I. Welcome – Wendy Moore, GESD, Payroll/Personnel System Policy Staffc (PPSPS)

II. Improving Customer Relations - Dawn Hughes-Morris, GESD, Client Management Branch (CMB)

Dawn Hughes-Morris announced that CMB continues to be committed to improving customer relations. Agencies were requested to provide ideas or suggestions to improve communications with them. Although CMB is not the call center or the fix-it staff, Dawn encouraged them to get to know their Customer Service Representatives (CSR) and to use their assistance whenever issues do not move as they expect them to move. Agencies were also reminded that CMB is here to serve them from 6:30am to 4:00pm daily.

CSR’s will be contacting their agencies to schedule conference calls to discuss SPR’s, IR’s, problems, issues, and the training needs of their organizations. In early February, CMB Supervisors will visit eight agencies.

CMB is working directly with the EmpowHR Team to get our EmpowHR customers on the same level as our Payroll/Personnel customers.

Also, CMB will continue to conduct on-site details. Scheduled detail dates will be published.

III. Discontinuation of COOLGEN EARN – Alisa Wells, GESD, Web Applications, System Branch (WESB)

Alisa Wells reported that Pay Period 10, 2009, NFC will remove EARN Client from the Download Center and the NFC Logon, particularly since W2’s are now on the Reporting Center. Agencies currently running FOCUS reports against EARN Client are encouraged to provide their report names/code to their CSR’s to ensure their availability through other means.

Jennifer Johnson, IRS, notified the group that her agency uses a data dump file to produce SEL’s in Braille for those employees who need it. IRS to provide any additional requirements CMB.

John White indicated that NFC would do whatever it takes to provide this file to those agencies that need it.

Reports User Group (RUG) needs to submit a copy of the FOCUS code to CSR to ensure reports are uploaded to the RC.

IV. Annual Pay Raise – Randy Speed, GESD, Associate Director, Applications Development and Jo Bonner, GESD, Payroll/Personnel System Policy Staff (PPSPS)

Randy apologized for the mis-steps in processing of some documents prior to running the pay raise documents. Those agencies affected should work their suspense, which is less than 3% of the total document processed.

There were a few agency specific issues for Library of Congress and they are being worked on. Refer to the timeline/schedules for all applications that will be available on Monday. PAYE will run Thursday (1/22). Treasury requested PAYE be delayed for them until Friday, January 23, 2009.

• Suspense reports should be run globally. Will be under NFC and not the agency
• NFC would like you to check your ID’s.
• Be sure to work everything in suspense.
• Pay Period 20/21 SL/SQ/ST reports to be issued.
• Compensatory Time changes – bulletin issued Friday, January 9, 2009. Jo Bonner will take questions.

V. 508 Compliance – Tony Priola, GESD, Assistant to the Director

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that all electronic and information technology, used by a Federal agency, is comparably accessible by employees with disabilities as it is for those employees without any disability. At this time we are requesting that all Customers identify a point of contact for testing by COB February 2, 2009. For further details, see customer notification dated January 13, 2009 on Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

NFC will work on the big four applications first. They are WEBTA, EmpowHR, EPP, and the NFC Home page.

Tony provided handouts to those who were present. Testing will take place through the end of February 2009. Details will be provided as they become available.

VI. IG Reform Act Project – Jo Bonner, GESD, Payroll/Personnel System Policy Staff (PPSPS)

IG’s to provide name and number to Jo Bonner at jo.bonner@usda.gov. GESD/Payroll Processing Branch processed manual transactions and established payments. Manual payment went back to October 14, 2008 to delete revalidation in ADJP.
• Lucy McCabe – (FDIC) is there a new pay plan?
You will use the IG pay plan. IG non-Title 5, didn’t receive requirements. OPM established new pay plans for IG’s.

VII. Performance Metrics Reporting - Tony Priola, GESD, Assistant to the Director

GESD is prepared metrics and two handouts were provided at the meeting. Questions should be directed to Tony Priola and he is available offline to discuss the handouts.

SPR’s for 2009 are primarily due to the DBC. A new SPR procedure was issued on December 15, 2008. Enhancements will be made to the procedure.
Improvements made to the SPR tracking procedures and notifying customers of the process. Tony is currently reviewing all SPR’s and the goal is to fix systemic problems, not just individual agency issues.

SPR’s should be sent via email similar to SCR’s. They both need to go through the Call Center to be tracked. Summer 2009 is the goal to get SPR’s entered in the current version of Remedy. Ultimately, Remedy version 7.1 will afford agencies a better tracking mechanism.

VIII. Benefits – Jody Nyers, Government Employees Services Division (GESD), Payroll/Personnel System Policy Staff (PPSPS)

• TSP Address Changes

From time to time, I receive a call or email about an employee who used EPP to change his/her address and it didn’t flow to TSP. Every payroll cycle approximately 30,000 plus data records flow over to TSP. Of that 30,000 plus records, 1% may drop for various reasons. Since we are NOT certain who this 1% may be until we hear from you, we can’t take any action. When an employee contacts you about this issue, the quickest way to correct it is for the agency to FAX a copy of the IRIS 124 screen to our NFC’s secure fax number, which is: 303-274-3913.

