NIH Principals Administrative Officers:	Alternates:
Richard Freed, NIAID	Janice Kitzmiller, NIDDK
Carroll Hanson, NHLBI	Mary Slagle, NEI
Carol Smith, NINDS	Michelle Patturica, NCI
Ana Ferreira, NINR	Carrie Watkins, NCI
Linda Adams, NHGRI	Angela Childers, NCI
Corrine Abbot, NIDCD	Dedi Daniels, NCI
Robert Dennis, NIMH	Ron Adams, CC
Edie Smith, CIT
Karen Sikes, OIR/OD	Guests:
Elaine Sikes, CC	Joel Papier, OM/OFM
Anita Brooks, VRC	Tim Tosten, ORS
Janis Mullaney, OD/OIR Liaison	Ellen Grant (new Project Officer for contract)
Don Bortner, NIA
Mary Affeldt, NIDA

I. Meeting of Principal Administrative Officers (closed session):

 Introduction and Discussion

Bob Dennis welcomed everyone and introduced Richard Freed, NIAID as the new Co-Chair for the NIH Intramural Administrative Officers. Janis Mullaney will continue to provide Co-Chair support for the period of her coverage of the position of Liaison for DDIR.

1. New Policies related to World Travel Service (WTS)

Tim Tosten, ORS, began by announcing that World Travel Service would be replaced by Omega Travel, effective February 15, 2001. There are few issues to iron out in the contract, but the new contractor will be in place and operational by February 15. There will be offices here on campus in Building 10 (same location as WTS), and on Montrose Road in Rockville, as well as a proposed office in Frederick. Update: A recent notice was issued that WTS has protested the decision on Omega's protest, and that WTS will remain in the Travel Center until April 15, pending decision.

Tim will be working with the new contractor to review some issues/procedures that have been problems in the past (such as electronic tickets not available at the gate or 20-minute hold times for callers), and intends to build the contract to hold them accountable for a higher standard. For example, Omega has phone centers across the country, and should be able to transfer calls as needed to provide more rapid assistance. Under Omega, turnaround time for government travel should be under 3 hours, and 3 business days for non-government travel. He will check with Omega about using e-mail to improve the turnaround time for ICs= receipt of orders.

He then discussed the matter of travel policy, stating that the current rules for using WTS for hotels and car rentals originate with GSA. He dealt with a number of questions about anecdotal situations. For example, where the traveler was given hotel rates by WTS that differed from hotel quotes, he indicated that rates change quickly because of reserved blocks, etc, but suggested a call to Joel Papier when such cases arise. There is a new effort by GSA to secure Apremiere@ hotel arrangements to guarantee government rates.. The AOs indicated that to meet the needs of travelers, they want the option to request specific hotels, even if accommodations may be less costly elsewhere. Tim noted that WTS will reserve a requested hotel, even if it is above the government per diem. The AOs expressed concern that added levels of negotiation, instead of direct dealings between the IC and the hotel/car rental agency for example, increase the likelihood of error. It was then suggested that IC data could be captured in the Data Warehouse and provided to GSA, offsetting the GSA need to restrict the purchase process. Joel Papier indicated he would explore it.

Tim reported that one reason for GSA rules for not using travelers' credit cards for ticket purchases is that they want a single source of data for processing and reporting. Tim agreed that it is difficult to enforce not using travelers' credit cards, but that policy needs to be communicated and that vouchers will reflect purchases. The Travel Management Center plans to create reports to determine if lodging was booked in conjunction with travel fares. The AOs suggested that this policy go the IC Directors and Executive Officers, to be reinforced. It would be an exception if the sponsor for travel booked the hotel and/or car, in kind. However, if the traveler is to be reimbursed, these must be booked through the travel service. The contractor will arrange family person travel along with employees' official travel. It was made clear that ANTE available funds@ is not allowed for travel, since an employee is entitled to full government per diems.

Tim indicated that the travel web site should be ready soon, and that NIH Manual 1500, Chapter 2 will be on-line soon, for search of NIH policies. Also, the travel profile form, which is currently available on the NIH forms page, is due on the web soon.

2. IAO Retreat

Bob Dennis and Richard Freed discussed the prospect of the next IAOs' retreat. Everyone agreed that the retreat last year was helpful and would like to beginning planning for a retreat this year, sometime between March and early June. The location and agenda items for the retreat were discussed, suggested locations were Baltimore (Inner Harbor area), Annapolis, and Chantilly, VA. Most agreed that 1 to 1.5 or 2 days would be sufficient and would allow ample time to accommodate travel time and the agenda schedule (TBA).

Bob Dennis will send out (via e-mail) the action list from the prior retreat as possible topics for the next retreat, welcoming any additional suggestions or comments. It was agreed that formal training was desirable as part of the agenda; preferably associated with credentialing/accreditation. It would be best at the beginning or end of the retreat, to ensure adequate time is allocated to it.. The planning committee will explore possible training topics.

3. Pre-IRTA and PostDoctoral Fellows Stipends

Janis Mullaney announced that the Scientific Directors approved a 3.8% increase in stipends for all Pre-IRTA, and a 6% increase for all PostDoctoral Fellows, effective April 1, 2001. It was also noted that the OD is strongly encouraging the ICs to use other authorities for appointing research/scientific staff in order to make more of the limited number of Special Experts slots available to other types of positions. Janis reminded the group that the AO minutes are available on website address:

http://www1.od.nih.gov/oir/sourcebook/administrative/administrative-toc.html