490 L'Enfant Plaza East SW., Washington, DC 20219. Phone, 202447-1460. United States Customs Service Contracts Write to the National General Inquiries Contact the nearest district director's office for information regarding customs regulations and procedures for all persons entering the United States and the entry and clearance of imported merchandise. Publications The U.S. Customs Service issues publications of interest to the general, importing, and traveling public that can be obtained from any of the District Directors' offices, or by writing to the Public Services and Information Materials Division in Washington, DC. Single copies of many of these publications are available at no charge to the public. Reading Rooms Located at the headquarters library and in each of the seven regional offices. Speakers Speakers are available for private organizations or community groups throughout the country. Contact any local customs officer or the Public Affairs Office in Washington, DC. Bureau of Engraving and Printing by contacting the Office of Materials Management at 202-447-9449 or 4479391. Employment The Bureau, as the world's largest security printer, employs personnel in a multitude of different craft, administrative, and professional fields. Competitive job opportunities may be available in the printing crafts, maintenance trades/crafts, engineering, research, chemistry, data processing/ computers, quality assurance, personnel, procurement, financial management, and other administrative fields. Due to the high level of security required, the Bureau also employs its own police force and a range of security specialists. The Bureau participates in co-op and stay-in-school programs that enable students to gain work experience while pursuing their education. Periodically, apprenticeship programs may be announced in selected crafts. Information regarding employment opportunities and required qualifications is available from the Employment and Classification Division, Office of Industrial Relations. Phone, 202-4470273. Freedom of Information Act Requests Inquiries should be directed to the Bureau Disclosure Officer, Office of Management Services, Room 321-14A. Phone, 202-447-0458. General Inquiries Requests for information about the Bureau, its products, or numismatic and philatelic interests should be addressed to the Program Analysis and External Affairs Staff, Room 533M. Phone, 202-4470193. Product Sales Uncut sheets of currency, engraved Presidential portraits, historical engravings of national landmarks, and other similar products are available for purchase in the Visitors' Center or through the mail. The Visitors' Center sales area, located in the Fifteenth Street Lobby of the Main Building, is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the same days as tours. Information and order forms for sales items may be obtained by writing to the Program Analysis and External Affairs Staff, Room 533M, or by calling 202-447-0193. Public Tours The Bureau's free, selfguided tour facility offers the public an opportunity to watch the printing and processing of United States currency and postage stamps. A Visitors' Center at the end of the gallery tour houses exhibits and audiovisual displays on the history of money, manufacture of postage stamps, and other securities manufacturing processes. The tour gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., except legal holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. During peak tourist times, visitors are encouraged to arrive early, since the doors are closed at whatever time necessary to enable all visitors in line to enter the tour gallery by 2 p.m. Recorded tour information may be obtained 24 hours a day by calling 202447-9709. In addition to the public tour, limited numbers of tickets are available from congressional offices for prescheduled, small group, guided tours of the tour gallery. Speakers Speakers may be provided for community and other organized groups in the Washington metropolitan area and, to a limited extent, around the country. Requests should be forwarded in writing to the Director of Engraving and Printing. Financial Management Service Inquiries on the following subjects should be directed to the specified office, 401 Fourteenth Street SW., Washington, DC 20227. Contracts Write to the Director, Logistics Management Division, Room 112 LC. Phone, 202-287-0838. Employment Inquiries may be directed to the Personnel Management Division, Room 444 LC. Phone, 202-287-0530. Internal Revenue Service Audiovisual Materials Films, some of which are available in Spanish, provide information on the American tax system, examination and appeal rights, and the tax responsibilities of running a small business. The films can be obtained by contacting any District Office. Also available are audio and video cassette tapes that provide step-by-step instructions for preparing basic individual income tax forms. These tapes are available in many local libraries. Contracts Write to Internal Revenue Service, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW. (PM:S:FM:C), Washington, DC 20224 (phone, 202-535-4804); or Chief, Facilities Management Branch, at any of the Internal Revenue Regional Offices. Educational Programs The Service provides, free of charge, general tax information publications and booklets on specific tax topics. Taxpayer information materials also are distributed to major television networks and many radio and television stations, daily and weekly newspapers, magazines, and specialized publications. Special educational materials and films are provided for use in high schools and colleges. Individuals starting a new business are given specialized materials and information at small business workshops, and community colleges provide classes based on material provided by the Service. The Community Outreach Tax Assistance program provides agency employees to assist community groups at mutually convenient times and locations. Through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly program, the Service recruits, trains, and supports volunteers who offer free tax assistance to low-income, elderly, military, and non-English-speaking taxpayers. Materials, films, and information on the