FSM 1830-2013-1
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FOREST SERVICE MANUAL
TONGASS NATIONAL FOREST (REGION 10)
KETCHIKAN, ALASKA
FSM 1800 – SENIOR, YOUTH AND VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS
CHAPTER 1830 – VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
Supplement No.: R-10 TNF 1830-2013-1
Effective Date: August 27, 2013
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
Approved: FORREST COLE
Forest Supervisor
Date Approved: 08/27/2013
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by title and calendar year.
Post by document; remove the entire document and replace it with this supplement. Retain this
transmittal as the first page(s) of this document.
New Document
1830-2013-1
4 Pages
Superseded Document(s) by
Issuance Number and
Effective Date
1830-2010-1, 04/15/2010
4 Pages
Digest:
These changes have been made in order to comply with WO amendment 1800-2011-2, dated
2/8/2011.
1830.43 - Changes the form used for volunteer agreements from FS 1800-7 (individual) and
1800-8 (sponsored) to OF-301a Volunteer Services Agreement for Natural Resource Agencies.
International volunteers must be approved and processed by WO International Programs before
being authorized to volunteer in the United States.
1831 - Removes last sentence (“The Volunteer Program is not intended to supersede the
employment of seasonal employees or to take the place of the Government's other hiring
process”.) from the paragraph with the intent being to follow national direction already
established.
R-10 TNF SUPPLEMENT 1830-2013-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/27/2013
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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FSM 1800 – SENIOR, YOUTH AND VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS
CHAPTER 1830 – VOLUNTEERS PROGRAM
1833.1- Defines “place of residence” as “home” and adds reference to the IRS definition of
“home”. States volunteer's actual place of residence, incidental expenses, and termination date
for review or expiration date be defined on the Volunteer Agreement and a statement about
termination of the Volunteer Agreement be included. Changes the word “paid” to “reimbursed”
and “payments” to “reimbursements”. Changes “volunteer service” to “volunteer expenses
incurred”. Removes reference to Travel Authorization. Clarifies when and with what
documentation Forest policy may be deviated from.
1833.1b & c - Refers to the Volunteer Agreement as form OF-301a and changes the word
“work” to “volunteer service”.
1833.ld - Changes the word “work” to “performs duties for.”
1833.5 - Differentiates between commuting and official mileage reimbursement rates. Removes
specific field subsistence/per diem rate and replaces with a reference to rate location in the FSH.
Changes information regarding “Local” volunteers because they are no longer eligible for a meal
reimbursement if they can return to their residence at night. Changes “the work site” to “their
duty station”.
1834.1 - Moves direction that the termination statement is to be included in Volunteer
Agreements to section 1833.1.
1830.4 - Responsibility
1830.43 - Regional Foresters, Station Directors, and Area Directors
Staff Officers, District and Monument Rangers (or their designated Acting) are delegated
authority to negotiate and sign Volunteer Services Agreement for Natural Resource Agencies,
OF-30la, except where Forest Service family members, Forest Service employees, or
international volunteers serve as volunteers. Only the Forest Supervisor or Deputy Forest
Supervisor may approve Volunteer Agreements involving immediate Forest Service family
members, Forest Service employees, or international volunteers. (International volunteers must
also be approved and processed by WO International Programs.)
1831 - RECRUITMENT
It is the policy of the Tongass National Forest (Tongass) to recruit volunteers from the local
population. Recruitment of non-local volunteers is only authorized after the supply of qualified
local candidates has been exhausted. The recruitment of non-local volunteers, at agency cost,
should occur only when the skill brought by the non-local volunteers clearly justifies the cost of
transportation.
R-10 TNF SUPPLEMENT 1830-2013-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/27/2013
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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FSM 1800 – SENIOR, YOUTH AND VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS
CHAPTER 1830 – VOLUNTEERS PROGRAM
1832 - ENROLLMENT
1832.12- Federal Employee and Family Member Volunteers
The participation of a Federal employee in a volunteer activity may not preclude the participation
of a qualified applicant from the general public. It is policy of the Tongass to allow the
recruitment of family members as volunteers when there are not better qualified candidates from
the public. The use of Forest Service family members and relatives as volunteers must clearly be
advantageous to the Government, and further, there must be no preferential treatment. The
recommending official shall document the recruitment undertaken and the rationale for selection
of a family member. This documentation must accompany or be included in the Volunteer
Agreement, when it is transmitted to the Forest Supervisor or Deputy Forest Supervisor for
approval. The decision of whether a local family member or a local Federal employee is
recruited over a non-local volunteer will be the responsibility of the Forest Supervisor or Deputy
Forest Supervisor.
