Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What are the various types of
correspondence?
A-Priority--Assigned by the Department's
Executive Secretariat for reply for the signature of the
Secretary or Deputy Secretary.
B-Priority--Assigned by the Department's Executive Secretariat for direct reply by the appropriate official within ITA (determined by ITA Secretariat).
Appropriate Action--Assigned by the Department's Executive Secretariat for information or for appropriate action by ITA. No response is required.
Under Secretary Correspondence--Assigned by ITA's Secretariat for preparation of a response for the Under Secretary's signature or the appropriate ITA official.
Congressional Correspondence
for Assistant Secretary or Deputy Assistant Secretary's signature--Assigned by ITA Secretariat
for preparation of a response for an Assistant Secretary or Deputy Assistant
Secretary's signature.
Q. How do I respond to the different
types of correspondence tasked by the ITA Secretariat?
A-Priority
Draft replies are to be submitted to ITA's Secretariat by using
the WebCIMS Correspondence
Tracking System. Please see the WebCIMS End-User Quick Reference Guide for instructions on how to transmit
your draft response using the WebCIMS system. If your office does not use
WebCIMS, please send your draft responses via e-mail to the
ITASEC@ita.doc.gov address.
For all "A" Priority correspondence, your office must submit a
concurrence sheet initialed by the Assistant Secretary. Drafting offices
are responsible for obtaining clearances from the Office of the General Counsel
and the Department's Office of Policy before submitting drafts to the ITA
Secretariat. If a letter is being prepared for a
Member of Congress, drafting offices must also obtain clearance from ITA's
Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs.
For cosigned letters, please provide a list of
inside addresses and salutations for all cosigners. Only one letter needs to be prepared.
B-Priority
ITA Secretariat must have a signed & dated copy of the response
that includes the control number. If you choose to respond by
phone, you must inform ITA Secretariat who made the call and who
they spoke to. If you respond via e-mail, please supply ITA
Secretariat with a printout of the e-mail response that includes the control
number.
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