CD 410 Work Requests

Friday, August 12, 2005 is the deadline for submitting FY 2005 CD 410 Work Orders for major projects, i.e., construction, painting, installation of carpet, draperies, or systems furniture.  Minor requests such as small electrical jobs and safety repairs will continue to be accepted until the end of the fiscal year.  Requests for major projects received after August 12^th will be returned and can be re-submitted using FY 2006 finds.  If you have questions, please contact Judy Wilson at (202)482-3265 or at Judith_Wilson@ita.doc.gov.

ITA Reorganization

ITA Organization and Function Order 41-1 has been signed, effective July 22, 2005.  This order describes ITA to the office level and delegates authorities to the Assistant Secretaries, the CFO and the CIO.  For a copy of the organization order, log into http://www.ita.doc.gov/ooms/41-1.htm.  the organization is also depicted in a chart located at http://www.ita.doc.gov/ooms/41-1chart.pdf.  For additional information contact Charles Jefferson at (202)482-6078.

ITA Safety Inspections

The ITA Safety Council is currently conducting its annual safety and health inspections and will be visiting your office sometime over the next several weeks.  You can take several steps to ensure that your office is prepared for its inspection.  Clean off all papers from your window sills- they collect dust, and when the radiators below the windows are turned on, they can pose a fire hazard.  Make sure there are no loose wires around your desk area- slips, trips, and falls are the leading cause of injury in the HCHB.  Don't "daisy-chain" surge protectors by plugging them into each other- instead, get a larger surge protector or use multiple outlets.  Make sure all office equipment is stored in a safe, stable manner and that there is no danger of falling.  Post the HCHB Occupant Emergency Plan's emergency evacuation route map next to your office doors (see http://home.osec.doc.gov/ for a copy).  With your help, we can make ITA a safer place.  If you have questions, please contact the ITA Safety Officer, Jeff Scherr, at (202)482-3266.

Freedom of Information Act 

What does one do with classified documents that are responsive to a FOIA request?  Classified documents can be handled two ways.  They can be withheld under FOIA exemption (b)(1), which protects from disclosure national security information concerning the national defense or foreign policy.  Alternatively, documents can be declassified, if appropriate, and released to the requester.  Of course, only individuals with declassification authority can make the latter determination.  If you have classified material that is responsive to a FOIA request, contact Linda Bell, ITA's FOIA Officer, and she can talk to you about how to proceed.  Linda can be reached at (202)482-3032 or via e-mail  Linda_Bell@ita.doc.gov.  

ITA Escape Hood Training

On Tuesday, August 9^th, the ITA Safety Council will conduct two one-hour Escape Hood training sessions at 10:00 and 2:00, in Room 1414.  You must take the training to receive a hood, which you will receive at the end of the session.  These sessions will train users how to correctly wear the Department's emergency Escape Hoods, which have been certified as the best commercially available protective hoods to protect users during a disaster.  There is no charge for this training, but you must register in advance.  If you have questions or wish to sign up for one of these sessions, please contact Jeff Scherr at (202)482-3266 or via email at Jeffrey.Scherr@mail.doc.gov.

Cable Check List

Below is a "Quick Ten" check list to use for checking your cables prior to submitting the cable to the ACCT Cable Approval mailbox:  Ensure that the date field contains a current date; Ensure that the telephone number is the correct number for the originator of the cable; Ensure that the tags match the intended post; Ensure that you have the correct change number on the cable; Ensure that the prior balance is correct; Ensure that the net increase/decrease matches with the amount in the funding lines;  If Washington Held Funds, ensure that there is an obligation number;  If Hospitality Funds, ensure that there is a CD-464 number;  Ensure that you have a classification at the top and bottom of each page of the cable; If you don't know or are unsure of something, please call Vanessa Barksdale at (202)482-5627 or Atisha Burks at (202)482-4408 for clarification.

