DOI OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES MEMORANDUM (OPM) - 07
Subject: Improving the Management and Use of Government Aircraft
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Last Updated: January 1, 2015
Expiration Date: December 31, 2026
1. Summary of Changes.
2. Purpose. This OPM implements the policy and procedures contained in the following documents:
3. General. Collectively the documents referenced above prescribe policy and procedures for the management and use of Government aircraft. Additionally, they mandate an aircraft justification process, a cost accounting system, general and special tra...
4. Definitions. The following definitions supplement or restate those found in the documents referenced in Section 2 above
United States Department of the Interior
Office of Aviation Services
300 E Mallard Drive, Suite 200
Boise, Idaho 83706-3991
DOI OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES MEMORANDUM (OPM) - 07 Subject: Improving the Management and Use of Government Aircraft Effective Date: January 1, 2026 Last Updated: January 1, 2015 Expiration Date: December 31, 2026 1. Summary of Changes.
No Changes.
2. Purpose. This OPM implements the policy and procedures contained in the following documents: A. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-126 (copy attached as Appendix 1).
B. Presidential Memorandum, subject: Restricted Use of Government Aircraft, dated February 10, 1993.
C. OMB Bulletin No. 93-11 (copy attached as Appendix 2).
D. U.S. Department of the Interior Solicitor Memorandum, subject: Use of Government Operated or Chartered Aircraft, dated December 23, 1999 (copy attached as Appendix 3).
E. 41 CFR 101-37 (FPMR Amendment G-101), Government Aviation Administration and Coordination. (Copy attached as Appendix 4).
3. General. Collectively the documents referenced above prescribe policy and procedures for the management and use of Government aircraft. Additionally, they mandate an aircraft justification process, a cost accounting system, general and special travel approvals and reporting requirements specifically directed toward senior officials traveling on Government aircraft and provide guidance on "space available" travel. Compliance with the provisions of these instructions is a matter of interest at the highest echelons of Government, including Department of the Interior (DOI). Bureaus must comply with internal control requirements outlined in OMB Circular A-126, paragraph 13a (ii). DOI bureaus can reasonably expect to have implementation of this program, which is an item of review during audits and evaluations by the General Accounting Office and the Inspector General.
4. Definitions. The following definitions supplement or restate those found in the documents referenced in Section 2 above A. Actual Cost - For DOI fleet aircraft, this is the published per-hour flight rate (the variable cost). This is consistent with the provisions of A-126.
5. Policy. The application of policies and procedures outlined in this OPM and its appendices are the responsibility of the respective bureau utilizing Government aircraft.
OPM - 07 Page 2 B. Bureau - The term "bureau" denotes Bureau of Land Management (BLM), National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), Territorial and International Affairs, and all other offices of the Secretary of the Interior.
C. Senior Executive Branch Officials - Civilian officials appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, or civilian employees of the Executive Office of the President.
D. Senior Federal Officials - Employees paid at a rate of pay beyond a GS/GM-15.
E. Space Available Travel - Travel using aircraft capacity that is already scheduled for use for an official purpose that would otherwise be unutilized.
5. Policy. The application of policies and procedures outlined in this OPM and its appendices are the responsibility of the respective bureau utilizing Government aircraft.
A. Except as authorized on a trip-by-trip basis by the Secretary of the Interior, "space available" travel is limited to civilian personnel and their dependents in remote locations (i.e., locations not reasonably accessible to regularly scheduled commercial airline service).
B. If "space available" travel is authorized by the Secretary, the appropriate reimbursement procedures outlined in 41 CFR 101-37.403 shall apply.
C. "Space Available" travel is only allowed under specific conditions. Appendix 5 is a flow chart that outlines the decision-making process for "space available" travel.
D. Travel on government aircraft must be approved in writing by the bureau that sponsors the travel.
E. Authority to approve travel on government aircraft is at the bureau head, or officials designated by the bureau head.
F. Travel on government aircraft must be justified by preparing a travel cost analysis, Form OAS-110 (copy at Appendix 6) or comparable procedure.
