APPENDIX B
TELEPHONE USE

1 PURPOSE

This appendix establishes policies and assigns responsibility for the management and use of telephones within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

2 Background

USDA relies on telecommunications systems and services to help it administer Federal programs and serve the public. The Department spends millions of dollars annually through the General Services Administration Federal Technology Service programs and on hundreds of commercial carrier networks to carry out USDA's broad missions and serve customer needs. Managers responsible for these systems within agencies and staff offices must be proactive in educating employees on telephone abuse and mitigating the risk of telephone abuse, waste and fraud to their systems.