Archive

_________________________________________________________________________________
Document Name: App B: Text of Cus. Svc. Stnds: States, Locals, & Others (20 of 23)
Date: 09/01/94
Owner: National Performance Review
_________________________________________________________________________________
Title: App B: Text of Cus. Svc. Stnds: States, Locals, & Others (20 of 23)

Author: Vice President Al Gore's National Performance Review

Date: September, 1994

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States, Localities, and Other Partners

**************************************

*********************

Department of Defense

*********************

Economic Adjustment Assistance

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

--- When a request for assistance is received from a local official,

an Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) staff person responds within

one working day. The Defense Economic Adjustment Program is explained

and preliminary arrangements are made for a community visit.

--- A meeting is scheduled in the community where the OEA Director

explains the economic adjustment process, emphasizes the importance

of the adjustment organization, and details the services to be

provided by OEA and the Economic Adjustment Committee agencies. The

OEA project manager then works with the community until the

appropriate group is in place.

--- The OEA Project Manager's extensive experience is a major factor

in providing this service. Once agreement is reached on what the

requirements are and the paperwork finalized, OEA can process a

request for financial assistance within seven days.

--- OEA hosts federal team visits to communities so that community

and federal representatives can develop an action plan for

assistance. OEA meets regularly with federal representatives to

review OEA customer requirements, and to ensure requests are afforded

priority consideration.

Economic Security

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Base Realignment and Closure Activities

--- We will respond to correspondence within 14 days.

--- We will resolve Base Closure Status Report (BCSR) issues within

30 days.

--- Upon publication of the BCSR, fewer than 25 percent of the issues

identified will be outstanding.

--- We will do such a good job that we will receive complaints from

fewer than 10 percent of Base Realignment and Closure sites.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Disaster Response and Recovery

Supplements state and local efforts to save human life, prevent

immediate human suffering, or mitigate property damage.

--- We will inform state and local officials of our policies and

authorities, and participate in their emergency seminars and

exercises when asked.

--- We will provide emergency operations assistance (such as

providing sandbags, pumps, technical assistance, etc.), when

requested and in compliance with Public Law 84-99.

--- We will provide post-flood assistance to include technical advice

and assistance, debris clearance, debris removal, and temporary

restoration of critical public facilities or services, and identify

hazard mitigation opportunities as part of our interagency team.

--- We will provide temporary assistance for emergency water supply

as a result of a drought or contaminated source for up to 30 days or

until the Federal Emergency Management Agency undertakes the

provision of emergency water under its own authorities, whichever is

earlier.

Environmental Management

Incorporates ecosystem management considerations in all aspects of

its water resource projects, including those for navigation, flood

control, storm damage reduction, hydroelectric, and recreation.

--- We will work hand-in-hand with states, cities, and municipalities

to fund, plan, and implement needed water and environmental projects

that meet federal criteria.

--- When recommending projects, we will carefully weigh costs and

benefits to the environment with economic costs nd benefits,

reconciling society's demands with the vital need to sustain the our

natural environment.

--- When requested by EPA or other federal agency, we will quickly

apply our know-how in environmental engineering and management to

investigate hazardous and toxic waste on defense sites, and clean

them promptly and thoroughly as funding allows.

--- We will continue to work with the public and industry through our

four research

environmental concerns and to make them available quickly.

Water Resources Operation and Maintenance

Operates 234 locks, dredges over 900 harbors, operates and maintains

383 major lakes and reservoirs for flood control, maintains 2,500

recreation sites, and provides hydropower at 75 sites.

--- We will publish all scheduled lock outages and maintain

procedures for notification of unscheduled outages.

--- We will coordinate and share information with federal, state, and

local officials of potential flood conditions.

--- We will maintain the harbors and rivers of America's waterways so

that they are open to traffic.

--- We will maintain all recreation facilities in a clean and safe

condition, and we will treat all of our visitors courteously.

Water Resources Planning, Engineering, and Construction

Provides developmental capabilities for water resources projects

affecting the United States, in partnership with state and local

communities.