ITA Verification and Validation Reviews

In response to recent Office of Inspector General findings OFM'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 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 listed measures. Verifications and validations will take place both at headquarters and at domestic field locations. The measures are:  Percent of Undertaken Advocacy Actions Completed Successfully, Number of Market Access and Compliance Cases Completed, Percentage of AD/CVD Programs completed on-time, Export Success Measures.  A member of ITA's PPM will contact ITA units to schedule these reviews. If you have questions in the interim, please feel free to contact Rhonda Jackson at (202)482-2242.

Performance Management Training 

The Office of Human Resources Management's Strategic Workforce Management Group is currently conducting training sessions on performance management for ITA's managers, supervisors, and team leaders. The training is designed to prepare ITA to carry out performance management responsibilities under a new multi-level system that will be implemented in Fiscal Year 2006.  In this training, practical guidance is provided on: linking performance plans to organizational goals and objectives, creating critical elements, and creating performance measures.  This training will be provided twice a day on Tuesday and Thursday throughout the month of August. If you are a manager, supervisor, or team leader and did not receive the July 22 announcement, please call the Strategic Workforce Management Group at (202)482-3947 to register for this training.  Questions about the content and purpose of the training should be directed to Darlene Haywood at (202)482-2850 or at Darlene_Haywood@ita.doc.gov.

Merit System Principles 

Most Federal employees have heard references to both merit system principle and prohibited personnel practices, but are not familiar with what they are.  The Office of Human Resources Management has placed a link for each of these on it's website at http://www.ita.doc.gov/hrm/.  The Office of Personnel Management has jurisdiction over merit system principles and the Office of Special Counsel is responsible for investigating allegations involving prohibited personnel practices.  If you have questions, please contact Marcia Tyler at (202)482-3166 or at Marcia_Tyler@ita.doc.gov.

OPM Human Capital Audit

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is conducting a Human Capital Audit in the Department of Commerce.  The audit began in the Office of the Secretary during the week of July 18^th.  The OPM team is scheduled to conduct the audit of ITA during the week of August 15^th.  There will be four main areas that OPM will review:  talent, knowledge management and leadership; results-oriented performance culture and accountability.  The team will review OHRM records and conduct focus group interviews during that week.  They will meet separately with groups of senior managers, first-line supervisors and non-supervisory employees.  OPM has identified the participants from the Central Personnel Data File.  OHRM will notify the participants of the date, time and room number for the focus group meetings. If you have any questions about the Human Capital Audit, please contact Darlene Haywood at (202)482-2850 or at Darlene_Haywood@ita.doc.gov.

Thrift Savings Plan

The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) has established five "Lifecycle Funds" (L Funds) based on different time horizons.  A "time horizon" is the date (after an employee leaves Federal service) that employees think they will need the money in their TSP account.  If employees select the L Funds, they do not need to worry about managing their investments, because with the L Funds, they will be on "cruise control" and everything is done for the employee.  Employees, who prefer to make their own investment decisions and manage their TSP account, can continue to invest directly in the G, F, C, S, and I Funds. However, if employees would like to have the benefit of professionally designed funds, which are automatically adjusted as they get closer to their time horizon, then the L Funds may be the right option.  The TSP website at www.tsp.gov offers additional information on the "L" Lifecycle Funds. For additional assistance, please contact Vanessa Lewis at (202)482-8327 or via email Vanessa_Lewis@ita.doc.gov and Dorothy Bowling at (202)482-3504 or via email Dottie_Bowling@ita.doc.gov.

Traveler's Corner

Question:  Can a traveler be reimbursed for collision damage waiver or theft insurance when renting a vehicle while on official travel within the Continental U.S.?

Answer:    A traveler will not be reimbursed for collision damage waiver or theft insurance for official travel within the Continental U.S.  If you have questions, call your travel contact or Sharon Russell at (202)482-3267.

 Where Do I Find....ITA 2068 Signature Card?

The ITA -2068, "Designation/Revocation of Authority to Approve Obligating  and Payment Documents" (Signature Card) can be found at OurPlace under E-Forms.  All employees with authority to sign obligating documents should have a signature card on file at NBC.  If you have questions contact Crystal Bush at (202)482-8365.