CAPPS Notes - February 18, 2004

I. Welcome - (PPSPS) - Remember to sign the sign-in sheet and we have to remind you about the evacuation procedures in case of an emergency. Upon internal notification via the e-mail and loud speakers, and if there is an emergency situation requiring a "shelter-in-place," everyone would go to the 3rd floor of this building. In all other emergencies, everyone should vacate the building via the back ramp, go around the building and meet in front of the American History building on the mall for roll call.

II. Disaster Recovery Drill (March 2004) - (Lambert Lebleu) - Lambert indicated that he sent an e-mail requesting volunteers to participate in the disaster recovery drill. (Note: NFC used to refer to this as "Disaster Recovery Tests" but have changed the term, because it is not a pass/fail situation; it is a learning situation.) Lambert indicated that NFC staff plan to travel to Philadelphia, PA on March 26, to begin the actual drill on Saturday the 27th, and switch all systems back to NOLA for operations by noon on Sunday the 28th. This drill procedure will focus on mainframe operations and not the Web-based systems. There will be another drill in August for the other issues.

The invite is for all clients. Clients should coordinate a teleconference with NFC that will include the client's IT staff to plan the agency's participation in the drill. Clients currently using a dedicated connection will have to use the alternate connection to reach the recovery site. If a client does not have alternate communications established for Philadelphia, then they have to work out an alternative plan with NFC. One alternative option may be by issuing a secure-remote ID/Password for the drill purposes until you have a full connection from your site to Philadelphia. If a client accesses NFC over the normal USDA backbone or currently has a secure remote or fire-wall to fire-wall VPN then the IT folks will work that out and the agency users will be able to sign-on as they normally would (banner will state Philadelphia, PA instead of New Orleans, LA). Treasury is one of the agencies that already has a communications provision for the PA site. FCC needs to have something set up. If a client does not choose to establish any provisional communication to Philadelphia, that client would have to wait until NFC recovery staff is available to work something out in the event of a real emergency. If you want to work out communication to/from Philadelphia now, that is strongly recommended.

Lambert reminded everyone that the database will be restored to Philadelphia as of PP-04! This will be two week old data, but agencies should not be concerned that production data is lost - this is a drill of a real recovery effort. Everyone will be provided the opportunity to restore something and to have the data post to the point of payment. The idea is to recover PP-04 and reprocess the consolidated PACS and distribute into the benefits, deductions, etc. and try to make sure that NFC is processing the PAYE cycle completely (i.e., doing everything short of sending a tape to Treasury).

Lambert requested that clients contact him directly to discuss one-on-one how your agency drill can progress.

A. Penny reminded everyone that NFC was going to try to recover the PP-04 back-end. This means that the pay cycle will be accelerated in PP-04. This means that all three CV's will run the first pass of PAYE on Thursday, March 11th and the second pass on March 12th - no exceptions. The recovery time objective is within 48 hours. The recovery point will vary depending on the last back-up for that system.

III. PL 108-136 Pay Changes - Over Time Rate Increase - (Cliff Lee) - The Overtime (OT) rate increase was effective on November 24, 2003. NFC implemented the programming changes in PP-25, 2003. At the last CAPPS meeting PPSPS distributed reports (sorted by Agency, POI, and T&A Contact Point) of employees that had used OT in PP-23 (3,703 records) and PP-24 (6,305 records). As previously indicated, agencies must review the PP-23 T&A to identify any OT worked for on or after Monday, November 24th. If OT exists for that time frame, then a corrected, split T&A must be submitted for PP-23 during PP-04, 2004. This split T&A can only be submitted in PP-04, 2004. Submissions during any subsequent pay period will result in a bill to the employee. If there is a need for a corrected T&A (for any reason) later in the year, it must be handled via manual pay. Cliff reminded clients that time worked on Sunday, November 23rd, is paid at the old overtime and should be on the 1st half of the T&A and not the 2nd. NFC will automatically generate the corrected T&A for PP-24 for all employees on the list unless otherwise notified by the agency.

