ZUCKERMAN: The goal of this operating priority is to increase customer satisfaction and improve processing efficiencies in the staggered determination letter process.

One of the ways in which we hope to accomplish this is by implementing recommendations collected through internal and external resources.

As the last cycle in the first set of cycles under the staggered determination letter program concluded in Fiscal Year 2011, the Employee Plans Determination Letter Study, EPDLS, was commissioned.

It was conducted by a diverse internal team comprised of R&A management and staff, as well as independent personnel from other areas.

As a result of the EPDLS, a number of recommendations for comprehensive improvements to the DL program were made to and approved by TE/GE leadership.

Implementation of the EPDLS recommendations has already begun, including the development of a new technical-screening group and a new accelerated-processing group to expedite DL processing.

Full implementation of all of the EPDLS recommendations is expected to be completed by no later than the end of Fiscal Year 2013.

In addition, in Fiscal Year 2011, we identified complex qualification issues in ESOPs, and we are working with Guidance and Treasury to determine how best to resolve these issues through the protection of participant benefits.

In Fiscal Year 2012, we will place a strong emphasis on the implementation of the EPDLS recommendations and continue to look for ways to improve the DL process and increase customer satisfaction.

This will include completion of the deployment of the DL screening and accelerated-processing groups.

We will also begin ramping up the processing of pre-approved, defined-contribution-plan cases.

Stay tuned for more news about these exciting developments in EP R&A.