--- We will work closely with other federal government, state, and

local officials to complete a definition of the problem with a goal

of completing this activity for large projects within two years.

These studies will be federally funded.

--- We will work to develop a feasibility report of potential

solution(s) for large projects within four years, for referral for

action to Congress. These studies will be cost-shared.

--- For those projects authorized, we will complete preconstruction

engineering and design within two years. The design is federally

funded up-front. The local sponsor will be asked to share design and

construction costs when the project is under construction.

--- We will provide the sponsor with an estimate of the construction

costs and schedule prior to construction, and we will meet regularly

with the sponsor to manage risks.

********************

Department of Energy

********************

Energy Resources

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The number one goal of the Department's Energy Resources Business

Line in fiscal year 1995 will be to advance the nation's capability

to deliver clean, efficient, reliable, equitable, and cost-effective

energy services to the American people. With this goal in mind, we

will:

--- Expand the Clean Cities Program to 25 cities by December 1994.

--- Add 12,250 alternative fuel vehicles to the federal fleet and

promote the opening of over 60 private sector refueling stations for

these vehicles by October 1995.

--- Establish 12 new Cooperative Research and Development Agreements

with the automotive industry to develop cleaner cars, with the goal

of increasing transportation energy efficiency, lowering air

pollution levels, and reducing the nation's dependence on imported

oil, by October 1995.

--- Implement climate change programs to reduce domestic greenhouse

gases by 4 percent by the year 2000.

--- Provide funds for weatherizing 126,000 homes, and upgrading 1,350

schools and hospitals by October 1995.

--- By the year 2000, increase the use of clean domestic natural gas

to an estimated 22 trillion cubic feet, an increase of approximately

18 percent.

--- Create 20,000 new jobs through the implementation of energy

efficiency programs that promote private sector investment by October

1995.

***************************************

Department of Health and Human Services

***************************************

Health Care Financing Administration

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Manages the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Written responses:

--- We will answer your written inquiries within 30 days of receipt.

If getting you an accurate answer will take longer, we will keep you

informed.

Telephone standards:

--- We will respond to your telephone inquiries in a pleasant and

helpful manner. We will provide an immediate answer whenever

possible. If we cannot provide an immediate answer, we will give you

a firm commitment as to when an answer can be provided.

--- Nobody likes to be put on hold. Our standard is that callers will

be "on hold" for no more than two minutes.

--- Calls made in off hours will be returned the next business day.

Information needs:

--- We are asking our customers to help us improve all of our

publications and notices so they can be understood by our customers.

We will begin using new publications and notices beginning early next

year.

Claims processing (Medicare):

--- We are currently working hard to simplify our claims processing

system to provide you with more consistent determinations.

--- We will process your claims for service accurately and within the

times provided for in the law.

--- If you are not satisfied with the action we take on your claim,

you can appeal and we will process your appeal fairly, accurately,

and within established timeframes. We are working to reduce the

paperwork burden associated with appeals.

Customer satisfaction:

--- We will measure your satisfaction with Medicare and Medicaid

through the use of customer surveys, focus groups, public comments,

and meetings with customer representatives.

--- We are setting up groups of customers who volunteer to give us

assistance in setting standards and evaluating our performance.

--- We will identify customers who have special needs related to

vision, hearing, mobility, health status, literacy, language, and

other factors. We will make a special effort to help these customers

with access to services and information.

Health care choices:

--- We will provide clear, understandable information about the

options our customers have in choosing a managed health care plan,

including information about individual plans, to assist them in

making health care decisions.

Medicaid special standard:

--- We will encourage all states to establish customer service

standards for Medicaid, and we will work with them to assure a goal

of continuous improvement in customer service and program

administration.

Health care quality:

--- We will provide doctors and hospitals with information they can

use to give better care to our beneficiaries, and we will monitor the

effect of those activities.

--- We will expedite our investigative and case review process as

much as the law will permit when a complaint involves quality issues.

--- We will respond to verbal or written complaints from

beneficiaries or their representatives by mailing a complaint form to

them within two working days of the telephone contact or responding

in writing to written beneficiary complaints within 10 working days.

