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Rideshare Services Program

The DOE HQ Shuttle Bus service has been discontinued.  As of May, 2023, the RideShare Services Program provides federal employees with local transportation in the Washington, DC metro area.  There are no shuttle-specific services for employees to travel exclusively between Headquarters locations, transportation between locations is provided under the RideShare Services Program.  Information about the RideShare Services Program is in the EnergyHub.

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Passport and Visa Photographs (Go to Photography page)

Passport/Visa photos can be obtained by visiting:

  • Forrestal - Photography Lab located in GE-140, (202) 586-1350.
  • Germantown - Conferencing Office located in E-055, (301) 903-4352. Germantown office hours 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. No appointment is necessary but call to ensure a staff person is available.

To better serve you, please call in advance to schedule passport/visa photos and portraits.

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DOE Photography Collection (Energy Technology Visuals Collection-ETVC) (Go to ETVC page)

1. Are the images in the collection available on-line?
Yes.  There are collections of images from all of the DOE sites and history.  Links to those collections including the Headquarters Photostream sets are available through the ETVC/Photography web page in a listing on the bottom of the page.  There are several image collections from DOE sites, the Headquarters Photostream collection is on Flickr and available through this link, and there is also an on-site collection of images see FAQ #6.

2. Are the images on the various web sites available in high resolution?
Yes, most of the images are available in high resolution.  We can provide JPG and TIF files by email or CD/DVD.

3. How do obtain the high resolution images from the DOE Digital Archive?
Email the Image ID#s to the ETVC office at EnergyTechnologyVisualsCollectionETVC@hq.doe.gov.  We may need some further information about your desired usage and audience.

4. Are your images in the public domain?
Yes the images available on the web sites are in the public domain.

5. Is there a charge for the images?
There is no charge for DOE personnel or the public to use our images.

6. Do you have catalogs on-site to look at?
Yes.  We have a computer to view the electronic images with the assistance of our staff.  Contact us at (202) 586-9796 to review the catalogs in our Washington, DC offices, Forrestal Building room GE-140.

7. What kind of images do you have from Headquarters events?
When requested by DOE personnel, we have pictures taken by the DOE Photographers, e.g. Secretarial, Congressional, award ceremonies, special and historical events.

8. Do you have historical images?
Yes, we have images dating back to the Manhattan Project.

9. How do we credit the pictures?
Credit the U.S. Department of Energy.

10. Do you have contacts at the DOE labs?
Yes, we have contacts at DOE’s national laboratories and sites.

11. Do you have FTP site capabilities?
No. 

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Parking and Garage (Go to Parking and Garage page)

1. I would like to park in the Forrestal garage. How do I apply for parking?
First you've got to see if you qualify for parking, then you must file a parking request. See "Applying for a Parking Permit" on the Parking and Garage page for additional information.

2. What is "Unusual Hours" parking, and does an Alternate Work Schedule qualify?
Unusual Hours (UH) parking is reserved for DOE employees who are required to work beyond their normal scheduled work hours. An Alternate Work Schedule (AWS) by itself does not qualify as Unusual Hours. (For additional information, refer to Unusual Hours Qualifications on the Parking and Garage page.) 

3. I am a contractor. I have been told that contractors cannot park in the garage, yet I see other contractors that do park there. Can you clear up these guidelines as they pertain to contractors?
Contractor personnel working in the Forrestal complex may not park in the garage but may be members of car/van pools that park here. With a car/van pool, there must be a minimum of two DOE persons who use the same vehicle for transportation to and from work who ride together daily. Two of the regular car/van pool members must be DOE employees, one of whom is the car/van pool principal; the individuals must work in the facility for which they seek or have been authorized parking privileges. If one member of a two-member car/van pool is a contractor, the Federal employee must be the primary permit holder.  Contractors assigned to the Forrestal or L'Enfant Plaza facility are not allowed to park in the garage. Contractors assigned outside of the Forrestal Building are considered Visitors and can make a reservation for parking. For more information, refer to Visitor Parking on the Parking page.