Cliff indicated that Jo had distributed diskettes prior to the start of the meeting to those agencies who had employees who earned Compensatory Time in PP-23 or PP-24. Agencies must review the PP-23 T&A to identify any Comp Time worked on or after Monday, November 24th. The agency should review the comp time records of these individuals to see if any comp time remains for PP-23 and PP24. If so, the rate record should be adjusted for any employees at GS-12/06 or the equivalent to show the employee's 2003 base rate and not the OT rate (GS-10/01 OT Rate) that was recorded. If the employee has already used the compensatory time, the agency does not need to take any action. However, if the higher OT rate resulted in the employee exceeding the Biweekly Limitation on Premium Pay, his/her compensatory time earned must be reduced accordingly (if that Comp Time has already been used, the employee has been overpaid by the dollar amount of the excess Comp Time and should be billed for the overpayment). The following departments had disks: Capital Police, DHS, DOC, DOJ, FDIC, HUD, LOC, NGA, OCC, SBA, Smithsonian, TR and USDA.

POST MEETING UPDATE: Correction, the disks distributed during CAPPS had individuals affected by the PP-01 comp time problems outlined in item #11 and not the PP-23/24 increase in the OT/Comp time rates.

A. Q: Smithsonian - Can the agency just make the decision to adjust the record if they go to pay it? A: Yes, they can make that call. However, the question is will the agency remember to look at this list 6 months or a year down the road to see if the employee was affected? It may be easier just to clear the list now. (In cases where the Biweekly Limitation on Premium Pay was exceeded, the agency must reduce the Comp Time earned accordingly)

B. Q: Treasury - If under the new entitlement, the employee would have maxed out the bi-weekly earnings, shouldn't this be taken into consideration when reviewing these records. A: Technically yes. However, as discussed in the last meeting, agencies do have the discretion to waive certain overpayments. In this situation, it may be cheaper for the agency to automatically waive such overpayments (or comp time earnings) than to go through the administrative procedure to collect an hour of pay from an employee who has already used his/her comp time that s/he may have been ineligible to earn had the higher rate been in place.

C. Q: Does the restriction on corrected T&A's for PP-23 and PP-24 also apply to retroactive personnel actions that would result in a re-validation of T&A's for that period. A: Cliff - Yes, if doing a HCUP case that covers these pay periods, the HR office should call and request that the system NOT re-validate and submit an AD-343 to pay or collect any monies.

IV. Pay Issues -(Cliff Lee) - Cliff reminded clients that NFC had completed its processing for the 2004 Pay Adjustment (Project 40012). The pay adjustment included a 1.5% across-the-board pay increase and an average locality increase of 0.5%. He pointed out that agencies should have already addressed any 2004 Pay Adjustments that went to SUSPSENSE/SINQ. NFC will not be doing this for you.

Cliff reminded the clients that until the Executive Order is signed by the President, NFC cannot process the retroactive payments. (The law authorizing the increase was signed, but the Executive Order which defines how it will be done and allocates the split has not been signed). Once the Executive Order is signed, NFC will begin implementation. OPM is ready to go with the proposed salary tables.

A. Q: Smithsonian - What is the break-out of locality vs base? A: The Salary Council recommended 2.7% be allocated as base pay and an average of 1.4% be allocated as locality pay. Traditionally, the EO will incorporate their recommendation. Because of the split application of the retroactive pay, NFC will need to generate corrections to the 894-Pay Adjustment action for January 11, 2004. As of last week, NFC clients had processed 66,000 intervening actions (database 5 = 23,400; database 6 = 14,600; and database 7 = 28,250). Penny indicated that Glenda was expecting the number to rise to the 70,000 range this week. Cliff reminded everyone that they may wish to delay discretionary actions where possible.

B. Q: Did this number include cash awards and other exception actions? A: Penny - Will check with Glenda.

POST MEETING UPDATE: The number of intervening actions did not include awards. As of 2/25 - CV05 had 33,019; CV06 had 20,797; and CV07 had 37,915.

C. Q: Treasury - are you going to include employees accessed after PP-01? A: Cliff - We will assume that we will do it like we did it last year. Penny - Will verify that information with Glenda. It may mean breaking the retro into groups. FQ: Will we have to submit any new or different requirements as we did with the initial 2004 pay raise or should we not do this unless there are different pay tables? How will the printing of the SF-50's for the 2004 retro be handled? FA: Penny will check and provide an update later.

D. Q: Treasury - What about the wage schedules? A: Cliff - DOD is waiting on the Executive Order to be signed. The current law requires that they wait until the final base rate increase.

