MCO 7300.
22A
RFR-50
11 Feb 04
MARINE CORPS ORDER 7300.22A
From: Commandant of the Marine Corps
To: Distribution List
Subj: CONTROLLING CONFERENCE COSTS
Encl: (1) ASN (FM&C) memo of Apr 18, 2003
(2) Sample Request Format
(3) Cost Element Worksheet
1. Situation. Provide guidance for controlling conference
costs to effectively and efficiently use Marine Corps resources.
2. Cancellation. MCO 7300.22.
3. Mission. Marine Corps commanders are to exercise strict
fiscal responsibility in the planning and conducting of Marine
Corps-sponsored conferences.
4. Execution
a. Commander's Intent and Concept of Operations
(1) Commander's Intent
(a) Financial responsibility for planning and
conducting Marine Corps-sponsored conferences lies with the
conference’s sponsoring commander or sponsoring staff agency
head. It is imperative that the conference-sponsoring officials
exercise good stewardship of Marine Corps resources by ensuring
that conference costs are minimized, best value is obtained by
the Government, and that attendee conference travel expenses
stay within normal per diem rates.
(b) Enclosure (1) prohibits a DON activity from
collecting attendee conference fees to offset the cost of the
conference, or to reimburse or supplement the appropriation from
which the conference is funded unless specifically authorized by
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for public release;
distribution is unlimited.
MCO 7300.22A
11 Feb 04
statute. A DON activity may not authorize the use of
appropriated funds to pay for an employee's food and light
refreshments, except as part of the employee's travel
subsistence allowance for those in a travel status. However, a
DON activity may reimburse a traveler for a conference fee that
is charged by a non-DON conference sponsor.
(c) For purposes of this Order, a conference is
defined as any meeting, retreat, seminar, symposium, or other
event that requires attendee travel (temporary duty travel) with
the exception of technical and administrative site visits to
Government installations. The term also applies to training
activities when:
1. the announced purpose of a conference is
educational or instructional;
2. more than half of the time is scheduled for
a planned, organized exchange of information between presenters
and audience;
3. the training is based on a planned,
prepared, and coordinated program, course, curriculum, subject,
system, or routine of instruction or education in fields which
will improve individual and organizational performance, and
assist in achieving agency mission and performance goals; or
4. development benefits will be derived through
the employee's attendance.
(2) Concept of Operations. To carry out this policy,
effective immediately:
(a) Marine Corps commanders and Headquarters Marine
Corps (HQMC) staff agency heads shall closely review requests by
their staffs and subordinate organizations to hold/sponsor
conferences. At a minimum, commanders and HQMC staff agency
heads should;
1. consider whether the conference is necessary
for the effective accomplishment of the organization's mission;
2. evaluate/analyze cost differentials between
various conference alternatives and alternative sites;
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11 Feb 04
3. limit attendance to the minimum number of
individuals required for mission accomplishment; and
4. ensure that approved conferences are held at
locations not requiring either "actual expense authorizations"
exceeding standard per diem rates, or an additional conference
lodging allowance.
(b) The authority for approval of Marine Corps-
sponsored conferences with projected total costs of under
$100,000 (exclusive of personnel/salary costs) and less than 125
attendees is delegated to: COMMARFORPAC; COMMARFORLANT; CG
MCCDC, COMMARFORRES, COMMARCORLOGCOM, COMMARFOREUR,
COMMARFORSOUTH, COMMARFORNORTH, COMMARFORSTRAT, CG MCRD PI, CG
MCRD SD, CG MCRC, CG TECOM, CG MAGTFTC/MCAGCC, and to HQMC staff
principals. These commands may further delegate approval
authority in writing to their respective major subordinate
commands (MSC) and activities. HQMC staff principals may
delegate approval authority to the HQMC Division Director level.
Conferences of this size proposed by commands or activities not
included in (or subordinate to) one of the commanders listed
above must be approved by a general officer or a civilian senior
executive service member in their chain of command.
