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CONTINGENCY PLANResearch, Education & Economics(REE) & The Office of the ChiefScientist (OCS)December 2018Agricultural Research Service (ARS)Economic Research Service (ERS)National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS)
Table of ContentsPurpose . 5Scope . 5Excepted Activities . 5General REE Shutdown Procedures . 5Communication Plan (Within 4 weeks of a shutdown) . 5Employees (Within 3 weeks of a shutdown) . 5Managers/Supervisors (Within 3 weeks of a shutdown) . 6Administrative and Financial Management (AFM) (Within 2 weeks of a shutdown) . 6Office of the Chief Information Officer (Within 2 weeks of a shutdown) . 8Day One of Furlough . 8Employees . 8Supervisors . 9Agency Leaders . 9Contracting Officers . 9Excepted Employees . 9ARS Shutdown Plan . 10Shutdown Communication . 10Supervisors/Employees . 10Excepted Duties and Positions . 10HQ and Area Excepted Duties . 10HQ and Area Excepted Positions . 10Location Excepted Duties . 11Location Excepted Positions . 11Emergency Response/Continuation of Operations (COOP) . 12Media Requests. 12ERS Shutdown Plan . 12Shutdown Communication . 12Supervisors/Employees . 12Excepted Duties and Positions . 12Agency Excepted Duties . 12Agency Excepted Positions . 13Emergency Response/Continuation of Operations (COOP) . 13Media Requests. 14NASS Shutdown Plan . 14Shutdown Communication . 14Supervisors/Employees . 14Excepted Duties and Positions . 14Agency Excepted Duties (Excepted duties as listed are not impacted by timing or season ofthe year.) . 14Agency Excepted Positions . 15Emergency Response/Continuation of Operations (COOP) . 15Media Requests. 16NIFA Shutdown Plan. 16Shutdown Communication . 162
Supervisors/Employees . 16Director, NIFA. 16Excepted Duties and Positions . 16Agency Excepted Duties (Excepted duties as listed are not impacted by timing or season ofthe year.) . 16Agency Positions Not Subject to Furlough . 17Agency Excepted Positions . 17Emergent Excepted Requirements, Emergency Management and Vulnerability Prevention. 17Media Requests. 17OCS Shutdown Plan. 18Shutdown Communication . 18Supervisors/Employees . 18Excepted Duties and Positions . 18Office Excepted Duties (Excepted duties as listed are not impacted by timing or season ofthe year.) . 18Office Excepted Positions . 18Emergency Response/Continuation of Operations (COOP) . 18Media Requests. 19General REE Start-up Procedures. 19Administrative and Financial Management . 19Human Resources . 19Financial Management, Agreements & Travel . 20Acquisition & Personal Property . 21Facilities . 22Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Startup Plan . 22Guidance for the Start-Up of ARS Operations . 22Initial Communications Timeline . 23Employee Communication. 24Information Technology. 24Economic Research Service (ERS) Startup Plan . 25Guidance for the Start-Up of ERS Operations . 25Initial Communications Timeline . 26Programmatic activities . 27National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Startup Plan . 27Guidance for the Start-Up of NASS Operations . 27Initial Communications Timeline . 28Customer Service for Start-Up of NASS Operations . 28Information Technology. 29National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Startup Plan . 29Guidance for the Start-Up of NIFA Operations . 29Initial Communications Timeline . 30Information Technology. 31Grants and Agreements . 31Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) Startup Plan . 32Guidance for the Start-Up of OCS Operations . 323
Initial Communications Timeline . 32Information Technology. 33Appendix A: ARS Start-Up Committee . 34Appendix B: ERS Start-Up Committee . 36Appendix C: NASS Start-Up Committee . 38Appendix D: NIFA Start-Up Committee . 404
PurposeThis document establishes a plan of action for an orderly termination of ResearchEducation & Economics (REE) operations in the absence of an appropriation or ContinuingResolution (CR) and an orderly start-up of REE operations following appropriation or CRapproval. This plan will be enacted through a notification to all employees from the REEAdministrators at the direction of the REE Under Secretary.ScopeThe functions and activities described herein are to be executed in accordance with allapplicable statutes, regulations, policies, and delegations of authority.Excepted ActivitiesExcepted activities during a government shutdown include activities to support: Preservation and protection of life and property Law enforcement, health and safety functionsExcepted activities specific to the REE agencies and the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS)are further described in the agency sections of this document.General REE Shutdown ProceduresCommunication Plan (Within 4 weeks of a shutdown)The Deputy Administrator for Administrative and Financial Management (DAAFM) and theDirector, Human Resources Division (HRD) will coordinate with the USDA Office of HumanResources Management (OHRM) and other Departmental Management (DM) offices toensure accurate and timely information is provided to the REE Administrators andDirectors in accordance with USDA guidance and timing. Information that is available andapproved for release prior to the first morning of a shutdown will be provided to theagencies for sharing with employees as early as possible. REE Administrators will provideinformation to employees leading up to a potential lapse of funding in order to ensure anorderly shutdown.Employees (Within 3 weeks of a shutdown)Following are recommended actions during the days prior to a potential shutdown. Access and print documents that may be needed during a lapse of appropriationsuch as:o Leave & Earning Statement (LES)5
o SF-50o Furlough related guidance or communication from USDA or the agencyPrioritize workload to ensure urgent requirements that need to be met prior to thepotential shutdown are completed.Ensure all sensitive documents, hazardous materials and other like items areproperly inventoried and stored properly.Managers/Supervisors (Within 3 weeks of a shutdown)Following are recommended actions during the days prior to a potential shutdown. Ensure the organizational calling trees to reach employees are up to date withaccurate personal phone numbers and personal emails.o Personal contact information may be utilized to inform employees of changein furlough status or provide additional information in case of a long-termfurlough. Ensure employees understand it is their responsibility to check the Office ofPersonnel Management (OPM) website or mobile phone application for informationon the government’s startup status. Employees should monitor OPM in addition tothose outlined in official shutdown communications. Agencies may contactemployees through a calling tree or other systems but the official notification isfrom OPM to inform them to return to work. Identify and communicate potential excepted activities and excepted personnelduring a potential shutdown through the agency leadership structure. Assist employees with the prioritization of workload to ensure urgent requirementsthat need to be met prior to the potential shutdown are completed. Employees that may be excepted may be provided an informal notice but formalnotification to excepted employees must be made after USDA and Agency approvalwith approved documentation. Ensure partners and stakeholders information is up to date in the appropriatesystems/database. Agency leaders should notify stakeholders and university partners the potentialimpacts of a shutdown in accordance with agency and USDA guidance.Administrative and Financial Management (AFM) (Within 2 weeks of ashutdown)Human Resources Division (HRD) In preparation for a potential shutdown, HR specialists are to identify and resolveissues related to temporary positions that may expire during the shutdown inaddition to on-board of new hires during the shutdown. Hold the final excepted employee list for T&A purposes. Coordinate with OHRM and other DM offices and issue all approved and appropriateinformation/notices on furlough and guidance on orderly shutdown to the REEagencies and bargaining units.6
Provide appropriate notification and instruction to Area Administrative Offices(AAOs) operations on HR activities (i.e. recruitments, prospective Entrance-OnDuty, processing personnel actions, etc.).Partner with OHRM on HR actions that occur during the shutdown that requireguidance or information for distribution to excepted and/or non-exceptedemployees.Financial Management & Agreements Division (FMAD) Coordinate with the Department to ensure financial business/systems remainavailable for excepted employees during potential shutdown and be on call tosupport excepted functions.Provide guidance on the limitation of travel in preparation for a potential shutdown.o When and to what point in time scheduled travel should be cancelledo Instructions on travel arrangement for excepted employeeso Instructions on travel arrangement for employees on details away from theirlocal commuting areasAdvise employees that travel planned on or after the furlough date should notcommence in the event of a shutdown. Travel orders issued would be consideredinvalid.Advise passport custodians to retrieve all passports held by employees and securethem in the custodian’s safe.Advise employees to secure all hard copy tickets for travel during the period oflapsed appropriation.Advise employees that all Government issued travel charge cards should be in thepossession of the individual cardholder or stored in a
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) . approved for release prior to the first morning of a shutdown will be provided to the agencies for sharing with employees as early as possible. REE Administrators will provide . Assist