POST MEETING UPDATE: OPM published the following information about the FWS pay adjustments: Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004, blue-collar Federal employees are entitled to receive pay adjustments in FY 2004 at least equal to the pay adjustments received by GS employees in the same location. The issuance of certain wage schedules will be delayed until OPM issues guidance to agencies on implementing this change in law. Delayed FY 2004 wage schedules will be retroactive to their normal effective dates. FY 2003 wage schedules are available on the Department of Defense Web site at http://www.cpms.osd.mil/wage.

E. Q: Smithsonian - We opted to process the changes for the senior levels and NFC added the locality. Do we have the option of opting out for their senior levels (pay plan SL and IL)? A: Cliff the SL's and ST's will be impacted because it appears that the executive schedule will be increased. FQ: Smithsonian gave everyone the 4.1% in January and by law these employees are required to get the extra locality if there is a correction in the locality for January 2004. Can we request NFC not to give them this locality? FA: Cliff - SL and ST employees are included in the Government-wide categories of employees extended locality pay; by law NFC has to apply the locality to their rate of basic pay. If SI has an internal cap on total pay for their SL employees and the locality would place them above that cap, SI must handle that internally.

F. Q: Treasury - If an SES employee is at the minimum rate will NFC raise them to the new minimum? A: Cliff - NFC will not touch the SES this go around. If agencies need to adjust the SES rates they will have to do that.

G. Q: Treasury - Can you give us a list of these SES employees? A: Treasury - We can get that ourselves. FA: PPSPS - Thanks!

V. SES 2003 Performance Appraisals - (Cliff Lee) - Cliff indicated that there was a problem with the posting of the 2003 SES performance appraisals prior to PP-02. The issue was resolved in PP-02 and any SES performance appraisals entered on or after PP02 have applied to the database.. Cliff requested that agencies please double check any 2003 SES appraisals entered PP-20 through PP-01. If the document is not reflected on the IRIS 313 screen, the agency will need to re-enter the 2003 SES appraisal. NFC was able to recycle the PP-02 documents and they have applied.

VI. Benefits Updates - (Jody Nyers)

A. TSP/FEHB actions via Employee Express (EEX) or the Employee Personnel Page (EPP) - Jody recommended that agency's advise employees to confirm proper deductions were made. Some of the documents submitted via these systems applied while others did not. Jody indicated that last year was unique due to the new changes with TSP catch-up, TSP open seasons, FSAs, etc. This is complicated further because employees change their mind and sometimes the changes do not occur as they intended. NFC had advised EEX to change the JCL for jobs that they submit. EEX did not do this. Some of the employee entry files came in on holidays and NFC does not run PINE passes on those days. Jody requested that agency's notify that employees who used EEX or EPP to verify that any changes through those systems were applied to the employee's records. Jody indicated that she has some examples, but no comprehensive report. She expressed her concern that employees may not have realized the change did not occur since other items in their pay changed during that time frame.

1. Q: Treasury - What pay periods do we check? A: Jody - TSP open season started in December so check PP-24, 25, and 26.

2. Q: DOJ - Can NFC compare the EEX and EPP and the mainframe data to see if the historic files match to the NFC data? This data is available from EEX. That file can be bumped (at least against FEHB) and compared to the NFC database. DOJ wants to identify these individuals and not wait until the employee notifies them that there is a problem. A: Penny will check to see if the EEX and EPP files are available and share the SSN's with them.

POST MEETING UPDATE: The developers ran a report and determined what EEX transmissions were not processed and the data will be provided by the Customer Service Reps to their contacts.

3. Q: Treasury - We mandate our employees use EEX or EPP so this is going to be a problem if the data does not update? R: Penny - Can you send us the examples you already have? C: Treasury's have gone to Lorraine Brown. C: DOJ has addressed those that have been identified. C: USDA indicated that the problem was also in EPP. C: DOJ - It may appear that NFC did not want to spend resources to do the research when in effect, this could have been a processing issue. C: George indicated that the employee does have to bear some responsibility to review their payroll records and report any perceived discrepancies. Cliff also indicated that some agencies send reminders to employees each January that they need to review the pay statements to make sure they are correct. In previous appeals the government has ruled that the employee is responsible if they had pay statements. Treasury added that SHPS has indicated that flexible spending data is the employee's responsible. C: Penny will check with Glenda after the meeting and get data to Jody. Jody will then notify the clients as to the outcome. See POST MEETING UPDATE above.

