A Bi-Weekly Newsletter from ITA Administration

Office of the Chief Financial Officer

Thursday, October 16, 2003

White Pages Feature

A management feature has been introduced to the White Pages to provide limited access to sensitive data to an employee's immediate supervisor and one management level above. This enables supervisors to see employee emergency contact and home address information should the need arise. What makes this information secure is that you, the user, define your supervisor by entering that person's name in your personal file in the White Pages. Your immediate supervisor then duplicates your action by adding his/her immediate supervisor to the directory. Using this approach provides management a means to obtain your sensitive information in an emergency situation, but also limits access to those who need to know. For directions on how to add your supervisor, please log in to Ourplace.  Select ITA White Pages, select view White Pages and click on the user manual where you will find instructions.  If you have questions contact Seth Raley at (202)482-3756.

Public E-Forms

In September 2003, OCIO and OOMS successfully completed and launched a joint project to make ITA public forms available to our customers from the ITA website.  The new ITA E-Forms website is user friendly and comes equipped with a search engine. The website offers three different views of the inventory of information collection forms. ITA customers may use the search engine to obtain a specific form by entering the OMB Collection Number, the Form Title or the ITA Number and hitting the search symbol.  This will produce the form along with contact information.  In order to view the actual form, you must click on the highlighted information and follow the instructions.  ITA customers needing public forms should be directed to http://www.ita.doc.gov/ and click on "ITA E-Forms".  If you have questions regarding the website, please contact the ITA Help Desk at (202)482-4641 or (202)482-1955, or by email at OCIO.CustomerSupport@mail.doc.gov . If you have questions about the Public E-Forms contact Jacqueline_Harris@ita.doc.gov or (202)482-4011.

MCI Offers Net Conferencing Demonstration

On October 21st at 9:00 AM EST, MCI will offer ITA users an interactive live online demonstration of its Net Conferencing Services.  Net Conferencing is a telephone conference call combined with online presentations and interaction.  It allows you to securely and reliably conduct meetings, demonstrations, presentations and training, from your computer.  You can interact with remote participants, both domestically and internationally.  All you need is a phone, an Internet connection and a Web browser.  For more information or to register for the Net Conferencing demonstration, please contact Jeff Scherr at (202)482-3266 or Jeffrey_Scherr@ita.doc.gov.

October is National Fire Prevention Month 

More than 5,000 Americans die each year in fires and more than 25,000 are injured. October is National Fire Prevention Month. Have you taken steps to ensure that you will not become one of those statistics?  Here are a few tips that you can apply in your everyday life, both in the office and at home.     1. Plan and practice an emergency escape route and post your emergency evacuation plan where all can see.  2. Don't plug electrical heaters into a surge protector or extension cord. Read the operating instructions. Check to see if it is UL approved. 3. Clear a three-foot path around your heater. 4. Change your smoke detector batteries twice a year: (When we change to Daylight Savings Time and to Standard time.) 5. Do not overload circuits. If you have concerns or need further information, contact your Safety Representative or Tony Proctor, ITA's Safety Officer at (202)482-2384.

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 program activities for which the office exists. In general, these records relate to the day-to-day operations of your office.  These records include credit card statements, requisitions for printing, space, furniture, training and travel documents. 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 disposing of or archiving your office files, contact Glenitta Chase at (202)482-3757.

Scheduling Lunch Periods

The practice throughout government is that any workday of five hours or more include a 30-minute non-compensable lunch period. This may be extended to one hour if the workday is correspondingly extended. Employees may not work through the lunch period in order to extend paid time or to otherwise modify their established work schedules. For additional information, please contact Brenda Bradley at (202)482-0652.

 FY 2004 Budget

The end of the fiscal year occurred on September 30, 2003, and the Office of Financial Management (OFM) has worked diligently with the program areas to close the FY2003 accounts and activities to meet USG requirements. In late September, the House and Senate passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) in lieu of an appropriation to cover the period October 1, 2003 through October 31, 2003.  The CR will allow ITA to continue to operate at a conservative spending rate during that time period.  It appears likely that Congress will issue another CR following October.  Detailed funding availability information is available from OFM.  If there are  questions, please contact Beryle Randall at (202)482-4873.

 FY 2005 Budget  

OMB is currently reviewing the FY2005 budget request and related materials. The OMB "passback" is expected in late November 2003. If there are questions, please contact Beryle Randall at (202)482-4873.  

Where Do I Find.... Department of Commerce discipline policies

If you want to find information concerning the policy of the Department of Commerce with respect to discipline, DAO 202-751, effective August 4, 1980, can be found at http://www.osec.doc.gov/omo/daos/202-751.htm. The Table of Offenses and Penalties, describing the more common types of offenses and the range of penalties normally assessed for those offenses, can be found at Appendix B of the DAO. If you have questions, contact Deanna Shepherd at (202) 482-1701.

Traveler's Corner

Question:  When should a traveler request authorization for reimbursement for actual expenses?

Answer:  A traveler should request authorization for reimbursement for actual expenses in advance of travel if he or she expects lodging and other costs to exceed authorized per diem. However, approval after the fact may be granted when supported by an explanation. If you have questions, please call your travel contact or Sharon Russell at (202) 482-3267.