his specified area except when applicable to the designated official himself. Authorizing officials must have their own travel authorized or approved by either:

an authorizing official occupying a higher organizational level of authority; or
by the operating agency chief administrative officer.

IHS Area Directors must have their travel approved by the Director, Indian Health service, their respective Deputy Associate Director, IHS, or Associate Director, Office of Administration and Management, IHS. No IHS official may authorize or approve his/her own travel.

INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE

Area Directors should insure that travel allocation plans exist for those organization segments to which this authority is delegated and all travel orders/instruments have a stamped or written certification by the financial management office that funds are available in accordance with the organization segment's travel plan.

These authorities shall be exercised in accordance with applicable statutory, regulatory, policy program, or procedural requirements. For the purposes of this delegation, the authority to authorize an action is understood to include the authority to approve an action where the joint travel regulations or service regulations provide for the approval of the action.

SUPERSESSION

This delegation supersedes Exhibit 1-5.2A-8, Subject: Commissioned Corps Personnel - Travel, Indian Health Manual, Part 1, Chapter 5, Delegations of Authority, Transmittal Notice 87.4, dated August 21, 1987.

EFFECTIVE DATE

This delegation is effective upon the date of signature.


Date:11/23/88	/Everett R. Rhoades, M.D./ Director Indian Health Service

TN 89.3 ---- (06/26/89) ---- INDIAN HEALTH MANUAL