4. C: Penny - there was only one ESS problem reported. Was the problem really EEX's? If there is only one in ESS, then maybe it was not an NFC problem. If EEX sent a file and it was overlaid the next day with the new one without processing, the comparison DOJ is requesting may not work. C: DOJ - NFC should compare from the EEX history files not NFC's record of the tapes received from EEX. C: Penny will check with Polly and Steve for ESS to see if there were TSP or FEHB documents processed during that time frame. Jody will contact OPM to see if NFC can get a list of all EEX actions for certain timeframes.

POST MEETING UPDATE: Jody contacted OPM/Macon who are reviewing their files and will submit a report/file to Jody. C: George - We will need to make sure that we request that Macon split the files by Department and POI since they normally do not do that. C: Penny - The ESS system sends the employee an e-mail that the action was applied. If the employee does not receive this, that should alert him/her to contact his/her HR office to see if it is in suspense. C: George - The EEX notification is only that you submitted a document and not that it applied. The document may go to SUSPENSE/SINQ.

5. C: CFTC - We have an employee who submitted a TSP catch-up document for 2003 in PP-24. They received the confirmation but nothing applied. CFTC contacted Marian in NFC's Manual Pay Section and we were told the employee can make it up in 2004. R: Jody - I'm not sure if this is legal, however, I will contact TSP to verify. Can an employee simply write a check for the amount not collected in the prior year? Penny indicated we should check with Mose and a little while later, Mose joined the CAPPS meeting (via teleconference) and he indicated that the manual pay policy indicates IF there is an administrative error and the employee could not make their withholdings in tax year 2003, an employee can elect up to $5,000 this year (which is $2,000 for 2003 and $3,000 for 2004) for catch-up purposes. Jody was still concerned about this and will check with TSP and see if the employee can do a retroactive adjustment (due to administrative error). Note: the 2003 W-2 will not be adjusted (since the money will be received in 2004). FC: CFTC asked if anyone seen the procedures on this? A: Jody indicated she did not have any procedures but Mose indicated that this is not something new and not based upon NFC policy; however, it's based upon basic TSP administrative procedures and NFC is not planning on issuing any specific procedures for catch-up purposes. Q: Treasury - can you also tell us the W-2 impact for the administrative procedures? A: No answer provided.

6. C: Treasury indicated since they mandate employee entry, they were surprised to hear of these problems. They have not received many complaints at all.

7. C: DOJ is concerned that manual pay is taking action and not everyone knows about it. It appears that some of NFC's staff does one thing but the other side of the house does not know what is going on. This is a major concern since the advice varies depending on who they call. Wanda indicated that DOJ's calls are typically referred back to DOJ-HQ, but other agencies can slip through directly to NFC. C: Penny - we have some concern that everyone will claim administrative error. C: CFTC - We require proof that an employee did attempt the deduction and that there was an administrative error before we take any manual pay action. C: DOJ - ESS did provide a "request" confirmation e-mail to their employees, but they did not get a "change" confirmation e-mail. R: Penny reiterated George's comment that the employee must review his/her data on the Employee Personal Page (EPP) and/or paper the paper E&L. In addition, agencies should require some proof that a change was submitted.

Mose indicated that the edits in the system do not allow for higher than $3,000 for 2004 TSP catch-up, therefore, agencies must notify him so that he can contact GESD to force the documents to apply. Q: Jody asked if TSP has okayed this? A: Mose - Yes, it is based upon the basic TSP procedures. It is the agency's call as to what is an administrative error. C: Penny - The agency should make the employee submit proof that there was an ADMINISTRATIVE error. Q: Does the agency just prepare an AD-343 to do this make-up? A: Mose - The agency should process the TSP-1C with the desired amount (e.g., $4,000) and notify Mose when the document goes to SINQ/SUSPENSE. Q: Can the employee spread out the deduction over the entire year. A: Mose - Yes. Q: Is NFC planning to publish these procedures? A: Mose - Once again, this is not something new and it is not based upon NFC policy. It is based upon basic TSP administrative procedures so NFC is not planning to issue anything. The only difference is Mose has to work with the agency and GESD to lift the dollar limitation maximum. Q: Treasury - What documentation is needed? A: Mose - NFC doesn't need documentation. The HR office must do their job and obtain the proper documentation for their records. The agency needs to send Mose a request in writing (an e-mail is acceptable). The request should ask that the edit on the dollar limit be lifted and must include the agency, POI, the employee's full name and the last 4-digits of his/her SSN. Penny indicated that she would check into the documentation requirements for any audit review and advise if additional information is required. Q: Treasury - What if the employee only worked one pay period in tax year 2004, can they still be permitted to make up the contribution retroactively? A: If the employee is already separated from the agency and his/her final paycheck is issued, the employee cannot go back and make this up. It would be impossible for the employee to have had $3,000 let alone $5,000 worth of discretionary income in that one paycheck to have done this, and the disbursement has already taken place.