4. I work in Germantown and occasionally need to park in Forrestal.  What do I do?
Germantown federal employees  requesting all day parking (4 hours or more) in the Forrestal garage will be required to purchase a temporary permit at the Parking Booth located in the Forrestal garage for $5.00 each.  Employees are allowed up to ten (10) temporary permits per month.  DOE contract employees are prohibited from requesting visitor parking in the Forrestal garage. If additional information is needed, please contact Parking Management on (202) 586-4271.

5. How do I arrange for visitor parking?
Only employees of the Department of Energy, Headquarters may reserve visitor parking.  To reserve a space call (202) 586-4271 a day in advance to make reservations. For more information see the Parking page. Please note, due to the limited amount of available visitor parking spaces, reservations are made on a first come first serve basis. DOE contract employees are prohibited from requesting visitor parking in the Forrestal garage. If additional information is needed, please contact Parking Management on (202) 586-4271.

When calling you must have the following information:

  • visitor's name
  • type of car they are driving
  • their license tag number and State
  • time they will be arriving and departing DOE
  • name and extension of the person they are visiting

6. Are there spaces reserved for handicapped visitors?
No, but all the visitor lanes are right next to an entrance to the Forrestal building. The Parking Management Office will try to accommodate any handicapped visitors. This includes over booking the visitors lanes so any handicapped visitor can have easy access to the Forrestal building.

7. Is there a waiting list for parking permits?
There is no waiting list for new parking permit applications. There are over 800 parking spaces in the Forrestal parking facility. Even during the busiest days, the garage has more than enough spaces for 1-day, temporary permits and monthly permit holders.

8. How can I receive a reserved parking space?
The Parking Management Office does not assign reserved parking spaces. The Deputy Secretary's staff assigns reserved parking spaces. The Parking Management Office only manages these spaces.

9. Do I need a permit to park on the weekend?
No. The parking garage is open after 5:00 P.M. on weekdays and all day on weekends to DOE employees with a valid DOE badge. Just show your badge to the guard at the garage entrance. Non-DOE employees must sign in before entering the building.

10. When do monthly permits go on sale?
Permits go on sale four working days before and three working days after the first of the month. The previous month's parking permit is valid until the fourth working day of the month. On the fifth day, the old permit must be removed before entering the garage, and you are required to buy a permit on that day.

11. I just got a parking violation, what can I do?
There is no monetary penalty for a parking violation, but violations can result in the suspension of parking privileges. It recommended that all violations be appealed. (Refer to Suspension, Violation and Appeals on the Parking and Garage page.)  If you received a ticket from the Federal Protective Services, those tickets are appealed through the Federal Court and not by the Parking Committee.

12. What do I do about lost or stolen permits?
When a valid parking permit is suspected to be lost or stolen, the permit holder must report the circumstances to the Parking Management Office. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in suspension or termination of parking privileges. You should also be aware that duplicate permits are available in the garage. They are to be purchased only if a permit has been lost or stolen. You can purchase the duplicate, once the circumstance has been reported to the Parking Management Office. It is a violation to split a permit which means, if you find the lost permit, no one is allowed to drive in on that permit or the duplicate, except the permit holder.

13. What if we have an accident in the garage?
If a driver accidentally strikes another vehicle in the parking facility, the driver must stop and check for any damages to either vehicle. If the other vehicle is damaged, the driver must notify the owner/driver immediately. The driver must also provide pertinent information about the accident to the security office and the parking attendant on duty. The parking attendant notifies the Federal Protective Service and Headquarters Security Office. In the event the parking office is closed at the time of the accident, or the discovery of the accident, these notifications should be accomplished at the first opportunity when the parking office is open for business. Files to claim damages caused by the contractor parking attendant employee should be filed with that contractor. The requisite forms may be obtained from the parking attendant.

14. What do I do about my car being parked in the garage while I am on travel?
Many permit holders are required to travel around the country on official business. As a courtesy to our customers, the Forrestal garage is available for permit holders to park their car for the duration of their trip. The following are guidelines that you should take if you wish to leave your car in the Forrestal garage.

