Question. Provide statistics about the demand for videoconferencing from January 1995 to date. What are the total resources devoted to videoconferencing for the past year and requested in the FY97 budget?

Response. The statistics (based on a legislative year) below indicate the total number of users for video conference events prior to and following Committee on House Oversight action.

During the past year, resources devoted to videoconferencing include 1/4 FTE and $8,900 on network access and $7,700 for equipment maintenance. The FY97 communication budget contains no specific funding request for videoconferencing, as current policy requires all costs to be borne out of Member budgets. Items such as network access and maintenance are budgeted under the long distance and equipment maintenance categories.

Question. I have received a letter from a colleague indicating that the Foxpro system-which I understand is the office accounting system taught to offices currently requesting the service has serious problems. Are there problems? What resources are devoted to (a) Member office accounting systems support and training, and (b) Member office accounting systems software development?

Response. There were several minor problems with the initial January roll-out of the Foxpro-based Office Accounting Systems and, in addition, offices requested several improvements. All of the problems as well as several of the requested improvements have been made and are pending release. One staffer is assigned to development of the payroll/personnel software component scheduled for release in June 1996. In order to assure House office input to further development of office accounting and to provide a forum for customer discussion, a FoxPro Office Accounting Users Group is being organized and will meet for the first time on Friday, March 8. Technical Support Representatives are currently being trained to support this program as part of their daily responsibilities. A training class is being offered at the learning center one time per week. More classes will be offered as needed.

Question. What functions have been identified for a so-called "paperless environment?" For example, what will be the first function developed by HIR for the Office 2000 project, what additional functions are under consideration and how will development of those function be prioritized? What is the timetable for release of any of those functions?

Response. Over a hundred Member and committee office tasks have been identified as candidates for paperless transactions. These are identified in a CyberCongress Potential Functionality working paper which has been circulated among several House user groups. The Office Systems Working Group, sponsored by the Committee on House Oversight, has identified several functions dealing with computerized telephone directories

HIR Communications is currently investigating several traditionally paper intensive functions for the feasibility of conversion to audio or video platforms. The first area under consideration is the functionality of Interactive Voice Response, such as audio phone books and directory assistance. Preliminary study has shown that many companies and universities currently utilize this technology to enhance information access, increase productivity, save time and save money. Applications under study for portability to the House include: human resources benefits management, employee focator, and ordering supplies and services. The second area under consideration is fax store and forward. The capability will soon exist within the House voice mail system to receive, store and forward faxes. Further, inexpensive software exists to retrieve faxes from the "fax mailbox" and read the information on a personal computer screen.

Should the current studies prove fruitful, service proposals would be submitted to the Committee on House Oversight for approval. The earliest deployment of any of these functions would be the first quarter of the 105th Congress.

Question. Why is HIR 20% understaffed? Described the "aggressive plan" for recruiting personnel.

Response. HIR's staffing level has been as low as 215 compared to an authorized level of 275 FTE's over the past eight months (July 1, 1995–February 29, 1996). The level as of March 1, 1996 is 227. The reduced staffing level was level was initially a result of the release of six personnel in January of 1995 and 18 personnel on June 30 of 1995 due to the restructuring of the former offices of HIS and the Office of Telecommunications. Also, four senior level staff who were scheduled to be released, voluntarily resigned their positions. These people were released because their skills and/or experience did not meet the needs of the new organization. In addition, there were 50 staff who resigned to accept other opportunities. Normal attrition in an organization the size of HIR is 15-20 per year, but in 1995 the termination rate was higher due to the significant changes that took place with the reorganization. The new HIR Associate Administrator, who began 8/4/95, wanted to understand the capabilities of the staff, the needs of the organization and what organizational adjustments were required before pursuing an aggressive hiring initiative.

By early November, personnel discussions with management and meetings with groups of personnel in roundtable discussions were well underway, an organization restructuring recommendation had been made to the Committee on House Oversight and a two-day management planning meeting has been completed. The initial ad in the Washington Post was run in late October and a subsequent ad with all of the newly approved (December 9) positions included was run at the end of January. The response to the ads has been good for most positions and HIR managers are actively involved in the interviewing and hiring process. HIR expects to have 237 on board by April, 250 on board by May and be at full strength by the end of June. Question. At the end of the pay period in January 1995, HIS employees were handed paychecks personally-an unusual procedure. What was the purpose of handing paychecks to employees?

Response. The paychecks and/or stubs were handed directly to the employees so that the new managers could personally meet each employee and tie a name on the roster to a person. All employees in the new CAO organization went through this same process. No employee was paid late as a result of this payment method.

