Management briefs

TSP system delayed again

The launch of the new recordkeeping system for the Thrift Savings Plan is delayed again, according to the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, which manages the government's retirement savings plan. After several delays and a change in contractors, board members said in August that the new TSP recordkeeping system would be ready in November, but in a statement, they said they will announce a new schedule "when [the board] has the information to do so."

The delay this time, according to the board, is that the system does not process certain, periodic high-volume TSP transactions — such as U.S. Postal Service contributions — fast enough to allow time to resolve any processing problems that arise.

A team led by Materials, Communications and Computers Inc. is delivering the new recordkeeping system. In the meantime, the board will continue to use the current system.

Navy targets card misuse

The Navy is developing guidelines to help commanders determine the proper disciplinary action against employees who use their government credit cards inappropriately, said Rear Adm. Robert Cowley, deputy for acquisition and business management in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Research, Development and Acquisition. A draft of the proposal will be completed by December, he testified at a House subcommittee hearing Oct. 8.

Navy officials also have taken other actions to improve management of the troubled purchase card program, Cowley said, including establishing computer-based training for cardholders and approving officials, reducing the number of cardholders that can be managed by one authorizing official to seven, and using data-mining tools to detect questionable transactions.