13488 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 48 / Monday, March 13, 1995 / Notices

functional offices should be involved in

identifying and ensuring correction of

systemic deficiencies relating to their

respective functions.

Agency managers and staff should be

encouraged to identify and report

deficiencies, as this reflects positively

on the agency’s commitment to

recognizing and addressing management

problems. Failing to report a known

deficiency would reflect adversely on

the agency.

Role of Senior Management Council.

Many agencies have found that a senior

management council is a useful forum

for assessing and monitoring

deficiencies in management controls.

The membership of such councils

generally includes both line and staff

management; consideration should be

given to involving the IG. Such councils

generally recommend to the agency

head which deficiencies are deemed to

be material to the agency as a whole,

and should therefore be included in the

annual FMFIA report to the President

and the Congress. (Such a council need

not be exclusively devoted to

management control issues.) This

process will help identify deficiencies

that although minor individually, may

constitute a material weakness in the

aggregate. Such a council may also be

useful in determining when sufficient

action has been taken to declare that a

deficiency has been corrected.

IV. Correcting Management Control

Deficiencies

Agency managers are responsible for

taking timely and effective action to

correct deficiencies identified by the

variety of sources discussed in Section

III. Correcting deficiencies is an integral

part of management accountability and

must be considered a priority by the

agency.

The extent to which corrective actions

are tracked by the agency should be

commensurate with the severity of the

deficiency. Corrective action plans

should be developed for all material

weaknesses, and progress against plans

should be periodically assessed and

reported to agency management.

Management should track progress to

ensure timely and effective results. For

deficiencies that are not included in the

FMFIA report, corrective action plans

should be developed and tracked

internally at the appropriate level.

A determination that a deficiency has

been corrected should be made only

when sufficient corrective actions have

been taken and the desired results

achieved. This determination should be

in writing, and along with other

appropriate documentation, should be

available for review by appropriate

officials. (See also role of senior

management council in Section III.)

As managers consider IG and GAO

audit reports in identifying and

correcting management control

deficiencies, they must be mindful of

the statutory requirements for audit

followup included in the IG Act, as

amended. Under this law, management

has a responsibility to complete action,

in a timely manner, on audit

recommendations on which agreement

with the IG has been reached. 5 U.S.C.

Appendix 3. (Management must make a

decision regarding IG audit

recommendations within a six month

period and implementation of

management’s decision should be

completed within one year to the extent

practicable.) Agency managers and the

IG share responsibility for ensuring that

IG Act requirements are met.

V. Reporting on Management Controls

Reporting Pursuant to Section 2. 31

U.S.C. 3512(d)(2) (commonly referred to

as Section 2 of the FMFIA) requires that

annually by December 31, the head of

each executive agency submit to the

President and the Congress (i) a

statement on whether there is

reasonable assurance that the agency’s

controls are achieving their intended

objectives; and (ii) a report on material

weaknesses in the agency’s controls.

OMB may provide guidance on the

composition of the annual report.

• Statement of Assurance. The

statement on reasonable assurance

represents the agency head’s informed

judgment as to the overall adequacy and

effectiveness of management controls

within the agency. The statement must

take one of the following forms:

statement of assurance; qualified

statement of assurance, considering the

exceptions explicitly noted; or

statement of no assurance.

In deciding on the type of assurance

to provide, the agency head should

consider information from the sources

described in Section III of this Circular,

with input from senior program and

administrative officials and the IG. The

agency head must describe the

analytical basis for the type of assurance

being provided, and the extent to which

agency activities were assessed. The

statement of assurance must be signed

by the agency head.

• Report on Material Weaknesses.

The FMFIA report should include

agency plans to correct the material

weaknesses and progress against those

plans.

Reporting Pursuant to Section 4. 31

U.S.C. 3512 (d)(2)(B) (commonly

referred to as Section 4 of the FMFIA)

requires an annual statement on

whether the agency’s financial

management systems conform with

government-wide requirements. These

financial systems requirements are

presented in OMB Circular No. A–127,

‘‘Financial Management Systems,’’

section 7. If the agency does not

conform with financial systems

requirements, the statement should

discuss the agency’s plans for bringing

its systems into compliance.

If the agency head judges a deficiency

in financial management systems and/or

operations to be material when weighed

against other agency deficiencies, the

issue should be included in the annual

FMFIA report in the same manner as

other material weaknesses.

Distribution of FMFIA Report. The

assurance statements and information

related to both Sections 2 and 4 should

be provided in a single FMFIA report.