Program administration:

--- We will fully investigate all leads about potential program fraud

and abuse in order to protect against unnecessary expenditures.

--- We will work with our partners, our agents, states, other

interested parties, and our customers to identify and implement

creative and effective approaches to improving our programs and our

performance.

*******************************************

Department of Housing and Urban Development

*******************************************

Community Planning and Development

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Stimulates community development through grants and loans to states,

localities, and nonprofit organizations.

HUD has provided a point of departure for field offices in setting

standards. Field offices are to take into account their local

situation. Standards are to address these areas:

--- Caring and commitment. A critical, but perhaps unmeasurable,

standard for treating customers is the intangible factor of

motivation to achieve the underlying mission of the department:

caring about the needs of clients of HUD and helping them solve their

problems.

--- Timeliness. A common standard for customer service is timeliness.

An important CPD standard established in the Consolidated Plan rule

for responding to local partners is that CPD has 60 days to review

the plan. Section I cites a timeliness standard imposed on grantees,

in response to customer complaints from the public, of 15 working

days.

--- Flexibility in methods of achieving goals. CPD should allow its

local partners flexibility, within the framework of the statutes, to

achieve goals.

--- Performance orientation. CPD should help ensure that our local

partners produce results that serve our clients.

--- Courtesy and respect. Every HUD customer deserves respect and

courtesy.

--- Honesty and integrity. Strict adherence to the federal

government's ethics code and the department's own standards of

conduct is a critical part of maintaining proper relationships with

customers.

--- Fairness and impartiality. Customers are entitled to equal

treatment with respect to the services for which they are eligible.

--- Information accuracy and availability. HUD customers rely on

accurate, timely, and complete information concerning CPD, HUD, and

federal programs.

--- Clarity. Communication with the public, state, and local partners

should be in terms that the general public can understand.

--- Competence. In order to provide accurate and timely information,

CPD staff should be knowledgeable in the program areas or processes

for which they are responsible.

--- Partnerships and entrusting authority. Partnership is the

emphasis in CPD in working with state and local governments and

nonprofit agencies to serve end-users.

--- Responsiveness to needs of end-users. The needs of low- and

moderate-income end-users of CPD program assistance vary from place

to place and change over time.

--- Accountability. With greater decentralized authority to the field

comes greater accountability.

--- Evaluation and feedback. Part of any effort to improve

performance in service clients should be systematic evaluation and

feedback to improve service.

Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Fair Housing Assistance Program

Implements fair housing policies and enforces fair housing laws.

Grants administration:

--- Cooperative Agreements and pertinent attachments and appendices

will be written in easily understood language with reimbursement

requirements and time frames clearly set out.

--- We will provide continuous technical assistance.

--- We will provide updated information and materials that assist in

carrying out the provisions of the Cooperative Agreement.

Certification processing:

--- Technical assistance will be provided to agencies seeking

certification. All requests will be acknowledged within six months.

--- Send agency's law or ordinance within three working days to the

Office of General Counsel for legal analysis so an agreement between

HUD and partner may be executed.

--- Advance notice will be given of the date and documentation

required for on-site technical assistance and performance assessment

visits.

Performance assessment:

--- We will provide guidance on criteria to be used to assess

agency's performance.

Joint investigations:

--- All joint investigations will be completed within 150 days.

Referral of complaints:

--- Referrals will be made in writing within five business days of

HUD receipt of complaint.

--- Determinations regarding jurisdiction under the Fair Housing Act

will be made on all complaints before referral.

--- Approvals and closures of active cases by HUD reviewers in the

field offices will be made 90 days after receipt of the case.

--- In-depth reviews of closed complaint files will be completed

within six weeks.

--- All dual-filed complaints will contain a HUD case number and an

agency case file number.

Technical assistance:

--- We will provide guidance on drafting legislation.

--- We will provide guidance on enforcement activities.

--- We will provide testimony to legislators.

--- We will provide assistance to agencies seeking certification.

Training and policy guidance:

--- Partners are to receive all information in an easily understood

format and language.

--- Technical assistance activities and materials provided will be

timely and useful.

