Conferences - Travel
**VIRTUAL** **CONFERENCES**
With the number of conferences shifting from an in-person to virtual platform, the Department of the Navy Directorate for Administration, Logistics, and Operations (DOLA), formerly DON/AA, has put out clarifying guidance stating that when no travel expenses are incurred (i.e. virtual conferences) then conference approval is not required. This means that an approved SECNAV 5050-2 is not required when attending a virtual conference.
SECNAV 5050-2 not required if there are no travel expenses
Once approval is received, conference registration may be processed.
FY22 Tier 1 and Tier 2 Conferences
Stay informed with conference updates and notifications though the Conference Travel channel
Conference Title |
Approval Level |
Start Date |
End Date |
Submission Deadline |
| XPONENTIAL, AUVSI | Tier 1 - SECNAV | 5/8/2023 | 5/11/2023 | TBD |
| American Association of Endodontists Annual Meeting | Tier 2 - NPS President | 5/3/2023 | 5/6/2023 | 4/3/2023 |
| Directed Energy Symposium | Tier 2 - NPS President | 10/5/2022 | 10/6/2022 | 9/1/2022 |
| Mega Rust | Tier 2 - NPS President | 5/1/2023 | 5/31/2023 | TBD |
| National Restaurant Association Show | Tier 2 - NPS President | 5/20/2023 | 5/23/2023 | 4/20/2023 |
| Scientific Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association | Tier 1 - SECNAV | 5/21/2023 | 5/25/2023 | TBD |
| The American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition | Tier 2 - NPS President | 5/22/2023 | 5/24/2023 | 4/22/2023 |
| Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America | Tier 2 - NPS President | 12/5/2023 | 12/9/2023 | 11/5/2023 |
| American Society of Military Comptrollers (ASMC) National Professional Development Institute | Tier 1 - SECNAV | 5/31/2023 | 6/2/2023 | TBD |
| Military Operations Research Society (MORS) Symposium | Tier 1 - SECNAV | 6/1/2023 | 6/30/2023 | TBD |
| The Society of American Federal Medical Laboratory Scientists/Clinical Laboratory Management Association Knowledge Lab | Tier 2 - NPS President | 6/26/2023 | 6/30/2023 | 5/2/2023 |
| National Security Agency Information Assurance Symposium | Tier 2 - NPS President | 6/1/2023 | 6/30/2023 | 5/2/2023 |
| Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Employment Laws (EXCEL) Conference | Tier 2 - NPS President | 8/1/2023 | 8/30/2023 | 7/2/2023 |
| Federal Planning Training Workshop and the American Planning Association | Tier 1 - SECNAV | 5/23/2023 | 5/26/2023 | TBD |
| American Association of Nurse Practitioners National Conference | Tier 2 - NPS President | 6/1/2023 | 6/31/2023 | TBD |
| National Association Family Child Care Institute Annual Conference | Tier 2 - NPS President | 6/1/2023 | 6/31/2023 | TBD |
| GSA SmartPay Training Forum | Tier 1 - SECNAV | 8/1/2023 | 8/31/2023 | TBD |
| Black Hat | Tier 1 - SECNAV | 8/5/2023 | 8/10/2023 | 7/5/2023 |
| International Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life Conference | Tier 2 - NPS President | 7/1/2023 | 7/31/2023 | TBD |
| Environmental Systems Research Institute User Conference | Tier 2 - NPS President | 7/10/2023 | 7/14/2023 | 6/10/2023 |
| Association of Government Accountants – Professional Development Training Conference | Tier 1 - SECNAV | 7/23/2023 | 7/26/2023 | 6/23/2023 |
| The Energy Exchange | Tier 1 - SECNAV | 10/25/2022 | 10/27/2022 | 9/25/2022 |
| Bird Strike Committee USA Meeting | Tier 2 - NPS President | 7/1/2023 | 7/31/2023 | 6/1/2023 |
| Annual Threat Management Conference | Tier 2 - NPS President | 8/15/2023 | 8/18/2023 | 7/15/2023 |
| International System Safety Conference | Tier 2 - NPS President | 8/1/2023 | 8/31/2023 | 7/1/2023 |
