|
Chapter 4 Public Affairs Resourcing |
4-1. Public affairs funding authority |
Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) 37-100-FYXX provides fiscal authority on funding of PA activities. Consult with the command or activity resource management office for clarification and guidance on funding issues. |
4-2. Use of Army funds and other resources |
Public affairs funds may be used to defray the costs of PA activities that are part of the command's approved PA program. |
a. Funding requirements may include, but are not limited to, costs for— |
(1) Civilian pay. |
(2) Travel. |
(3) Printing. |
(4) Contracts. |
(5) Supplies. |
(6) Speaking engagements. |
(7) Support for civic ceremonies, AFD/W, and those activities listed in paragraph 8-1. |
b. Except as authorized by this regulation— |
(1) Using Army resources to support public events will be at no additional cost to the Government; that is, costs incurred solely for participating in or supporting unprogrammed activities or events. |
(2) Costs for Army participation in public events will be paid by the event sponsors. |
(3) Costs that the Army would have incurred regardless of supporting PA activities are not reimbursable. Such costs may include, but are not necessarily limited to, travel and transportation in the local area, regular pay and allowances, local telephone calls, and aviation fuel when support is provided as part of an ongoing training activity. |
c. The Army will pay all unprogrammed costs of supporting those PA programs that are specifically authorized by public law, executive order, the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of the Army, and the following types of programs when they are in the primary interest of the DA: |
(1) Official Federal Government functions. |
(2) Army or civic-sponsored observances of United States or host-country national holidays. |
(3) Official civil ceremonies and functions. |
(4) Official speaking engagements. |
(5) Events considered being in the national interest or in the professional, scientific, or technical interest of an Army command or element, when approved by OCPA. |
(6) Direct support of recruiting and personnel procurement activity, when the costs of such support are charged to recruiting or personnel procurement program funds. |
4-3. Events qualifying for funding |
The Army may pay for the following types of activities if such participation is in the best interest of the Army and authorized funds are available: |
a. Official Federal Government functions. |
b. Public observances of national holidays, including AFD/W, when sponsored by either military or civilian organizations. |
c. National conventions of veterans associations. |
d. Official civil ceremonies and functions. |
e. Speaking engagements. |
f. Activities in support of recruiting including ROTC programs. |
g. Appearances/ demonstrations by special units. |
h. Other events considered in the national interest or in the congressional, scientific, or technical interests of the Army. Such events must be approved by the Secretary of Defense or by an overseas unified combatant commander. |
i. Local events held within the PA area of an installation. |
4-4. Events requiring user charges or payment for services |
a. Army organizations may participate in events that do not meet the criteria stated in paragraphs 4-2 and 4-3 above if event sponsors pay the associated costs as follows: |
(1) The event sponsor will pay the additional costs financed from funds available to the Army organization furnishing the Government resources. Additional costs normally include— |
(a) Travel and transportation of military personnel and equipment. |
(b) Meals and lodging or per diem allowances payable under provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR). |
(c) Transportation, handling, and costs of aviation fuel, if such fuel is not available at military contract price at the staging point. |
(d) Exhibit space, rental, utilities, and custodial services. |
(e) Public liability and property damage insurance, if required. |
(f) Other services deemed necessary per agreement with the sponsor. |
(2) Using routine training to transport military personnel may be considered as an Army share of costs for a PA activity of mutual benefit. |
b. Public affairs funds will not be spent for hosting and representational purposes, for example, luncheons, dinners, buffets, cocktail parties, or for theater tickets, gifts, and similar items that would constitute entertainment events. Official hosting and representational expenses may only be charged to the Secretary of the Army's contingency fund (limitation .0012) for events such as official receptions involving civic dignitaries and extending official courtesies to certain foreign officials. See AR 37-47 for criteria. |
c. Operations and Maintenance-Army (OMA) funds may be used to defray incidental costs associated with unprogrammed community relations activities when the event sponsor agrees to pay the Government for such expenses. |
4-5. Finance guidelines |
a. Funds programmed and expended for PA activities are an integral part of each component's OMA account (Army working capital fund for depots, arsenals and Government-owned ammunition plants). Funding requirements for these purposes will be kept to the minimum necessary to accomplish the Army's objectives. Beyond these OMA funds, PA activities will be at no additional cost to the Government. |
b. Using PA funds to purchase and distribute promotional items for command approved PA objectives is authorized within the limits of DOD 5500.7-R. Promotional items must clearly support the mission and/or the PA objectives of the activity or command. An example is promotional recordings by the United States Army Field Band to support the band's public concert touring mission. |
c. Financing will be accomplished according to the DA Planning, Programming Budgeting and Execution System. See AR 1-1 for budgeting guidance. |