--- We will provide updated and adequate policy guidance.

--- We will provide training to improve investigative skills.

Office of Housing/Federal Housing Authority

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Stimulates housing through direct financing, loan guarantees,

interest rate subsidies, mortgage insurance, etc.

You can expect our employees to meet the following standards:

Respect:

--- Every customer is entitled to courteous treatment.

--- Every employee represents the Office of Housing.

--- Display name plates or wear name tags as appropriate.

--- Identify yourself and your organization every time you have a

customer.

--- Don't drop the ball -- direct correspondence and telephone calls

to the correct party.

--- When transferring a customer, take time to reassure the customer

that assistance can be obtained by speaking with another party in the

office and that they are not being shuffled around.

--- After assisting a customer, offer to provide additional

assistance at a later time should the need arise.

--- Provide a "real person" alternative to all voice-mail messages.

--- Strive to provide foreign-language alternatives and alternatives

for the deaf and blind, when necessary.

Quality products:

--- Provide all available information to a customer on the first call

or letter; ensure that all questions are answered.

--- Write in plain English, not technical or government jargon.

--- Follow-up regularly to ensure that quality products are provided.

--- Advise customers/partners in writing when new policies or changes

are being considered; involve them in the development phase.

--- Consider the needs of customers/partners when developing products

and procedures.

--- Apprise customers/partners of operational problems, e.g., don't

wait for the customer to call only to be told the system they need is

down.

--- Reach out to customers -- go to their place of business when

possible; conduct regular conference calls.

--- Include a contact name, organization, telephone number, and

effective date on every document, e.g., handbook, Mortgagee Letter,

congressional and general correspondence.

Timely service:

--- Ensure adequate telephone coverage throughout the business day;

answer all phone calls by the third ring.

--- Respond to all telephone inquiries within 24 hours.

--- Respond to written correspondence within 10 working days.

--- Provide an interim response when a complete response requires

extra time for research or there is a heavy workload.

--- Provide "1-800" customer service numbers when possible and

economically feasible.

Results:

--- Establish quantitative customer service goals and incorporate

them into performance standards and Housing's Plan where possible.

--- Establish quantitative processing standards for each program or

function.

--- Solicit feedback and react to customer comments.

--- Train all employees regularly on customer service initiatives.

--- Institute random supervisory quality control checks to ensure

that appropriate and adequate customer service is provided.

--- Encourage teamwork so all staff are thoroughly informed.

--- Provide basic program training to clerical staff, particularly

those who deal with the public.

--- Include in the headquarters telephone directory and each field

office telephone directory a contact name and telephone number for

each program area, e.g., Single Family Mortgage Servicing, John Doe,

708-0000.

--- Always conduct oneself as a representative of the organization.

**************************

Department of the Interior

**************************

Bureau of Indian Affairs

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Serves as the steward for Indian and Alaska Native lands and monies

held in trust by the United States.

By the end of fiscal year 1995:

--- We will provide you with up-to-date information about the status

of your claim, application, case or inquiry on the day of your visit

to our office.

--- We will answer your telephone call in a pleasant, courteous

manner and be responsive to your questions. We will return your phone

call by close of business the next work day. If we are not able to

assist you, we will direct you to the necessary office that will help

you.

--- We will response to your written inquiries within five days of

receipt of your letter and we will seek resolution of your problems

within 30 days.

--- We will consult with and provide feedback to you regarding

education issues under consideration through regularly held regional

education consultation meetings.

--- We will develop all new rules and regulations in partnership with

tribes.

--- We will establish a formal consultation process through which

comments and concerns by tribal governments will be sought.

--- We will deliver portable classrooms within one year of funding.

Office of Territorial and International Affairs

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Coordinates Interior's international activities and represents the

department's position in the development of U.S. foreign policy.

Policy:

--- We will consider all policy analysis important, regardless of

whether our role in the process is large or small. We will

participate in the process fully, courteously, professionally, and in

a timely manner.

