Lots of progress to share on the President’s Management Agenda—as reflected in OMB’s PMA update in the mid-session budget update to Congress.  We are compiling “success stories” on the PMA in each agency—please share any progress your agency is making!!!

                                                                              -Carl

July 2003

Table of Contents:

1. Government-Wide News
2. Integrating Performance and Budgeting
3. Improved Financial Management
4. Strategic Management of Human Capital
5. Competitive Sourcing
6. Citizen-Centered e-Government

To help agencies reach the “Proud to Be” milestones and to get to green on the PMA, The Performance Institute and a coalition of good-government groups has assembled HR Innovations 2003 – the only comprehensive human capital management event being offered to government managers this year.

This three track summit features a menu of specially designed sessions on human capital planning and recruitment, managing a performance-based workforce, and human resource business processes.  Along with keynote addresses from Kay Coles James and Rep. JoAnn Davis and four comprehensive workshops, HR Innovations 2003 will provide attendees with the latest updates and best practices in human resource management.  For more information, please visit the summit website at: HRInnovations.org

1. Government-Wide News

a. Agency Progress in Implementing the PMA

-Issued along with the mid-session budget review, the White House has released a progress report on implementing the President’s Management Agenda in federal agencies.  It reports on newly implemented programs as part of the five initiatives and offers highlights of executive agency performance in implementing the agenda.  To access the HTML version, go to:  PMA Progress

-Along with the progress report on PMA implementation, OMB released the latest PMA Scorecard (June 30, 2003).  The most notable improvements came from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Social Security Administration, which both “Got to Green” in Improved Financial Management.  To access the latest scorecard and past scorecards, go to:   Scorecard
 

b. New Deputy OMB Director Nominated

-President Bush recently nominated Joel David Kaplan to be Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget, pending confirmation.  Kaplan currently serves as Special Assistant to the President in the Office of the Chief of Staff.  To access the White House press release, go to: White House - Kaplan
 

2. Integrating Performance and Budgeting

a. Mid-Session Review of the FY 2004 Budget 

-OMB has released the mid-session review of the FY 2004 federal budget.  The review contains new summary changes, economic assumptions, receipts and spending, as well as the PMA implementation update.  To access this review, go to: Mid-Session Budget Review
 

b. New PART Guidance for the FY 2005 Budget Released

-OMB has released the new Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) guidance for the FY 2005 Budget.  Along with the new guidance, OMB has also released PART measurement challenges and strategies, recommendation follow-up on the PART, PART training and the various program worksheets.  To access these documents, go to: FY05 PART Guidance
 

c. OMB to Brief Congressional Appropriators on the PART

-Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director Clay Johnson said that OMB will begin actively briefing lawmakers on Capitol Hill on the Program Assessment Rating Tool. The news comes three weeks after a budgeting summit hosted by the Performance Institute on the Hill to expand the dialogue between the two branches. At that summit, a senior staff assistant on the House Appropriations Committee announced that he and other staff have not yet used the PART, nor will they until the executive branch demonstrates its commitment to the tool.  To read more, go to:  GovExec - PART Brief
 

d. GAO Testimony: Opportunities for Oversight and Improved Use of Taxpayer Funds

-The General Accounting Office released a testimony by David Walker, comptroller general of the United States on the role of Congressional oversight over the use of taxpayer funds.  The testimony specifically addresses social security programs, Medicare, and tax compliance and preferences.  To access this testimony, go to: GAO - Oversight
 

e. OMB Appoints New Initiative Owner for Budget-Performance Integration

 Robert Shea will be taking over lead responsibility for OMB as initiative owner for the Budget-Performance Integration PMA Goal.  Robert serves as Senior Counselor to the OMB Comptroller and has extensive experience in performance budgeting initiatives, having led oversight of GPRA for the Senate Governmental Affairs committee for many years.  Previously the initiative owner for this goal had been Marcus Peacock—who did an exemplary job of developing the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART).  Marcus remains with OMB in his current position of Associate Director of OMB for Natural Resources, Environment and Science programs.
 

f. Performance-Based Budgeting and PART Simulation August 26-28                 Arlington, VA

-To assist agency program managers in improving their PART evaluations and communicating their budget justifications to Congress, The Performance Institute is sponsoring a PART and performance budgeting summit in August 2003.  This summit will feature opening comments from OMB on how the PART has affected budgets and what to expect in the next round.  Participants will then be walked through the PART process and have their program budget evaluations reviewed by experts, along with the opportunity to undertake a mock congressional review and hearing to learn how to communicate their budget justifications to appropriators. For more information or to receive an agenda for this summit, contact Vincent Badolato at [email protected].

