Transit Benefit Metrochek Distribution

Metrocheks will be distributed to participating employees in Room B841B from June 19-21, 2007 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. Please note that on June 21, 2007, the Department of Transportation (DOT) representatives will be at HCHB from 8:30 to 11:00 am only. If you are unable to pickup up your Metrocheks June 19 - 21, you may pick them up from DOT. DOT is located at 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C. (ground floor, west wing, 3rd Street entrance). The building is accessible by taking the Green Line to the Navy Yard Station and exiting towards New Jersey Avenue, S.E. The office hours are Monday thru Friday, 8:30 am until 4:00 pm with full coverage during lunch hours. If you have questions, please call Sharon Russell at (202)482-3267.

Are you protecting our National Security Information?

Protecting National Security Information (NSI) is critical to our national security and the Department of Commerce. Employees that are granted access to classified documents are personally and legally accountable for this information. The penalties for mishandling of classified documents range from oral reprimand to removal, depending on the severity of the violation. Now that summer is here and we all look forward to enjoying this warm weather, please be mindful in protecting classified information by checking the following before you exit for the day.
1) Desktops
2) Desk Drawers
3) Windowsills
4) Safe (s)
5) End-of-the-day Security Checklist, SF 701
If you would like a brochure on “Executive’s Guide for Handling Classified Information”, please contact Rita Steele at (202)482-0397 or Kurt Arneson, ITA’s Security Manager, at (202)482-3633.

Department and ITA Currently Conducting Safety Inspections

The Department and ITA are currently conducting safety inspections, and they will be coming to your office in the upcoming days. In many offices so far, the safety inspections have revealed extension cords and "daisy chained" surge protectors. Extension cords may only be used on a temporary basis- please use multiple surge protectors or surge protectors with a longer cord instead of "daisey chains" (conjoined) surge protectors. Also, don't "daisy chain" power strips by plugging them into each other- instead use a surge protector with a longer cord or use multiple outlets. Please refer to the June 7th ITA Announcement for more helpful tips on how to prepare your office for its safety inspection. If you have questions, please contact ITA's Safety Officer, Jeff Scherr, at (202)482-3266.

New Accounting System Summit

In late August ITA and NIST will be holding an off-site event to familiarize ITA’s accounting system users with the Commerce Business System which will be replacing the Federal Financial System on October 1^st. This event will be held in Crystal City on August 28^th and 29^th. The target audience will be “power users” from the program units – these have been determined based on current levels of activity within the current accounting system – invitations will be sent out shortly. This event is not a substitute for the all-user comprehensive training planned for September which will be offered to all users. ITA has significantly increased the amount of training available to provide maximum support for all ITA accounting system users. If you have questions contact Jim Donahue at (202)482-0210.

The Federal Ballpark Estimate

The Federal Ballpark Estimate—a savings goal worksheet—is now available on the OPM web site. The Federal Ballpark Estimate allows users to automatically calculate estimates of future Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) retirement benefits and Thrift Savings Plan account balances. It will also let you know how well you are doing in meeting your savings goal. The Federal Ballpark Estimate was developed in partnership with the American Savings Education Council of the Employee Benefits Research Institute. The Federal Ballpark Estimate is at: http://www.opm.gov/benefits/ballpark/menu.asp. If you have any questions, please contact Karen Brown at (202)482-2850 or via email at Karen.Brown@mail.doc.gov.

Department's Budget Process

In May ITA submitted a proposed budget to the Department for fiscal year 2009. In September ITA will submit its Commerce approved FY 2009 request to OMB followed by the President's approved submission in February of 2008. Following ITA's May submission, ITA's Deputy Under Secretary and CFO briefed the Department's staff on ITA's request. During June and early July, the Department's budget staff prepares an analysis of our budget proposal and recommendations for the Deputy Secretary and other senior Departmental officials. Part of this process requires that the request be put into a policy and programmatic context -- they need to be able to explain why ITA made the request, and how the request fits into Commerce's program, goals and objectives. This is especially true when a budget increase is requested. During June and July, Departmental budget staff ask many questions about the budget and the programmatic context for the request. If your program has a budget increase you should expect to receive many questions about that increase. Even if your program does not have an increase request, you may be asked about current programs or budgets. Generally, the Department's Office of Budget sends their questions to ITA's Office of Financial Management (OFM). OFM answers the more technical budget questions. OFM also informs the Deputy Under Secretary that questions have been received, distributes the programmatic questions to responsible program units, keeps tabs on the status of each answer and is responsible for clearing them through the Deputy Under Secretary. We try to make sure all questions are answered within 7 working days of when they are received. In late July the Department provides their initial budget decisions on our request in a "passback", usually signed by the Deputy Secretary. ITA is usually given a week to present a response, and by mid-August the Department provides ITA with final decisions that we use to prepare the FY 2009 budget due to OMB in September. If you have questions contact Doug Allis at (202)482-9151.

New Commerce Learning Center Debuts

On June 1, the new Commerce Learning Center (http://learning.doc.gov/) opened for business and will become the enterprise system to manage professional development, plan and track training, deliver on-line learning and much, much more. The new Commerce Learning System boasts dozens of improvements such as enhanced learner notifications of training events; innovative tools for supervisors to manage their organization’s learning; personal calendar to consult your own training schedule; and a comprehensive Commerce On-line Course Catalog. The functionality of the Commerce Learning System is being phased in over time and into the next fiscal year. You should have received notification on June 1 of your new Commerce Learning Center logon ID (the e-mail address specified on your DOC WebT&A record) and the default password of "COMMERCE." If you have not been notified or have misplaced your notification, please contact the ITA Commerce Learning Center Administrator at CLCSupport@mail.doc.gov.

Procurement/Purchase Card Corner

NOAA's Acquisition Management Division has adopted the following cutoff dates for receipt of Fiscal Year 2007 C. Request actions from ITA. Any requirement received after the cutoff date will be processed on a "best efforts" basis. All contracts on GSA schedule must be sent to NOAA no later than June 29 and supplies no later than August 1. Simplified Acquisitions must reach NOAA as follows:

$25,000 - $100,000 July 17
$0.00 - $25,000 August 31

We recommend that, whenever possible, you use the purchase card. If you have questions, or need additional information, please contact Robin Carpenter at (202)482-4989.

Where Do I Find... My ITA White Pages Profile

Your personal ITA White Pages Profile may be found in the White Pages Directory at https://ourplace.ita.doc.gov/ourplace.nsf/Homepage? You must be logged into OurPlace to access your personal record. Click on the left navigation bar “ITA Whites Pages”, then on “My Profile”. Once in your record you should review and update your information, if required. It is very important that ITA employees update their records as often as needed to keep them current. For further information, please contact Charles Jefferson at (202)482-6078 or charles.jefferson@mail.doc.gov .

ITA Comings and Goings 5/1/07 - 6/15/07

Arrivals – Welcome!

MAC – Merriam Mashatt; USFCS - Arthur Pang, Beth Supple, Lennoah Thomas, Heather Ranck

Departures

IA – Margaret O’Grady; MAS – Danielle Winston; OCIO – Carter Raines; USFCS – Alexander Amdur, Miguel Green, Charles Raether

If you have any questions, please call Brad Lockett at (202)482-6342.