U.S. Department of Energy Office of the Executive Secretariat Correspondence Guide April 2015 http://powerpedia.energy.gov/wiki/Executive_Secretariat Executive Secretariat Correspondence Guide | i TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 II. ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT .................................................................................................................................. 1 III. THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT PROCESS.............................................................................................................................. 2 A. ES Controlled Correspondence to be Signed by the Principals .............................................................................. 2 B. ES Controlled Correspondence to be Signed by the Program Official ................................................................. 3 C. Reassign Policy ........................................................................................................................................................................... 3 D. Processing Classified Documents for the Office of the Secretary .......................................................................... 3 E. Signature Levels ......................................................................................................................................................................... 4 IV. COLLABORATION ACTION PROCESS (CAP) ........................................................................................................................... 4 A. Key Attributes ............................................................................................................................................................................. 4 B. Collaborative Action Process Flow ..................................................................................................................................... 5 Accountability ............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Package Priorities ...................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Action .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Collaboration ............................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Tips for a Speedy Review ....................................................................................................................................................... 7 Review Checklist ........................................................................................................................................................................ 8 IV. STYLE & FORMAT GUIDELINES .................................................................................................................................................. 9 A. General Guidelines for Memo Writers .............................................................................................................................. 9 B. Style Guidelines ........................................................................................................................................................................ 10 Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................................................................ 10 Agreement of Subject and Verb ......................................................................................................................................... 12 Capitalization ............................................................................................................................................................................. 12 Dates .............................................................................................................................................................................................13 Indenting ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Numbers ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Page Numbers ........................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Paragraphs ................................................................................................................................................................................. 14 Punctuation ................................................................................................................................................................................ 15 Websites ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Titles of Publications and other Entities ........................................................................................................................ 16 Word Division ........................................................................................................................................................................... 17 V. INTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE ................................................................................................................................................. 18 A. Action Memos ............................................................................................................................................................................ 18 Action Memo Sections ............................................................................................................................................................ 18 Format .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 B. Information Memos ................................................................................................................................................................ 19 Information Memo Sections ................................................................................................................................................ 19 Format .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 C. Internal Memos ........................................................................................................................................................................ 20 Format .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Executive Secretariat Correspondence Guide | ii D. Information Memo for the Secretary’s Briefing Book .............................................................................................. 21 E. Foreign Travel Requests ....................................................................................................................................................... 21 To Submit a Foreign Travel Request: .............................................................................................................................. 21 VI. EXTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE ................................................................................................................................................ 22 A. Format Rules ............................................................................................................................................................................. 22 Letterhead .................................................................................................................................................................................. 22 Margins ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 22 Font .............................................................................................................................................................................................22 Line Spacing ............................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Salutation ...................................................................................................................................................................................