Cost of Hosting A Conference Guidance Document. DoD Cost Guidance Portal

Transcription

1 Cost of Hosting A Conference Guidance Document DoD Cost Guidance Portal Cost Guidance Group 1/14/2013

2 Table of Contents Table of Contents Introduction Purpose of Document Background DoD Cost Guidance Portal Access Authentication Workstation Web Browser Setting Internet Access... 5 U.S. Department of Defense Web Site (Defense Link)... 6 Cost Assessment & Program Evaluations (CAPE) Web Site Access Errors... 6 Error Error Error Propriety Information Costs to Include in a Cost Estimate Calculator Fields Event Start Date * Duration (days) * Event End Date * Event Title * DoD Component Organization Name * Name of Organization Sponsoring the Event * Event Type * Event Location * Did you follow guidelines in Executive Order 13589? * Did you follow guidelines in FedRooms? * Total Event Activities Itemized Costs * Total Event DoD Manpower Costs* Military or Civilian Manpower Composite Methodology... 9 Military Manpower Rates... 9 Page 2 of 16

3 Civilian Manpower Rates Manpower Calculation Assumptions Cost of DoD Travel Expenses Incurred while Planning the Event * Estimated DoD Attendee Costs * Total Event Cost Recovery* Will this Cost Estimate Data be Required on a Recurring Basis?* Enter the frequency of this recurring estimate (i.e., biennial, annual, quarterly, etc.): Please provide any additional comments: Enter Your Address * Estimated Hosting Costs (excluding DoD Manpower) and Manpower Costs Save & Display Results Post Save & Display Screen Edit this Cost Estimate Create a New Estimate Using this Data Print this Cost Estimate this estimate to colleagues or manager for approval Approve the estimate Provide Actual Cost DoD Cost Guidance Portal Support Page 3 of 16

4 1 Introduction Cost of Hosting A Conference Guidance Document Purpose of Document The purpose of the Cost of Hosting a Conference Guidance document is to provide an overview of the DoD Cost Guidance Portal. The topics covered include how to gain access, use of this web based tool, how to store and retrieve data, and how to get help. The tool assists DoD personnel when using the costing calculator to estimate costs associated with hosting a conference. Sharing the resulting cost estimate with supervisors and approving officials within your DoD component also provides transparency and consistency when planning conferences for DoD. 1.2 Background The DoD Cost Guidance Portal was developed to meet Secretary of Defense efficiency and savings campaign. In August 2010, the Secretary of Defense directed a series of initiatives to move our defense enterprise toward a more efficient, effective, and cost conscious way of doing business. To instill a culture of saving within the Department, he directed that every new proposal or initiative large or small, be it policy, program or ceremony, affecting the lowest rank or the highest come with a cost estimate. To implement this guidance, the Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) partnered with the Principal Staff Assistants, the Joint Staff, and Military Departments to develop an intranet web site that could be easily accessed and used by all DoD personnel with a Common Access Card (CAC). The DoD Cost Guidance Portal contains templates, business rules, automated tools to calculate cost estimates, and online guidance. The Portal was launched in December 2010 to the Office of Secretary Defense Components and rolled out DoD wide in February In February 2012, OUSD (P&R) in conjunction with the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) (USD(C), Deputy Chief Management Officer, and Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) were tasked to develop a set of best practices for conference spending. Effective September 29, 2012, the Deputy of the Secretary of Defense issued guidance relating to hosting and attending conferences, consistent with Office of Management and Budget s (OMB) earlier guidance on May 11, The guidance requires approval, in writing, for hosting conferences. For DoD hosted conferences whose total cost to the government is above $500,000, include cosponsorship with a non Federal entity, or include spousal travel, approval is required by the top tier of approving authorities as listed in the Sept 29 DSD memo. A slightly larger set of officials may approve DoD hosted conferences whose total costs are between $100,000 and $500,000. Those same officials may approve, or designate approval to General Officers, Flag Officers, or Senior Executive Service members, for DoD hosted conferences costing less than $100,000. Each Component must maintain approval memos and report to DCMO quarterly on all conferences hosted or attended by the Component. The total cost to the government should include both hosting and attending expenses, but should not include the opportunity cost of time spent planning or attending the conference. Note that the DoD Cost Guidance Page 4 of 16

