Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 22 / Monday, February 3, 1997 / Notices 5047

1 Including The Chief Financial Officer’s Act of

1990, Government Performance Results Act of 1993,

Government Management Reform Act of 1994,

Information Technology Management Reform Act of

1996, and the Federal Financial Management

Improvement Act of 1996.

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary

[Secretary’s Order 01–97]

Authority and Responsibilities for

Implementation of the Chief Financial

Officers Act of 1990 and Related

Legislation

January 10, 1997.

1. Purpose. To delegate authority and

assign responsibilities for

implementation of the Chief Financial

Officers Act of 1990 and related

legislation,1 and to establish within the

Department of Labor an Office of the

Chief Financial Officer.

2. Organization. There is established

in the Department of Labor (DOL) an

Office of the Chief Financial Officer,

headed by a Chief Financial Officer

(CFO), who is appointed by the

President and confirmed by the Senate,

and a Deputy Chief Financial Officer,

who is in the Senior Executive Service.

The CFO shall report to the Secretary,

but may receive day-to-day guidance

and direction from the Deputy

Secretary. The Office of the Chief

Financial Officer shall have such

component organization units, staffing a

funding as may subsequently be

authorized.

3. Delegation of Authority. The CFO is

hereby delegated authority to act for and

speak on behalf of the Secretary of

Deputy Secretary on all matters relating

to departmental financial management.

4. Assignment of Responsibilities.

a. Pursuant to the statute, the DOL

CFO shall:

—Report directly to the Secretary and

the Deputy Secretary regarding

financial management matters;

—Oversee all financial management

activities relating to the DOL’s

programs and operations.

—Develop and maintain an integrated

departmental accounting and

financial management system,

including financial reporting and

internal controls;

—Make recommendations to the

Secretary regarding selection of the

DOL Deputy CFO;

—Establish minimum, core standards

for the recruitment, selection,

development, training and

performance review of financial

management staff throughout DOL.

Financial management staffs outside

the immediate office of the CFO will

operate in accordance with policies

and procedures prescribed by the

CFO;

—Prepare and transmit an annual report

to the Secretary and the Director of

OMB;

—Approve the allotment of obligational

authority, related disbursements and

guidelines on the application and

uses of funds. The Office of the

Assistant Secretary for Administration

and Management will conduct initial

reviews of request allotments under

policies established by the CFO;

—Monitor the financial execution of the

budget of the DOL and its component

agencies in relation to actual

expenditures, and prepare and submit

to the Secretary timely performance

reports in cooperation with the Office

of the Assistant Secretary for

Administration and Management; and

—Review, on a biennial basis, the fees,

royalties, rents, and other charges

imposed by the Department for

services and things of value it

provides, and make recommendations

on revising those charges to reflect

costs incurred by DOL in providing

those services and things of value.

b. In furtherance of these statutory

responsibilities and to assure

conformance to applicable Office of

Management and Budget, Department of

the Treasury, Office of Personnel

Management, General Services

Administration and other central

Federal agency standards and

requirements, and, to the extent

determined to be applicable, Federal

Accounting Standards Advisory Board,

Joint Financial Management

Improvement Program, the Executive

Branch Councils and other central

Federal agency guidelines, the DOL CFO

is also assigned the following

responsibilities.

(1) Financial Policy

(a) Establish financial management

policies for the DOL and its component

agencies.

(b) Ensure compliance throughout the

DOL, and its component parts, with

applicable accounting standards and

principles, and financial information

and systems function standards

including the standards promulgated by

the Federal Accounting Systems

Advisory Board, the Federal

Government’s Standard General Ledger,

the core requirements for Financial

Systems, and the financial statement

form and content guidance issued by

OMB.

(c) Establish, review and enforce

throughout the DOL internal control

policies, standards and compliance

guidelines involving financial

management including authority to

require and ensure timely corrective

actions regarding material weaknesses

disclosed through audit findings and

reports under the Federal Managers’

Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA);

establish, in coordination with program

managers, agency-wide internal control

processes; advise the Secretary on the

accuracy and completeness of the

annual FMFIA report; and participate in

monitoring and prescribing corrective

actions on reported material

weaknesses.

