Appropriations Law Training

Overview

GAO's Course

Principles of Appropriations Law (PAL) is taught by experienced GAO attorneys. GAO will offer both virtual and in-person courses for FY 2024. 

Virtual Courses: Beginning December 2023, GAO is offering several courses through virtual training (see Registration for Group Courses). The virtual course is 5 ½ hours, including breaks. It begins at 9:30 AM EST and ends at approximately 3:00 PM. The course generally qualifies for 6 continuing professional education (CPE) credits. See below for a complete course outline.

In-Person Courses: Beginning January 2024, GAO is offering several courses exclusively through live, in-person training at a requesting agency’s training site (see Registration for Group Courses). The in-person course is 2 ½ days long. The course begins at 8:30 AM each day and ends at approximately 3:45 PM on Days 1 and 2 and 11:30 AM on Day 3. The course generally qualifies for 17 CPE credits.  See below for a complete course outline.

Registration

Registration for Group Courses

In the past year, GAO has taught group courses for the Federal Aviation Administration, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Social Security Administration, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Marshals Service, and U.S. Trade and Development Agency, among others. FY 2024 PAL group courses will be taught virtually and in person:

• Virtual group courses can accommodate up to 35 agency employees for a fee of $3,500.
• In-person group courses are taught at various federal agencies and can accommodate up to 35 agency employees for a fee of $6,700 (plus additional costs for instructor travel expenses for group courses held outside the Washington, D.C. local travel area). 

GAO will begin accepting group course requests immediately. All classes are on a first come, first served basis. Participants should send an email to PALCourse@GAO.GOV to register for a course. In the subject line of the email, you must include (Group Course/Date). All registrations must be received by COB, Friday, December 1, 2023. Only one POC from each agency can register their group. Confirmed registrations will only be sent to the agency POC. If your circumstances change after GAO has confirmed your attendance, please email PALCourse@GAO.GOV to decline the offer and free it up for someone else.

If GAO has offered your agency a group course date, you must finalize your agency’s registration by having a signed interagency agreement (IAA) in G-Invoicing. If your agency is not ready for G-Invoicing, we will accept a PDF 7600A and 7600B. We will not accept hybrid IAAs such as a GT&C in G-Invoicing and a PDF 7600B. A MIPR can be signed, if necessary, but only after we receive a fully executed GT&C and Order or a PDF 7600A and 7600B. If your agency cannot complete an IAA in G-Invoicing or in PDF format, you will not be able to register for a course. Once the IAA is in place, an IPAC will be initiated to collect payment upon completion of the course. Please note that GAO does not accept government purchase cards for payment. 

Failure to complete this process (or request an extension) within 6 weeks of the course may result in the loss of your registration. In addition, if your circumstances change after GAO offers you a group course date, please email PALCourse@GAO.GOV to decline your spot as soon as possible so your space can be made available to another agency.

Registration for Open Enrollment Course

Each fiscal year, GAO offers at least one PAL course on an “open enrollment” basis, meaning that GAO enrolls individual federal employees for a fee of $300 per seat. GAO will begin accepting open enrollment requests immediately. All requests are on a first come, first served basis. Participants should send an email to PALCourse@GAO.GOV to register for the course. In the subject line of the email, you must include (Open Enrollment Course). The FY 2024 open enrollment course will be taught virtually on Tuesday, August 27, 2024.

If GAO has offered you a seat, your agency must finalize your registration by having a signed interagency agreement (IAA) in G-Invoicing. If your agency is not ready for G-Invoicing, we will accept a PDF 7600A and 7600B. We will not accept hybrid IAAs such as a GT&C in G-Invoicing and a PDF 7600B. A MIPR can be signed, if necessary, but only after we receive a fully executed GT&C and Order or a PDF 7600A and 7600B. If your agency cannot complete an IAA in G-Invoicing or in PDF format, you will not be able to register for a course. Once the IAA is in place, an IPAC will be initiated to collect payment upon completion of the course. Please note that GAO does not accept government purchase cards for payment.