B. TSP Loan changes - Jody informed the reps that according to TSP's latest bulletin some changes are on the way. Beginning in July 2004, TSP will begin charging a $50 loan processing fee for each loan. Employees will only be able to have one general purpose loan at a time (currently it is two). TSP will implement a 60 day waiting period between general purpose loans.

C. Employee Self Service (ESS) enhancements - Jody indicated that users can now chose a future effective pay period and year for their payroll documents. Specifically those transactions are financial allotments, TSP, TSP catch-up, savings bonds, direct deposit, federal and state taxes. FYI - EEX is also trying to add this option. C: Treasury indicated that EEX is experiencing problems with this implementation because they work with various payroll providers.

D. Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) - Q: Smithsonian - How do I handle a problem with an employee who is trying to get an FSA application processed through NFC and the NFC suspense indicates that the employee is ineligible? A: Jody - Look at the IRIS 115 screen to see if the FEHB Coverage Code is 2 (ineligible); an employee must be eligible for FEHB in order to elect an FSA. It may be that the employee is now eligible, but the agency never processed a change to make the employee eligible pending. Eligible pending status is okay for FSA.

VII. Employee Express Update (EEX) - (George Morris) - GSA is working with EEX to help them qualify as a level II security sign on system-this would allow people to enter the EEX site, and then move to other secure sites without further clearances. Also discussed various reporting issues, DOD/AF's EOD electronics package (didn't look that great). IVR going to cost $$ and some agencies yes, some no. Those EEX clients that don't want it will opt out and those that do, will pay big $$. IVR is down to less than 3% usage overall (Treasury is the highest at 15%) so it appears to be more costly than it's worth. EEX clients have been given an additional brief extension to formally reply to the Go/No GO options. Spring release includes masking of SSN's for various documents/screens and a number of additional enhancements not necessarily impacting NFC clients. EEX is looking at/asking OPM's concurrence to self-certify FEHB life event changes-major concern over how much you take the employee at their word on situations which affect eligibility for certain benefits? Bottom line - more discussion to occur (NFC clients position has been HR offices validate life events. Savings bonds - remove SSN's for beneficiaries and co-owners - concern over whether blanks or zeros for these will create a problem at NFC??? Not sure.

A. Q: DOJ - Is anyone looking at a big-picture plan that if some of the agencies leave EEX what the costs will be for those that remain? A: George - No. EEX plans to go out to sell it. FC: DOJ - EEX is not actively selling EEX right now. Clients do have an option of choosing another source. It might be cost effective for agencies to plan together to migrate off EEX in lieu of just leaving which means those left will be paying a much larger per unit cost. Why not work together as a CAPPS groups vs letting everyone handle themselves separately?

B. C: DOJ is planning to migrate their employees from EEX to NFC's ESS starting with a small HQ group. C: Treasury is planning to mandate the change from EEX to ESS. C: USDA is also exploring the migration from EEX.

POST MEETING UPDATE: Treasury clarifed that they are only mandating the EPP and not ESS.

C. Q: Does ESS contain the same documents as EEX? C: ESS contains everything but the "pilot" CFC functionality that EEX has implemented. EEX/OPM has had great difficulty on this one and NFC is in no hurry to utilize it.

D. Q: PPSPS - Do any of the reps want to take the lead on this and you can work together with your counter parts on vacate decision? C: No. We'll go when we go. C: DOJ - NFC's ESS staff will be significantly impacted if a large segment of the clients leave EEX at the same time and migrate to ESS. C: PPSPS - Little agencies take note, the large components are looking to migrate from EEX this will have a large impact on the small agencies' costs. Keep this in mind and plan accordingly.

