the order processing done at the Government Printing Office, with a branch distribution center located west of the Mississippi River. I believe it is imperative that we take the initial step in this direction, with the approval of this committee and the Joint Committee on Printing, in fiscal year 1971. With the prospect that suitable space outside the Washington, D.C., area can be made available by the General Services Administration for the purpose, we are requesting an additional 77 employees, at a cost of $487,188, to man this new installation, $1,012,122 to provide the necessary equipment for its operation, and an increase in our appropriation for travel, that would be required for employees transferred to the distribution center from the Government Printing Office, as well as those whose services would be required there temporarily for the training of new personnel. In addition to, and as a part of, any future relocation of a part of our order processing operations, we must recognize the necessity of converting to modern, automated, electronic data processing methods. We know of no other comparable operation in or out of Government that is still attempting to perform manually a task of the magnitude of that with which we are faced. Lacking the present resources to design the systems and programing that computerization of the inventory system of our Office will require, we are requesting in the fiscal year 1971 appropriation $125,000 to permit the contracting for professional services to conduct the systems studies, systems design, and programing that the modernization of our publications sales operations will require. We must be prepared to embark on this long overdue improvement, the necessity for which is basic to the serious problems of our Office, for which a solution has not yet been found. The results of the systems studies and systems design will provide important guidance in the establishment of any branch order processing operation, either locally or elsewhere, that it may be possible to accomplish. Plans are underway for the three additional branch bookstores that were authorized by the 1970 Legislative Branch Appropriation Act. The opening of the store in Boston, Mass., is scheduled tentatively for April 1970. Atlanta, Ga., and Los Angeles, Calif., are the other locations for which branch bookstores are planned later in the current fiscal year. All of the bookstores established to date continue to be financially selfsustaining, far beyond original expectations. They are providing an improved Government service which is in great public demand. The General Services Administration is expanding its program for the establishment of Federal information centers in additional cities, and a branch bookstore for the sale of Government publications is a vital asset as part of these centers. We are, accordingly, including in the fiscal year 1971 appropriation request, $174,439 which would provide the necessary employees and preparation of the locations for the establishment of three additional branch stores during that year. If we are authorized to make this further expansion of the bookstores program, the locations of the future branch stores would be determined primarily by the sites of Federal information centers and availability of space in Federal buildings. Our current appropriation of $10,000 for "Travel" will barely be sufficient to cover the cost of the travel required in the establishment of the three new bookstores authorized during fiscal year 1970, in addition to that required in the operation of the three stores previously established, assistance to depository libraries, and providing sales displays and exhibits of Government publications. To establish three additional bookstores in fiscal year 1971, considering the increase provided by law in the travel allowance for Government employees, would require an additional $12,050 in travel funds. The relocation of part of the order-filling operations to another locality would require an additional $7,950. We have, accordingly, included in the fiscal year 1971 request, an additional $20,000 under "Travel," to cover these anticipated increased expenses. The Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications that we issue in accordance with law is a valuable library and publications research tool. Based on current costs, it will require $116,800 to produce the 12 issues of the Monthly Catalog during fiscal year 1971. Our current appropriation for this purpose is $98,600, and the fiscal year 1971 request includes an additional $18,200 for the performance of this function. The price lists and announcements of Government publications available for sale are the only means we have of informing the public about these publications. The conversion to electronic data processing of the mailing list of names used for distribution of the biweekly Selected List of Government Publications, has given us the operational capacity to accept requests from all who wish to receive this list, which is the foremost medium we have for increasing the sale of Government publications. With an estimated increase of recipients of the Selected List in fiscal year 1971 to 1,200,000, our present printing allocation of $225,000 would prove inadequate. We have, therefore, included an additional $45,000 to meet the cost of providing the additional copies that will be required. As of January 30, 1970, the Federal Depository Library System comprised 1,010 libraries throughout the entire United States. The present law makes possible a total designation of approximately 1,350 depositories. Since July 1, 1969, there have been 17 new designations, with 12 more pending final designation, and we estimate that this number will grow to 40 by the end of the current fiscal year. Because college and university, as well as public libraries are making greater use of Government documents than ever before, we do not foresee any decrease in the yearly requests for new depositories until the maximum number permitted by the present law is reached. Since this law was enacted in 1962, there has been an increase of an average of 40 new depositories each year. We estimate that this will again be the number of new designations in fiscal year 1971. At an average cost of $1,592 for each new library, we are requesting $63,680 to continue the implementation of this program as authorized by law. We have also included an additional $150,000 for the estimated increase in the number of copies of publications that we shall be