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A-13067, MAY 28, 1956

A-13067 May 28, 1956
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HAS ADVISED THIS OFFICE THAT HIS AGENCY IS EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY WITH THE TELEPHONE COMPANIES. WAS ISSUED TO ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES OF THE AUTHORITY GIVEN BY THIS OFFICE TO THE INDEPENDENT TELEPHONE COMPANIES TO SUBSTITUTE A STATEMENT OF TOTAL TOLL SERVICE (THEIR FORM). THIS ACTION WAS TAKEN TO REDUCE COSTS AND EXPEDITE BILLING FOR THE INDEPENDENT TELEPHONE COMPANIES. THERE WERE TWO LETTERS ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE DATED FEBRUARY 3. PROVIDED SUCH BALANCES WERE SHOWN AS SEPARATE ITEMS. THIS LETTER WAS ISSUED TO SIMPLIFY BILLING PROCEDURES FOR THE TELEPHONE COMPANIES BY CONFORMING GOVERNMENT BILLING WITH COMMERCIAL BILLING PROCEDURE. SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES WERE REQUESTING VENDORS AND SUPPLIERS TO FURNISH EXCESSIVE NUMBERS OF COPIES.

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A-13067, MAY 28, 1956

TO BUFFALO VALLEY TELEPHONE COMPANY:

THE DIRECTOR, SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM, HAS ADVISED THIS OFFICE THAT HIS AGENCY IS EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY WITH THE TELEPHONE COMPANIES, APPARENTLY DUE TO MISINTERPRETATIONS OF SEVERAL LETTERS ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE, DATED DECEMBER 2, 1955, AND FEBRUARY 3, 1956, AND HAS FORWARDED AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TYPE OF DIFFICULTY BEING EXPERIENCED COPY OF LETTER DATED APRIL 11, 1956, FROM THE STATE PROCUREMENT OFFICER, PENNSYLVANIA STATE HEADQUARTERS, SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM, HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, TO YOUR COMPANY, AND YOUR REPLY THERETO DATED APRIL 12, 1956.

OUR LETTER OF DECEMBER 2, 1955, COPY ENCLOSED, WAS ISSUED TO ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES OF THE AUTHORITY GIVEN BY THIS OFFICE TO THE INDEPENDENT TELEPHONE COMPANIES TO SUBSTITUTE A STATEMENT OF TOTAL TOLL SERVICE (THEIR FORM), SUPPORTED BY THE ORIGINAL TOLL TICKETS, WHICH WOULD ACCOMPANY THEIR INVOICES WHEN BILLING GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FOR SERVICES RENDERED, FOR FORM S.N. 650A, STATEMENT OF U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL TOLL SERVICE, PRESCRIBED BY THIS OFFICE. THIS ACTION WAS TAKEN TO REDUCE COSTS AND EXPEDITE BILLING FOR THE INDEPENDENT TELEPHONE COMPANIES.

THERE WERE TWO LETTERS ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE DATED FEBRUARY 3, 1956, COPIES ENCLOSED, TO THE HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES, ONE OF WHICH ADVISED THAT THIS OFFICE WOULD REQUIRE THAT TELEPHONE BILLS FOR OPERATOR- HANDLED LONG DISTANCE OFFICIAL MESSAGES NEED ONLY SHOW INFORMATION AS TO THE DATE, PLACE CALLED, AND TOTAL CHARGE, AND THAT THE NUMBER OF MINUTES AND CODE NEED NO LONGER BE SHOWN. ALSO, THAT THE TELEPHONE COMPANIES COULD INCLUDE ON CURRENT BILLS ANY UNPAID BALANCES, PROVIDED SUCH BALANCES WERE SHOWN AS SEPARATE ITEMS. THIS LETTER WAS ISSUED TO SIMPLIFY BILLING PROCEDURES FOR THE TELEPHONE COMPANIES BY CONFORMING GOVERNMENT BILLING WITH COMMERCIAL BILLING PROCEDURE.

THE OTHER LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 3, 1956, REQUESTED THE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES TO REVIEW THEIR PROCEDURES IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE WHERE POSSIBLE ANY COPIES OF BILLS OR INVOICES WHICH COULD BE DISPENSED WITH, SINCE, AS CALLED TO THE ATTENTION OF THIS OFFICE, SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES WERE REQUESTING VENDORS AND SUPPLIERS TO FURNISH EXCESSIVE NUMBERS OF COPIES. THIS LETTER POINTED OUT TO THE AGENCIES THAT THIS OFFICE REQUIRED ONLY THE ORIGINAL OF THE BILL IN THE AUDIT OF THEIR ACCOUNTS.

NO MENTION IS MADE IN ANY OF THE ABOVE-REFERRED-TO LETTERS OF THIS OFFICE "THAT BILLING MAY BE MADE IN ORIGINAL ONLY.' (SEE THE SECOND PARAGRAPH OF YOUR LETTER OF APRIL 12, 1956.) IN FACT THIS PROPOSAL WAS MADE TO THIS OFFICE BUT WAS NOT CONCURRED IN. IN CONNECTION WITH THE STATEMENT IN THE THIRD PARAGRAPH OF YOUR LETTER THAT "TOLL TICKETS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO GO OUT OF THIS OFFICE; THEREFORE WE CANNOT FURNISH TOLL TICKETS TO SUPPORT CHARGES AS YOU REQUESTED" , SINCE SUCH IS THE CASE, A LISTING SHOWING DATE, PLACE CALLED, AND TOTAL CHARGE WILL HAVE TO BE FURNISHED THE AGENCY EITHER ON FORM S.N. 650A OR SIMILAR FORM.

AS THE SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM, HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, REQUIRES ONLY AN ORIGINAL AND DUPLICATE OF YOUR INVOICE AND SUPPORTING STATEMENT, THIS OFFICE DOES NOT FEEL THAT THIS IS UNREASONABLE.

IT IS HOPED THAT THIS LETTER HAS CLARIFIED OUR LETTERS OF DECEMBER 2, 1955, AND FEBRUARY 3, 1956, AND THAT THE BILLING REQUIREMENTS OF THE AGENCY CAN BE MET.

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