In this Issue

ITA New Voicemail System
ITA Speaker Series
ITA Escape Hood Training
Password Protect Sensitive Data
New Requirements for ID's
Sensitive Data
FY06 Budget
FY07 President's Budget
DOC's New Policy on Vacancy

Features

Traveler's Corner
Where Do I Find
ITA Comings & Goings

ITA Headquarters New Voicemail System

ITA Headquarters will convert to a new voicemail system effective Saturday, February 11th. The week prior to this transition, February 6-10, the Department will offer daily walk-in training sessions on the new voicemail system’s features in Room 6600A: Daily Schedule: 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM, 9:15 AM – 9:45 AM, 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM, 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM, 11:45 AM – 12:15 PM, 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM, 1:45 PM – 2:15 PM, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM, 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM, 4:15 PM – 4:45 PM. Each session is first come, first served, and limited to 20 people. Each user should plan to attend a training session so they are familiar with the voicemail system. If you have questions, please contact Jeff Scherr at (202)482-3266 or Jeffrey.Scherr@mail.doc.gov.

ITA Speaker Series

Would you like to share your expertise with other ITA managers and employees? The ITA Speaker Series brings some of ITA's most influential leaders for lively and informative exchanges with diverse audiences. Speakers share their expertise to promote an understanding of the strategic interrelationship between mission areas, and to discuss international trade and administrative issues. If you would like to suggest a topic or would be interested in presenting a topic, please contact Vladimir Diaz at (202)482-3756 or vladimir.diaz@mail.doc.gov for additional information.

ITA Escape Hood Training

On Tuesday, January 24th, the ITA Safety Council will conduct two Escape Hood training sessions at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm, in Room B-841A. You must take the training to receive a hood, which you will receive at the end of the session. The sessions will teach you how to correctly wear the emergency Escape Hoods, which have been certified as the best commercially available protective hoods. 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 the ITA Safety Officer, Jeff Scherr, at (202)482-3266 or by email at Jeffrey.Scherr@mail.doc.gov.

Password Protect all Sensitive Data

Please remember to protect all sensitive data with passwords. All spreadsheets and databases that contain private information, such as social security numbers, should be password protected. And remember, don’t put the password in the email with the database! For additional information, please call Hamilton Humes at (202)482-6123.

New requirements for requesting ID’s.

Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), “Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors” mandated that trained “Sponsors” must approve new requests for Federal Identification (ID) badges.

For new Federal employees, sponsors will be HR specialists. HR will arrange for all new employees to obtain badges during the new employee orientation on their first day of work.
For current employees who need to renew their badges, the sponsor will be the immediate supervisor.
For contractors, sponsors will be Contracting Officer Representative (COR).

Sponsors will need to take the short training, obtain a certificate, and accompany the employee or contractor to security to get or renew a badge. Sponsors can take the training (and see the procedures) at this website: http://www.osec.doc.gov/osy/hspd12/sponsors.htm. Employees and contractors must fill out a PIV (Personal Identify Verification) request before they go to Security. Please note that “new” request means that all employees and contractors will have to follow this procedure once so that records can be created in the Office of Security. Subsequently, the supervisor (or COR for contractors) can renew or replace a badge by emailing security at HCHBsecurity@doc.gov. More information is available at: http://www.osec.doc.gov/osy/HSPD12/HSPD-12Information.htm. If you have any questions, please call Hamilton Humes at (202)482-6123 or Hamilton.Humes@mail.doc.gov .

FY 2006 Budget

With the passage of the FY 2006 appropriations act and two across the board rescissions for FY 2006, Congress has provided $393.8 million in appropriations for ITA in FY 2006. Funding allocations for each ITA program area have been provided. Operating plans need to be drafted by each program during January 2006. The budget this year will be austere. Each program area will need to take management actions to ensure that the funding allocations are not exceeded and a hiring freeze has been implemented across ITA. If you have questions, please contact Amy Duncan at (202)482-5739.

FY 2007 President's Budget

ITA's Office of Financial Management continues to prepare ITA's FY 2007 President's Budget Submission to Congress. Details on the budget and copies of budget request materials will be made available after the President's Budget is released on February 6, 2005. If you have questions, please contact Amy Duncan at (202)482-5739.

Department of Commerce’s New Policy on Vacancy Announcements

The Department of Commerce recently established a new policy on vacancy announcements. The policy was established to ensure that qualified individuals are recruited from the appropriate sources and to ensure that applicants receive fair treatment in the selection process. Effective immediately, HR offices must advertise all vacancy announcements to the broadest area of consideration. All vacancies must be posted for All Sources, (i.e. status and non-status candidates), and the announcement must be open a minimum of 10 workdays. This requirement applies even for vacancies that you wish to fill from within ITA. If you have any questions, please contact Debbie Martin at (202)482-3130 or via email at Debbie_Martin@ita.doc.gov or Rita Clinton at (202)482-2501 or via email at Rita_Clinton@ita.doc.gov.

Traveler’s Corner

Question: What is the new rate for use of a privately owned vehicle (POV) while on official travel?

Answer: Effective, January 1, 2006, the new rate for POV is 44.5 cents per mile. If you have questions, please call your travel contact of Sharon Russell at (202)482-3267.

Where Do I Find....The Departments of Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriation Legislation for Fiscal Year 2006?

The appropriation legislation for FY 2006 (PL109-108) can be found at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.R.2862.enr:

ITA Comings and Goings 12/10/05 – 01/09/06

Arrivals – WELCOME!
OUS – Michelle O’Neill, Charles Skuba; ADMIN – Miteshia Huff, Adam Terrasi, Shannon Vaughns, Brenda Wills; MAC – Simon Kim; MAS – Jonah Turner; TP & FCS – Carolyn Brooks-Miller, David Crockett.
Departures
OUS – Issa Fatin; ADMIN – Brenda Bradley, Darlene Johnson; IA – Roberto Facundus; TP & USFCS – Marianne Drain, Kristen McGrath.
Please contact Diane Evans on 202-482-4382 or via email at Diane_Evans@ita.doc.gov if you have any questions.