5 Portal distinguishes between expenses and labor costs. See the Implementation of Conference Oversight Requirements and Delegation of Conference Approval Authority memorandum dated September 29, 2012 for the list of approving authorities, additional details on whether particular activities qualify as a conference, and a list of exemptions to the reporting and approval requirement. When preparing for your event, GSA Federal Acquisition Services (FAS) offers two programs to help identify facilities and locations for Conferences and Meetings. It is recommended that users visit these links prior to estimating costs of hosting events in the DoD Cost Guidance Portal. FedRooms a website where you can do market research to locate a facility to hold a conference, no user name and or password required ( Traveltrax helps you find the best location for the conference to include lowest carbon footprint. FAS E Gov/Travel Services Branch Contact Information: (703) DoD employees must follow the methodology principles outlined on the DoD Cost Guidance Portal ( and Guidance document to estimate costs associated with hosting an event. DoD employees may not rely solely on their own guidance, methods, and tools for estimating costs unless approved by the Cost Guidance Group or the Secretary of Defense. 2 DoD Cost Guidance Portal Access DoD employees may access the DoD Cost Guidance Portal through the U.S. Department of Defense or Cost Assessment & Program Evaluations (CAPE) Web Sites. Access to the DoD Cost Guidance Portal requires authentication to view and utilize the guidance, methods and tools. 2.1 Authentication The DoD Cost Guidance Portal is available on the DoD NIPR Net platform. DoD employees may access the DoD Cost Guidance Portal from a Common Access Card (CAC) enabled computer in a *.MIL domain. Other approved domains include: ndu.edu, nps.edu, usma.edu, hq.dodea.edu, usnwc.edu, state.gov, and usna.edu. 2.2 Workstation Web Browser Setting Before you begin, confirm your web browser is set to allow pop ups. If your web browser is blocking pop ups some of the calculator functionality described below may be restricted. To check your web browser: From the Internet Explorer (IE) menu bar, select Tools, Click Pop up Blocker, Click Turn off Pop up 2.3 Internet Access The DoD Cost Guidance Portal may be accessed through the U.S. Department of Defense or the Cost Assessment & Program Evaluations (CAPE) Web Sites. Page 5 of 16

6 U.S. Department of Defense Web Site (Defense Link) To access the DoD Cost Guidance Portal through the U.S. Department of Defense Web Site, follow the below steps: Go to Scroll down to the gray shaded area at the bottom; click Military/DoD Websites Using the letters at the top, click D Scroll down, click DoD Cost Guidance Portal Cost Assessment & Program Evaluations (CAPE) Web Site To access the DoD Cost Guidance Portal through the Cost Assessment & Program Evaluations (CAPE), follow the below steps: Go to, Under Announcements, click DoD Cost Guidance Portal 2.4 Access Errors If you receive an error when attempting to access the DoD Cost Guidance Portal, please contact your workstation Help Desk. Your Help Desk may need to work with your network/server team to resolve the problem. Error This error occurs when the computer workstation used to access the DoD Cost Guidance Portal does not present an Internet Protocol (IP) address that resolves to a *.MIL address in both a forward and reverse lookup, or does not match. Error This error occurs when the user does not have a CAC or does not select a CAC card certificate when attempting to access the DoD Cost Guidance Portal. Error This error occurs when the CAC certificate has expired, been revoked, or the DoD Cost Guidance Portal server is unable to contact the revocation server to verify the status of the certificate. 3 Propriety Information Due to proprietary or competition sensitive information that may be contained in a cost estimate, proper handling of sensitive material should be used. Cost estimates are intended solely for the use of Department of Defense to whom addressed. DoD employees are not permitted to disclose, copy, or distribute to unauthorized individuals. Unauthorized disclosure may result in civil or criminal penalties. 4 Costs to Include in a Cost Estimate The two elements of costs to include in each estimate are: Page 6 of 16

