Payment of Training Instructors' Licensing Fees

The Department of Defense requested a determination as to whether the Army Management Engineering Training Agency may pay the licensing fees for its Methods Time Measurement (MTM) instructors. MTM is a non-profit corporation which trains and certifies practitioners and instructors in the use of the techniques which it has developed. MTM classifies its clients as members of the MTM Asscociation and collects a membership fee from each one. Instructors who are certified by MTM are eligible for instructor memberships which allow the various companies to receive training materials for the purpose of conducting in-house MTM training for all levels of personnel. Absent payment of the instructor licensing fee, clients cannot obtain the necessary instructional materials. In addition, MTM refuses to certify individuals not trained by licensed instructors, and without certification, trainees are not eligible to receive updated materials on the most efficient use of MTM techniques. GAO determined that legislation prohibiting the payment of membership fees in a society or organization for individual Government employees does not apply to the instructor licensing fees because the fees are a necessary expense directly related to training. Accordingly, the licensing fees may be paid.