Copies of the report should be

transmitted to the President; the

Director of OMB; the President of the

Senate; the Speaker of the House of

Representatives; and the Chairpersons

and Ranking Members of the Senate

Committee on Governmental Affairs, the

House Committee on Government

Operations, and the relevant authorizing

and appropriations committees and

subcommittees. In addition, 10 copies of

the report should be provided to OMB’s

Management Integrity Branch.

Government Corporations. Section

306 of the Chief Financial Officers Act

established a reporting requirement

related to management controls for

corporations covered by the

Government Corporation and Control

Act. 31 U.S.C. 9106. These corporations

must submit an annual management

report to the Congress not later than 180

days after the end of the corporation’s

fiscal year. This report must include,

among other items, a statement on

control systems by the head of the

management of the corporation

consistent with the requirements of the

FMFIA.

The corporation is required to provide

the President, the Director of OMB, and

the Comptroller General a copy of the

management report when it is submitted

to Congress.

[FR Doc. 95–6024 Filed 3–10–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3110–01–P

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT

Excepted Service

AGENCY: Office of Personnel

Management.

ACTION: Notice.
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 48 / Monday, March 13, 1995 / Notices 13489

SUMMARY: This gives notice of positions

placed or revoked under Schedules A

and B, and placed under Schedule C in

the excepted service, as required by

Civil Service Rule VI, Exceptions from

the Competitive Service.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Patricia Paige, (202) 606–0830.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office

of Personnel Management published its

last monthly notice updating appointing

authorities established or revoked under

the Excepted Service provisions of 5

CFR 213 on December 28, 1994 (59 FR

66980). Individual authorities

established or revoked under Schedules

A and B and established under

Schedule C between December 1, 1994,

and January 31, 1995, appear in the

listing below. Also appearing below is a

Schedule A authority that was revoked

effective September 1, 1994. Future

notices will be published on the fourth

Tuesday of each month, or as soon as

possible thereafter. A consolidated

listing of all authorities as of June 30,

will also be published.

Schedule A

No Schedule A authorities were

established or revoked between

December 1, 1994, and January 31, 1995.

The following exception was revoked:

Department of the Interior

National Park Service. Temporary

intermittent and seasonal Park Ranger

and support positions with employment

up to 180 working days a year. Revoked

effective September 1, 1994. These

positions are now a part of the

competitive service.

Schedule B

No Schedule B authorities were

established or revoked between

December 1, 1994, and January 31, 1995.

Schedule C

Administrative Conference of the United

States

Special Assistant to the Chairman,

Administrative Conference of the

United States. Effective December 14,

1994.

Commission on Civil Rights

Special Assistant to the Staff Director,

Office of the Staff Director. Effective

January 24, 1995.

Deputy General Counsel to the

General Counsel, Office of the General

Counsel. Effective January 24, 1995.

Corporation for National and

Community Service

Director, Higher Education and Youth

Communication to the Director, Public

Affairs. Effective December 19, 1994.

Director of Constituency Relations to

the Director of Public Liaison. Effective

December 19, 1994.

Deputy Director to the Director,

Domestic Volunteer Service Programs.

Effective December 19, 1994.

Public Affairs Officer to the Chief

External Affairs Officer. Effective

January 25, 1995.

Department of Agriculture

Deputy Director, Special Projects to

the Director, Office of Communications.

Effective December 2, 1994.

Special Assistant to the Director,

Office of Public Affairs. Effective

December 13, 1994.

Confidential Assistant to the

Administrator, Farmers Home

Administration. Effective December 13,

1994.

Confidential Assistant to the Assistant

Secretary for Science and Education.

Effective January 12, 1995.

Special Assistant to the Deputy

Assistant Secretary. Effective January

17, 1995.

Confidential Assistant to the

Administrator, Rural Business and

Cooperative Development Service.

Effective January 26, 1995.

Department of Commerce

Special Assistant to the Assistant

Secretary for Legislative and

Intergovernmental Affairs. Effective

December 7, 1994.

Confidential Assistant to the Deputy

Assistant Secretary for International

Economic Development. Effective

December 7, 1994.

Deputy Director to the Director, Office

of Public, Congressional and

Intergovernmental Affairs. Effective

December 12, 1994.

Special Assistant to the Director,

Office of White House Liaison. Effective

December 19, 1994.

Special Assistant to the Director,

Bureau of Census. Effective January 10,

1995.

Assistant Director for Operations to

the Director for Strategic Planning.

Effective January 17, 1995.

Special Assistant to the Deputy Chief

of Staff. Effective January 26, 1995.

Confidential Assistant to the Deputy

Chief of Staff. Effective January 26,

1995.

