Records Management 

Are you running out of office space?  Do you have too many files in your file cabinets?  Office administrative files are records accumulated by individual offices that relate to the internal administration activities of the office rather than the mission of the office. In general, these records relate to the day-to-day office operations.  These records include credit card statements, requisitions for printing, space, furniture, training and travel documents and they can be disposed of after two years.   Program files no longer needed for current business should also be archived in accordance with the General Records Schedules (GRS) or an agency Records Control Schedule (RCS) issued by the National Archives and Records Administration.   If you need assistance or information on archiving your office files, contact Glenitta Chase at (202)482-3757.

ITA switching to AT&T Calling Cards

ITA is switching from MCI to AT&T calling cards because AT&T's calling cards offer service in twice as many countries for the same price, provide for secure online ordering and furnish tracking and user information.  Each user who currently has an MCI Calling Card will be issued a replacement AT&T Calling Card.  At headquarters your new card will be delivered to your office.   Cards will be mailed to USEACs and posts.  Please start using the AT&T Calling Card as soon as you receive it. ITA's forms are being updated to reflect the change and all MCI calling cards will be cancelled by Sept. 30, 2005.  If you don't receive a replacement AT&T Calling Card by August 19th, contact Jeff Scherr immediately by email at Jeffrey.Scherr@mail.doc.gov or at (202)482-3266.  

Acceptance of Travel Gifts From A Non-Federal Source

Recently a travel gift was accepted from a donor that had a contractual agreement with ITA.  The traveler was not aware of the contractual agreement at the time the travel gift was accepted.  ITA may have to reimburse the donor for the travel expenses.  In accepting a travel gift from a non-Federal source, ITA employees are reminded to ascertain if the non-Federal source has any contractual relationship with ITA.  Form CD-538, "Acceptance of Payment From A Non-Federal Source for Travel Expenses" has been revised and is now form SF-326, "Seminannual Report of Payments Accepted From A Non-Federal Source".  The form is available on the "Our Place" intranet site.  Form SF-326 should now accompany the CD-210, "Record of Gift or Bequest", when it is submitted to Sharon Russell.  If you have questions, please call Sharon Russell, ITA Travel Manager, at (202)482-3267.

Employee Relations

Work Now, Grieve Later-- Over the years the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) has identified five exceptions to the "work now, grieve later" principle.  MSPB has created these exceptions by overturning charges of insubordination and failing to follow orders that resulted in the discipline being appealed to the MSPB.  There are ONLY five exceptions that allow an employee to refuse an order and avoid misconduct charges.  These are Unsafe, Illegal, Immoral, Constitutional Right, and Psychiatric Examination.  Short of these five very narrow categories, employees are required to follow orders or be disciplined.  Supervisors have significant authority to require employees to obey their orders under the threat of discipline and, except for these five deviations, that authority is unconstrained to further the government interest and to meet the mission of the agency.   One must work now, and grieve later.  If you have questions, please call Mike Stein, Acting Chief, ELRG at (202)482-2274 or at Mike_Stein@ita.doc.gov. 

Employee Personal Page

Employees, who currently receive their Earnings and Leave (E&L) Statement in the mail, and would like to receive it through the National Finance Center (NFC), Employee Personal Page (EPP), should visit the NFC home page on the Internet www.nfc.usda.gov and select "MY EPP" and click on "Preferences"; then select E&L Paperless Option.  Employees can start or stop receiving a mailed E&L Statement again at any time by selecting "Paperless E&L Options" from the "Preferences" menu.  Request a PIN by visiting the above site and selecting by "MY EPP" and the NFC will mail the PIN within 7 to 10 business days.  For additional info about the EPP, please contact Vanessa Lewis at (202)482-8327 or at Vanessa_Lewis@ita.doc.gov or Dottie Bowling at (202)482-3504 or at Dottie_Bowling@ita.doc.gov.

ITA Verification and Validation Reviews

In response to recent Office of Inspector General findings, ITA's Planning and Performance Management (PPM) group will soon begin conducting on-site verification and validation reviews of ITA's reported performance source data. The purpose of the review is to ensure that ITA is adequately and effectively capturing performance data. These reviews are expected to result in findings, recommendations, and if necessary, corrective actions. The findings and results are reported to ITA senior management and are also documented in the Department's Annual Performance and Accountability Report (PAR).  During the fourth quarter of FY 2005, PPM plans to conduct reviews on the following measures at headquarters and at domestic field locations:

1. Percent of Undertaken Advocacy Actions Completed Successfully

2.  Number of Market Access and Compliance Cases Completed

3.  Percentage of AD/CVD cases completed on-time

4.  Export Success Measures

A member of ITA's Planning and Performance Management group will be contacting ITA units to schedule these reviews. If you have questions, please contact Rhonda Jackson at (202)482-2242.

Year-End Closing and Accruals Training

On August 8-10, 2005, the ITA/OFM will conduct training on the Year-End Closing Procedures for FY2005. Sessions will be held at 9:00 am to 12:00 noon and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. A session will be held for each program area in room B-841B. See dates and times below.

August  8, 2005

9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. - MAC
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. - USFCS

August 9, 2005

9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. - IA
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. - MAS
August 10, 2005

 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. - ADMIN

Sessions will address year-end processing deadlines with emphasis on advice of corrections, obligations, year-end accruals and credit card accruals. Sessions will last approximately 2 hours. To register, contact: Christina Phillips at (202)482-8367 or via email Christina.Phillips@mail.doc.gov  or Roxanna Allen at (202)482-8363 or via email Roxanna.Allen@mail.doc.gov .

Procurement Corner

Question: How does a Cardholder change information on their purchase card? 

Answer: To change information on your existing Purchase Card, access the ITA2061, Government Purchase or Travel Card Maintenance Form, available on "Ourplace"at http://ourplace.ita.doc.gov. To change information on the purchase card complete:

SECTION I. Identify the account to be updated

Type cardholder number.

Type name of cardholder as it appears on the card.

SECTION II. Type of Cardholder maintenance request 

Indicate an 'X' by the type of maintenance requested.

SECTION III. Cardholder Information

Complete in Section III only the information to be changed in the cardholder account.

SECTION IV. Reporting Parameters

Leave Blank

SECTION V. Authorization Parameters

Leave Blank

SECTION VI. Account Closure Instructions

Approving Official Signature

SECTION VII. Agency Organization Program 

Coordinator Signature 

Return form to Robin Carpenter in Room 4001 who will sign as ITA's Program Coordinator.

If you need further assistance, contact Robin Carpenter at (202)482-4989.

Where Do I Find....

Guidance on how to request permission for an outside organization to use the Department of Commerce seal or the International Trade Administration emblem?  Just click on the following http://www.ita.doc.gov/ooms/ooms45.htm.  There you will find complete instructions, links to the Department's Administrative Orders covering this topic and a sample memo requesting approval to use a seal or emblem.  If you need further assistance please contact Jacqueline Harris at (202)482-4011 or Jacqueline_Harris@ita.doc.gov.