  • The car must be parked against the wall.
  • Have your valid monthly permit displayed in the parked car for the duration of your trip.
  • Notify the parking attendants of your desire to leave the vehicle in the garage.
  • Notify the attendants of the lane the car is parked in to avoid any confusion.
  • Make sure your vehicle is locked. Do not leave your keys with anyone. The parking attendants are not responsible for moving your car.

15. What if my car becomes disabled in the garage?
First of all, notify the parking attendants (before 6:00 P.M.) or the security guard (after 6:00 P.M.) at 202-586-6900. They are not there to help with repairs to your car, but they can help insure that no one is blocked by your disabled car.

Call a tow truck or your towing company (e.g., AAA).  Please inform the tow truck that there is a 6'9" height clearance in the garage.

Notify the garage attendants or after 6:00 P.M. the security guards about the tow truck. Inform them of the name of the towing company and their time of arrival.

Please note, the parking attendants do not have the equipment to "fix" your car. The attendants cannot open locked cars they do not have jumper cables, spare tires, etc.

16. There is a moving violation potential for making a U-turn heading south on 12th Street SW to enter the 12th Street Forrestal parking garage entrance.  District of Columbia traffic regulation 2204.8 states:
the driver of any vehicle shall not turn a vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction unless such movement can be made in safety and without interfering with other traffic.
Local police may issue a moving violation  for this infraction.

  • Drivers are encouraged to avoid making this U-turn to enter the garage.
  • Drivers coming from Independence Avenue should either use the 9th Street entrance or an alternate route to approach the 12th Street entrance from the south.

17. What are the hours of the 9th Street entrance to the Forrestal garage?
The 9th Street Forrestal garage entrance is currently open from 3:00 p.m. - 9:00 a.m. Monday through Friday.


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Travel (Go to the Travel page)

1. How do I find a non-refundable ticket?
You may call ADTRAV or locate tickets through eTS.

2. May I purchase the ticket immediately if I find it? 
No, as a Federal employee, travelers must travel in accordance with the rules and regulations set forth in the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) 301-2.1 [shown below].  The FTR states that you must have an approved Travel Authorization (TA).  TAs will need to be approved within 24 hours to secure the non-refundable price, however, prices are not guaranteed.

3. §301-2.1  Must I have authorization to travel?
Yes, generally you must have written or electronic authorization prior to incurring any travel expense. If it is not practicable or possible to obtain such authorization prior to travel, your agency may approve a specific authorization for reimbursement of travel expenses after travel is completed. However, written or electronic advance authorization is required for items in §301-2.5(c), (i), (n), and (o) of this part.

4. After I have an approved TA, may I make the reservation myself? 
No, Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) states that all Government travel must be through a Travel Management Center (TMC) under contract to the Government, FTR 301-50.3 [shown below in #5].  DOE Headquarters' TMC is ADTRAV.

5. FTR 301-50.3  Must I use the ETS or TMS to arrange my travel?
Yes, if you are an employee of an agency as defined in §301-1.1 of this chapter, you must use the E-Gov Travel Service when your agency makes it available to you. Until then, you must use your agency’s existing Travel Management Service (TMS) to make your travel arrangements.  If you are an employee of the Department of Defense (DoD) or of the Government of the District of Columbia, you must arrange your travel in accordance with your agency’s TMS.  Your agency may grant an exception to required use of TMS/ETS under §§301-50.4, 301-73.102, or 301-73.104 of this chapter.

6. Why do we need to have a TMC? 
GSA has the responsibility to report to Congress as to ALL Government air travel, and GSA utilizes the TMCs to provide the information to meet its accountability and reporting/tracking requirements to Congress and provides critical data for its actual contractual discussions with the airlines each year.  The TMC provides the agency with a check and balance ensuring that the agency is meeting its legal requirements as set forth in the FTR. 