Special Advisor to the Director,

Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administrator. Effective January 26,

1995.

Director of Intergovernmental Affairs

to the Assistant Secretary for Legislative

and Intergovernmental Affairs. Effective

January 26, 1995.

Department of Defense

Staff Assistant to the Deputy Assistant

Secretary of Defense (Inter-American

Affairs). Effective December 12, 1994.

Defense Fellow to the Assistant

Secretary of Defense for International

Security Affairs. Effective December 14,

1994.

Intergovernmental Affairs Specialist

to the Under Secretary of Defense

(Personnel and Readiness). Effective

December 21, 1994.

Confidential Assistant to the Assistant

Secretary of Defense, Force Management

Policy. Effective December 21, 1994.

Personal and Confidential Assistant to

the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary

of Defense (Special Operation and Low

Intensity Conflict). Effective December

23, 1994.

Program Analyst to the Deputy Under

Secretary (Environmental Secretary).

Effective January 26, 1995.

Department of Education

Special Assistant to the Assistant

Secretary, Office of Elementary and

Secondary Education. Effective

December 19, 1994.

Confidential Assistant to the Director,

Office of Intergovernmental and

Constituent Affairs. Effective December

23, 1994.

Confidential Assistant to the Special

Assistant to the Secretary. Effective

December 23, 1994.

Special Assistant to the Director,

White House Initiative on Hispanic

Education Staff. Effective December 23,

1994.

Special Assistant to the Under

Secretary for Policy, Planning and

Administration. Effective December 23,

1994.

Special Assistant to the Senior

Advisor on Education. Effective

December 30, 1994.

Special Assistant to the

Commissioner, Rehabilitation Service

Administration. Effective January 10,

1995.

Department of Energy

Staff Assistant to the Assistant

Secretary for Human Resources and

Administration. Effective January 10,

1995.

Staff Assistant to the Principal Deputy

Assistant Secretary for Human

Resources and Administration. Effective

January 10, 1995.

Special Assistant for Communications

to the Director, Office of Energy

Research. Effective January 10, 1995.

Staff Assistant to the Assistant

Secretary for Environmental

Management. Effective January 26, 1995.

Special Liaison (Federal Power

Marketing Administration) to the
13490 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 48 / Monday, March 13, 1995 / Notices

Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency

and Renewable Energy. Effective

January 26, 1995.

Department of Health and Human

Services

Executive Assistant to the Assistant

Secretary for Legislation. Effective

December 23, 1994.

Special Assistant to the Surgeon

General, Public Health Service. Effective

December 23, 1994.

Executive Assistant for Legislative

Affairs to the Assistant Secretary for

Health. Effective January 24, 1995.

Special Assistant to the Deputy

Secretary. Effective January 26, 1995.

Confidential Assistant (Scheduling) to

the Director of Scheduling. Effective

January 26, 1995.

Department of Housing and Urban

Development

Executive Assistant to the Assistant

Secretary for Community Planning and

Development. Effective December 13,

1994.

Director, Hospital Mortgage Insurance

Staff to the Assistant Secretary for

Housing-Federal Housing

Commissioner. Effective January 10,

1995.

Special Assistant to the Deputy

Assistant Secretary for Distressed and

Troubled Housing Recovery. Effective

January 10, 1995.

Special Assistant to the Secretary’s

Representative. Effective January 17,

1995.

Department of the Interior

Special Assistant to the Deputy

Director, External Affairs, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service. Effective December 20,

1994.

Special Assistant (Advance) to the

Deputy Chief of Staff. Effective January

10, 1995.

Deputy Scheduler to the Deputy Chief

of Staff. Effective January 26, 1995.

Department of Justice

Counsel to the Deputy Attorney

General. Effective December 13, 1994.

Department of Labor

Director of Scheduling and Advance

to the Chief of Staff. Effective December

1, 1994.

Special Assistant to the Secretary.

Effective December 14, 1994.

Project Director to the Assistant

Secretary for Public Affairs. Effective

December 19, 1994.

Chief of Staff to the Assistant

Secretary for Public Affairs. Effective

December 19, 1994.

Chief Technical Advisor to the

Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and

Health. Effective December 23, 1994.

Special Assistant to the Director,

Women’s Bureau. Effective December

23, 1994.

Special Assistant to the Assistant

Secretary for Occupational Safety and

Health Administration. Effective

January 10, 1995.

Director of Communications and

Public Information to the Assistant

Secretary for Employment and Training.

Effective January 17, 1995.

Special Assistant to the Assistant

Secretary for Policy. Effective January

18, 1995.