(d) Provide oversight of and issue core

requirements and standards related to

component agency financial

management personnel, financial

systems, activities, and operations,

including preparation and revision of

agency financial management plans and

performance reports. Financial

management staffs outside the

immediate office of the CFO will

operate in accordance with policies and

procedures prescribed by the CFO.

(e) Ensure adequate controls over

asset management including cash

management operations; credit

management and debt collection

operations; and real property,

equipment and inventories.

(f) Ensure that component agencies

gather timely and accurate financial

information to manage and oversee

major procurements, e.g. monitoring

contract disbursements in relation to

projected costs, actual commitments,

deliverables and cost estimates.

(g) Participate with program Assistant

Secretaries and other staff in the policy

review of proposed legislative and

program initiatives.

(h) Participate with program Assistant

Secretaries and other staff at a policy

and decision-making level in the

departmental budget review process.

(i) Participate in the review and

approval process of information systems

that provide, at least in part, financial

and/or program performance data.

(j) Serve on the CIO Capital Planning

and Investment Board and participate in

activities intended to assure

conformance of proposed major systems

to established standards for financial

data integrity. Appeal to the Secretary

IRM and budget decisions affecting

financial management processes,

systems and operations.

(k) Serve on the Procurement Review

Board and participate in activities

intended to assure conformance of

proposed major acquisitions to

established standards for financial and

acquisition integrity.

(l) Provide policy advice and

assistance to DOL executives including

component agency heads on all
5048 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 22 / Monday, February 3, 1997 / Notices

personnel matters (e.g., qualifications,

recruitment, performance, training and

retention) affecting financial

management personnel throughout DOL

and its component agencies, and on

budget and staffing levels for

component agency financial functions.

(m) Review and approve component

agency financial policies, procedures

and structures for consistency with the

policies of the DOL and the central

Federal agencies.

(2) External Reporting

(a) Prepare accurate and timely

departmental accounting reports and

financial statements (including where

appropriate pertinent performance

measures).

(b) Prepare the annual report required

by the Federal Managers’ Financial

Integrity Act.

(c) Prepare the annual financial

management report required by the

Chief Financial Officers Act.

(d) Prepare the semi-annual audit

resolution reports required by the

Amendments to the Inspector General

Act.

(e) Coordinate and manage financial

management reporting requirements as

may be imposed by Office of

Management and Budget, the

Department of the Treasury, other

central Federal agencies, and the

Congress.

(f) Provide assistance to agency heads

in design and review the development

of reporting mechanisms that integrate

program performance and financial

data; facilitate the display of such data

in budget documents, financial

statements, and other pertinent

issuances.

(3) Financial Programs

(a) Manage DOL programs on internal

controls, audit resolution, travel

management, cash management, debt

collection, asset management and other

financial management activities.

(b) Manage centralized departmental

accounting and payroll functions for

fund and cost accounting; capitalized

assets accounting; grant accounting;

DOL employee compensation and

benefits; and voucher, commercial bill

and other payments.

(c) Exercise departmental approval

authority over interagency transactions,

involving component agency program

funds e.g. for investment, transfer, etc.,

in cooperation with the Office of the

Assistant Secretary for Administration

and Management.

(d) Distribute equitable Working

Capital fund charges to DOL

components, provide WCF accounting

statements to component agencies and

oversee WCF operations.

(e) Provide technical review of

finance offices in the DOL and its

component agencies, and oversee

component agency financial systems as

defined in the Federal Financial

Management Improvement Act of 1996.

(f) Appraise centralized and

decentralized operations and

organizations to determine more

effective and cost-efficient methods of

performing required financial functions.

(g) Compile and review timely and

accurate information on major contract

disbursements in relation to projected

costs, commitments, obligations,

expenditures, and deliveries of products

and services; and evaluate component

agency Annual Acquisition Plans in

relation to official budget plans and

levels.

(h) Chair the Department’s

Management Control Policy Board,

which has broad management

responsibility for planning and

monitoring the component agencies’

efforts to address internal control

weaknesses and financial system nonconformance to the standards prescribed

in the Federal Financial Management

Improvement Act of 1996.

(4) Financial Systems

(a) Develop and maintain

departmental central financial,

accounting and asset systems.