7 Estimated costs associated with DoD manpower to account for the cost of time spent preparing to host an event and time spent actually hosting the event Actual costs associated with government travel, lodging, transportation, per diem, meals and incidentals, etc. incurred while hosting an event or preparing to host an event (DTS) 5 Calculator Fields The calculator has a real time calculation feature. The total estimated cost, located at the bottom of the screen, will automatically re calculate as sections are completed. When all sections have been completed, you must click "Save & Display Results" to generate the cost estimate. The cost estimate will include: Estimated Hosting Costs (excluding Manpower) Estimated DoD Manpower Costs Date the cost estimate was generated Unique Reference Identification Number All fields with an asterisk (*) must be completed with accurate information to submit cost estimates and enable printing of labels. 5.1 Event Start Date * Click the digital calendar to find the expected event start date Duration (days) * Enter the total number of days the event will take place. The event date can be entered to the tenth of a day. For example, a DoD employee can enter 0.2 days Event End Date * The calculator will automatically calculate the Event End Data field using the Event Start Date and Duration (days). Formula used to calculate the end date is Day + (Duration 1) = Event End Date. This field is locked. Below are few calculation examples If the Event Start Data contained 8/22/2012 and Duration was set 3, the formula would be: o 22 + (3 1) = 24; Event End Date If the Event Start Data contained 8/22/2012 and Duration was.5, the End Date and formula would be: o 22 + (1 1) = 22; Event End date Event Title * Type the title of the conference, symposium, training seminar, ceremony, or other event. 5.3 DoD Component Organization Name * Using the drop down arrow, click the component name sponsoring the event. The component acronym will be first followed by the complete name, such as JCS Joint Chiefs of Staff Name of Organization Sponsoring the Event * Type in the organization (within the component) sponsoring the event, such Global Strategic Partnerships. Page 7 of 16

8 5.4 Event Type * For the purpose of this guidance, a conference will be defined by the general definition in the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) and Joint Federal Travel Regulations (JFTR). A conference is a meeting, retreat, seminar, symposium, or other event that typically involves attendee travel. The term conference also applies to training activities that are considered to be conferences under 5 CFR However, this definition is only a starting point. What constitutes a conference for the purpose of this guidance is a fact based determination based on an evaluation of the criteria established in this attachment. Conferences are also often referred to by other names, such as conventions, expositions, symposiums, workshops, or exhibitions. They typically involve topical maters of interest to, and the participant of, multiple agencies and/or nongovernmental participations. Indicia of a formal conference often include but are not limited to registration, registration fees, a published substantive agenda, and scheduled speakers or discussion panels. Individual events may qualify as conferences without meeting all of the indicia listed above, but will generally meet some of them. Please note that some training events may qualify as conferences for the purposes of this guidance, particularly if they take place in a hotel or conference center. If you are attending an event co sponsored with a Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), please select DoD Co Sponsorship (or Non Cost Contract) Conference with Non Federal Entity. Please see DSD Sept 29 memo for a list of exemptions to the conference approval requirements. 5.5 Event Location * Type the location (city, state, and country) of the event. For events held in non US countries, State will not be required. 5.6 Did you follow guidelines in Executive Order 13589? * Select the answer that best describes compliance to meet mission needs in accordance with the Executive Order , Promoting Efficient Spending, dated November 9, Reference Sec. 3. Travel. (a) Agency travel is important to the effective functioning of Government and certain activities can be performed only by traveling to a different location. However, to ensure efficient travel spending, agencies are encouraged to devise strategic alternatives to Government travel, including local or technological alternatives, such as teleconferencing and video conferencing. Agencies should make all appropriate efforts to conduct business and host or sponsor conferences in space controlled by the Federal Government, wherever practicable and cost effective. Lastly, each agency should review its policies associated with domestic civilian permanent change of duty station travel (relocations), including eligibility rules, to identify ways to reduce costs and ensure appropriate controls are in place. (b) Each agency, agency component, and office of inspector general should designate a senior level official to be responsible for developing and implementing policies and controls to ensure efficient spending on travel and conference related activities, consistent with subsection (a) of this section. For the purposes of this guidance, travel is defined as all temporary duty travel and civilian domestic permanent change of station (PCS) travel. Military PCS travel and Operations Tempo temporary duty travel are excluded, though Components are encouraged to review them to the extent practicable. Page 8 of 16