| Blacks in Government (Annual National Training Institute) | Tier 2 - NPS President | 8/1/2023 | 8/31/2023 | 7/1/2023 |
| National Naval Officers Association (NNOA) Annual Professional Development and Training Conference | Tier 2 - NPS President | 8/1/2023 | 8/31/2023 | 7/1/2023 |
| Federal Dispute Resolution Conference | Tier 2 - NPS President | 8/7/2023 | 8/10/2023 | 7/7/2023 |
| DEF CON | Tier 2 - NPS President | 8/10/2023 | 8/13/2023 | 7/10/2023 |
| Tailhook | Tier 1 - SECNAV | 9/1/20223 | 9/30/2023 | TBD |
| National Organization for Victim Assistance Annual Training Event | Tier 1 - SECNAV | 7/31/2023 | 8/3/2023 | TBD |
| FABTECH | Tier 2 - NPS President | 11/8/2023 | 11/10/2023 | 10/7/2023 |
| Shock and Vibration Symposium | Tier 2 - NPS President | 9/1/2023 | 9/30/2023 | 8/1/2023 |
| Annual National Voluntary Protection Programs Participants' Association (VPPPA) Annual Safety and Health Conference | Tier 2 - NPS President | 9/18/2023 | 9/20/2023 | 8/18/2023 |
| The Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) Working Group Annual Conference & Educational Symposium | Tier 2 - NPS President | 9/1/2023 | 9/30/2023 | 8/1/2023 |
| American Society of Safety Professionals Professional Development Conference | Tier 2 - NPS President | 6/5/2023 | 6/7/2023 | 5/1/2023 |
| National Safety Congress and Expo | Tier 2 - NPS President | 9/1/2023 | 9/30/2023 | 8/1/2023 |
| International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference | Tier 2 - NPS President | 10/15/2022 | 10/18/2022 | 9/15/2022 |
| Oceans | Tier 1 - SECNAV | 10/17/2022 | 10/21/2022 | TBD |
Approval Authorities
Tier 1
As prescribed by DoD Conference Guidance 4.0 and SECNAVINST 5050.6, SECNAV and UNSECNAV are the Navy's only Tier 1 approving officials. Tier 1 approval is required for any conference with a total cost exceeding $250k or appearing on the "Blue List" and "Yellow List".
Tier 2
Tier 2
The Director, Navy Staff designated the President, Naval Postgraduate School a Tier 2 approval authority. With that authority, the President, Naval Postgraduate School may approve conferences with costs up to $250k, including those listed on the "White List" and "Yellow List" which have historically exceeded $100k.
Other Conferences
Other Conferences
The President, Naval Postgraduate School has delegated limited approval authority to O-6, GS-15, and select Administratively Determined (AD) faculty. The limited authority allows non-DoD conference attendance to be approved at the provost, deans, and directors levels for conferences that do not appear on the "White List" or "Blue List", have total costs less than $100k, and do not include attendance by invitational travelers (ITAs).
Conference Attendance Pages
Conference Policy
This document serves as Department of Defense (DoD)’s official conference policy. It supersedes and cancels DoD Conference Guidance 3.0. This policy supplements conference provisions in applicable ethics regulations and the Joint Travel Regulations. This guidance is effective June 26, 2016.
This instruction establishes Department of the Navy (DON) policy for confernece management in accordance with DoD Conference Guidance.
List of conferences hosted by the Department of the Navy requiring Tier 1 or Tier 2 approval based on historical costs.
List of conferneces typically attended by Navy personnel where the conference attendance costs have historically exceeded $250k. Attendance at these conferences requires Tier 1 approval in order for attendance to be authorized.
List of conferences typically attended by Navy personnel where the conference attendance costs have historically exceeded $100k. All require at least Tier 2 approval in order for attendance to be authorized.