Q. What do I need to get started with using the national SCA cooperative agreement?
A. You will need to send the PM in SWF:
- 1. A Statement of Objectives (SOO).
- 2. Labor Funding- Cross Charge Labor Codes
- 3. Funding for the work order itself, provided by repositioning
Q. Who are the points of contact in SWF for the SCA Program?
A. Technical/PM: Jennifer Linde: jennifer.b.linde@usace.army.mil
Financial POC: Deanna Hinton: deanna.hinton@usace.army.mi
Q. How long does the process take from making the request to SCA participants starting work?
A. Plan on the processing taking 16 weeks, noting that the more lead time the better to ensure that all the necessary components are in place to enable the intern(s) to begin on the requested start date.
Q. Why does it take so long to get a work order awarded?
A. Since a cooperative agreement must be awarded by a grants officer, these work orders are worked through contracting and go through several reviews before award. SCA is generally given two weeks to respond to the RFP. The SOO and the final award are also reviewed by Office of Counsel. Projects can help speed the process up by having the labor charge codes and funding repositioning ready to send when the SOO is received by the PM.
Q. What happens after the work order is awarded?
A. Once the work order is awarded, the project will work directly with a designated SCA POC to select and onboard interns. Invoices will be sent to the project manager to review and pay from the obligated funds. The PM will send you the invoices to review to be sure the intern worked the time- period on the invoice and that there are no other issues. Invoices are not subject to the Prompt Payment Act, but they do need to be paid as quickly as possible, so a prompt concurrence or response with concerns is appreciated.
Q. What is the maximum number of weeks an intern can work?
A. SCAs longest length of service is 52 weeks.
Q. Can there be a combination of national and local recruitment methods?
A. Yes, SCA can work with you to recruit in a variety of methods.
Q. Are SCA interns always students? Can they only work in the summer?
A. The term intern implies student, but SCA interns can be and often are individuals who are taking a gap year, have recently graduated, or are otherwise not currently students. It is not a requirement that an SCA intern for USACE be a student, and there is no upper age limit as to how old they can be. Interns can serve at any time of year for any number of weeks/months, not just during the summer.
Q. Can an SCA member serve in an internship more than once?
A. Yes, many interns serve in multiple positions over multiple years.
Q. Can SCA interns work in a gatehouse?
A. The cooperative agreement program requires that USACE play a substantial role in the tasks the interns are being asked to perform, so full time gatehouse attendants is not what the program is designed for. Recruiting for a 100% gate attendant position could be a challenge because the applicants are often students or recent graduates interested in working in the NRM field and sitting in a gatehouse several hours a day may not be an attractive option. However, gatehouse duties could be part of an interns responsibilities if other tasks, such as interpretation or ES work, are included in the work order.
Q. Can we get maintenance roles filled through this program, or is it limited to NRM roles?
A. This program is meant to train and educate the participants in natural resource and recreation management. Maintenance positions should be primarily related to the NRM and recreation program.
Q. Can SCA interns drive Government Vehicles?
A. Yes, if they take defensive driving training and adhere to the same training and procedural guidelines that USACE staff, seasonals and volunteers must follow.
Q. What is the difference between an SCA intern and a summer ranger?
A. Park Rangers can obtain citation authority and enforce Title 36. SCA interns may not wear the Park Ranger uniform or enforce Title 36. SCA interns are not USACE employees; they are SCA employees and SCA handles onboarding, payroll, insurance, evaluations, etc.
Q. What happens if the SCA intern declines the health insurance? Do projects get that money back?
A. SCA does not bill for unused health insurance premiums, so yes, you will get that money back when the work order is deobligated.
Q. Does USACE need to go through our background investigation process in addition to SCAs background investigation process?
A. SCAs background investigation process is adequate if the intern will not need access to a USACE networked computer. If the interns duties include network access, they will need to complete the full Level 3/Tier 1 process found in ER 1130-2-500, Chapter 9 to obtain a NEATs token.
Q. What happens if an intern starts later than projected, ends earlier or is being considered for an extension of service weeks?
A. Any changes or potential changes to the interns planned for service dates and/or position length must be communicated to Jennifer Linde AND the SCA as soon as it is known or being contemplated.
Q. Does the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) help provide more funding for some of these internships if they sign up for credits through their school?
A. When college students are awarded a financial aid package through their college, the options include grants, scholarships, loans, and work study. The college student would need to check with their college if their SCA time may be counted as their work study.