9 5.7 Did you follow guidelines in FedRooms? * Select the answer that best describes your FedRooms results. 5.8 Total Event Activities Itemized Costs * Enter each itemized cost incurred to host the event. The calculator allows for multiple itemized costs to be entered. To add an itemize cost, click Add New Itemized Cost and complete each column: Item, select the down arrow to view common itemized costs or type in the name of the Itemized Cost Units, enter the quantity for each itemized cost Unit Value, enter the associated costs for each item (in current fiscal year dollars) Click "Save." The calculator will automatically store the costs (in current fiscal year dollars) The calculator will dynamically update the section total on the far right and the estimated amounts at the bottom when Save is clicked. See the Implementation of Conference Oversight Requirements and Delegation of Conference Approval Authority memorandum dated September 29, 2012, Attachment 3 Definition of Conference Costs for a list of conference expenses and exemptions. 5.9 Total Event DoD Manpower Costs* Enter both military and civilian personnel associated with DoD oversight and execution time planning and hosting the event (contractors should not be included). The calculator allows for multiple personnel to be entered individually or grouping by grade. To add personnel, click Add New Event Activity and complete each column. Activity, select DoD role for each DoD employee who is expected to host and/or assist in organizing the event Description, type in personnel name or notes when grouping by grade Grade, use the drop down menu to choose the rank, grade, or GS equivalent of the employee who will host or plan the event. Manpower, enter the total number of days or hours associated with event role Qualifier, select the if using Man Days or Man Hours Click "Save." The calculator will automatically store the costs (in current fiscal year dollars) The calculator will dynamically update the section total on the far right and the estimated amounts at the bottom when Save is clicked Military or Civilian Manpower Composite Methodology The calculator will automatically calculate the costs associated with DoD manpower based on the values defined in the columns of the Total Event DoD Manpower Costs, field and using the defined methodology below for Military and Civilian Manpower Rates. Military Manpower Rates The calculator will automatically calculate costs associated with DoD oversight/activity for military personnel using FY 2013 DoD composite rates only. These rates do not include the fully burdened cost of military Page 9 of 16

10 manpower. That is, they do not account for costs of health care, education assistance, discount groceries, child development and day care facilities, training, recruitment and advertising, DoDEA and family assistance, manpower management, other personnel support, child education (impact aid), Veteran's employment and training, Veterans' benefits (cash and in kind), or treasury contributions to retirement, concurrent receipts, or MERHCF. The composite rates used in this calculator are published annually by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Comptroller, and are available at Civilian Manpower Rates The calculator will automatically calculate costs associated with DoD oversight/activity for civilian personnel using 2012 General Schedule rates associated with the District of Columbia region. Once available, these rates will be updated for These rates do not include the fully burdened cost of civilian manpower. That is, they do not account for Title 38 medical premium pay, overtime/holiday/other pay, incentive/performance awards, retention allowance, social security and Medicare (employer's contribution), recruitment/relocation bonuses, health care (employer's share of FEHBP), Permanent Change of Station (PCS), Federal Employee Group Life Insurance (FEGLI), transportation subsidies, worker's compensation payments, retirement accrual (employer's contribution), Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board payments (TSP matching), unemployment insurance payments (FUTA), severance pay/separation incentives, severance health benefits, discount groceries (OCONUS only), recruitment and advertising, training, unfunded civilian retirement, postretirement health benefits (DoD's share of FEHBP), or postretirement life insurance (DoD's share of FEGLI). The General Schedule rates associated with the District of Columbia region are published by the Office of Personnel Management, and are available at Manpower Calculation Assumptions 260 man days per year 2,087 man hours per year 21.7 man days per month 5.10 Cost of DoD Travel Expenses Incurred while Planning the Event * Enter travel expenses incurred while planning the event. Travel costs, as well as the Temporary Duty (TDY) location, should be computed for relevant travel based on actual costs reported from the Defense Travel System (DTS), or other sources if DTS is not available (e.g. vouchers). Travel costs should include all costs associated with travel, such as airfare, lodging, etc. For each travel expense incurred while hosting an event, click Add New Trip Cost and complete each column. Trip Description, enter brief travel description. Units, enter the quantity for each cost Unit Value, enter the travel costs for each item (in current fiscal year dollars) Click "Save." The calculator will automatically store the costs (in current fiscal year dollars) The calculator will dynamically update the section total on the far right and the estimated amounts at the bottom when Save is clicked. If no travel expenses were incurred, enter N/A in the description and $0.0 in the Unit Value. Page 10 of 16