1833- AGREEMENTS
1833.1 -Volunteer Agreements
The volunteer's actual place of residence (home) needs to be identified on the Volunteer
Agreement (OF-301a), as do the incidental expenses the agreement will cover, and the
termination date for review or expiration date of the agreement. See FSM 1830, section 1833.5
for the IRS definition of “home”.
Volunteer Agreements will also contain the following statement: “The Forest Service can
terminate the Volunteer Agreement for failure to comply with camp working/living and safety
rules and will not provide return transportation in that case”.
Transportation from the non-local volunteer's place of residence to the appropriate destination
on the Tongass, and the volunteer's return travel to place of residence upon completion of the
Volunteer Agreement, may be reimbursed by the Government if the following criteria are met.
a. Local recruiting, including recruiting of local Forest Service family members and employees,
must have been attempted without results. This is due to consideration of non-local
transportation costs as stated under Section 1831 - Recruitment.
b. A Volunteer Agreement is fully executed, with signatures from both the volunteer and the
approving official. Reimbursements are not to be made for any volunteer expense incurred or
travel that begins prior to both parties executing the Agreement.
c. Transportation arrangements are formally documented on the Volunteer Agreement.
R-10 TNF SUPPLEMENT 1830-2013-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/27/2013
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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FSM 1800 – SENIOR, YOUTH AND VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS
CHAPTER 1830 – VOLUNTEERS PROGRAM
d. The volunteer agrees to perform duties for a minimum of 60 days for the Government.
Deviations from this Forest policy may only be made with documented approval of the
approving official.
e. Return travel for nonlocal volunteers must occur within 7 days of completion of the Volunteer
Agreement or the return ticket will be forfeited. Deviations from this Forest policy may only be
made with documented approval of the approving official.
1833.5 - Incidental Expenses
The Forest Service will provide government housing for all volunteers except those who
maintain a residence at their duty station.
All volunteers can receive reimbursement for out-of-pocket commuting costs, though commuting
and official mileage are reimbursed at different rates per FSM 1833.5.
Food and lodging are provided for volunteers while in government subsistence field locations, in
lieu of any reimbursement for meals and incidentals. When not in subsistence field locations,
non-local volunteers may receive reimbursement for meals and incidental expenses up to the
Forest's established field subsistence/field per diem rate per FSH 6509.33.
Local volunteers or those performing duties within commuting distance of their residence (25
miles or less) are no longer eligible for a meal reimbursement if they can return to their residence
at night.
Per diem paid for non-local volunteer travel to the Tongass is to be reimbursed under the
provisions of the Federal Travel Regulations, the same as for regular Forest Service employees,
unless a reduced per diem rate has been negotiated in advance of travel. Once at their duty
station, any travel by the local or non-local volunteer will require the preparation of an individual
Travel Authorization through the current Forest Service travel system. All volunteers who are in
travel status may be reimbursed the prevailing per diem rates through the Forest Service travel
system.
To claim reimbursement for incidental expenses such as local commuting costs, official mileage,
meals for non-local volunteers, etc., Form FS-6500-229 (Request for Reimbursement) will be
submitted by each volunteer to the appropriate supervisor for authorizing signature and
processed per the instructions at the Miscellaneous Payments Section of the Albuquerque Service
Center website: http://fsweb.asc.fs.fed.us/bfm/programs/financialoperations/payments/miscellaneous/. Claims for reimbursement will be submitted at biweekly or
monthly intervals during the applicable fiscal year.
R-10 TNF SUPPLEMENT 1830-2013-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/27/2013
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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FSM 1800 – SENIOR, YOUTH AND VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS
CHAPTER 1830 – VOLUNTEERS PROGRAM
1834 - PERFORMANCE AND SUPERVISION
1834.1 - Performance
The Government may provide return transportation, at any time, for volunteers who’s Agreement
has been terminated for the convenience of the Government.
The Forest Service can terminate the Volunteer Agreement for failure to comply with camp
working/living and safety rules and will not provide return transportation in that case. Safety
rules are outlined in the Health and Safety Code Handbook, FSH 6709.11, Chapter 20, section
22.33 - 22.33d, and Chapter 30, section 39.2- 39.22a. Only the Forest Service official who
signed the original Agreement has the authority to terminate the Agreement.