d. Procedures for reimbursement by other Government agencies are in DFAS-IN regulation 37-1. Reimbursement procedures for support to non-Government programs are also in DFAS-IN regulation 37-1. |
4-6. Advertising for environmental hearing notices |
Environmental hearing notices are normally part of contracts let by the post engineer to meet Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements and should not be PA funded. |
4-7. Contracted services |
Public affairs officers may contract with commercial firms for services and products. These contracts will be let in accordance with applicable regulations. |
4-8. Contracting for a civilian enterprise publication |
a. General. Commanders are authorized to contract in writing for CE publications. Oral contracts are not acceptable. The command or installation guarantees first publication and distribution of locally produced editorial content in the publication. The publication becomes the property of the command, installation, or intended reader upon delivery in accordance with terms of the contract. |
b. The contracting process. Guidelines for contracting for CE publications are contained in DODI 5120.4. Civilian enterprise newspaper contracting is not subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), however commanders have the option to use FAR procedures in the contracting process. |
c. Gratuities. Army military and civilian personnel and members of their families are prohibited from soliciting or accepting any gratuity from a current or prospective CE contractor. (DOD 5500.7-R) |
d. Employment and conflicts of interest. |
(1) To avoid the appearance of conflict of interest, Army military and civilian personnel whose official duties involve the selection or approval of a CE contractor or the production or distribution of a CE publication may not accept off-duty employment with any bidder or CE printer. |
(2) Army personnel are required by law to disqualify themselves from participating in any official matter that might affect a CE contractor with whom a family member or business partner has an employment or financial relationship. Army personnel who cannot effectively discharge their responsibilities when so disqualified may face reassignment unless the employment or financial relationship is terminated. |
(3) Commanders and PAOs should consult their ethics counselors whenever a situation involving a potential conflict of interest arises. |
e. The command will pay travel costs incurred by Government personnel to create or review material for use in the CE publication. Government personnel will not accept reimbursement for transportation, accommodations, meals, gratuities, or other incidentals from the CE contractor. |
f. Coordinate with the command's contracting officer for contract requirements and content. |
4-9. Contracting for Army funded publications |
a. A civilian printer under contract or in Government printing facilities normally prints Army funded publications. The editorial content of these publications and their distribution are accomplished by the contracting command. Overseas, Army funded newspapers are authorized under contract with Stars & Stripes. Where printing by Stars & Stripes is not feasible because of distance or other factors, Army funded newspapers may be printed by other means. These are evaluated on a case-by-case basis with the Defense Printing Service (DPS) office. |
b. Printing an Army funded publication will be in conjunction with the PA office. Using four-color process is authorized if the commander and PAO determine it enhances communication. |
c. Army funded publications will not carry commercial advertising. As a service, the Army funded newspaper may carry non-paid listings of personally owned items and services for sale by members of the command. Noncommercial news stories and announcements concerning MWR activities and commissaries may be published in Army funded publications. |
4-10. Distribution of Army funded publications |
a. Mail and distribution costs must be kept to a minimum, consistent with timeliness and applicable postal regulations. Restrictions outlined in AR 25-51 are applicable. Army newspapers may be distributed through official channels. |
b. Other than mandatory distribution specified in paragraph a above, the most effective and efficient method of mailing will be used at all times. The DOD Postage and Fees Paid indicia are an authorized method of mailing Army funded publications, and may be used by or for— |
(1) Mailing copies to satisfy mandatory distribution requirements. |
(2) Mailing copies to other PA offices and for administrative purposes. |
(3) Mailing copies to each headquarters in the chain of command. |
(4) Bulk mailing Army newspapers to subordinate units for distribution to unit members. |
(5) Mailing complimentary copies to other Government agencies, members of Congress, libraries, hospitals, schools, and depositories. |
(6) Mailing one issue of a newspaper in response to a specific, unsolicited request from a private person, firm, or organization, if such response is in the best interest of the command. |
(7) Public affairs officers may use appropriated funds to mail copies of AF or CE publications when they are mailed for official reasons (for example, public information, community relations, or newcomer packet) as determined by the commander. |
c. A CE contractor will not use official postage. |
d. Unless otherwise provided for in this regulation, Army newspapers will be mailed as controlled circulation, Third or Fourth-Class, or Third-Class bulk. |
e. Mailing of AF publications by CE contractors should be included in the CE contract. Printers may charge a reasonable postage and handling fee for mailing publications to personnel requesting the publication, provided the request has been approved by the PAO. |