What do I need to know as a participant intending to apply for an event? - Training Participant Information

Important Information for Participants Intending to Apply for an In-Person or Classroom NIC Event

What to expect for in-person classroom trainings:

1. Create an NIC LMS account now

   NIC manages its class registrations through our NIC Learn center. If you are interested in applying for any of our in-person or virtual training options, you'll need to create a free account first so that we can add you to our classes and register you properly. We recommend using your work email for the account.

   Create a free LMS account now

2. Class Registration

   There are two options for class registration and they depend on the class itself.

   1. The class is invitation only: In this case, NIC staff will register you for an event and you will log into the Learn Center to find that the class has been added to your account.
   2. The class is open to the public: In this case, the class will be advertised and listed on the NIC Learn Center with registration open to anyone. You can apply for the class and NIC staff will review your profile before adding you to the class roster.

3. NIC will securely send you forms to fill out and return

   NIC will securely send you Travel Claim and Direct Deposit forms through a secure, Department of Justice link. You will have 5 days to complete the forms and send them back to NIC in order to attend the training and be reimbursed for your travel expenses.

4. Complete all pre-work before in-person attendance

   Depending on the training, there may be preparatory work that you will need to complete before you in-person training event. This is to make sure that you and everyone else are on the same level when the training starts.

5. Training Occurs

   You and other participants will travel to the training location and complete the in-person classroom sessions before returning home. Please see the common questions answered below to make sure you understand how travel, lodging, and trip costs will work.

6. Follow Up & Reimbursement

   After the in-person training, NIC will send you a survey to provide feedback on your experience so that we can improve for future students and programs. You will also need to file your Invitational Travel and Per Diem Claim Form.

Travel FAQ:

Effective May 31, 2015, all future NIC programs and training events will be guided by the following procedures:

We understand that these changes to NIC’s business practices may result in questions or concerns. Specifically, we want to know if this change will cause any insurmountable issues or challenges to your agency. Should you have a comment or concern, please feel free to contact NIC, via email (NICLearningCenter@bop.gov) or telephone (800-995-6429). We welcome your feedback regarding this important administrative change.

Thank you for your attention to this issue. We appreciate your continued collaboration with the National Institute of Corrections and look forward to seeing you at an NIC classroom event.

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  Participant’s commercial airline tickets will be paid directly by NIC; participants will not be required to pay for airline tickets out of pocket.
  Instructions on how to obtain airline tickets will be provided to participants in their information packet emailed out prior to the training event.
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  Participants will be responsible for paying the initial costs for their hotel rooms and will be reimbursed. 
  The charge per night per room will be based on the federal per diem for that area plus specified taxes. Participants will be advised of the exact amount in their information packet prior to travel. Participants will be fully reimbursed for his/her lodging (room and taxes) at the hotel that has been selected by NIC. Participants will need to submit their hotel receipt to NIC for reimbursement.
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  Participants will be responsible for paying for their own meals and will be reimbursed. 
  The meal per diem will be based on the federal meal per diem for that area. On travel days, both to and from the designated hotel site, the per diem will be adjusted to 75% of the daily meal per diem rate. Participants will be advised of the exact reimbursable amount in the information packet prior to travel. Participants will not be required to keep meal receipts. S/he will be reimbursed for the allotted daily meal per diem, governed by General Services Administration (GSA) travel regulations.
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  Participants will be reimbursed for travel between their home and the airport closest to their home as well as for parking expenses. 
  All participant parking receipts must be submitted with their reimbursement claim. Participants will be reimbursed at the current Federal government personal vehicle mileage rate. If they choose to drive their personal vehicle to the training site, they will only be reimbursed up to the cost of the round trip flight at the federal government rate. We are unable to reimburse costs when an agency vehicle is driven.
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  Participants will be reimbursed for luggage.
  Participants will be reimbursed for two (2) bags each way per trip. Participants must obtain and then submit their baggage receipt(s) with their reimbursement claim.
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  The new procedures will necessitate that a NIC Secondary Banking Request form be completed by anyone traveling to participate in a NIC activity. 
  The form establishes how funds are electronically paid and expedites the reimbursement process. After the Secondary Banking Request form has been submitted, it will authorize the travel and input the participant into the travel system. Upon return from the NIC activity, the participant will need to submit all pertinent receipts to generate the reimbursement. The reimbursement, once all receipts have been received, is scheduled to be paid in ten (10) business days.