Tour Plan Update & Clarification
From July 2011 eNews
Tour Plan First, we want to thank everyone who has been diligently working to comply with the new BSA Tour Plan guidelines that rolled out in March. We recently learned of problems encountered by a number of you, and sincerely apologize for the difficulties that you have endured. As part of our ongoing efforts to make the Tour Plan process more efficient, we are revising our process and clarifying several key items. 
    We will continue trying to "do our best," and have created a method for constructive feedback and generalized. You may send emails with "Comment" in the subject line to our Tour Plan mailbox:  tourplans@pacsky.org (please do not include questions or items about particular Tour Plans, and remember that we will not normally be able to individually respond to questions or comments). We will continue working within the BSA's guidelines and simplify this process, and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

As a reminder, the Tour Plan:
  1. Is a tool to help you with best practices to be prepared for a safe and fun adventure. You may think of it as a comprehensive "check-list" and central repository for important information related to a particular outing or event. Remember that the Tour Plan document incorporates (by express reference) more than a dozen different BSA guidelines related to leader training and particular activities, from the Guide to Safe Scouting and Sweet 16 of BSA Safety, to BSA's Wilderness Use Policy and Flying Plan.
  2. May not address all possible challenges a Unit might face, but completing the process and document helps ensure and confirm that all appropriate planning has been conducted, and that qualified and trained leadership is in place, and that vital information is readily available. 
  3. Supports our volunteer leaders, parents, units, and Council, by helping to ensure the related activity is fully qualified as an "official Scouting activity" and will enjoy the maximum protections available through BSA, including application of BSA's liability and property damage insurance. Volunteers, units, chartered organizations, and local councils who engage in unauthorized activities jeopardize that insurance coverage.    
  4. Is a very useful tool for both the Unit and Council to track "Journey to Excellence" outdoor and camping requirements.
Clarifying when units should file a Tour Plan: 
  1. Basically, anytime your unit is travelling or transporting scouts as part of an official scouting activity (as defined in the Guide to Safe Scouting), you must file a Tour Plan. 
  2. Tour Plans are not required if the unit is merely converging on some point for a meeting or event, whether at its usual meeting place or an alternate location.  For example, Troop, Patrol and Leadership Council (PLC's) meetings, Courts of Honor, Cub-Ons, pre-trip shopping excursions, or events or family picnics at a local park, would not normally require a Tour Plan -- unless travel was included as an integral part of the scouting activity itself.  Normal meeting and event protocols and Youth Protection guidelines would still apply in all cases. 
  3. Activities are not exempted simply because family or guests attend, or some participants travel to the event independently. For example, if families or guests are invited to a campout for the unit, a Tour Plan would still be required. 
  4. We cannot anticipate every possible scenario a unit may encounter, so if you have an unresolved question on whether you need to file a Tour Plan for a specific event, please send an email to your District Executive for clarification. If they cannot answer the question immediately, they will escalate the issue for quick resolution by Council Leadership, and report back to you as quickly as possible.
How to file a Tour Plan:
  1. If unsure whether you need to file a Tour Plan for a specific event, please send an email to your District Executive for clarification. Please do this early in your planning process, as this response time will be in addition to what is required for processing any necessary later filed Tour Plan.
  2. We recognize that many units cannot always submit 3 weeks in advance, as requested by BSA.  We ask that you file as early as feasible for your unit (and in all cases at least one full week prior to the Tour), complete the fillable PDF form available here. The second two pages will automatically fill from what you enter on the first two pages. (Tip: Always try and download a "fresh" copy of this document, as BSA routinely updates it on their website without notice. Locally stored documents can become outdated quickly. The most recent update at this writing was Rev. 5/2011.)  Late-filed Tour Plans will still be reviewed, however we cannot guarantee they can be reviewed, approved, or returned prior to the tour or event date.
  3. Email the Tour Plan PDF file (as an attachment) to tourplans@pacsky.org.
  4. You can generally expect an email acknowledgement by the end of the next business day, telling you that your submission has been received and is being reviewed.  This acknowledgement is not an approval. 
  5. If there are any problems with your submitted Plan, you will receive a return email detailing what needs to be completed prior to resubmission.
  6. As soon as your Tour Plan is approved, it will be returned with an approval via email to the Tour Leader and the originator of the Plan. We will normally process and approve properly completed Tour Plans within five (5) business days of submission.
Tips to ensure that your Tour Plan can be approved on the first try:
  1. Please remember that trip leaders (and assistants) as well as the people you list for training, must be registered members of the BSA. 
  2. Fill out the Tour Plan completely, including the people who have the training required on page 2. 
  3. Your unit will need to have completed Annual Health & Medical Record forms for everyone going on an outing (Part A & B for all scouts and volunteers, and include Part C for any trips over 72 hours, or involving strenuous and demanding activity - see the Tour Plan and Annual Health & Medical Record documents for details).
  4. In lieu of listing your drivers on each Tour Plan, you can submit a list of anyone in your unit who might be driving during the year, with the required information from the Tour Plan (Drivers license numbers, insurance, etc.), to the Council, and then on each Tour Plan, note "on file". This list must be current, and include all drivers on each Tour for which the Plan is being submitted.  Units should update this list at least annually, or more frequently where any driver or insurance information has changed.
  5. If you submit your Tour Plan with less than a week's notice, there might not be time for it to be reviewed, corrected if necessary, and approved  before your outing.
  6. Tour Plans delivered in person to the Palo Alto Service Center will be forwarded to the Foster City Service Center for review. This can delay review and processing by up to two business days, so avoid it where possible, and submit by email!
Thank you very much for your patience and cooperation as we continue to refine the process, and for your continued diligence in complying with the Tour Plan requirements. Please keep providing your feedback and comments on the process, by email to tourplans@pacsky.org with "Comment" in the subject line (do not include with Tour Plans!). We all want to ensure a safe experience for all of our Scouts and Volunteers. Thank you for all you do for the youth in our program.