Friday, April 19, 2002

For other projects, you need to prepare and deliver a CD 410 Work Request form to Judy Wilson, OOMS, in Room 4001. For smaller cleaning and repair services, you may call directly. Below are some services you can obtain by calling directly:

Cleaning - Call (202)482-3149

Moving -To move offices or large items please call (202)482-6215 or email vparker@ourpeoplework.org.

Problems with Air Conditioning - Call (202)482-1340 if your office is too hot!!! If you have any questions please contact Judith Wilson at (202)482-3265.

Keeping Track of What You Buy

You must keep track of all "accountable property". Federal regulations require each agency to maintain an accurate inventory of all items costing over $5,000 or items defined as "sensitive". Generally "sensitive items" are things that can be easily converted to other uses like DVDs, TVs, computers, or fax machines. The easiest way to create an accurate inventory is to record all "accountable property" into the property inventory as soon as you buy it. Whether you purchase items with a CD-435, Procurement Request, or a VISA Purchase Card, you need to use the correct object class (3140 for accountable/sensitive property and 3110 for anything costing over $25,000 or capitalized property). Provide your office property custodian the information needed to enter the data into the inventory. Property custodians will put all the basic information into DOI's property system. This information is used to maintain compliance with internal control. DOI uses the object classes and other data to verify the accuracy of the inventory. If you have any questions, please contact Jean Leslie, ITA Property Management Officer, OOMS, (202)482-3266 or e-mail Jean_Leslie@ita.doc.gov.

A Word on User Satisfaction Surveys

The Office of Organization and Management (OOMS) recently sent a request to the ITA organization to review its ITA User Satisfaction Surveys. The OMB authorization for ITA User Satisfaction Surveys will expire on May 31, 2002. It is important that your organization assess the use of its surveys to determine the continued need to collect the information for two reasons. The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 requires sponsors to assess the use of information collections before requesting an extension of authorization from OMB. The purpose of the Act is to minimize the paperwork burden to consumers resulting from the collection of information by and for the Federal government. Second, surveys are valuable sources of information that we use to measure how effective ITA is at providing products and services to its customers. Surveys are most useful when information is collected and the results evaluated on a consistent basis. It is imperative that you evaluate the need to continue with each of your approved information collections as we prepare to submit the ITA clearance package to OMB and that you regularly use approved survey to improve customer satisfaction and meet customer needs. For further information, contact Charles Jefferson at (202)482-6078.

Travel Manager Pilot

Over the next 6 to 8 months ITA will implement a new Travel Manager system for ITA employees located in the U.S. We are starting this May with a pilot in MAC's DAS for Agreements Compliance and the USFCS Philadelphia USEAC cluster. Travel Manager is a web-based software program that automates preparation and processing of travel orders vouchers and reports while assuring that we comply with travel regulations and policies. In addition, the program maintains a database of our past and future travel and automatically forwards information from the travel orders to the travel vouchers.

The Department of Interior's National Business Center (DOI NBC) will build the Travel Manager systems architecture that directs and manages the travel authorization and payment processes. DOI NBC will administer the system and provide user support. Each employee in the pilot will start using the system in May for 90 days. We will closely monitor their experience to help with system infrastructure design, ease of use, reporting capabilities and overall performance. We believe that Travel Manager will speed up the travel process, help us pay vouchers faster and allow us to report more promptly and accurately to requests for travel information. If you have questions, please feel free to call Hamilton Humes at (202)482-6123 or Sharon Russell at (202)482-3267.

Progress Review Reminder

Supervisors, managers and employees are reminded that April 1, 2002, marks the mid-point of the annual performance appraisal cycle. During the period between April 1st and April 30th, managers must conduct a face-to-face meeting with each employee. Due to geographically dispersed locations, it may be necessary for Export Assistance Center managers to conduct the reviews by phone. Supervisors and managers are encouraged to use the Optional Feedback Guide to engage in their discussion. This form may be found as Appendix A to the 2-level System document http://www.ita.doc.gov/hrm/performa.html . Progress reviews must be completed and documented on the ITA Form 2050, by April 30, 2002. If you have any questions concerning the progress review stage, please call LaVerne Hawkins at (202)482-2537.

National Business Center Shutdown Update

The Department of the Interior, National Business Center, has established a dedicated phone with a pre-recorded daily update on the status of internet connectivity including e-mail. You are invited to call (202)208-3497, 24 hours a day to receive the latest information.

FY 2003 Budget

ITA has responded to all questions from Congress. Markup of the Appropriations Bills is expected to begin around mid-May. For more information, contact Alan Zegas at (202)482-5739.