11 5.11 Estimated DoD Attendee Costs * Enter the estimated number of DoD and Non DoD (such as spouse, dignitary, DoD official, celebrity, etc) attendees whose travel expenses will be paid by DoD. The costs must include expenses paid by all components within the DoD, not just a single organization. Attendee costs include, but are not limited to: authorized travel and per diem expenses, registration, exhibitor, sponsor, or conference fees, ground transportation and/or parking fees. The calculator allows for multiple entries to be entered individually or by grouping. For each entry, click Add New Attendee Cost and complete each column. Attendee, enter brief attendee cost description. Units, enter the quantity for each cost Unit Value, enter the travel costs for each item (in current fiscal year dollars) Click "Save." The calculator will automatically store the costs (in current fiscal year dollars) The calculator will dynamically update the section total on the far right and the estimated amounts at the bottom when Save is clicked Total Event Cost Recovery* Enter in all direct and indirect costs reimbursed to DoD from non government attendees expected to attend the event. For the purpose of this guidance, revenue includes, but is not limited to; non appropriated funds, registration, exhibitor or sponsor fees collected. This revenue should be considered as a benefit (or a negative cost) associated with hosting an event. To add negative costs, click Add New Recovery Cost and complete each column. Description, type in a brief description of the negative costs Unit, enter the quantity for each negative costs (such as registration, exhibitor or sponsor) Unit Value, enter the fees associated with each negative cost (in current fiscal year dollars) Click Save. The calculator will automatically store the costs (in current fiscal year dollars) If you do not expect to receive any negative funds, enter N/A in the Description and $0.0 in the Unit Value Will this Cost Estimate Data be Required on a Recurring Basis?* Select "Yes" if the cost estimate will be recurring. Selecting "Yes" will ensure a unique Reference ID number is generated for additional estimates. The Reference ID number should be retained for future access. Select "No" if this cost estimate is a onetime event Enter the frequency of this recurring estimate (i.e., biennial, annual, quarterly, etc.): Type in the frequency this recurring estimate will be generated Please provide any additional comments: Type in any notes/comments that will help you and the designated approve validate the estimate was developed in a manner consistent with DoD s guidance. Page 11 of 16

12 5.15 Enter Your Address * The calculator will automatically a copy of the cost estimate to the address entered in these two fields when the Save and Display Results is clicked. The Cost Guidance Group recommends the author of the cost estimate enter their address. The author should be the DoD employee preparing the cost estimate. The author should be prepared to walk through their cost estimate (i.e. What is included/excluded in the cost estimate and why?) should your supervisor and/or approving official or Cost Guidance have questions. The address entered must match in both fields and result in *.MIL, ndu.edu, nps.edu, usma.edu, hq.dodea.edu, usnwc.edu, state.gov, and usna.edu domains Estimated Hosting Costs (excluding DoD Manpower) and Manpower Costs The DoD Cost Guidance Portal displays two estimates at the bottom; Estimated Hosting Costs (excluding manpower) and Estimated Manpower Costs. Estimated Hosting Costs will include the costs detailed in section 6, Cost of DoD Travel Expenses and Fees Incurred While Hosting an Event. Estimated Manpower Costs will include DoD s personnel s time planning and hosting the event. The two estimates are in support of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) s memorandum dated May 11, 2012, Promoting Efficient Spending to Support Agency Operations, that specify all outlays for conference preparation and planning should be included but the Federal employee time for conference preparation should NOT be included Save & Display Results Once all mandatory fields have been accurately entered into the system, click "Save & Display Results" at the bottom right of the calculator Post Save & Display Screen After clicking "Save & Display Results," the cost estimate will be displayed with a tool bar feature. Page 12 of 16