(b) Review and approve the design

and operation of component agency

financial, accounting and asset systems,

specifically including the financial

aspects of grant management systems,

debt collection systems and similar

systems as defined by the Federal

Financial Management Improvement

Act of 1996.

(c) Establish policies, procedures, and

other guidelines to prescribe the form,

content and frequency of accounting

and program performance information

to be reported from component agency

systems to meet DOL and central

Federal agency information

requirements.

(5) Budget

(1) Provide leadership, direction,

coordination and related services

concerning budget execution for the

DOL and its component agencies.

(b) Manage and oversee the

Department’s administrative control of

funds, and user fees in cooperation with

the Office of the Assistant Secretary for

Administration and Management.

(c) Ensure the development and

reporting of cost information in

accordance with Federal Accounting

Standards Advisory Board

requirements, and the systematic

measurement of performance in

appropriate budget documents in

cooperation with the Office of the

Assistant Secretary for Administration

and Management.

(6) Administration Programs for

Financial Management

(a) Review all proposed personnel

selections, skill requirements,

performance standards, performance

appraisals, performance awards and

position descriptions for financial

management personnel at senior levels

throughout the DOL and its component

agencies; discuss any problems with the

component agency head and, if any

issues remain resolved, appeal any

problem to the Secretary and Deputy

Secretary.

(b) Manage a comprehensive training

and development program for budget

analysts, accountants, financial

managers and financial technicians;

assure that staff skills are commensurate

with requirements; and following

consultation with the component

agencies’ financial managers, implement

a Continuing Professional Education (or

similar) program, as recommended by

the Joint Financial Management

Improvement Program (JFMIP).

(c) Review the budget requests for all

departmental and component agency

financial management functions;

recommend to the Secretary their

modification as necessary to assure that

sufficient resources are requested to

effectively and efficiently perform

necessary financial and related

functions.

(d) Establish a CFO Advisory Council

within the DOL to provide a forum for

component organizations to advise and

support the CFO in matters affecting the

financial community. The Advisory

Council will also facilitate the

dissemination of financial policies

established by the CFO to component

agencies.

c. Unless modified by this Order the

heads of component agencies retain

previously delegated responsibilities

and authorities. In the context of the

Department’s financial management

program, they are specifically charged

with the responsibility to:

(1) Perform transaction- and

operational-level financial functions in

accordance with policies, requirements

and procedures established by the CFO.

(2) Direct financial staffs and

functions in their respective component

agencies consistent with those

procedures.

(2) Facilitate the CFO’s oversight

responsibilities with respect to financial

operations and component agency
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 22 / Monday, February 3, 1997 / Notices 5049

program financial systems by providing

and maintaining system documentation,

audit trails, summary or detailed

transaction data and such other

information as the CFO may require.

(4) Fully solicit and consider the

CFO’s views in the component agency

head’s review of proposed appointment,

promotion, appraisal and other

personnel actions affecting financial

management staff at senior levels,

(5) Manage grants, procurement,

property, debt management/accounts

receivable, and other management

systems for their respective component

agencies, in a manner consistent with

the CFO’s responsibilities prescribed

herein.

d. In the Department’s financial

management program, the Office of the

Assistant Secretary for Administration

and Management is delegated the

following authorities:

(1) Issue requests to the Office of

Management and Budget for

apportionments.

(2) Working under polices established

by the CFO, administer allotments and

interagency transactions, including

reprogramming and transfer requests.

e. In addition to the above, the

Assistant Secretary for Administration

and Management will work to assure a

mutually supportive relationship

between the administrative management

programs under his or her direction and

the Department’s financial management

program including consultation with the

Chief Financial Officer on the

organization and functions of financial

management staff prior to

implementation of changes.

f. The Solicitor of Labor is responsible

for providing legal advice and assistance

to all officials of the Department who

are responsible for activities under the

Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 and

under this Order, except as provided in

Secretary’s Order 2–90 (January 31,

1990) with respect to the Office of the

Inspector General.

g. The Inspector General:

(1) Retains full responsibility for

previously delegated budget and

financial management activities

pertaining to its own office, but will

participate with the CFO in integrating

such delegated assignments with the

overall financial management program

of the Department.