G. Approval of the justification form must be at least one organizational level above the person(s) traveling.
H. "Required use" travel requires special approvals. See page 6, paragraph 11.b. of A-126.
(Note: "Agency's" senior legal official written approval.)
7. Documentation. All uses of aircraft owned, leased, chartered or rented and operated by DOI must be documented and the documentation retained for at least two years.
OPM - 07 Page 3 I. Special approvals are required for Senior Federal Officials for travel that is not to meet "mission requirements" or "required use travel", members of families of such senior Federal officials, and non-Federal travelers. ( Special approvals are required on a trip-by-trip basis and be signed by the agency's senior legal official or their principal deputy. (See page 7, paragraph 11.C. of OMB Circular A-126.) Appendix 7 is a flow chart that outlines the decision-making process for Senior Federal Official travel using Government aircraft.
J. Guidance on submitting requests to the Office of the Solicitor for special approvals that involve senior Federal officials and employees pursuant to OMB Circular A-126 is contained in Office of the Solicitor memorandum, subject: Use of Government Operated or Chartered Aircraft, dated December 23, 1999 (copy attached as Appendix 3).
6. Authority. This policy is established by the Director, Department of the Interior, Office of Aviation Services (OAS) in accordance with the provisions of Departmental Manual 112 DM 12, 350 DM 1, and Secretarial Order 3322 dated August 23, 2012.
7. Documentation. All uses of aircraft owned, leased, chartered or rented and operated by DOI must be documented and the documentation retained for at least two years.
A. The documentation required for all Government aircraft use is contained in 41 CFR 101- 37.407, Appendix 4.
B. The documentation for government aircraft used to support official travel must include Form OAS-110 or similar record and be retained by the sponsoring bureau.
C. In addition to the documentation of government aircraft use, semi-annual reporting is required for travel by Senior Federal Officials, Senior Executive Branch officials, members of families of such officials, and any non-federal travelers. DOI bureaus shall submit a summary report for their bureau direct to GSA. The report requirement is defined in 41 CFR 101-37.408 Reporting travel by senior Federal officials. “Agencies shall submit semi-annual reports for the periods October 1 through March 31 (due May 31), and April 1 through September 30 (due November 30) to the General Services Administration, Travel Management Policy Division (MTT), 1800 F Street NW, Room G-219, Washington DC 20405 (FAX 202-501-0349). Agencies shall submit report data using the GSA spreadsheet for Senior Federal Travel (Sample in Appendix 8). Agencies that did not transport any senior Federal officials or special category travelers during the relevant time frame must still submit a written response that acknowledges the reporting requirements and states they have no travel to report (Appendix 9). Agencies are responsible for collecting and maintaining all the detailed data required by 41 CFR 101-37.4, but are only required to report on some of the data.
1) Reports shall include data on all non-mission travel by senior Federal officials on Government aircraft (including those senior Federal officials acting in an aircrew capacity when they are also aboard the flight for transportation), members of the families of such officials, any non-Federal travelers (except as authorized under 10 U.S.C. 4744 and regulations implementing that statute), and all mission and non-mission travel for senior executive branch officials. The reports shall include: a) The traveler’s employing or sponsoring agency.
OPM - 07 Page 4 b) The first and last name of the traveler.
c) The total number of flights the traveler took during the reporting period.
d) The identification of the type of traveler being transported. Valid status entries are: Contractor, Non-Federal Official, Dependent, Other Official Traveler, Senior Executive Branch Official, Senior Federal Official and Military.
2) Each agency is responsible for reporting travel by personnel transported on aircraft scheduled by that agency.
3) The agency using the aircraft must also maintain the data required by this section for classified trips. This information shall not be reported to GSA or OMB but must be made available by the agency for review by properly cleared personnel.
Susan E. Bates Director, Office of Aviation Services