--- We will analyze and/or coordinate all policy analysis at the

highest appropriate level under the following guidelines:

-- if the analysis requires our written participation, we will do

so within 15 business days of our concluding the analysis or

coordination; and

-- if we may communicate the analysis by telephone, we will do so

on the day on which we have concluded the analysis or coordination or

the day following.

--- Political:

-- We will participate in interagency review and discussion of any

and all requests that you make for greater self-determination and

those issues which involve your political relationship with the

United States, and we will respond in a timely and professional

manner.

-- When this review or discussion produces public written

comments, we will provide you with them within 15 business days of

their production.

--- Social:

-- We will help you present your health, education, and public

safety goals to other federal agencies.

-- We will develop partnership agreements with you and other

appropriate federal agencies or consultants to address your goals.

-- We will work with other federal agencies to achieve maximum

flexibility in federal programs and grants to achieve your goals.

--- Economic:

-- Within 15 business days, or sooner if the situation warrants,

we will bring issues involving federal law or policy to the attention

of appropriate federal agencies or interagency groups.

--- Environment:

-- Within 15 business days of written receipt, we will present to

other federal agencies your concerns about federal environmental

policies.

-- We will solicit your comments on new initiatives related to the

environment within seven business days of its being released to the

public.

-- We will provide you opportunities to interact with other

federal agencies on environmental issues.

Budget and payments:

--- We will consider all insular requests for discretionary funding

in formulating the annual budget for Territorial and International

Affairs.

--- We will include all mandatory funding in the budget consistent

with the appropriate law or administrative requirement.

--- Each spring we will send a letter to the leaders of each insular

government inviting their input within 30 business days.

--- We will coordinate with the congressional appropriations

committees to ensure you have the necessary information to

participate in congressional hearings on the budget.

--- We will immediately inform you of congressional action on the

budget, including report language, as soon as the Appropriations

Committees allow us to do so.

--- Within 20 days after we have received an appropriation, we will

prepare and issue those grants approved by Congress for specific non-

discretionary purposes (such as government operations and capital

improvement grants).

--- Grant payments:

-- All grant payments to insular governments will have attached a

copy of our drawdown procedures and forms.

-- We will process all complete drawdown requests within 48 hours

of receipt.

-- If approved, we will send a facsimile copy of the approved

request to the appropriate insular official who originated the

drawdown request. Department of the Interior and U.S. Treasury

policies and practices require actual payment to be made within three

business days.

-- If disapproved, we will send a written statement regarding the

reasons for disapproval to the appropriate insular official.

--- Mandatory payments:

-- Compact of Free Association: Under the terms of the Compact,

each freely associated state will receive advance notice of the

amount of payment to be made on the first day of the fiscal year and

the first day of each quarter.

-- Advance Payments of Taxes to Guam and the Virgin Islands: (1)

We will make the advance payment before the beginning of the next

fiscal year (October 1). (2) We will send a letter to the governor of

each insular area asking for the governor's estimate of collections

for the coming fiscal year for which the advance payment applies,

with adequate justification and supporting documentation. We need

this information by September 1. (3) If we cannot accept the estimate

submitted by the governor, we will inform the governor in writing

within one week, giving the specific reasons for rejection of the

estimate and the amount of the advance which we will pay if further

information is not received.

Discretionary assistance:

--- We will acknowledge all complete requests for discretionary

program assistance within five business days of receipt, and we will

review them within 30 business days of receipt.

--- We will return for resubmission or additional information any

incomplete requests within 15 business days of receipt.

--- We will send written approval (including all grant or funding

documents), or disapproval (including reasons for disapproval), to

the applicant within 60 business days of receipt of the completed

application.

Inquiries and communications

--- We consider all inquiries important, regardless of source, and we

will exercise due diligence to ensure that inquiries are responded to

fully, courteously, professionally, and in a timely manner.

-- All inquiries will be responded to at the highest appropriate

level under the following general guidelines.

-- All letters will be responded to within 15 business days.

-- All requests for printed information, documents, and/or other

written materials will be completed within five business days after

we receive the request.

-- All incoming telephone calls will receive a response on the day

received, or at the latest on the following business day.

-- All letters will contain the name and telephone number of one

or more of us who can answer questions or provide additional

information on the issue.