Question. In addition to experiencing the unusual procedure of being handed paychecks, HIS employees experienced a "reorganization" in 1995 where a number of employees were terminated, a number had downward pay adjustments, and some were assigned to significantly different duties. Do you think these actions in support of Total Quality management are a factor in the 20% shortfall of personnel now? Response. The terminations, pay adjustments, and significantly different duties all contributed to the 20 percent shortfall. Today, the morale of the organization continues to grow, former personnel who resigned have interviewed and been hired for new positions (four former employees have been rehired) and HIR is becoming a much more customer oriented and teamwork oriented organization,

Although changes of this magnitude and significance are never easy for the people involved, it appears that the new organization is in a position to deliver a much higher level of service and support than in the past but it still has a long way to go to meet the quality objectives that have been established.

Question. Provide a table showing the staffing levels for HIS and HIR for the past 5 years, and the level of terminations or normal attrition. What is your explanation for any differences during 1995?

HIR's staffing level has been as low as 215 compared to an authorized level of 275 FTE's over the past eight months (July 1, 1995-February 29, 1996). The level as of March 1, 1996 is 227. The reduced staffing level was initially a result of the

release of six personnel in January of 1995 and 18 personnel on June 30 of 1995 due to the restructuring of the former offices of HIS and the Office of Telecommunications. Also, four senior level staff who were scheduled to be released, voluntarily resigned their positions. These people were released because their skills and/or experience did not meet the needs of the new organization. In addition, there were 50 staff who resigned to accept other opportunities. Normal attrition in an organization the size of HIR is 15-20 per year, but in 1995 the termination rate was higher due to the significant changes that took place with the reorganization.

Question. What specific site licenses will be purchased for the $2 million in the budget requests?

Response. In FY 96, site licenses for Netscape and F-Prot anti-virus software will be completed. In FY 97 site licenses for word processing software (Word WordPerfect) and spreadsheet applications (Excel) will be considered. It will be nec essary to examine the state of the market place at that time to determine which packages are best suited for the House. Currently, the future of WordPerfect is uncertain while there appears to be a trend to move to Microsoft Word. The trend in the House is to obtain and sue Microsoft Word. Word Perfect and Microsoft Word are very similar in features and function. Because of the statements made by Novel that they are looking for an organization to acquire the Word perfect and Perfect Office segments of their business, it makes the future of the product set less stable than Microsoft office which includes work, the Excel spreadsheet and the Power Point graphics presentation package. The systems integrators that support the House are now providing both Word and Word Perfect options for Members. The $2 million requested would cover the approximate mix of Microsoft Office at $300 each and Perfect Office at $400 each. The mix will be determined by the House staff or an office by office basis.

Question. What is the "plan" to reduce the reimbursement gap for HIR services Response. The $11.5 million reimbursement plan for FY 96 for HIR was overl aggressive. The actual revenue projection is $5.0 million. The gap will be closed by significantly reducing the FY 96 contract services line item by as much as $3.7 mil lion, reducing the salary line item by as much as $1.0 million due to the slower than planned ramp up of new hires, increasing the marketing of the National Change o Address system to the Executive Branch agencies, and deferring 1.8 million o equipment purchases to FY 97 if necessary.

FINANCE OFFICE

Question. The Finance Office has worked diligently to change the financial man agement system for the House. Problems related to developing and testing the new system produced significant delays to the processing of vouchers for House office in the fall of 1995.

What resources have been necessary for overtime in conjunction with this project both the change in financial management systems and the backlog of vouchers?

Have temporary employees been used to catch up the backlog of vouchers? If so how many and what resources were required?

Have Finance Office employees or other CAO employees normally assigned t other duties been temporarily assigned or otherwise contributed labor to either th backlogged vouchers effort or the change in financial management systems effor If so, how many staff and what resources were required?

Response. The estimated overtime Finance Office resources used in the implementation of the new financial management system since October 1995 are summarized below.

The estimated Finance Office resources used in catching up on the voucher backlog together with parallel vouching processing (FMS and FFS) are summarized below:

No temporary employees were used to catch up the backlog of vouchers other than the data entry contractors. The outside contractors used between four and eight individuals each day, depending on volume.

Finance Office employees as well as other CAO employees normally assigned to other duties have been temporarily assigned or otherwise contributed labor to both the backlogged vouchers effort as well as the change in financial management systems effort. Nearly all Finance Office employees have been involved in the transition process. The transition required performance of their regular duties as well as testing of the new system, training and other duties required of a professional who is learning the operation of a new system.

