We have created this page for new, non-federal ACHP members. It walks them through the on-boarding process, including all the forms they need to file once they have been appointed to the ACHP, and explains how they may claim a per diem, make travel arrangements, and get a government credit card.

If you are a new ACHP member, congratulations! We really appreciate your service … and we apologize for requiring so much paperwork, but it cannot be avoided.

Reporting for Duty

As you know from experience, after you are vetted by the White House, the President may first officially announce his or her intent to appoint you to the ACHP. Days, weeks, or months later, the President may then officially appoint you to the ACHP. The White House will notify you about such an appointment. What follows is the process you should expect after that, and the various forms that you must file with our General Counsel, Javier Marques, at jmarques@achp.gov, to start your tenure at the ACHP.

After the ACHP is informed that the President has appointed you:

1. Welcome: The chairman will likely call you or write you an electronic mail welcoming you to the ACHP.

2. Swearing In: The ACHP Office of General Counsel (OGC) will coordinate with you and the chairman to set up a time to get you sworn in. This may happen virtually using Zoomgov.com or may occur at an ACHP business meeting if such a meeting is already scheduled to take place soon after your appointment.

If the swearing in will take place via Zoom, OGC will send you all the details of how to log in. For such a swearing in, the only requirement is that you have a U.S. flag in the room when you get sworn in.

Regardless of the manner of swearing in, you can find the oath of office that will be used here.

3. Forms: Once you are sworn in, we will need many forms from you. Please fill out these forms and e-mail a scanned copy to jmarques@achp.gov:

(a) Appointments Affidavit (Form SF 61): we are not linking this form here since it requires the inclusion of dates specific to your individual appointment and term of office. When scheduling the swearing in date, OGC will provide the form that will be used specifically for you.

(b) Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) (be sure to sign as “appointee;” not as “applicant”);

(c) Direct Deposit Sign Up Form (SF 1199A): This form requires specific instructions as follows.

-- On Section 1: Leave part C blank; Sign/date under part C labeled 'payee/ joint payee certification;' Select 'fed. salary/ mil. civilian pay' on part F; and Leave part G blank

-- On Section 2: Leave blank

-- On Section 3: Just enter the name of your bank/financial institution. Their address is not necessary. The routing number on the right must fill all 9 boxes.

Do not send to your financial institution certification (DOI will take care of that).

(d) Ethnicity and Race Identification (SF 181)

(e) Self-Identification of Disability (SF 256)

(f) Request for Official Mailing Address

(g) Confidential Financial Disclosure Form (OGE 450) (within 30 calendar days of swearing in) (you will need to file one of these forms every year on or before February 15)

The period to be covered by the first disclosure is 12 months prior to the date you actually sign the disclosure (though liabilities and agreements are a snapshot at the date of signing the disclosure):

Part I – Report assets as of the date of signing of the disclosure, but report sources of earned income, honoraria, and other non-investment income for the 12 months preceding your signing of the disclosure;

Part II – Report liabilities as of the date of signing the disclosure;

Part III – Report positions for the 12 months preceding your signing of the disclosure; and

Part IV – Report agreements and arrangements as of the date of signing the disclosure.

Part V – not applicable to you, so you can leave blank.

While on Duty

1. Claiming Per Diem: As mentioned above, all non-federal ACHP members can claim a $100 per diem for each day in which they perform ACHP duties. 54 U.S.C. § 304104

a. What Days Qualify for Per Diem?

You may claim a per diem for each day when you spend 30 minutes or more on an ACHP matter. However, we generally recommend that you not count time spent in the following activities toward that 30-minute threshold:

- administrative tasks, such as filling out personnel paperwork or scheduling meetings;

- brief communications, even if they relate to substantive matters, such as writing a very brief e-mail; or

- reading or other preparation for ACHP matters for brief periods of time when conducted away from the ACHP offices.

b. How Do I Claim a Per Diem?

Please e-mail jmarques@achp.gov, indicating that you may claim a per diem during your ACHP tenure. You only need to do this once during your ACHP tenure. This will allow us to include you in the e-mail list of members who get a timesheet each pay period.

Then, on or before the last Thursday of the relevant pay period*, you need to fill out the timesheet for that pay period and submit it to Kiani Morris kmorris@achp.gov.

The per diem(s) should be directly deposited into your account on the second Tuesday following the end of the relevant pay period.

* = Each of our pay periods comprise two weeks, from a Sunday to the Saturday 13 days later. For instance, a recent pay period comprised Sunday, July 5, 2020 through Saturday, July 18, 2020. This link takes you to calendars that indicate the end of each federal pay period.

2. Travel and Lodging Arrangements: During your tenure at the ACHP, you will likely travel several times to attend ACHP business meetings and attend other ACHP events or represent the ACHP at various functions.

When you need to travel for ACHP business, we ask that you provide your proposed travel itinerary to Kiani Morris (kmorris@achp.gov; 202-517-0203). She can then make the travel and lodging reservations for you, process them within the agency, and directly pay for them with ACHP funds.

3. Government Credit Card: Although not required, you can ask to get a government credit card from the ACHP. You would be able to use such a card for items such as food and on-site transportation (e.g., taxis) while conducting ACHP business. Otherwise, you could pay for such items with your own funds and then request reimbursement from the ACHP.

To get such a credit card or request reimbursements, and further details on acceptable use of government credit cards, please contact Kiani Morris (kmorris@achp.gov; 202-517-0203).

If you have any questions about any of this, please let us know.