required to provide to depositories in fiscal year 1971, and $3,000 for the postage that will be required to mail an estimated 150,000 additional publications not produced by the Government Printing Office to depository libraries, as provided for by law. Computerized operations involved in the maintenance of the mailing lists which we have already converted to electronic data processing, and changes to them, are performed for the Office of the Superintendent of Documents by the Division of Finance and Accounts of the Government Printing Office. The estimated cost of those services for fiscal year 1971, made by that division is $154,500 and this has been requested under "Computer Services." Nominal increases for "Office and Mailing Supplies" normally occur as a result of an increased volume of business. The proposed relocation of a part of the order processing function in fiscal year 1971 would add an additional $31,700 to the increase of $21,800 for additional mailing and office supplies at the central office, making a total increase of $53,500. Under "Transportation of Things," necessary transportation to a new distribution center would require an estimated $24,340, added to an increased cost of $3,000 for local transport of sales publications ordered by Members of Congress, delivering books to our local branch bookstores and servicing the warehouses used for storage of publications. I hope that this committee will again include in our fiscal year 1971 appropriation the $200,000 "Reserve for Contingencies." Since you devised it some years ago, it has been highly effective in avoiding an amended budget due to work increases that could not be foreseen at the time the original estimates had to be prepared. The reserve can be used only with permission of the Public Printer and cannot be used to employ permanent personnel. We have not yet had to make any use of the reserve provided in our current appropriation. We shall continue to make every effort to modernize and improve the operations of the Office of the Superintendent of Documents in order that the services provided can be satisfactory and more adequate than they have been in recent years, and to relieve the criticism so widely directed at them. With your help, we shall continue to bring Government publications to the attention of the widest possible segment of the American public, to provide our services as efficiently and as economically as we can, while continuing to realize substantial income for return to the U.S. Treasury. Salaries and expenses, Office of Superintendent of Documents Appropriation estimate for fiscal year 1971.. Proposed 1970 pay raise supplemental. Increase for fiscal year 1971... 11 Personnel compensation 1.. 12 Personnel benefits 1. 21 Travel and transportation of persons.. 22 Transportation of things.. 23 Rent, communications, and utilities. 24 Printing and reproduction. 25 Other services. 26 Supplies and materials. 31 Equipment.. Contingency fund. Total estimate.. 1 Includes 1970 pay raise supplemental. $13, 004, 500 $9,650, 000 495, 400 10, 145, 400 2,859, 100 Breakdown of 1971 Budget increases requested Personnel compensation: Annual within-grades for 1971... $41, 766 Additional personnel compensation for part of year for fiscal year 1970 pay raise 343, 819 Additional personnel for three bookstores, 12 employees (9 annual and 3 hourly).... 80, 841 Additional personnel for branch distribution center, 77 employees. 487, 188 Total.... 911, 848 Total, personnel compensation... 953, 614 Personnel benefits: Increase requested for contributions for retirement, health benefits, and life insurance__ 93, 544 12, 050 7,950 20, 000 Travel and transportations of persons: Increase requested to allow necessary travel to open and operate three additional bookstores outside the Washington, D.C., area. Increase requested to allow necessary travel for branch distribution center of Public Documents Division____ Total, travel and transportation of persons_ Transportation of things: Additional amount required to cover increased costs of locally transporting sales publications ordered by Members of Congress, of making deliveries to branch bookstores, and of servicing the warehouses.. Increase requested to allow transportation of things in connection with branch distribution center of Public Documents Division: Household items of five employees to branch distribution center.. Trucking publications to branch distribution center. Total, transportation of things... Rent, communications, and utilities: Postage: Amount needed to pay postage costs on mailings of depos- 3,000 8, 555 15, 785 27, 340 4,800 9, 200 Amount needed to pay postage costs of increased number of 21, 600 Amount needed to pay postage on non-GPO material to be Total, rent, communications, and utilities... 3, 000 38, 600 Breakdown of 1971 Budget increases requested-Continued Additional amount required for increased costs of printing the Monthly Catalog of U.S. Government Publications and Index. Additional amount required for printing depository copies of GPO material for presently established libraries.... Additional amount required for printing depository copies of GPO material for estimated 40 additional depository libraries in Additional amount needed to cover printing costs of increased distribution of The Selected List of U.S. Government Publica- Total, printing and reproduction.. Amount needed to implement systems studies, systems design, and programing for inventory, order processing, and stock Increase requested to continue computer services for the systems studies, design, programing, and conversion to magnetic tape of paid subscription lists and to continue ADP maintenance of The Selected List of U.S. Government Publications now on Additional amount needed to cover costs of repairing and main- Amount requested to refurbish three sites for use as branch book- Amount requested for maintenance contracts for office and pro- duction equipment for branch distribution center of Public Amount required for converting approximately 1,750,000 sub- scription and selected list names and addresses to microfilm so as to facilitate inquiry, research, verification, and maintenance Amount required to cover increased costs of cleaning work areas 276, 880 18,000 75,000 Additional amount needed to cover cost of purchasing office and mailing supplies for branch distribution center of Public Docu- Equipment: Amount requested to procure equipment for branch dis- 1,012, 122 Total of 1971 budget increases requested. 2,859, 100 |