educational programs can be obtained by contacting any District Office. Employment Almost every major field of study has some application to the work of the Service. A substantial number of positions are filled by persons whose major educational preparation was accounting, business administration, finance, economics, criminology, and law. There are, however, a great number of positions that are filled by persons whose college major was political science, public administration, education, liberal arts, or other fields not directly related to business or law. Extensive use is made of competitive registers and examinations in selecting employees. Schools interested in participating in the extensive recruitment program, or anyone considering employment with the Service, may direct inquiries to the Recruitment Coordinator at any of the Regional or District Offices. Problem Resolution Program Each District has a Problem Resolution Officer who attempts to resolve taxpayers' complaints not satisfied through regular channels. Publications The Annual ReportCommissioner of Internal Revenue (Pub. 55), as well as periodic reports of Statistics of Incomes, which present statistical tabulations concerning various tax returns filed, are available from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. Audit of Returns, Appeal Rights, and Claims for Refund (Pub. 556), Your Federal Income Tax (Pub. 17), Farmers Tax Guide (Pub. 225), Tax Guide for Small Business (Pub. 334), and other publications are available at Internal Revenue Service offices free of charge. Reading Rooms Public reading rooms are located in the National Office and in each Regional Office or, in some cases, a District Office located in a Regional Office building. Speakers Speakers on provisions of the tax law and operations of the Internal Revenue Service for professional and community groups may be obtained by writing to the District Directors or, for national organizations only, to the Public Affairs Division at the IRS national headquarters in Washington, DC. Taxpayer Service The Internal Revenue Service provides year-round tax information and assistance to taxpayers, primarily through its toll-free telephone system. Taxpayers requesting information about the tax system, their rights and obligations under it, and the tax benefits available to them can call the number listed in their local telephone directory and in the tax form packages mailed to them annually. This service allows taxpayers anywhere in the United States to call the service without paying a long distance charge. Special toll-free telephone assistance also is available to deaf and hearing-impaired taxpayers who have access to a teletypewriter or television/phone. These special numbers are included in the annual tax form packages and also are available from any agency office. Taxpayers may also visit agency offices for help with their tax problems. The Service provides return preparation assistance to taxpayers by guiding groups of individuals line by line on the preparation of their returns. Individual preparation is available for handicapped or other individuals unable to use the group preparation method. Foreign language tax assistance also is available at many locations. States Mint maintains public exhibit and sales areas at the Philadelphia and Denver Mints, the Old San Francisco Mint, and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Washington, DC. Information and order forms for proof sets, medals, and other numismatic items may also be obtained by writing to the United States Mint, 10001 Aerospace Road, Lanham, MD 20706. Phone, 301-436-7400. Also, for a 24-hour recording with further information, call 202-447-9916. Publications The Annual Report of the Director of the Mint, Domestic and Foreign Coinage Manufactured by the Mints of the United States 1793-1980, The World's Monetary Stocks of Gold, Silver and Coins, and Medals of the United States Mint, an illustrated catalog, are available from the United States Mint, Washington, DC, and the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. A current price list of medals and a brochure of official coins and medals sold by the United States Mint are available free of charge from the United States Mint, Washington, DC 20220. Bureau of the Public Debt Employment General employment inquiries should be addressed to the Bureau of the Public Debt, Division of Personnel Management, Employment Branch, Washington, DC 20239-0001. Phone, 202-447-1410. Savings Bonds Requests for information relating to holdings of all series of savings bonds, savings notes, and retirement plan or individual retirement bonds should be addressed to the Bureau of the Public Debt, Department of the Treasury, 200 Third Street, Parkersburg, WV 26106-1328. Phone, 304-420-6112, extension 6274. Treasury Securities Information inquiries regarding the purchase of Treasury bills, bonds, and notes should be addressed to your local Federal Reserve Bank or branch, or to the Bureau of the Public Debt, Department F, Washington, DC 20239-1200. Phone, 202-287-4113. United States Savings Bonds Division Savings Bonds Savings bonds are continuously on sale at more than 40,000 issuing agencies and their branches in virtually every locality in the United States. Information about bonds may be provided by such issuing agents. Free informational materials are available from District Savings Bonds Offices (see page 505) and from the Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Savings Bonds Division, Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20226. Phone, 202-634-5389. Current rate information is available toll-free by calling 1-800-US-BONDS. In the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, call USA-8888. United States Secret Service Information about employment opportunities and publications and general public information may be obtained by contacting the nearest Secret Service field office or the Office of Government Liaison and Public Affairs, 1800 G Street NW., Washington, DC 20223. Phone, 202-535-5708. For further information concerning the Department of the Treasury, contact the Public Affairs Office, Department of the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20220. Phone, 202-5662041. |