Additionally, ADTRAV will conduct a side by side comparison between the contract fare and non-refundable fare to ensure that the lowest fare to the Government is being ticketed.

7. Why will the price change if not ticketed within 24 hours? 
Non-refundable ticket prices are not guaranteed as with contract fares.  Carrier tariffs change frequently throughout a 24-hour period and are never guaranteed.  The closer you get to departure, the higher the price will be.

8. Does a contract fare change? 
Contract fares are set each fiscal year; however, the fares may change.  Check contract fares at:
http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/27075

9. Can the traveler be held financially responsible for the transaction?
Yes, the traveler can be held responsible:

  • The FTR states that the traveler can be held financially responsible for his/her travel transactions if the transaction is not in compliance with the FTR.
  • As to penalties and fees associated with any changes to a non-refundable ticket, please refer to DOE Notice “Travel using the Government’s Contract City-Pair Air Fares and Non-Contract Air Fares (including non-refundable air fares)”.

10. How should I pay for a non-refundable ticket that has to be issued against my Government credit card immediately if my travel is scheduled for a later date?
All non-refundable tickets and tickets issued more than 30 days to travel must be placed on the DOE Centrally Billed House Account known as the CBA.  Once the authorization is approved, advise the TMC to record the ticket purchase as Payment-Method CBA on the travel authorization.

Useful Travel Telephone Numbers and Websites:

AdTrav: 1-888-205-2369
Email: doedc@adtrav.com

eTS Help Desk: 301-903-2500, Option 4

CGE On-Line Reference: http://gotravel.doe.gov

DOE Travel Manual: DOE O 552.1A Admin Chg 1, Travel Policy and Procedures

Federal Travel Regulation: http://www.gsa.gov/ftr

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Document Imaging (Go to Document Imaging page)

1. How do I submit a job?
Bring the documents to Room GE-140 in the Forrestal building.  The documents need to be marked with the file name.  Customers will be asked to fill out an order form with their information.

2. Is this service done on-site?
This service is done on-site at the Forrestal building.  There is not an office at Germantown.

3. How long does it take to scan in a request?
It depends on how many pages need to be scanned.  The group will work with you to meet deadlines or other timeframes as needed.  There are often several jobs being worked on at the same time and normally your job is put into the workflow and will be processed when proper attention can be paid to the preparation and scanning.

4. What file formats do you provide?
We generally provide PDF files to the customers in Acrobat + Text format, where you see and print the scans of the actual page and there is a layer of text from the optical character recognition (OCR) behind the image for text searching and indexing purposes.  The conversion can also create RTF files that are editable in word processors; the conversion does an excellent job of recognizing and creating text though formatting and other word processing cleanup is often needed.

5. What is the cost for this service?
The cost is 28 cents per page.  This includes: document preparation, scanning in black and white and color up to 11" x 17", quality controls to ensure all pages are scanned in and as readable as possible, optical character recognition using a state-of-the-art system, and creation of discs of the converted files.

6. Can you scan classified documents?
No.

7. Do you recycle or return original documents?
It is up to the customer whether they want their documents returned to them or recycled.  We can recycle documents if there is not any PII (Personally Identifiable Information) on them.  If you need the papers shredded or placed in burn bags that is the responsibility of your office.

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Courier Services (Go to Courier Services page)

1. What are the times of the courier runs?
The courier leaves Germantown at 11:30 a. m. and 3:30 p. m. The Forrestal courier leaves for Germantown at 10:30 a. m. and 2:30 p. m.

2. Do you deliver to (various addresses)?
Transportation office delivers to other government agencies in the Washington Metro area.

3. Can I send (varied sizes of boxes, awkward size packages, fragile packages) on the regular courier run?
The limit is five boxes unless classified. Fragile packages must be properly wrapped, and the Transportation Team is not liable for damage to pictures, plants, computers etc. The items must be able to fit into the trunk of a compact sedan.

4. Does the Transportation Team hand deliver packages to the addressee?
No, the Transportation Team does not hand deliver courier packages. The addressee is contacted to pick up package.