FY 2004 Budget

The formal call for budget proposals from the Deputy Under Secretary to the Assistant Secretaries was issued. Program units are formulating their increase requests and will submit them to CFO Cheatham by April 26, 2002. For more information, contact Alan Zegas at (202)482-5739.

Long Term Care Insurance

The ITA Office of Human Resources Management has received and will be receiving monthly educational material on Long Term Care to provide you, the customer, information on the long term care insurance program. The material is located outside of Room 7414 and can be picked up any time of the day at your convenience.

The rates and benefits for early enrollment are on the two updated websites. Take a look at http://www.opm.gov/insure/ltc/index.htm and http://www.ltcfeds.com/

Spend some time at both sites, even if you are not planning to enroll during the early enrollment period (March 25 through May 15), which is targeted for those who have already done their homework and know all about long term care and long term care insurance. All of the benefits and rates from early the enrollment period will also be available during an open season (July1 - December 31). Open season will also have other benefits available, and rates for those benefits will be announced much closer to the start of the open season. Certified long term care insurance specialists are available to talk with you and can be reached at 1(800)582-3337 from 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday. Points of Contact in ITA OHRM are Vanessa Lewis, at (202)482-8327 or Dottie Bowling at (202)482-3504.

ITA Comings and Goings - 2/12/02 - 3/25/02

Arrivals - WELCOME!

Office of Human Resources Management Staff - Welcomes Deanna L. Shepherd, formerly Chief of Labor Relations at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, transferred to ITA, effective April 7, 2002. She brings to the ITA OHRM over 30 years' experience in personnel management and employee and labor relations in Federal, county and city governments. Leading the employee relations' staff, Deanna will focus on enhancing customer and advisory services, meeting program and policy objectives and fostering collaborative and cooperative labor-management relations. In the near future, she will meet with ITA stakeholders to obtain assessments of their employee relations' needs and to provide assistance on current and pending issues.

ADMIN - Anjali Lunia, Marcia C. Tyler, IA - James J. Balog, Edna Boyle-Lewicki, Catherine Cartsos, Carrie L. Farley, Margaret Mary Pusey, Audrey R. Twyman, Jonathan Sebastian Wright

MAC - Nicole Jalloh, John Scott Mathews, TD - Jeffrey C. Anspacher, US - Natasha T. Jackson, Kimberlee A. Sega, USFCS - Emily Carlos, Daniel T. Crocker, Anne E. Nash

Departures

IA - Annika L. O'Hara, Linda Bode, Andrew K. Covington, Robin H. Gray, David R. Hults, MAC - Thomas F. Welch, Janice L. Coney, Heather O. West, Patrick D. Coleman, Elizabeth E. Jaffee, TD - Lori E. Mennitt, Rachael B. Turner, US - Jean A. Carter, Charlie E. King, USFCS - Misty M. Dippel, Jeffrey Tsai

Trivia Question!!

What is ICASS?

Answer to Last Issue's Trivia Question:

When is the FY 2004 Secretarial Budget Submission for the International Trade Administration due to the Department? Answer: The FY 2004 Secretarial Budget Submission for the International Trade Administration is due to the Department on June 4, 2002.

Traveler's Corner

Question: What is the website address for assistance in obtaining a dollar conversion from another currency?

Answer: The website address to obtain a dollar conversion is: http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic. If you have questions, please call your travel contact or Sharon Russell at (202)482-3267.

Where Do I Find....Health Services?

The HCHB Health Unit is located in room 6046 and is open 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Medical care is provided for many medical conditions from minor problems to major emergencies. Allergy injections are administered on Mondays 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and Wednesdays 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Official travel immunizations are given by appointments only on Wednesdays 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. and Fridays 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., and must be started 2-8 weeks in advance of travel. For additional information, call (202)482-4088.

ITA Yardstick: DOC Publishes Annual Performance Plan and Performance Plan Report

The Department has recently published its Annual Performance Plan and the Annual Program Performance Report (APP/APPR). Congress mandates these documents by statute, under the Government Performance and Results Act. The APP sets out measurable goals that define what will be accomplished during the upcoming Fiscal Year (FY 2003). It reflects the themes and priorities presented in the Budget, currently under review by the Congress. The Annual Program Performance Report describes the results and performance achieved by DOC Bureaus during the previous Fiscal Year (FY 2001) and provides detailed information about key areas of program performance. An electronic copy of the APP/APPR is available from the DOC website at http://www.doc.gov/bmi/budget/Report2.html. For more information on ITA’s portion of the Department’s APP/APPR or regarding ITA’s performance program, contact Ed Meyer at (202)482-3304.