In addition, staff from other offices of the CAO have been involved in the transition process. A steering committee oversees the implementation of the new financial system. Included on the committee are employees of House Information Resources, Internal Controls and Continuous Improvement, and the Office of Procurement and Purchasing (OPP) all divisions of the CAO. HIR staff was also used in the installation and set-up of new computers. OPP staff was also used for contract related matters. Total non-Finance Office CAO employees approximated eight to ten, all of whom were involved on an as-needed basis. There was no financial impact due to their involvement.

PLACEMENT OFFICE

Question. Are there procedures in place now through the CAO to take up the slack for the abolition of the House Placement Office? Is the CAO aware of other House offices who provide any type of clearinghouse for resume circulation? For example, the Democratic Study Group for many years provided such a service.

Response. When the decision was made to abolish the Placement Office, the Office of Human Resources had plans already in motion to take up the slack.

On August 1, 1995, Human Resources sent out a memo announcing the establishment of the Resume Referral Service. The Referral Service provides House offices the opportunity to either openly or anonymously solicit applications for employment. Use of the Resume Referral Service is voluntary. This service is a non-partisan service provided for the benefit of Members, Committees and administrative offices of the House, as well as job applicants. We receive requests from both parties. The Resume Referral Service, upon request sends offices the resumes of applicants whose experiences are commensurate with position requirements.

In response to anonymous postings or unadvertised requests, the Resume Referral Service sends the requesting office the resumes of applicants whose experiences are commensurate with the position requirements. When positions are openly advertised the Resume Referral Service forwards all applicant resumes received for the position to the requesting office. All vacancies within the office of the CAO, the Sergeant at

Arms and the Inspector General are posted in the Human Resources Office, Room 263 of the Cannon House Office Building and in the Out Placement Center, Room 170 of the Ford Building.

The Office of the Majority Whip, located in H-107 in the Capitol, also accepts resumes from applicants and distributes them as appropriate.

CHILD CARE CENTER

Question. The proposal by the House to sell the office building at 501 C Street, housing the Day Care Center has caused considerable anxiety for the parents whose children attend the center. I'm also concerned by the expenses related to “re-engineering" cited in H.I.R.'s budget request.

What is the estimated cost of re-engineering that would be required if the building was closed? Is this cost included in the estimates used during consideration of options for the Day Care Center?

I understand that the General Accounting Office has been asked to do an analysis of options for the Day Care Center. What are the options being considered? What provision is being made for parents, officials of the Day Care Center, or other child care professionals to analyze the options under consideration?

What's the basis in any change for the Day Care Center, which is largely selfsufficient?

Response. A preliminary design proposal regarding the relocation of the Child Care Center to the Ford House Office Building along with a preliminary cost estimate was submitted to Mr. William L. Ensign, FAIA on August 3, 1995. There is $200,000 included in the Net_Telecommunications budget to move underground wires from 501 First St. to the Ford building if the building is sold.

There may also be costs to relocate equipment in the Ford if the Credit Union Office and the United States Capitol Police Offices are to be relocated within the Ford.

At the time of this writing, the results of the analysis for the Child Care Center prepared by the General Accounting Office are not available; accordingly, no comment is possibly on the options that are under consideration to pass on to the Child Care Center, parents, or other child care professionals.

The Child Care Center receives a subsidy from the House of over $165,000 per year, not including free rent. Any changes in tuition would be up to the Child Care Center Board of Directors. It would be ideal if tuition were to continue to take care of the majority of expenses. It is the intention that the Child Care Center remain largely self-sufficient. The basis for changed tuition would be determined only after a potential new location is determined and costs known.

PITNEY BOWES MANAGEMENT SERVICES BENEFITS

Mr. FAULKNER. One of the key things is Pitney Bowes Management Services is one of the top 100 companies to work for in the United States. There have been several independent surveys done of employee benefit packages and employee quality of work life and Pitney Bowes consistently ranks in the top 100. They have a much better and expanded medical and dental benefit program than what is offered by the House of Representatives to its employees. Also, the disability plan, which again exceeds anything offered currently in the House. Their retirement program, their pension program is also compatible, if not slightly better than the House of Representatives. Their 401(k) and 401(a) plans exist, which we really don't have here in the House. Stock purchase plans.

Mr. FAZIO. Well, we have the Thrift Savings Plan, which is very similar and the FERS savings plan.

Mr. FAULKNER. But the stock purchase plan, scholarship programs for continuing education, these are things that do not exist here in the House and are very much showing of the corporate culture throughout Pitney Bowes of investing in their employees wherever possible.

Mr. FAZIO. I ask this, Mr. Chairman, not because I expected that we would be embarrassed by what we are offering, but because I