Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Assignments Guidance

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Background

An Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) agreement enables the temporary exchange of employees between government agencies at various levels and institutions of higher education, while the individual remains on the University of Wisconsin–Madison payroll. These agreements are highly valued by UW–Madison because they support professional development, promote knowledge sharing beyond the university, and enhance the institution’s broader public impact.

While IPAs are authorized under federal law (5 CFR Part 334) and administered by the sponsoring agency, UW–Madison’s participation is governed by Wisconsin statutes and UW System policy. Under Wisconsin Law ( Wis. Stat. Section 230.047 and Wis. Admin Code Section ER 47.04 ), such exchanges are limited to one-year, with the possibility of a one-year extension if all parties agree. This legal framework is reflected in UW System policy on the Utilization of Borrowed Employees/Employee Interchange Agreements, which also stipulates a one-year maximum duration. Any extension beyond that period requires approval from the UW System President.

Things to Consider Before Routing an IPA

Before creating and routing a Funding Proposal (FP) in RAMP, departments and dean’s offices should confirm the following items have been reviewed and considered. These considerations support early planning and do not replace sponsor-specific guidance or RSP review and approval.

IPA Type and Sponsor Context

Identify the sponsoring agency (e.g., VA, NSF, or other governmental entity).
Confirm whether the IPA has been formally requested by the sponsor or is still exploratory.
Be aware that sponsor documentation, timelines, and processes vary.

IPA Period and Year Status

Confirm whether this is a first-year IPA or a second-year extension.
Confirm that the total IPA duration will not exceed two years.
If prior IPA history is unclear, resolve prior to routing the request in RAMP.

Funding and Timing Considerations

Confirm anticipated period of performance and funding structure.
Understand sponsor fiscal-year constraints or incremental funding practices.
Avoid committing to starting dates or extensions until both sponsor intent and institutional requirements are confirmed.

Campus Stakeholder Coordination & Early Consultation

Coordinate early, as applicable, with HR, payroll/effort reporting, unit finance, and the participating individual and PI/supervisor.

Early RSP Consultation

Early consultation with RSP is recommended when:

The IPA may involve a second-year extension.
The sponsor proposes an IPA period longer than one-year at the outset.
IPA eligibility or prior service is unclear.
Unique or non-standard IPA arrangements are being considered.

Process Overview

At UW–Madison, RAMP supports proposal, award, and agreement routing and approvals, while Workday supports award setup and financial management. Approved actions in RAMP determine how awards and award lines are established in Workday. To ensure compliance with Wisconsin law and UW System policy, RSP follows the process outlined below.

RAMP Routing Guidance

The IPA process begins with the creation of a Funding Proposal (FP) in RAMP. The Funding Proposal (FP) record serves as the institutional routing and approval mechanism prior to award setup.

While IPA requests such as VA and NSF are routed using a Funding Proposal (FP) within RAMP, sponsor-specific routing, documentation, and submission requirements differ.

Including all required attachments, such as budget templates, agreements, and other forms in the RAMP record ensures timely review and processing.

Funding Proposal (FP) Routing Guidance:

Use the Create Funding Proposal (FP) button in RAMP.
Select "IPA" as the Document Type.
Route the record to specialist review following the standard Funding Proposal routing and RSP approval process. For more information, visit the Proposal Preparation and Submission webpage.

More detailed routing and submission instructions can be found via the Routing Guidance on the RSP home page (search “IPA”).

Award Setup Initial Year

Depending on the sponsor, final IPA agreements and award notifications may be sent directly to the PI and/or to RSP.
To ensure timely and accurate award setup, notices of awards and IPA agreements received by the PI and/or department should be forwarded via email to awardacceptance@rsp.wisc.edu.
A single RAMP Award record (AWD) will be created for the initial one-year period, beginning on the IPA start date.
A single Workday Award Line/Grant will be used to cover this one-year term.
Once the Award and Award Line are established in Workday, departments may proceed with payroll and effort adjustments in accordance with unit procedures.

Second-Year IPA Extensions

If a second-year is anticipated, formal approval is required prior to award setup. Approval of the extension is required from the Assistant Director of Contracts, or from RSP Executive Leadership if the Assistant Director is unavailable. If sponsors provide multi-year IPA agreements or funding upfront, only the first-year award will be established initially. Second-year funding will require formal extension approval prior to setup.

Approval Request Requirements

Before a second-year IPA can be established:

Departments should verify IPA start dates and prior year status in the existing RAMP Award record (or consult RSP if unclear).
Confirm that the IPA is currently in its first year.
Confirm the request is only for a one-year extension, since IPAs cannot exceed a total of two years.

Submitting the Second-Year IPA Extension

Second-year IPA extensions must be routed as a renewal Funding Proposal (FP) in RAMP from the original Awarded record and follow the standard FP routing and RSP approval process.

An Ancillary Review (AR) must be submitted to the Assistant Director of Contracts (or RSP Executive Leadership if unavailable) requesting approval to establish the IPA beyond a one-year period. The Ancillary Review (AR) request must confirm:
- The extension represents the second and final year of the IPA; and
- Both the campus unit(s) and the sponsor have requested the extension to complete ongoing work.

Detailed routing and submission instructions can be found via the Routing Guidance on the RSP home page (search “IPA”).

Award Setup for Second-Year:

Once approved, the second year of the IPA—even if awarded upfront—will be established via AWD-Mod in RAMP under the existing award, adding a second award line in Workday.

Who to Contact for Questions:

For questions regarding IPA eligibility, prior service, routing, or setup, please contact the appropriate RSP Team:

For Funding Proposal (FP) RAMP routing: preaward@rsp.wisc.edu
For Award Set-up: awardacceptance@rsp.wisc.edu
For active IPAs and post-award management: RSP Accountant Search