13 The Cost Guidance Group recommends you bookmark the cost estimate to gain instant access in the future. Follow the below steps to bookmark: Click the 'Reference' ID link above and select "Add to Favorites" from the popup menu Type a new name for the bookmark; specify the folder that you prefer the bookmark to be saved in, and then click "Add". To access this cost estimate in the future, simply find this bookmark in your 'Favorites' folder listed in the Internet Explorer toolbar. Edit this Cost Estimate Click "Edit" if you would like to add, modify or delete data in this cost estimate. When you edit an existing cost estimate, the manpower rates will remain the same. Meaning, if you modify the manpower rates on an existing estimate, the calculator will use the rates in effect at the time the original cost estimate was created. Page 13 of 16

14 Create a New Estimate Using this Data If you would like to create a new cost estimate using data from this existing estimate, you must first confirm the existing estimate has the recurrence question in section 9 set to YES. If not, you must: Click "Edit" Go to section 9, select Yes and define frequency in 9b Click "Save and Display Results" If the recurrence question in section 9 is set to Yes, click "Create New Estimate Using this data." The calculator will create a new cost estimate with a new Reference ID Number, PIN and copy data from the estimate you were in. When generating a new estimate, the calculator will automatically recalculate the manpower rates in effect. Below are the following fields that will NOT copy to the new estimate: Event Start Date Duration (days) Event End Date Event Type Executive Order #13589 Compliance FedRooms Compliance Comments Approval If new fields have been added since the original estimate was created, you will be required to complete those fields. If you copy an existing estimate and the manpower rates changed since the cost estimate you are copying from was created, you will receive a popup notifying you of a pay scale change. If you are copying an existing cost estimate that contains eliminated manpower grades, you will receive a popup warming notifying you of the eliminated manpower grade change(s). Page 14 of 16

15 The warning will indicate the calculator section that will need to be changed prior to saving. Once opened, the calculator will also reflect a warning in the row that needs updating. Print this Cost Estimate To print this estimate, click "Print" Select the local printer you would like to print to. To print on both sides, click "Preferences" and select the "Finishing" tab, and check "Print on both sides" and click "ok" to save. Click "Print" this estimate to colleagues or manager for approval DoD employees are not permitted to disclose, copy, or distribute to unauthorized individuals. Unauthorized disclosure may result in civil or criminal penalties. To this cost estimate to an authorized colleagues and/or manager for approval, click . A popup window will appear with the following fields Your Full Name o The calculator will automatically populate this field with the Common Access Card (CAC) name used to access the DoD Cost Guidance Portal. This field is locked and may not be changed. Address o The calculator will defaults to the address entered into the cost estimate when created. o You may edit the address by manually typing in the address you would like to send to. Subject o The calculator will default to the title entered into the cost estimate when created. o You may edit the title by manually typing in the subject line prior to sending. To send the , you MUST click "Send." The text entered into the message box will be inserted into the content section of the Microsoft Outlook . Page 15 of 16

16 Approve the estimate To approve an estimate, click Approve. Approval authorities must ensure compliance with all applicable law and DoD s policies and controls. Appointed DoD personnel may approve a cost estimate. The calculate will not restrict DoD personnel from approving an estimate, although the approver will be recorded and date approved. Approver comments will be recorded in the cost estimate. Provide Actual Cost To update a cost estimate with the actual cost of the event, the estimate MUST meet two conditions: Be Approved Event must have already taken place Enter the total actual cost of hosting the event. 6 DoD Cost Guidance Portal Support For additional guidance, please contact your DoD Component Point of Contact (POC). To locate your DoD Component POC, click Costing Support in the bottom menu bar found on any DoD Cost Guidance Portal web page. For technical support related to calculator functionality, please click Technical Support at the bottom of the website. Page 16 of 16