Process and Procedures for Purdue Faculty and Staff Participation in a
Intergovernmental Personnel Act Agreements (IPAs)

IPA Structure Type = Detail

Effective Date: December 1, 2024

An Intergovernmental Personnel Act assignment (IPA) allows Purdue employees to temporarily work at a federal agency while retaining their employment with Purdue. IPAs typically last up to two years, with the possibility of an extension. An IPA cannot last longer than four consecutive years. After four years, the employee must return to Purdue for at least twelve months before being eligible for another IPA.

See also: Guidance for Establishing Intergovernmental Personnel Act Agreements (IPAs) and Acknowledgement of Responsibilities Under an IPA. These procedures apply to the IPA Structure Type Detail which is the most common.

Background Information for Participation Under an IPA

• Funding from the agencies is provided directly to Purdue and administered as a grant award in SPS.
• Agencies typically pay for salary plus fringes for the individual on assignment.
• Agency assignments are typically full time (FTE), but part-time assignments are possible
• Faculty members remain fully on Purdue payroll and retain benefits.
• Faculty should submit an R/I/E leave request in SuccessFactors. Procedures for R/I/E leaves can be found here.
• Faculty should submit a Reportable Outside Activity (ROA) Disclosure through ROADD. Guidelines for ROA Disclosures can be found here.
• Faculty should submit a Guidance for Establishing Intergovernmental Personnel Act Agreements (IPAs) and Acknowledgement of Responsibilities Under and IPA (details and steps outlined below).

IPA process/steps

1. IPA Candidate
   1. Discuss possible IPA assignment with supervisor and/or Department Head
   2. Submit ROA disclosure thru ROADD
   3. Submit R/I/E Leave request thru SuccessFactors
   4. Review and Sign the Guidance for Establishing Intergovernmental Personnel Act Agreements (IPAs) and Acknowledgement of Responsibilities Under an IPA – initiated by Beth Siple in SPS Admin – see step 6)
2. The IPA candidate should contact SPS Pre-Award for budgeting the salary and fringes, with the following guidelines:
   1. Full salary/fringe—include FERAP, if applicable
   2. Include inflation
   3. No F&A
   4. Pre-Award initiates a proposal record in PERA
3. Once the IPA is arranged and confirmed with the host agency, the IPA is initiated by the candidate and routed to SPS Contracting by emailing awards@purdue.edu
   1. Contracting Reviews the IPA
   2. Contracting alerts the Director of Sponsored Program Administration, who is responsible for the following:
      1. Watch for R/I/E Leave request
      2. Initiate Guidance for Establishing Intergovernmental Personnel Act Agreements (IPAs) and Acknowledgement of Responsibilities Under an IPA
   3. Contracting coordinates with the IPA Candidate, Business Office, and Head to ensure approvals are in place and routes the IPA to Associate Vice President, Sponsored Program Services (AVP SPS)
   4. AVP SPS will coordinate review and approval from the Provost Office
   5. Once approved, AVP SPS will sign the IPA on behalf of Purdue
   6. Agreement is then sent back to the agency and recorded in PERA
4. SPS Post Award
   1. Establishes grant in PERA/SAP
   2. Invoices/Bills sponsor for reimbursement of expenses
5. Business Office
   1. Sets up payroll to charge to IPA Grant account
   2. Ensures PARs (SEEMLESS) are certified to IPA grant account
6. SPS/Admin - Director of Sponsored Program Administration
   1. Reviews R/I/E Leave Request in SuccessFactors (from Step 1)
   2. Verifies and attaches copy of IPA agreement and Guidance for Establishing Intergovernmental Personnel Act Agreements (IPAs) and Acknowledgement of Responsibilities Under an IPA
   3. Ensures post award review complete and approves for SPS in workflow
   4. Verifies ROA disclosure complete (from Step 1), and attaches approval of the ROA to the leave request
7. R/I/E Leave request is routed to Provost Office for final approval in SuccessFactors