(2) Will participate, where

appropriate, in joint reviews with the

CFO of selected financial management

functions, operations and systems.

(3) Consistent with its statutory

responsibilities for managing an audit

program, will participate with the CFO

in the resolution of audit issues,

findings and recommendations,

including those involved in the annual

financial statements.

5. Communications. In consonance

with the assignments of responsibility

above, the Office of the Chief Financial

Officer shall assure that the Agency

Administrative Officers are apprised of

communications to component agency

financial staff. Similarly, component

agencies shall keep the Chief Financial

Officer apprised of directives and other

communications affecting their financial

staff.

6. Directives Affected. All references

to the Office of the Comptroller,

OASAM in Secretary’s Orders, DLMS

Chapters and other departmental

issuances shall be considered to refer to

the Office of the Chief Financial Officer.

Directives inconsistent with this Order

are rescinded to the extent of the

inconsistency.

7. Effective Date. This Order is

effective immediately.

Robert B. Reich,

Secretary of Labor.

[FR Doc. 97–2428 Filed 1–31–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–23–M

Employment and Training

Administration

Notice of Determinations Regarding

Eligibility To Apply for Worker

Adjustment Assistance and NAFTA

Transitional Adjustment Assistance

In accordance with Section 223 of the

Trade Act of 1974, as amended, the

Department of Labor herein presents

summaries of determinations regarding

eligibility to apply for trade adjustment

assistance for workers (TA–W) issued

during the period of December, 1996

and January, 1997.

In order for an affirmative

determination to be made and a

certification of eligibility to apply for

worker adjustment assistance to be

issued, each of the group eligibility

requirements of Section 222 of the Act

must be met.

(1) That a significant number or

proportion of the workers in the

workers’ firm, or an appropriate

subdivision thereof, have become totally

or partially separated,

(2) That sales or production, or both,

of the firm or subdivision have

decreased absolutely, and

(3) That increases of imports of

articles like or directly competitive with

articles produced by the firm or

appropriate subdivision have

contributed importantly to the

separations, or threat thereof, and to the

absolute decline in sales or production.

Negative Determinations for Worker

Adjustment Assistance

In each of the following cases the

investigation revealed that criterion (3)

has not been met. A survey of customers

indicated that increased imports did not

contribute importantly to worker

separations at the firm.

TA–W–32,750; Ozark Quilt Supply,

Winona, MO

TA–W–32,32771; Hollingsworth & Vose

Co., Floyd, VA

TA–W–32,962; Rayonier, Inc., Port

Angeles Mill, Port Angeles, WA

TA–W–32,824; Mueller Co., Decatur, IL

TA–W–32,867; OPT Industries, Inc.,

Phillipsburg, NJ

TA–W–32,792; Lansdale Semiconductor,

Inc., Tempe, AZ

In the following cases, the

investigation revealed that the criteria

for eligibility have not been met for the

reasons specified.

TA–W–32,956; Cypress Chemical, El

Paso, TX

The workers firm does not produce an

article as required for certification under

Section 222 of the Trade Act of 1974.

TA–W–32,757; Lockheed Martin, Ocean,

Radar & Sensor System, Syracuse,

NY

The investigation revealed that

criteria (1) and criteria (3) have not been

met. A significant number or proportion

of the workers did not become totally or

partially separated as required for

certification. Increases of imports of

articles like or directly competitive with

articles produced by the firm or

appropriate subdivision have not

contributed importantly to the

separations or threat thereof, and the

absolute decline in sales or production.

TA–W–32,846; Litco Wood Products Co.,

Parkersburg, WV

TA–W–32,888; Magnetek, Huntington,

IN

Increased imports did not contribute

importantly to worker separations at the

firm.

TA–W–32,875; Truth Hardware,

Owatonna, MN

The investigation revealed that

criteria (2) and criteria (3) have not been

met. Sales or production did not decline

during the relevant period as required

for certification. Increases of imports of

articles like or directly competitive with

articles produced by the firm or

appropriate subdivision have not

contributed importantly to the

separations or threat thereof, and the

absolute decline in sales or production.

TA–W–32,928; Chicago Steel and Wire,

a Division of MCM Enterprises, Inc.,

Chicago, IL