Special Assistant to the Assistant

Secretary for Administration and

Management. Effective January 20, 1995.

Legislative Office to the Assistant

Secretary for Congressional and

Intergovernmental Affairs. Effective

January 22, 1995.

Staff assistant to the Deputy Under

Secretary for International Labor Affairs.

Effective January 26, 1995.

Department of State

Secretary to the Assistant Secretary,

Consular Affairs. Effective December 23,

1994.

Policy Analyst to the Deputy

Assistant Secretary for Environment and

Development. Effective December 23,

1994.

Secretary (Steno) to the United States

Ambassador and U.S. Representative to

the United Nations. Effective January

25, 1995.

Department of Transportation

Special Assistant to the Assistant

Secretary for Governmental Affairs.

Effective December 13, 1994.

Special Assistant to the Director of

External Communications. Effective

December 23, 1994.

Special Assistant to the Deputy

Secretary of Transportation. Effective

January 26, 1995.

Congressional Liaison Officer to the

Director, Office of Congressional Affairs.

Effective January 26, 1995.

Department of the Treasury

Confidential Assistant to the Secretary

of the Treasury. Effective December 8,

1994.

Environmental Protection Agency

Counsel to the Assistant

Administrator for Policy, Planning and

Evaluation. Effective December 13,

1994.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission

Media Contact Specialist to the

Director, Office of Communications and

Legislative Affairs. Effective January 10,

1995.

Media Contact Specialist to the

Director, Office of Communications and

Legislative Affairs. Effective January 26,

1995.

Export-Import Bank of the United States

Personal and Confidential Assistant to

the Vice Chairman. Effective December

28, 1994.

Administrative Assistant to the Board

of Directors and the Chairman. Effective

December 28, 1994.

Federal Communications Commission

Special Assistant to the Director,

Office of Public Affairs. Effective

January 24, 1995.

Special Assistant to the Chief,

Common Carrier Bureau. Effective

January 24, 1995.

Federal Maritime Commission

Counsel to the Commissioner.

Effective January 24, 1995.

National Aeronautics and Space

Administration

Public Affairs Specialist to the

Associate Administrator for Public

Affairs. Effective January 10, 1995.

Office of Management and Budget

Confidential Assistant to the

Associate Director, Health and

Personnel, to the Associate Director,

Health and Personnel. Effective January

10, 1995.

Confidential Assistant to the

Associate Director, Natural Resources,

Energy and Science. Effective January

10, 1995.

Office of National Drug Control Policy

Legislative Analyst to the Director,

Office of Public Affairs and Legislative

Affairs. Effective January 10, 1995.

Office of Personnel Management

Special Assistant to the Director of the

Office of Communications. Effective

January 5, 1995.

Coordinator, Interagency Affairs to the

Director of Agency Initiatives. Effective

January 6, 1995.

Official Residence of the Vice President

Special Assistant to the Special

Assistant to the Vice President and

Chief of Staff to Mrs. Gore. Effective

December 14, 1994.

President’s Commission on White House

Fellowships

Education Director to the Director,

President’s Commission on White

House Fellowships. Effective December

13, 1994.
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 48 / Monday, March 13, 1995 / Notices 13491

Small Business Administration

Special Assistant to the Associate

Deputy Administrator for Economic

Development. Effective January 26,

1995.

U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament

Agency

Secretary (Office Automation) to the

Assistant Director, Intelligence,

Verification and Information Support

Bureau. Effective December 23, 1994.

United States Information Agency

Director, Office of Thematic Programs

to the Associate Director, Bureau of

Information. Effective December 19,

1994.

Senior Assistant to the Director,

United States Information Agency.

Effective December 19, 1994.

Senior Advisor to the Associate

Director, Bureau of Information.

Effective January 10, 1995.

Special Assistant to the Director,

Office of Congressional and

Intergovernmental Affairs. Effective

January 12, 1995.

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 3301 and 3302; E.O.

10577, 3 CFR 1954–1958 Comp., P.218

Office of Personnel Management.

Lorraine A. Green,

Deputy Director.

[FR Doc. 95–6026 Filed 3–10–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6325–01–M

Federal Employees Health Benefits

Program; Invitation for Applications

and Benefits Change Proposals

AGENCY: Office of Personnel

Management.

ACTION: Notice of the acceptance of

applications from new comprehensive

medical plans (HMO’s) for participation

in the Federal Employees Health

Benefits (FEHB) Program, and benefits

change proposals from plans currently

participating in the FEHB Program, for

contract year 1996.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

the Office of Personnel Management

(OPM) will consider new applications

from HMO’s for the FEHB Program

contract year beginning January 1, 1996.

