Cycle Date Change Affecting Purchase, Travel and Fleet Cardholders

Effective March 4, 2004, the Department of Commerce (DOC) will institute a new Fast Pay Policy for the SmartPay Program. This policy change will speed up invoice payments to Citibank which will result in increased rebates to DOC. Also, it will change the date that DOC bureaus receive their monthly invoices and when all cardholders (travel, purchase and fleet) receive their statements. The transition to the new policy will begin with a new cycle date (invoice and statement dates) with a long cycle between January 22, 2004 and March 3, 2004. Based on these new dates, the next invoices (to Finance) and statements (to cardholders) will be issued on March 4, 2004. Cardholders and Finance Offices will not receive a statement or invoice in February. If you have questions about the travel card, please call Sharon Russell at (202)482-3267. If you have questions about the purchase card, please call Robin Carpenter at (202)482-4989. 

Information Collections

The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) is designed to reduce the burden of Federal paperwork on the public.  Under the PRA, an agency that plans to conduct or sponsor a collection of information from ten or more members of the public must first obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).  It is important that operating units plan ahead and allow between 90 and 120 days to obtain routine OMB review and approval of their information collections.  For addition information, contact Jacqueline_Harris@ita.doc.gov or at (202)482-4011.

If you plan to end your employment with ITA due to resignation, transfer to another government agency, retirement, etc., you must contact the Office of Human Resources Management on (202)482-3301 to make an appointment with your servicing HR Assistant for an exit interview. During the exit interview, you will receive information regarding the process for separating and will be provided with the necessary forms to ensure that your separation is smooth. If you do not complete the appropriate separation forms, your lump-sum annual leave payment and other benefits can be adversely affected. If you have questions on the separating procedures, please contact Rita Clinton at (202)482-2501.

Supervisors of employees who plan to separate from ITA have a responsibility to notify OHRM of all pending separations in advance and to advise employees to make an appointment for an exit interview. Supervisors must also prepare a final performance appraisal for all GS employees they have supervised for 90 days or more and to forward that appraisal along with any other appraisals for the previous four years to OHRM, Workforce Development Division. Prior to an employee's last day, supervisors should ensure that the employee's final T&A has been completed. If you have questions about performance appraisals, please call LaVerne Hawkins at (202)482-2537.

Appropriation Hearings

The Budget Office has been working closely with the Program Offices to develop Questions and Answers (Q&As) for the Appropriation Hearings on the FY2005 President's Budget submitted earlier this month.  The House Appropriations Committee Hearing will be held on February 26 and the Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing will be held on March 3.  We'd like to thank the program offices for their assistance with this process, particularly with the short turn around time.  If you have questions, please contact Amy Duncan at (202)482-5739.

International Trade Administration ( I TA ) Budget and Performance Reports

The Office of Financial Management (OFM) contributes to many reports published by the Department of Commerce, which are submitted to OMB and Congress.  Recently, OFM completed the FY 2005 President's Budget Request, as well as a summary of the budget request commonly referred to as Budget-in-Brief or Appendix, and the Annual Performance Plan.  OFM also recently prepared a chapter of the DOC Performance and Accountability Report and a Program Assessment Rating Tool  (PART) review of the US&FCS at OMB's request.  If you are interested in viewing any of the above-mentioned documents, which have been combined with other DOC agencies' submissions, please go to the DOC Budget web site, http://www.osec.doc.gov/bmi/budget/.  For additional information on ITA related performance documents, please contact Halina Malinowski at (202)482-4083.  

Where Do I Find.... As a Separated Participant, about My Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)

As a separated participant, you have several choices regarding your TSP account. If you are less than 70½ years old and are not ready to withdraw your account, you may leave it in the TSP and make a withdrawal decision later. Also, you may withdraw part of your account in a single payment. If you wish to withdraw your account balance, you can choose to receive it as a single payment, a series of monthly payments, a life annuity, or any combination of these options ("mixed withdrawal"). The Thrift Savings Plan Service Office is your contact regarding your TSP account after you leave Federal service. The TSP Web site, www.tsp.gov provides current TSP booklets, forms, fact sheets, and tax notices. If you have questions contact Brenda Bradley at (202)482-0652.

 Traveler’s Corner

Question:  Where 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.