--- Our informational materials on insular issues will be made

available to the requester within five business days after we receive

the request, unless the materials are out of print, and, if so, we

will replenish the stock as quickly as possible.

--- We will publish our OTIA FLASH FAX of breaking information

approximately twice a month. We will automatically send it to those

whom we know are interested in insular issues and to those who

request it.

--- We will review and process within six hours of receipt all

requests for foreign travel by departmental staff.

*******************

Department of Labor

*******************

Employment and Training Administration

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Provides employment and training services for unemployed persons and

issues cash benefits.

--- We will improve the promptness of our response to your requests

of information and assistance while maintaining the high quality of

those responses.

--- We will make grants-related decisions in compliance with all

legislated and regulated timelines 100 percent of the time.

--- Within 45 days of your funding request, we will notify you of

funding decisions for JTPA Title III National Reserve Account grants.

--- Within 30 days of receipt, we will notify you of our decisions on

your request for modification of your JTPA Title III National Reserve

Account grants.

--- Within 30 days of receipt, we will notify you of decisions on

your requests to modify your Indian and Native American, Migrant and

Seasonal Farm worker, or Older Worker program grants.

Mine Safety and Health Administration

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

--- We will work with state and local institutions and associations

to provide miners with useful, understandable information about

mining health and safety.

****************************

Department of Transportation

****************************

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

State and Community Traffic Safety Program Planning

We will:

--- Work with your office in the initial planning stages of major new

traffic safety program initiatives and continue to seek your input as

the plans evolve.

--- At least once a quarter, inform your office of potential Section

403 priority project opportunities and activities and national

organization initiatives, and solicit your ideas for other projects

that merit 403 funding consideration.

Technical assistance:

--- Every three years, perform a full program management and

financial review of your Section 402 formula grant program, including

ways to strengthen programs and streamline the financial management

process.

--- Once a year, conduct a meeting with your office to share the

latest information available about:

-- Available programs, funding sources and technologies offering

the greatest promise for reducing highway death and injury, and the

associated economic losses.

-- Traffic safety projects and activities being planned or

conducted by other federal agencies and national organizations.

-- Interactive computer capabilities to enhance information

exchange.

--- Review and approve your annual Highway Safety Plan not later than

30 days after we receive it.

Program information and materials:

--- Twice each year, provide your office with a Project and Program

Materials Update summarizing the key projects, printed and electronic

media, and other publications planned for completion and distribution

during the next six months.

--- Ship program materials for major program initiatives, such as

Campaign Safe and Sober, 90 days before they will be needed.

--- Provide your office at least a 30-day advance notice of when

national media campaign materials will be distributed to media

outlets.

--- Each January, publish a catalog of traffic safety program

materials that includes ordering instructions and the name of the

person to contact about the status of orders.

Training:

--- Each September, provide your office with a listing of traffic

safety professional development and technical courses.

--- Each January through March, help your office conduct a training

needs assessment.

--- Deliver or arrange for the delivery of the courses identified in

the training needs assessment.

************************************

Agency for International Development

************************************

Standards for our partners: private businesses, private voluntary

organizations (PVOs), and universities:

Quality: On a regular basis, we will communicate with our customers

to improve our processes and simplify our business practices.

--- You will be part of an ongoing, consultative process regarding

policy, programmatic and/or procedural matters that affect you.

-- We will hold semiannual vendor meetings for service providers

and partners.

-- We will periodically survey you to see if the changes in our

policies and procedures are working to eliminate the impediments you

have identified.

--- If USAID issues a grant, cooperative agreement and/or contract to

your organization, you will be assigned an agency project officer to

facilitate your relationship with us. The project officer will

contact you and provide you with his/her phone number, address, E-

mail address, and fax number.

--- To simplify the PVO registration process, we propose, in

collaboration with our PVO partners, to:

-- reduce the number of documents required from new PVO

registrants from 18 to about eight;

-- reduce the number of documents required annually from PVO

registrants from six to four; and

-- revise and simplify USAID Form 1550-2 used to compute a PVO's

"privateness percentage."