VIII. Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) - (George Morris) - George indicated that DHS has developed a (free) overview training class regarding child support for Federal Agencies. They contacted George and would like to provide the training to CAPPS in March, as well as make a manual available to agencies to use on their OCSE issues. More information on the manual and training at DHS's website: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/employer/home.htm.

A. Q: USDA - Please do this at the end of the CAPPS meeting so that those who do not wish to stay may leave? A: George - An alternative to a presentation to the CAPPS meeting would be for George to release the CAPPS' reps names and numbers to DHS and they can contact you directly. R: The majority of reps in attendance indicated that they prefer to be contacted directly by DHS. Subsequent contact with OCSE indicates that this is satisfactory for them.

IX. Reporting Center (George Morris) - George indicated that agency classifiers continue to contact him on a regular basis to obtain titling information from tables (specifically TMGT 074 and 076) to determine if a certain title has been established for a given series. This is the good case scenario. The bad case scenario is where the agency uses 9999 for everything and thus agency reporting becomes almost impossible. Currently he uses a series of FOCUS reports to obtain comparative alpha listings of titles. He has contacted Steve in the Reporting Center and Steve has agreed that the Reporting Center can be used as a vehicle to provide the agencies with this information. The reports can be run and posted each pay period for review by personnel office staff. George requested that the CAPPS community approve this request. The reps supported this recommendation and George indicated that he would submit the formal request this week.

X. 113 Reports (George Morris)

A. Steve Cunningham (Reporting Center) requested that clients advise how long they wished to retain data in general, and specifically 113A/G data. Feedback from clients indicated that 8 quarters + current would be sufficient. Reminded clients that data from the Reporting Center could be downloaded (hard or soft) for additional retention if necessary. BPD says they are fine with this report.

B. PTSA brought a problem to George's attention last week where for the last few months they have been getting 113 data from other agencies interspersed with their reports. He is looking into this issue. C: BPD also indicated they get other agencies reports as well.

XI. Comp Time Problems & TINQ in PP-01 - (Jo Bonner) - Jo informed the clients that there were roughly 11,345 employees affected by a problem with the compensatory time records in PP-01. NFC identified the problem, fixed it, and automatically adjusted the comp time records of any individual who had not been manually adjusted via TINQ. However, a small segment of the population did have TINQ adjustments during the problem period. NFC could not determine the intent behind those adjustments (i.e., some records were adjusted for the PP-01 problem alone while others were not). Therefore, none of these TINQed records were adjusted by NFC. Agencies must review the comp records of employees who were TINQed before the system was fixed and, if necessary, manually adjust the records via TINQ.

POST MEETING UPDATE: The disks distributed prior to the meeting and referenced in item number 3 were actually individuals affected by the PP-01 comp time problems and were not a listing of individuals impacted by the PP-23/24 increase in OT/comp time rates.

A. Q: DOC - What were the problems? A: Jo - There were cases where PP-01 data wasn't posted but prior year data appeared twice. The good news is that the problem was fixed and the employee records that could be swept were corrected.

XII. NFC New Telephone System - Jody indicated that the list of contact information numbers has been distributed. This document may be shared as needed. Jo clarified a misconception from last month's meeting about publishing the entire NFC phonebook. When Jerry indicated that the phone numbers would be made available he meant the normally published numbers (i.e., the key contact numbers) which are available on the NFC web-site. There was never an intent to distribute the phone numbers for the entire staff. Agency staff should continue to work through the appropriate staff to have issues addressed.

A. Q: Treasury - When is NFC going to update the website that allows the user to enter a name in the contact section and obtain individual numbers - it goes directly to the USDA phone book? A: Jody will check on this.

POST MEETING NOTE: Jody spoke to the Office of Communications at USDA and was informed that they will update NFC's information when it is made available to them and NFC South (Directives) will be submitting the changes to OC for updating on the webpage.

XIII. User & Work Group Updates

A. Awards (Jo Bonner) - The next Awards meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 10th from 9:30-11:30 in Lincoln 3. The project for implementing the new 849 NOA for Senior Level Distinguished and Meritorious awards (#40083) is tentatively scheduled for PP-07. However, we have a 2004 retro looming over the horizon and it will take priority if need be.

B. EPIC (Lynda Wilson) - no report

C. FESI ( ) - no report

D. Leave Share (Jo Bonner) - no report

E. RIF (Debby Berry) - The work group has finished all the testing and reviewing of the new system. The system is scheduled for implementation on the Reporting Center on February 20, 2004 (this Friday).

