Personnel Delegation #4

AUTHORITY DELEGATED AND TO WHOM

1. Pursuant to the authority delegated to the Associate Director, Office of Human Resources (OHR), on October 23, 1992, I hereby delegate to all Associate Directors, for personnel within their respective organizations, including personnel in or under a regional office but excluding Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Officers, the authority to:
   1. Establish and grant honor awards, in accordance with Instruction HHS 451-1, subject to the approval of the Director, Indian Health Service (IHS), that are in addition to those prescribed Departmentwide, PHS, and Indian Health Servicewide;
   2. Recommend groups to the Director of Headquarters Operations, for recommendation 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;
   3. Recommend individuals or groups to the Director of Headquarters Operations, for recommendation 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 $3,501 and $10,000 for individuals and between $7,501 and $10,000 for groups;
   4. Recommend individuals or groups to the Director of Headquarters Operations, for recommendation to the Director, IHS, for recommendation to the Assistant Secretary for Health, who will recommend to the Secretary, Presidential, Departmental and non-HHS awards; and
   5. Recommend time off awards.

REDELEGATION AND RESTRICTIONS

2. Except as noted below, the authorities delegated in paragraph 1. above may not be redelegated.
   • The authority delegated in paragraph 1. e. above may be redelegated; 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. 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.
4. The PHS maintains a separate Incentive Awards Program at the PHS level to provide recognition through types of awards appropriate to PHS Commissioned Officers.
5. IHS Personnel Office (Headquarters) has responsibility for the central administrative direction of the Incentive Awards Program within IHS.
6. All redelegations must be in writing and be in accordance with Instruction HHS 250-3, Delegation of Personnel, EEO Authority and Headquarters/Regional Office Relationships.

RETENTION OF AUTHORITY

• For IHS Headquarters personnel, the authority to approve cash awards in amounts up to $2,500 is retained by the Director of Headquarters Operations.

INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE

7. 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 1-5.2F-4, Incentive Awards and Employee Suggestions Program, TN 89-1, dated April 10, 1989.

EFFECTIVE DATE

This delegation is effective upon date of signature.