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Government Best Practices Training Course™

GAO's Principles of Federal Appropriations Law
 Understanding How to Spend -- and Keep -- Federal Dollars
(The GAO Red Book explained in practical terms)

July 25-27, 2006

Holiday Inn North
3600 Plymouth Rd
Ann Arbor, MI

REGISTER NOW - SEATS ARE LIMITED!

“I would place a good sized bet that no one in the world knows more about GAO’s Principles of Federal Appropriations Law than Meg Archibald.”
David Fick, Management Analyst, BearingPoint

 NOTE: On-line registrations for this workshop are now closed. Space is available for walk in registrants. To register the day of the conference, please call Pamela Greenstein at (703) 807-2758.
 

Registration: 8:00 AM (Day One Only)
Program Starts: 8:30 AM
Wrap-up: 4:30 PM

****PLEASE NOTE: The course materials consist of two 2" binders. Please bring an extra bag or a suitcase big enough to carry the materials. ********

About This Workshop

In 1982, the GAO released its first edition of Principles of Federal Appropriations Law.  It was a collection of the body of law governing the expenditure of federal funds.  In 1991, the current four set volume was released.

Today, agency program managers, general counsel, contracts administrators and financial officers are all faced with significant challenges in meeting organization needs within current budgets.  What are the rules?  How are they applied in practice?  What are the typical mistakes made that result in wasted or lost funds?  How can an agency protect its budget?   How can an agency manager maximize their allocation?

The rules governing federal appropriations are complex, extensive and fill four binders.   This course, taught by leading experts in government contract law, will provide the student with an overview of the rules, how they are applied, and most importantly, how to maximize funds with budget limits AND within the rules.

Learn precisely how the Federal government’s budget and spending system works – and how to avoid impasses at each phase in the process, from initial planning through ultimate disbursement.

What You Will Learn
  • Initial planning phase
  • Budgeting
  • Congressional role
  • Limitations on spending
  • Antideficiency questions
  • Contract funding
  • Personal liability
  • Statutory compliance

And more…

Under the Current administration and Congress, financial pressures are mounting – and will continue to mount for the foreseeable future. Those of you who handle Federal funds and have to find ways to do more with less need to know how to maneuver on the Federal financial highway.

The subtle rules on the availability of appropriations can absolutely block an otherwise well-reasoned management plan. The difficulty is that these rules are not well known, not well publicized, and not easy to understand. Fortunately, though, there exist clear precedents that you can follow to avoid reaching such impasses – and avoid incurring personal financial liability for failure to comply.

This course will take you through every facet of the budgeting and spending processes. You’ll get a thorough analysis of all funding activities, as seen through the eyes of the contracting, certifying, and disbursing officers. And you’ll participate in sessions that explore controlling decisions by the General Accounting Office.

We invite you to join us for three days of educational adventure.

This workshop is recommended for 24 Continuous Learning Points (CLPs) toward DAWIA/FAC-C requirements. A Market*Access "Certificate of Completion" will be provided to all attendees upon conclusion of the workshop.

A new government report recommends contract training to achieve better federal contracting results.  Click here to download the Managing the Government’s Technical Experts to Achieve Positive Contract Outcomes report by the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board dated December 2005.


Course Syllabus

A. Legal Framework

  1. Constitutional basis
  2. Historical review
  3. Basic definitions

B. Life Cycle of an Appropriation

  1. Budget formulation
  2. Congressional process
  3. Enactment of funding gap
  4. Apportionment and allotment
  5. Close of fiscal year
  6. Audit and review

C. Interpreting Appropriation Language

  1. Line item vs. lump sum appropriations
  2. Effect of budget estimates
  3. Reprogramming and transfer
  4. Permanent legislation in an appropriation
  5. Interrelationship of authorization and appropriation
  6. Application of legislative history

D. Availability of Appropriations as to Purpose

  1. Necessary expense rule
  2. Specific purpose limitations
  • Entertainment and recreation
  • Insurance
  • Personal expenses and furnishings
  • State and local taxes

E. Availability of Appropriations as to Time

  • Bona fide needs rule
  • Materials contracts
  • Service contracts
     
  1. Replacement contracts rule
  2. Contract modifications
  3. Year-end disposition of appropriation balances
  4. Elimination of “M” accounts

F. Availability of Appropriations as to Amount

  1. Earmarking language
  2. Antideficiency Act
  3. Augmentation of appropriations

G. Obligation of Appropriations

  1. Recording Statute
  2. Contingent liabilities
  3. Deobligation

H. Continuing Resolutions



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Who Should Attend

 
  • Agency Program Managers
  • Budget and Financial Officers
  • General Counsel
  • Contracts Administrators
  • Procurement Executives
  • Federal support contractors
  • Federal product and services suppliers, systems integrators

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Previous Attendees Include:

  • Acquisition Solutions, Inc., Senior Acquisition Analyst
  • DS ST PROS, Senior Resource Manager
  • BearingPoint, Management Analyst, Consulting
  • Department of Commerce, Deputy Chief Information Officer
  • Department of Labor
  • FDA, Budget Analyst
  • Harris Corporation, Director GWAC
  • NOAA, Budget Team Leader
  • NOAA, Budget Analyst
  • National Institute of Standards and Technology, Budget Analyst
  • National Science Foundation, Administrative Manager
  • NSWC - Crane, Financial Analyst
  • TSA Denver, DHS, Administrative Officer
  • U.S. Arctic Research Commission, Administrative Officer
  • U.S. Coast Guard, Deputy Comptroller
  • U.S. Department of Education, Budget Analyst
  • U.S. Department of Education, Management & Program Analyst
  • U.S. EPA, Administrative Officer
  • U.S. EPA, Contract Specialist
  • U.S. EPA, Manager, ATG, LOD
  • U.S. EPA, Program Specialist
  • VT National Guard, U.S. Property & Fiscal Officer for Vermont

     

About Your Instructor

 Meg Archibald graduated from Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania in 1972. While teaching public school in Ithaca, New York, she earned an M.S. in social studies education from the State University of New York at Cortland. In 1975, she began law school at American University in Washington, D.C., receiving a J.D. degree in 1978. During law school Ms. Archibald worked for Congressman Matthew McHugh and for the General Accounting Office (GAO). From 1978 to 1984, she worked as an attorney with the Office of General Counsel at GAO and was a co-editor of the GAO publication Principles of Federal Appropriations Law. Since 1985, Ms. Archibald has combined her teaching and legal backgrounds, traveling extensively to conduct a seminar on Federal Appropriations Law. She is admitted to the bar in California and the District of Columbia, and is a member of the American Bar Association.

 

What Previous Students Said in their Evaluations...

“This course should be required for all financial and contracting officers and supporting atorneys.”
Associate General Counsel, Immigration and Naturalization Service

“Knowledgeable, informative, and easy to understand.”
Controller, Westinghouse Electric

“What a wonderful teacher! She kept my undivided attention for all four days!”
Assistant Counsel, Defense Fuel Supply Center

“She is a fantastic instructor. Her knowledge of the subject matter is phenomenal. She makes the course very interesting.”
Budget Officer, Department of Defense Dependents Education

“Excellent use of examples to illustrate nuances of the law. I highly recommend this course.” Attorney-Advisor, FBI

“Could not ask for anyone more knowledgeable of the subject matter. Good teaching approach.”
Chief, Planning, Programming and Budgeting, Defense Logistics Agency

“The ‘newness’ and enthusiasm brought to the subject matter by Ms. Archibald is astounding!”
Associate Director for Operations, U.S. Geological Survey

“Superior instructor with an outstanding knowledge (both legal and pragmatic) of the subject matter. Her additions of the history and theory behind the rules is immensely beneficial.”
Counsel, McDonnell Douglas Aerospace

“Terrific! She is clearly a subject matter expert; she brings a lot of this course from her background. Amazing ability to teach and entertain for hours on end with no more than a flip chart…[Ms. Archibald] brings this topic to life.”
Major, U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s School

“Provided me with a foundation in appropriations law. I’m a new budget analyst and didn’t have any background in this topic. Very interesting and complete presentation.”
Budget Analyst, HHS


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Contact Us

  • For registration information, please contact Pamela Greenstein at (703) 807-2758
  • For general information about this workshop, please contact Abbie Hickman, (703) 807-2753

Registration Fee

  • Government: $1,195 per person
  • Industry: $1,295 per person

 

 
Registration Options

NOTE: On-line registrations for this workshop are now closed. Space is available for walk in registrants. To register the day of the conference, please call Pamela Greenstein at (703) 807-2758.

Registration form requires Acrobat Reader.

Registrations are payable by Visa, American Express, Mastercard, company check or government purchase order.

CANCELLATION POLICY: You may designate a substitute in writing any time before the event.. If you need to cancel your registration, you must send your notice in writing and will be subject to a $50 processing fee. No refunds are given for cancellations received one week prior to the event start date or later. PLEASE NOTE: No shows will be liable for the entire registration fee.

Market*Access has the right to refuse registration to any attendee at any time.

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If you're not, please tell us why in a brief letter and we will credit your investment
towards another Market*Access event.
You risk nothing!

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Location Information

The workshop will be held at the Holiday Inn North, 3600 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, (734) 769-9800. There is no room block being held.

 

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On-Site Training

Have a Large Staff to Train? Can't Make These Dates? Tight Travel Budget?

Market*Access can provide training, wherever and whenever you need, including on-site at your facility. Our staff will cost-effectively implement training customized to your needs. If you have group of attendees (usually 15 or more), we can bring this course to you and help save you time, travel costs, and more!

To request a proposal and schedule training, e-mail Laura Johnson, VP of Conferences & Strategic Planning, at ljohnson@marketaccess.org or call (703) 807-2747.

 

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(703) 807-2755

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