1. Q: Smithsonian - Is the new system only available only at RC? A: Debby - Yes, it will only be available to those with detailed access to the Reporting Center.

2. Q: Smithsonian - Can we still use the mainframe reports. A: PPSPS - Those reports have been invalid for some time due to the changes in performance appraisal systems and should not be used. Penny indicated that she would see that the old reports were taken off to avoid confusion.

F. T&A (Jo Bonner) - The next T&A User Group meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 4th from 9:30 to 11:30 in the Resource Room and the next T&A Requirements Work Group meeting is scheduled for March 4th from 1 to 3 in the Resource Room.

1. The request to modify TIME Edit 137 to accept T&A's with non-work time from individuals on LWOP-US (Project 40201) is scheduled for PP-03, 2004.

2. As mentioned last month, STAR client will be sunset at some point in the future. Please make plans to migrate to STAR web.

3. STAR web version 4.0 is progressing on schedule.

4. The T&A Requirements Work group did not finalize the 22-day, off-set military leave requirements at our last meeting due to lack of attendance. The decision will be made on March 4th. If your agency is not represented, you will have to accept the recommendations made. It is very important to participate in those issues that will have an impact on your agency.

XIV. Potpourri

A. Q: USDA - I have submitted my request for detailed information on the Reporting Center several days ago. When I called to check on it security informed me that the waiting period right now is 12-14 days. Why is there a backup? A: Penny will check it out and get back to the CAPPS rep directly.

POST MEETING NOTE: Request has been resolved.

B. Q: Smithsonian - Isn't there an issue regarding the exchange of detailed info over the internet? A: USDA indicated that their Office of Chief Information Officer had issues with this and they have been working with NFC for several months to resolve the OCIO concerns. Smithsonian should contact its OCIO on this matter.

C. Q: Treasury - Do you have a written explanation of the change for TIME edit 137? A: Jo - I will send you that information.

D. Q: Treasury - What will be the cost to agencies for migrating from EEX to ESS? A: Penny - there is no additional cost because it is a basic cost of doing business. However, if your agency elects to eliminate the hard copy E&L statements a cost savings can be had.

E. Q: USDA - Has anyone else experience problems running the CULPRPT P100 reports for Union Dues on Government Business? A: FCC indicated that they had sent a request to their Customer Support Representative requesting this information. FC: USDA indicated that the data cannot be obtained from FOCUS due to the large volume of T&A's in the records because of the 2003 retro.

POST MEETING UPDATE: This issue has been raised by several agencies and NFC is doing investigation.

F. Q: DHS - When will EPIC to the web? A: Penny it is scheduled for the end of CY 2004. There will be a demo at the HR briefing in April.

G. Q: When will NFC sunset PC-TARE? A: Jo - PC-TARE is becoming extinct. NFC has not made changes to it in several years. If you have a vanilla agency you may well be able to continue it for a while. However, as soon as the it is necessary to change the XMIT file layout to implement some of the changes that have been recommended, it will cease to be operational for you. The mainframe will not be able to read the old file. FQ: Will we receive a notice of this? FA: Jo - Absolutely. Not all clients use an NFC built T&A system, but all share the same XMIT layout. At that point you will need to move to STAR or some other T&A system. However, depending on the size of your organization you may not have time to do a drawn-out migration

H. PMSO - George indicated that he has talked to Glenda about some of the outstanding PMSO issues. She has indicated that if the client community can indicate what PMSO items need to be addressed in a priority order, her staff can begin programming them as time is available. GESD will handle. Send your issues with priorities to George and he will compile the list. If necessary, he will convene a work group to come to consensus on issues.

XV. Participation

A. Attending:

1. Clients - AG, ARC, AOC, Capitol Police, CFTC, CSOSA, DHS-Customs, DOC, DOC-PTO, DOJ, FCC, FDIC, FMCS, GAO, LOC, NEA, OGE, OSC, Peace Corps, PSA, Smithsonian, TR

2. NFC - Jo Bonner, Cliff Lee, George Morris, and Jody Nyers

B. Teleconferencing:

1. Clients - IBWC, SBA, TR, TR-BPD

2. NFC - Penny Forbes, Lambert Lebleu, and Mose Lindsay