Purpose:

Audience. These procedures apply to IRS employees who are responsible for developing, implementing, and using this system including:

Policy Owner. The Deputy Chief of Staff Office of the Commissioner’s Complex.

Program Owner. The Director, Senior Commissioner’s Representatives - Continuity of Operations within the Deputy Chief of Staff Office.

Stakeholders. All IRS employees.

This system will communicate to IRS employees through text, email and/or phone call notifications and will be used to notify employees of security and emergency related matters in an expeditious manner.

Employees are strongly encouraged to maintain accurate and up to date contact information to ensure receipt of emergency notifications from the Service.

Employee contact data will be extrapolated from HR Connect.

Alert Publishers are required to maintain the confidentiality of the data.

The IRS Emergency Hotline is the responsibility of the business owner, Information Technology Services (IT), and will remain in place for emergency notifications.

The system is restricted to be used for employee security, safety, and emergency situations that warrant the immediate distribution of information to all employees assigned to a specific building. Due to the nature and purpose of this system, its usage must be limited to security, safety, and emergency alert messages.

SCR-CO has developed template messages to ensure consistency and quality. The SCR Emergency Notification Scripts provide examples of emergency situations such as Inclement Weather, Credible Threat, Active Shooter, Biological/Chemical Agent, Civil Disturbance, and possible directions (shelter in place (SIP), evacuation, all clear). Access to these scripts is limited to members of SCR-CO and Campus Site Coordinators. AtHoc is used during these situations.

Continuity of Government Operations scripts are controlled by Continuity of Operations.

Off-script, custom messages that do not address employee safety must be for unique situations and be approved by the SCR or the Campus Site Coordinator to ensure appropriate content and high quality.

Usage not conforming to employee security, safety, and emergency situations must have prior approval by the Commissioner’s Chief of Staff.

In the National Capital Region, office closures will be initiated by Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for weather and other possible event. IRS will initiate office closures for issues specific to IRS facilities. In the field and campuses, IRS initiates office closure.

In the National Capital Region, OPM maintains information on their own website, and Alert Publishers use this to generate an AtHoc message.

The President of the United States alone determines and issues the COGCON Level. When the President directs a COGCON change, all executive departments and agencies are notified.

The Continuity of Government Readiness Conditions (COGCON) system establishes executive branch readiness levels based on possible threats to the National Capital Region:

All AtHoc notifications go to the employee’s contact information as listed in HRConnect.

Employees are required to update their contact information in HR Connect. Employee data will be uploaded into AtHoc daily (including weekends).

AtHoc User Profiles are extracted into AtHoc from HR Connect:

Employees may download the AtHoc app to their Government mobile devices and their personal cell phones. This is NOT a violation of the PATH Act restrictions on personal email for business purposes.

Only employees responsible for building-wide communication of emergency information will be authorized to publish messages using this system.

The AtHoc Program Manager will establish controls and program reviews that will ensure system security and establish the procedures by which these controls will be administered. These controls are necessary not only due to the nature of the communications being shared, but also due to the public domain transmission to personal devices, and access to employee’s personal contact information.

New users must request system access through BEARS. The AtHoc Operations Team will review the request, and issue training materials. When the training has been completed, the AtHoc Operations Team will approve access to AtHoc. The new user must certify the training is completed within 30 days or the BEARS request will need to be resubmitted.

Questions regarding the use of AtHoc should be directed to the SCR-CO Field Operations Branch.

The list of Publishers will be audited by the AtHoc Program Management Team on an annual basis to ensure only those who meet the necessary criteria have access to the system.

The AtHoc Operations Team will require Publishers to review and certify annually the AtHoc User Guide and associated Interim Guidance AtHoc Usage and Policy to maintain access to the system.

Alert Publishers will be required to take:

Special topic seminars will be conducted by SCR-CO AtHoc Operations Team.

Using the system for tests and drills reminds employees of the benefits/necessity of having messages sent to their personal devices.

Three tests will take place during the fiscal year:

The AtHoc system is used in the performance of emergency drills (SIP, evacuation). These drill messages must be followed by a corresponding "All Clear" message to conclude the event.

Following the conclusion of the test, each test administrator will submit successful completion numbers to the Program Manager along with any issues which must be resolved.

SCRs have the discretion to conduct more testing as needed.

AtHoc Emergency Notification System is the general information page for all employees on IRS Source.

SCR Emergency Notification Scripts for SCRs and delegated officers for emergency notification only.

Service Providers CyberGuide for SCR Field Operations, FMSS, and IT for cross-functional activities.

Alert Publisher Desk Guide for publishers (SCRs, AOs, and Site Coordinators).

AO Virtual Desk and Procedure Guide for SCRs and AOs only, and covers all general procedures including those that may be covered by AtHoc.