Volunteer Program - Policy & Procedures

Engineer Pamphlets

• EP 1130-2-429
  Volunteer Coordinator's Handbook

• EP 1130-2-433
  Volunteer Brochure: Volunteer for America's Environment: A Shared Responsibility
  Brochures to help recruit volunteers may be ordered by e-mailing hector.n.hunt@usace.army.mil or Antoinette.m.jones@usace.army.mil (Fax 301-394-0081) in the Publications Depot.

• EP 1130-2-500, dated 27 December 1996 revised 1 June 2006
  Project Operations - Partners and Support (Work Management Guidance and Procedures)
  • Change 2, Change 2 date 13 March 2013
  • Chapter 10, Corps of Engineers Volunteer Program, revised 13 Mar 2013

Engineer Regulations

• ER 1130-2-500, dated 27 December 1996 revised 1 June 2006
  Project Operations - Partners and Support (Work Management Guidance and Policies)
  This regulation establishes the policy for the management of operation and maintenance activities of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) personnel performing civil works functions related to flood control, navigation, dredging, hydroelectric power generation, environmental stewardship, and recreation services at water resource, waterway, and other USACE projects.
  • Change 4, Change 4 dated 13 March 2013
  • Chapter 10, The Corps of Engineers Volunteer Program, revised 13 Mar 2013

Policy Letter

• Policy Letter, dated 11/2/11
  Volunteer Program Policy Letter
  This memo rescinds Volunteer Program Policy Letter dated 12 May 2009. The policy revises several provisions of ER 1130-2-500, including those policies related to expenditure of funds for food and beverages for volunteers, allowable clothing items, and appreciation for volunteer work.

• 04-01, dated 27 October 2004
  Volunteer Value of Service Hourly Rate
  This memorandum initiated the Corps using the Independent Sector's hourly rate to determine the value of volunteer service. Since 2005, the value of volunteer service is calculated automatically in OMBIL by entering the number of volunteer hours.

  For reference, the volunteer value of service hourly rates
  

  • FY 2013 - $22.14
  • FY 2012 - $21.79
  • FY 2011 - $21.36
  • FY 2010 - $20.85
  • FY 2009 - $20.25
  • FY 2008 - $19.51
  • FY 2007 - $18.77
  • FY 2006 - $18.04
  • FY 2005 - $17.55
  • FY 2004 - $17.19

Public Laws (P.L.)

• P.L. 98-63, Volunteer program authority
  On July 31, 1983, Public Law 98-63 authorized the Corps of Engineers Volunteer Program. Below is a list of acceptable practices for the Corps Volunteer Program.
  • the Corps may accept the services of volunteers and provide for their incidental expenses to carry out any activity of the Corps except policy making or law/regulatory enforcement
  • Voluntary service is official government business
  • Corps elements shall utilize volunteers wherever it is feasible, cost effective, mutually- beneficial, and safe
  • Individuals from the private sector or other agencies, whose employers donate their services to the Corps while still keeping them on their payroll (hosted workers), can be volunteers
  • Off-duty Corps personnel and their families can be volunteers
  • Children under the age of eighteen years may be volunteers provided they have the written consent of their parent or guardian
  • Commanders may enter into agreements with Federal Bureau of Prisons and state correctional systems concerning the use of civilian prison labor.
  • Individuals convicted of federal and state crimes and participating in court-approved probation, work release, or alternate sentencing programs may serve as volunteers
  • no person who has been convicted of any violent crime, crime against person, or crime involving the use of a weapon shall be utilized as a volunteer
  • Volunteers receive the same benefits and protection as federal employees under the Federal Employees Compensation Act (5 USC, Chapter 81) and the Tort Claims Act (28 USC, 2671-2680) and are considered to be federal employees for only those purposes.
  • Volunteers may be reimbursed for actual out-of-pocket expenses they incur in performing voluntary service
  • Volunteers may also be provided campsites at civil works projects where their voluntary service occurs and not be required to pay a user fee.
  • The Volunteer Program guidance can be found in Chapter 10 of ER 1130-2-500.

Memos

• 04/15/13 Volunteer ER/EP Announcement
• Archive

Other Policy

• Volunteer Booklets (out of print)
  • Volunteering for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
  • Techniques of Supervising Volunteers
  • A Volunteer's Guide to Working Safely