• Benefits Open Season (Extended)

As you are hopefully aware, OPM extended the open season thru January 30, 2009. Open season originally ended on Monday December 8, 2008. A Customer Notice was issued on December 19th which explained the changes. It’s on the NFC webpage, under Customer Support, under December 2008. I’ll include the link when the notes are posted; however, you can access it now via our webpage.
http://i2i.nfc.usda.gov/Customer_Support/Customer_Notification_Archives/2008_Notification_Archive/Federal%20Benefits%20_2_.pdf

• TSP Elected Deferral Limits (EDL)

The TSP EDL for 2009 increased to $16,500 and the catch up amount increased to $5,500.

• Benefits User Group (BUG)

The Benefits User Group met on November 19th and I recently shared the notes and action items with the group. The next meeting was scheduled for next week; however, I am awaiting answers to the current action items and have postponed the meeting; I’ll re-schedule for next month.

• FEDVIP “I” Error

An error occurred on dental and/or vision (i.e., FEDVIP) actions for approximately 8,500 employees. A correction has been made and I have discussed with BENEFEDS the results and everyone has been corrected. A Customer Notice was issued on January 8, 2009 and that can be accessed via our webpage and I’ll share the link with the notes. http://i2i.nfc.usda.gov/Customer_Support/Customer_Notification_Archives/2009_Notification_Archive/FEDVIP%20Non%20Deduction%20Problem-Final%20Update.pdf

IX. Bus Codes – Randy Speed, GESD, Associate Director, Applications Development

Bargaining Unit Status deductions are complete. TMGT Updates forth coming with new codes. Old codes will be converted to the new codes. A new BUS report coming out. Analysis still being done. A customer notification will be issued when the update is complete. SF-50’s will not be done.
NFC will work with EmpowHR and FESI users to develop procedures to make the change in the system. The change is scheduled for PP 20 to coincide with a scheduled release. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

• Lucy McCabe (FDIC) – Will NFC notify agencies whose front end systems need to be modified?
o NFC will notify Lucy.

Randy Speed is working from the Master list received from OPM. FDIC also wants to be notified when EmpowHR tables are updated.

X. Retire EZ – Cheryl Ruf, GESD, Government Employees Services Division (GESD), Payroll/Personnel System Policy Staff (PPSPS)

OPM has held three meetings with the Shared Service Centers to discuss retirement data elements. Thanks to USDA, Treasury and Smithsonian for their participation. OPM is working to identify all elements used in a retirement or death case. At this time, 394 elements have been identified and each element is being reviewed. These are all day sessions and very grueling. The fourth session was held on January 21st. If you have any questions, please contact Cheryl Ruf via e-mail Cheryl.Ruf @usda.gov or phone 202-720-5866.

XI. User Groups -

EPIC UG – Next meeting Jan. 22, 2009
- EPIC WEB UA Testing will begin March 1, 2009. Testers/SSNS have been submitted.
- 3 Proposals on TMGT Changes were sent out for comment to CAPPS and EPIC UG.
- Various Issues were discussed and are under research/review.

T&A UG- Next meeting Feb. 11, 2009
- Project 70428, expansion of leave donor options for non Title 5 client. Agencies that want this change comments are due by Jan, 31, 2009, with requirements.
- Changes to the Leave Error Reports
- STAR version 6.0

Benefits UG – No update

Reports UG – next meeting Jan. 15, 2009

FESI UG – Meeting on Jan. 7, 2009
- Open FESI Test Window Feb. 23, – March 7, 2009

XII. W2’s Update – Candace Letort, GESD, Associate Director, Payroll Operations

W2’s are now on the Reporting Center and the Employee Personal Page. Hardcopies are now in the mail room to be mailed out. W2’s that are in suspense are being worked and will be mailed out by the end of January.

• Grindl LeGrand-Brewer (GAO). Will agencies be provided a list of W2’s in suspense?
o C. Turner - No. A list of items in suspense is not sent out.
o Dawn Hughes-Morris (GESD) - Corrections were done and agencies were not notified, per Ron Andrus.
o C. Turner – Manual Payments are being added to the W2’s before they go out. An internal improvement was made and sent to large agencies.

NOTE: R. Speed, C. Letort, C. Turner, and D. Hughes-Morris taking off-line for further discussion.

XIII. Other Items:

Next CAPPS Meeting Date: April 15, 2009

Security Officer UG meeting will be in Feb/March 2009, plan to discuss role-based security and identify access management systems.

Q: GAO- did NFC change the procedures for QSW? Helen Y. said No. If QSW is submitted and paid then the T&A is received the system should adjust to only pay the difference off the T&A. This didn’t occur, send the info. to Helen Y.

Q: CSOSA/PSA: 113 report hard copy is incorrect. Dawn Landry replied but if A&G reports are incorrect, FAX a hard copy to CSR.

Handouts:

CMB Agency Codes and Teams
CAPPS Charter
FY08 Performance Metrics
FY09 Performance Metrics
508 Compliance

Attendees:
USDA
DOJ
DOC
DOL
HUD
AOC
CBO
GAO
GPO
LOC
ARC
FERC
PSA
FMC
USAID
TREAS
IRS
DHS
NFC