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NASCOE Proposals for Increased Efficiency in USDA & FSA	NASCOE 2007 FALL MEETING WITH MANAGEMENT	Government Computer Usage
Reorganization Task Force Letter	FARM BILL REPORT	GS-CO Comparison

NASCOE President’s Report on
2008 AO/SED Conference

The meeting was held in San Francisco June 22-27, 2008.  It was a very nice location for the meeting.  Cool with temperatures in the low 70’s and very windy.  San Francisco streets are steep hills so we all got plenty of exercise.

I won’t try to cover all the topics but only those of most interest to NASCOE members.  It was a very full four days!

BPMS –

• Consists of program data, payroll data, financial data, activity data, and unit count data.
• Revised 3-BU handbook is in clearance
• ARS Rollout nationwide between October and December 2008.
• Items such as acreage reports will be proportionately credited to program areas. 
• FSA will be able to see cost in each office per program. 

T&A, Travel, Leave Slips

• DDs will be approving all CED T&A, Travel and Leave Slips.
• Question not resolved – do these need to be printed for COC to sign later.

Paper Check Conversion

• Initiative on hold due to security concerns (PII)
• Modifications are being made.
• Should be completed by end of August.
• Deployed to FSA offices sometime after that.
• January 09 – Cash Receipts, Common Receivable System, and Automated Claims will be moved to web replacing current Sys 36 applications.

Travel

• November 30th we will all have new travel charge cards
• Question as to whether or not we will be able to use “blanket” travel authorizations.

CED Reclassification

• Notice issued with criteria.
• Classifications by office will be listed on the website as of July 7th.
• 27 net downgrades
• If states did not notify HRD of recent combinations, those will have to be re-classified.  Check the list to be sure.
• Criteria for Shared Management offices changed – see notice for details.

PT Reclassification

• HRD is reviewing now.
• Hope to have completed by end of the year.
• Considering doing field visits or if a group should be put together to review.

Awards

• Several suggestions have been made to “improve” the Awards system
• Comments are being accepted by Lolla Smith in HRD through July 16th.
• NASCOE needs to submit comments!

Knowledge Bank Report

• NASCOE needs to get comments into WDC as soon as possible.

Performance Management

• Continued push for DDs to be more involved in CO employee ratings/plans.
• Our folks did a wonderful job of presenting information.
• We need to report back to WDC as to the training provided to field offices.
• Don’t expect to see changes until 2009.

Contact Information – bheinzman@suddenlink.net
(304) 266-2480 (cell phone)