5. How long does it take a courier to get downtown?
Approximately one hour depending on the traffic and weather conditions.

6. Can I send classified material via courier service? What are the requirements to send classified material via courier?
Yes, material must be properly wrapped with proper receipt completed. See: 2011 Headquarters Facilities Master Security Plans Chapter 5, Section 511.

7. If I miss the regularly scheduled courier run, what can I do?
Please contact Transportation Office, Forrestal 6-8600 or Germantown 3-4330.

8. Where do I get status on courier package?
Contact the Transportation Team from which the service was initiated.

9. If I am unable to a pickup package when called how long will the Transportation Team hold the package?
After 24 hours an e-mail is generated to the person and their supervisor.

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Carpeting

1. How can I get my carpet shampooed or repaired?
Submit your requisitions to the Facilities office for your building.  In Forrestal e-mail FORFacOpsHelpdesk@hq.doe.gov or call (202) 586-6100; in Germantown e-mail GTNFacOpsHelpdesk@hq.doe.gov or call (301) 903-4005. Once received, a representative will come to your office to make an analysis of your request. At that time you will receive more information on how to proceed.

2. How can I get my carpet repaired?
Submit your requisitions to HQPropertyandSupply@hq.doe.gov or call (202) 287-5413.  Once received, a representative will come to your office to make an analysis of your request. At that time you will receive more information on how to proceed.

3. How can I get new carpet in my office?
Submit your requisitions to HQPropertyandSupply@hq.doe.gov or call (202) 287-5413.  Once received, a representative will come to your office to make an analysis of your request. At that time you will receive more information on how to proceed.

4. What can I do when I have a carpet emergency such as water damage or bad spills?
Contact the Facilities Helpdesk for your building for assistance.  In Forrestal e-mail FORFacOpsHelpdesk@hq.doe.gov or call (202) 586-6100; in Germantown e-mail GTNFacOpsHelpdesk@hq.doe.gov or call (301) 903-4005.

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Moving

Moving Labor Information
Our team provides office relocations and reshuffles, office pre-renovation moves, furniture and equipment delivery and pick-up for turn-in, set-up of exhibits or venue for special projects and various other labor services.

Warehousing Information
The Department of Energy Headquarters has warehouses in its Germantown and Landover, Maryland facilities. These facilities receives, inspects, and readies for delivery new equipment and furniture ordered for HQ program offices. This facility also serves as a hub for the property and equipment you no longer want. Those items are offered to DOE Program Offices and other government agencies on the federal, state, local and municipal levels for use at their offices, unless the property is damaged.

1. How do I schedule a move?
If your move involves construction, you must attend the Space meeting, which is held every Tuesday.  Follow this link for further information on space management and alterations (content being updated).  All other moves can be scheduled by submitting your move sheet(s) to
HQPropertyAndSupply@hq.doe.gov or calling (202) 586-1599.

2. Where do I go to get packing boxes?
Request for packing boxes should be sent to HQPropertyAndSupply@hq.doe.gov. Packing boxes received from moving services are recycled boxes. If your request cannot be fulfilled by moving services, they should be purchased from the Self Service Store in room GA-171.

3. Who is my contact if furniture is damaged during a move?
If your furniture is damaged during a move, please contact the moving services supervisor on (202) 586-4822 for assistance.

4. Who do I call to put furniture in position after construction, painting, and carpet replacement have taken place in my office?
When construction and painting take place in your office, you should call your Facilities representative. For carpet replacement please contact (202) 287-5413, or (202) 287-5414, or send a request to HQPropertyAndSupply@hq.doe.gov for assistance.

5. What paperwork is needed for a move?
This move sheet is needed for any station move. All items to be moved must be checked off on the move sheet. This sheet must contain each person who is moving, room numbers where items are being moved from and to, also it must have the signature of the Administrative Officer. This information should be submitted to the property mailbox HQPropertyAndSupply@hq.doe.gov at least three days prior to the expected move date.

MAAdm Last updated 05/01/23