Procurement of Business Cards Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 15:10:29 -0400 To: "DC - All District Chiefs", "B - Branch Chiefs and Offices" From: "Alice A. Sabatini" Subject: Delegated Authority for the Purchase of Business Cards Cc: "AO - All Administrative Officers", "A - Division Chief and Staff" The following was received from the Office of Program Support today. The memorandum will also be distributed hard copy. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- In Reply Refer To: Mail Stop 231 #10823 MEMORANDUM July 1, 1998 To: Division Chiefs Acting Chief, Office of Program Support From: Barbara J. Ryan /s/ Barbara J. Ryan Associate Director of Operations Subject: Procurement of Business Cards By memorandum dated April 13, 1998, (copy attached) the Assistant Secretary--Policy, Management and Budget authorized the use of appropriated funds not earmarked for a specific purpose to purchase business cards for facilitating agency-related business communications. Accordingly, the authority to purchase business cards with general appropriations is delegated through Division Chiefs to cost center chiefs, who may re-delegate it to first line supervisors. Employees who are authorized to have business cards should be reminded that they may use them only in connection with the operations and official activities of the Department and the bureau. General appropriations may be used only for cards procured through the General Services Administration (GSA) contract with the Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind, and for purchasing blank card stock for use with existing word processing software business card applications. Personal funds must be used if cards are procured through other sources, including the Interior Department Recreation Association. USGS business cards will be designed using the Visual Identity guidelines found at http://www.usgs.gov:8888/visual/specs/card/buscard.html. The bureau seal may not be used for business cards. Comments or inquiries may be referred to Bert Simon at (703) 648-7283 or by e-mail to bsimon@usgs.gov. Attachments Attachment 1 TRUE COPY United States Department of the Interior OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY Washington, D.C. 20240 Memorandum April 13, 1998 To: Deputy Secretary Solicitor Assistant Secretaries Heads of Bureaus and Offices Inspector General From: John Berry /s/John Berry Assistant Secretary - Policy, Management and Budget Subject: Procurement of Business Cards Until recently, it has been Governmentwide policy that business cards should be procured at the expense of each individual and not with appropriated funds. On August 11, 1997, the Department of Justice issued an opinion that allows the use of an agency's general appropriation (an appropriation not earmarked for a specific purpose) for purchasing business cards and left to the agency head the approval authority for this type of procurement. Business cards charged to an agency's general appropriation are to be used to facilitate agency-related business communications. Most word processing software applications, e.g., WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, have the capability of formatting and printing business cards. By using inexpensive card stock, small quantities of business cards can be produced quickly and cheaply to benefit both employees and their organizations. Additionally, business cards are produced by SKILCRAFT, the registered name for products made by the blind, deaf-blind, or multi-disabled under the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act. This act was enacted by Congress to promote opportunities for people with mental or physical disabilities to benefit from productive work and a more independent life style. The Department is now in the process of revitalizing this important special emphasis area. I have decided to authorize the purchase of business cards in accordance with the August 11, 1997, opinion of the Department of Justice. I believe these purchases will aid the overall mission of the Department and its employees, and will potentially aid the economic and personal independence for employees of SKILCRAFT industries. Therefore, effective immediately, heads of bureaus and offices are given the authority to permit the printing of business cards using currently-owned government software and government-purchased paper/card stock or acquiring them from the GSA single award schedule SKILCRAFT vendor, Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc., telephone 1-800-799-0402. Also, care should be taken to follow reasonable quality and design guidelines. Bureau and office heads may delegate this authority to lower management levels as they deem appropriate. Employees should be reminded that they may use business cards only in connection with the operations and official activities of the Department or its bureaus and offices. Please ensure that this memorandum is made available to all personnel. If you have any questions concerning this policy, please contact Roy Francis, Departmental Printing Officer, Office of Information Resource Management, at (202) 208-5424. For more information on SKILCRAFT products and services please contact Cindy Maltby, Office of Administration at (202) 208-5562. Attachment 2 Specifications and Ordering Instructions for Business Cards The Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind will produce business cards with the green USGS identifier in a horizontal style layout. Text will be black. A sample of this design can be found on the Visual Identity web site at http://www.usgs.gov:8888/visual/specs/card/buscard.html. It is the last example given. To place an order, use the Lighthouse's USGS Order Form which can be downloaded from the Reston Supply Service Center (RSSC) on-line web site at http://rssc.usgs.gov/ . At the RSSC cover page, click on the green "Business Cards" button and follow the instructions. The order form may be reproduced locally. If further assistance is needed, please call (703) 648-7280. Orders are to be sent directly to the Lighthouse by mail or fax. Payment may be made using the IMPAC bank card. The Lighthouse may be contacted as follows: The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. 2501 South Plum Street P.O. Box C1419 Seattle, WA 98114 Voice: 1-800-799-0402 (Customer Service) Fax: (206) 322-4419 Prices vary according to quantity as follows. Quantity Price 250 each $18.50 500 each $22.00 1000 each $28.00 For in-house production, templates are available on the Visual Identity page given above. Blank card stock may be obtained from the RSSC, through GSA Advantage, or other common office supply sources.