--- To be more consistent in applying USAID policies and procedures,

our contracting and grants officers will:

-- consistently interpret and apply policies and regulations in

awarding grants and contracts;

-- eliminate redundant procurement processes, procedures and

reporting requirements by December 1994; and

-- publish and make available by September 30, 1994, "A Guide to

Doing Business with the U.S. Agency for International Development,"

which will clearly and concisely describe USAID's policies and

procedures.

Timeliness: We will improve the turnaround time for our processes.

--- We will answer your questions in a courteous, expedient and

professional manner. You will receive an initial response to calls

and E-mails within 24 hours; written inquiries will be answered

within 10 working days from receipt. If a full response is not

possible within these periods, we will indicate a probable time frame

for resolution.

--- USAID's Office of Procurement will make non-competitive awards

within 90 days and competitive awards within 150 days. We will modify

contracts and amend grants within 90 days of receipt of requests for

action from line offices.

--- PVOs seeking registration and eligibility requirements to compete

for development assistance grant funds will be sent a complete

registration packet within five days from the receipt of inquiry.

--- Applications to register new PVOs will be reviewed and formal

notice of acceptance or denial will be mailed within eight weeks of

receipt of fully completed application packages.

--- Within three days of an organization's request for funds under a

letter of credit, payment will be deposited in its bank account via

electronic funds transfer.

Access to Information: USAID will offer greater access and more

transparency to agency activities and information.

--- Within six months, outside vendors will be able to check an

electronic bulletin board for the status of all invoices and

payments.

--- Assistance and acquisition information relevant to PVOs, non-

governmental organizations (NGOs), universities, and private

businesses are available on USAID's Internet gopher

(gopher.info.usaid.gov). These include:

-- general information on USAID-funded programs;

-- country strategies and implementation guidelines;

-- USAID publications;

-- all USAID Washington solicitation documents;

-- USAID procurement policies and opportunities;

-- all procurement award notices, posted within five working days

of approval;

-- all USAID Commerce Business Daily notices, posted within 24

hours of appearing in the Commerce Business Daily;

-- Center for Trade and Investment Services information on

business opportunities; and

-- Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

information on business opportunities.

*******************************

Environmental Protection Agency

*******************************

EPA Chemical Emergency Preparedness

and Pollution Prevention and Toxics

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Helps state and local governments prevent and prepare for chemical

emergencies and informs the public about community hazards.

We will:

--- Make Toxic Release Inventory information available through county

libraries nationwide and through electronic systems and published

reports.

--- Work with Local Emergency Planning Committees to make the

information about chemicals and chemical releases easy for you to

obtain and use.

--- Assure that the information in the Toxic Release Inventory about

hazardous chemicals and routine release of toxic chemicals is updated

annually and made available to you every spring.

--- Provide you with the most accurate data about chemicals in your

community.

Solid Waste and Emergency Response

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Assists state and local governments and others on solid waste issues

and responds to requests for documents, including regulations.

--- Your questions will be answered courteously, accurately, and as

promptly as possible, in either English or Spanish, or via a

telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD).

--- Every Information Specialist will listen to your questions and

help you find the information you seek. Hotline staff will provide

you the most current and accurate information.

--- Your inquiry will get an immediate response.

--- If we cannot answer your question immediately, we will let you

know within five days how long it will take to get an answer. In

addition, the Information Specialist will give you his/her name so

that you can call for more information or to check on progress.

--- If your call needs to be addressed by another agency, state, or

local program, we will tell you whom to call to obtain your answers.

--- If your information is available electronically, we will tell you

how to access it through EPA databases, Internet, or other sources.

Water Grants Management (States and Tribes)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Protects, restores, and maintains the quality of the nation's waters.

--- We will reduce the amount of paperwork by 20 percent through

consolidation of application and reporting requirements.

--- We will acknowledge receipt of application within 10 days.

--- We award grant monies within 90 days after EPA receives an

appropriation from Congress or after we receive a complete

application.

--- We will be as flexible as possible, under the law, in allowing

use of the funds in ways that match state or tribal environmental

needs.

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