(c) Marine Corps conferences that are projected to
cost $100,000 or more (exclusive of personnel/salary costs), or
are expected to have 125 attendees or more, regardless of cost,
must have prior approval from the Assistant Commandant of the
Marine Corps (ACMC). The Fiscal Director of the Marine Corps,
Programs and Resources Department, HQMC will serve as the action
official for processing these requests to the ACMC for review
and approval. Requests for approval of such conferences should
be addressed to the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps via
the Director, Fiscal Division (RFR), Programs and Resources
Department, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, DC
20380-1775. Requests for ACMC approval must include conference
documentation outlined in paragraph 5 below, and must be
received by CMC (RFR) no later than 45 days prior to proposed
conference start date. Naval message or standard naval letters
are the preferred methods for transmittal of conference approval
requests. Enclosure (2) contains a sample request format.
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11 Feb 04
5. Administration
a. Conference Justification. Commands must be able to
justify the following:
(1) the necessity for their Marine Corps-sponsored
conferences,
(2) their choice of available conference alternatives,
(3) their choice of conference sites/facilities, and
(4) their efforts to limit conference attendance.
In addition, Marine Corps participation in conferences sponsored
by organizations other than the Marine Corps should be reviewed
by each Marine Corps command participating to limit their
command’s attendance to the minimal effective level. These
decisions are expected to be consistent with mission
accomplishment and good stewardship of public funds.
b. Definition of Conference Costs. Conference costs
include all appropriated and nonappropriated fund costs paid by
the Marine Corps for Marine Corps-sponsored conferences. These
costs include, but are not limited to, those elements identified
in the worksheet contained at enclosure (3).
c. Site Considerations. Determination of appropriate
conference sites should consider both geographical location and
specific facility selected. Use of Government locations and
Government facilities are strongly encouraged (when and where
available) when determining locations and facilities for
conferences. High cost or resort locations and premium cost
facilities should be avoided. This Headquarters recognizes that
resort locations often offer attractive "per attendee" costs,
but care should be taken that the resort "attraction" does not
result in increased attendance and consequently increase the
total cost to the Government. For conferences involving 30 or
more attendees in a temporary duty travel status, a minimum of 3
sites should be considered and decision documentation must be
developed and maintained, regardless of total projected
conference cost. Required documentation will include a cost
analysis for each alternative conference option considered and
an explanation of other decision factors.
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d. Documentation. Conference planning and cost
documentation, including both pre-conference cost estimates and
actual conference costs incurred, must be retained by the
conference sponsor for inspection by cognizant auditors,
inspectors, or other management authorities for a period of
three years.
6. Command and Signal
a. Signal. This Order is effective the date signed.
b. Command. This Order is applicable to the Marine Corps
Total Force.
DISTRIBUTION: PCN 10210035800
Copy to: 7000260/8145005 (2)
700099,144/8145001 (1)
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ENCLOSURE (1)
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ENCLOSURE (1)
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SAMPLE REQUEST FORMAT
MEMORANDUM FOR ASSISTANT COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS
Via: Director, Fiscal Division, Programs and Resources
Department (Code RFR)
Subj: CONTROLLING CONFERENCE COSTS
Ref: (a) MCO 7300.22A
Encl: (1) Required Supporting Documentation
1. Description & Justification. This paragraph is used to
provide a description of the conference/event and provide
justification.
2. Location. This paragraph is used to describe the
recommended conference site.
3. Participants & Total Cost. This paragraph is used to report
the number of participants as well as the total estimated cost
to include an explanation of the key elements driving the total
cost.
4. Point of Contact. Name, telephone number, and email address
of a point of contact for the request.
ENCLOSURE (2)
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COST ELEMENT WORKSHEET
Conference costs include all appropriated and nonappropriated
fund costs paid by the Marine Corps whether paid directly or
reimbursed to attendees. These costs include, but are not
limited to the following:
Attendee travel/per diem costs:
- Travel to & from conference location
(includes Military Air) __________
- Ground transportation
(rental car, taxi, etc.) __________
- Per Diem __________
Speaker fees: __________
Meeting room: __________
Audiovisual: __________
Printing: __________
Equipment: __________
Communication costs: __________
(includes telephone & computer access)
Other conference related costs: __________
TOTAL __________
Total number of attendees: __________
Other decisional factors: __________
ENCLOSURE (3)
