OCC 2002-33
OCC Bulletin

Subject:     Government Emergency Telecommunications
             Service (GETS)
Description: FBIIC Policy on Sponsorship of GETS Cards
             for Private Sector Entities
Date:        July 23, 2002

TO:  Chief Executive Officers of National Banks, Federal
Branches and Agencies, Service Providers, Software
Vendors, Department and Division Heads, and All
Examining Personnel

Attached is the Financial and Banking Information
Infrastructure Committee (FBIIC)interim process for the
sponsorship of critical private sector management
personnel for Government Emergency Telecommunications
Service (GETS) cards.  This document explains the
circumstances under which qualifying institutions may
seek federal sponsorship for the issuance of GETS cards
to key personnel.  

The National Communications System (NCS) was
established in 1963 to provide better communications
support to critical government functions during
emergencies. The GETS Program administered by NCS
provides emergency access and priority processing in
the local and long-distance segments of the Public
Switched Network (PSN).  Private-sector use of GETS
must be sponsored by a federal agency, provided that
the agency first determines that the private-sector
entity is considered critical to the performance of
national security or emergency preparedness (NS/EP)
functions necessary to maintain the national economic
posture during any national or regional emergency.

The attached policy explains the GETS program in more
detail, sets out the criteria to be used by FBIIC
agencies to determine whether a private-sector entity,
supervised by a FBIIC member agency, qualifies for
federal sponsorship.  It describes how qualifying
entities may submit applications for sponsorship.

Clearly, while not all national banks or technology
service providers supervised by the OCC will qualify
for sponsorship for GET cards, the OCC will consider
applications for sponsorship from any such entity that
demonstrates that it can make a case for qualification
under one or more of the criteria set out in the policy.  

National Banks and OCC-supervised technology service
providers should submit their applications for
sponsorship to the following address:

Aida Plaza Carter
Bank Information Technology Operations
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
250 E Street, SW
Washington, DC 20219

Applications may also be submitted via FAX to (202)
874-5194.

Please note, when submitting your application, your
list of persons to receive GETS cards should be 
limited to key personnel with crisis-management
responsibilities or other senior management personnel
responsible for carrying out communications during
emergencies.

Once the OCC receives your application, staff members
will review and forward all qualifying applications to 
the Department of Treasury with the OCC's endorsement. 
Approved applicants will then be contacted with 
instructions for setting up a GETS account and using
GETS cards. Any questions regarding this policy should
be directed to me, at (202) 874-5216, or via e-mail to
ralph.sharpe@occ.treas.gov.




Ralph E. Sharpe
Deputy Comptroller for Technology


Attachment--Financial Banking Information Infrastructure
Committee Sponsorship of Priority Telecommunications
Access for Private Sector Entities through the National
Communications System Government Emergency
Telecommunications Service (GETS)
[ http://occ.treas.gov/ftp/bulletin/2002-33a.pdf ]