OPM will also consider benefits change

proposals from plans currently in the

FEHB Program.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section

890.203 of title 5, Code of Federal

Regulations, authorizes OPM to invite

applications from HMO’s to participate

in the FEHB Program, and to consider

changes in rates and benefits for health

benefits plans currently participating in

the Program, when it determines that it

is in the best interests of enrollees and

the Program to do so. By this notice,

OPM is officially announcing its

decision to consider applications from

new HMO’s, and benefits change

proposals from participating plans, for

contract year 1996.

OPM is extending the deadline for the

submission of the completed

application from January 31 to March

31, 1995. Plans must submit evidence

demonstrating they meet all

requirements for approval by March 31,

1995. However, that date would be

extended, if OPM requests additional

information, to 30 days from the date of

OPM’s request. All rate and benefits

submissions are due by May 31, 1995.

Office of Personnel Management.

James B. King,

Director.

[FR Doc. 95–6116 Filed 3–10–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6325–01–M

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES

TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

Public Hearings on Establishment of a

Tariff-Rate Quota on Imported Tobacco

AGENCY: Office of the United States

Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice of public hearings.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 125(f) of

the Trade Act of 1974, the Office of the

United States Trade Representative has

scheduled a public hearing on the

potential establishment of a tariff-rate

quota on certain imported tobaccos.

DATES: The public hearing will be held

on Tuesday, April 4, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

procedural questions concerning public

hearings and/or public comments,

contact Carolyn Frank, Executive

Secretary, Trade Policy Staff Committee

(TPSC) (202–395–9557). All other

questions should be directed to Thomas

Hushek, Senior Economist for

Agricultural Affairs (202–395–6127).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June

28, 1994, the United States notified the

Secretariat of the General Agreement on

Tariffs and Trade 1947 (GATT 1947) of

its proposal to modify certain

concessions with respect to tobacco, in

accordance with the provisions and

procedures of Article XXVIII, paragraph

5 of the GATT 1947. (This notification

was provided again on February 27,

1995 to the Secretariat of the World

Trade Organization, in accordance with

Article XXVIII of the GATT 1994). In

July 1994, the United States entered into

negotiations and consultations pursuant

to Article XXVIII with qualifying GATT

contracting parties (initial negotiating

rights holders and principal and

substantial suppliers).

Pursuant to Article XXVIII, the United

States proposes to establish a tariff-rate

quota on nine current tariff categories of

the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the

United States (HTSUS) (2401.10.60,

2401.20.30, 2401.20.80, 2401.30.30,

2401.30.60, 2401.30.90, 2403.10.00,

2403.91.40, and 2403.99.00) to cover

flue-cured, burley and other light aircured tobaccos that are imported to be

used in the manufacture of cigarettes for

domestic consumption. The in-quota

tariff rates would be equal to the

Uruguay Round concession rates. The

over-quota tariff rates would be as high

as 350 percent ad valorem.

Other tobaccos, including oriental and

cigar type tobaccos, would not be

subject to the quantitative limitations of

the tariff-rate quota. Imported fluecured, burley and other light air-cured

tobaccos used to manufacture products

other than cigarettes would also not be

subject to the tariff-rate quota.

Imported flue-cured, burley and other

light air-cured tobaccos used to

manufacture exported cigarettes would

be eligible for manufacturing dutydrawback on an identity-preserved

basis. Under section 422 of the Uruguay

Round Agreements Act, upon

proclamation of the tariff-rate quota,

section 1106(a) of the Omnibus Budget

and Reconciliation Act of 1993 (7 U.S.C.

1314i), which concerns domestic

marketing assessments for imported

tobacco, would not be in effect for any

calendar year other than 1994.

Section 125(c) of the Trade Act of

1974 (19 U.S.C. 2135) provides that

whenever the United States, acting in

pursuance of any of its rights or

obligations under any trade agreement

entered into pursuant to that Act,

section 350 of the Tariff Act 1930 or

section 201 of the Trade Expansion Act

of 1962, withdraws or modifies any

obligation with respect to the trade of

any foreign country or instrumentality,

the President is authorized to proclaim

increased duties or other import

restrictions, for such periods as he

deems necessary or appropriate, in

order to exercise the rights or fulfill the

obligations of the United States. As

amended by section 421 of the Uruguay

Round Agreements Act, section 125(c)

authorizes the President to proclaim

increased duties on the nine tariff

categories of tobacco of up to 350%

above the rates existing on January 1,

1975.

Before taking any action under section

125 to increase duties, the President is

required by section 125(f) to provide for

public hearings at which time interested