A detail (sometimes called a rotation) is a short-term assignment in a different host office or agency that an executive branch fellow undertakes during the course of his or her fellowship. In some cases the detail or rotation may be conducted as a split assignment, remaining part-time in the original host office while also spending time in the detail/rotation office.
A detail is neither customary nor expected. AAAS conducts a thorough process to ensure appropriate placement of fellows. A detail or rotation is not an alternative to the placement process.
To find out if you are eligible for a detail or rotation, contact your program manager. This policy does not pertain to fellows in congressional assignments, to executive branch fellows sponsored by partner scientific or engineering societies, or to executive branch fellows hosted at agencies that do not allow details and rotations.
Executive branch fellows who have been at their original host office for at least six months are eligible to explore a detail or rotation. In most cases this will not take place until the second year of a fellowship because of the time required to make the arrangements.
The detail or rotation must be consistent with the fellow’s activities in the original host office and provide a learning opportunity for the fellow and clear value to the missions of both participating offices. The detail or rotation must be approved by AAAS, the original host office, the agency liaison (if applicable), and the short-term host office.
Details or rotations may be served in a different office within the original host agency or in a different agency. Details or rotations in the same agency are typically easier to arrange because they fall within the scope of AAAS’s agreement with the original host agency and are unlikely to require a memorandum of understanding or approval of the agencies’ Office of General Counsel.
The length of a detail or rotation is flexible. In most cases it will conclude at least one to three months before the end of the fellowship year to provide time for the fellow to return to the original host office to share the benefits of what he or she has learned while on detail/rotation.
During the detail or rotation, the fellow remains officially attached to his or her original host office, which in most instances will continue to fund the fellowship. It is possible that the receiving office will agree to fund the fellowship during the detail or rotation. In that event, the arrangements governing the funding will take place between the two offices independently of AAAS, which will continue to invoice the original host office for the costs of the fellowship.
If a potential detail or rotation meets the stated criteria, then the following process must be followed. Host offices and fellows must contact AAAS before embarking on a detail or rotation to help facilitate a smooth process.
- The detail/rotation/split assignment should be initiated by the fellow’s original host office (the “sending” office) and/or the office to which the fellow will rotate (the “receiving” office), rather than the fellow. However, much of the responsibility for making the arrangements may fall on the fellow.
- Once discussions are underway, it is the fellow’s responsibility to ensure that all participants are kept informed. These include the fellow’s program manager at AAAS, the sending office, the receiving office, and the agency liaison if there is one. If the detail/rotation/split assignment will take place in a different host agency, the General Counsel’s office in both the sending and receiving agencies should be notified and their approval sought.
- Details/rotations/split assignments must be approved in writing by AAAS, the sending office, the receiving office, and the agency liaison. In seeking approval, the fellow should draft a statement, describing the rationale, how the detail/rotation contributes to the goals of the sending and receiving offices, the fellow’s activities in the receiving office, and how the fellow will bring what he or she has learned during the assignment back to the original host office. If either office does not believe that the detail/rotation/split assignment serves its larger purposes, it is free to deny approval.
- The mentor in the receiving office must agree to the requirements of hosting a fellow. Depending on the length of the rotation and when it falls during the fellowship year, this may entail participating in drafting a Fellowship Impact Plan and/or a site visit. If a security clearance or badge is required to undertake the detail/rotation/split assignment, it is the receiving office’s responsibility to make the necessary arrangements.
- The formal arrangements governing the detail/split assignment will be between the sending and receiving offices. Once the agreement is signed by both offices, all parties, including AAAS, should receive a copy.
- In the year-end report the fellow must provide a summary of activities in both the original host office and the office hosting the detail.