3. Improved Financial Management

a. GAO Publication: Government Auditing Standards.

-The General Accounting Office released the 2003 revision to the Yellow Book, the government auditing standards.  Representing the first significant revision to the standards since 1994, the revision makes changes that: redefine the types of audits and services covered by the standards, provide consistency in reporting, and strengthen the existing auditing standards.  To access the standards go to: Government Auditing Standards
 

b. GAO Testimony:  Reducing Improper Payments Through the Improper Payments Information Act 

-The General Accounting Office released a testimony by McCoy Williams, financial management and assurance director, addressing the reduction of improper payments.  Through implementation of the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002, the government can improve the internal control system that safeguards assets, preventing and detecting errors and fraud.  To assess this testimony, go to:  GAO - Reducing Improper Payments
 

c. GAO Correspondence:  Core Financial Systems at the 24 CFO Act Agencies

-The General Accounting Office released a correspondence that reports on the core financial systems currently in place at the 24 Chief Financial Officer Act agencies and the status of any agency plans to update these systems.  To access this correspondence, go to: GAO - Financial Systems 

4. Strategic Management of Human Capital 
 

a. GAO Report: Opportunities to Improve Hiring Processes  

-The General Accounting Office released a report that identifies federal hiring obstacles, provides examples of innovative hiring practices, and notes opportunities for improvement.  GAO recommends that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) reform the classification process, assist agencies in automating their hiring processes, develop improved hiring assessment tools and review the effectiveness of selected hiring authorities.  To access this report, go to:  GAO - Hiring Processes
 

b. Online Recruitment to be Overhauled

-The government’s online recruiting and hiring process will be overhauled in order to increase the government’s capability to access a broad pool of candidates and fill positions faster.  By January 1, 2004, USAJOBS is intended to become a one-stop center where candidates can find all government job offerings and federal recruiters can access a database of all candidate resumes.  Called Recruitment One-Stop, it will be managed by OPM.  To read more on this initiative, go to: Federal Times - Online Recruitment
 

c. GAO Testimony: Additional Human Capital Flexibilities

-The General Accounting Office released a testimony by David Walker on GAO’s views concerning a new human capital proposal to be introduced as the GAO Human Capital Reform Act of 2003.  This proposal is intended to institute new initiatives that should assist GAO in enhancing performance, assuring accountability, and attracting and maintaining a high-performing work force.  To access this testimony, go to: GAO - Human Capital Flexibilities

5. Competitive Sourcing
 

a. Measure in Interior Bill to Prevent Competitions will be Resolved in Conference

-A measure in the Interior Bill that seeks to prevent competitive sourcing studies at the Department of the Interior and Forest Service survived debate on the House floor and will be resolved in the House-Senate conference.  It is speculated that the language of the measure will be changed to ensure that the competitive sourcing studies can still be conducted as long as Congress is kept informed on progress.  Taxpayer advocates and good government groups continue to educate Congress on the realities of competitive sourcing and how competition inevitably leads to better value—regardless of who wins. To read more, go to:  GovExec - Interior Bill

-To read a commentary on why competitive sourcing should go forward, go to: Federal Times - Commentary
 

b. GAO Testimony: New Circular A-76 Success Depends on Implementation

-The General Accounting Office released a testimony by David Walker on how the new Circular A-76 addresses the recommendations of the Commercial Activities Panel (CAP) and the challenges agencies may face in implementing the Circular.  Mr. Walker testified that the Circular is generally consistent with the CAP recommendations and he feels that the 12-month time limit on competitions will be the most significant challenge to implementation.  To access this testimony, go to: GAO - A-76 Implementation
 

c. Styles Responds to Concerns with Competitive Sourcing

-Administrator for the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, Angela Styles, recently responded a variety of concerns with the new Circular A-76 and the competitive sourcing process.  She answers questions regarding why competitive sourcing is moving forward and guidance on managing the process and employee morale. To access the transcript or video, go to: Styles Transcript
 

d. GAO Report: DOD Faces Challenges Implementing Its Core Competency Approach and A-76 Competitions

-The General Accounting Office released a report that addresses the Department of Defense’s (DOD) progress in assessing its core functions as a basis for sourcing decisions, the plans and progress in identifying and implementing alternatives to A-76, and the current status of DOD’s A-76 program.  To access this report, go to: GAO - DOD Competitive Sourcing
 

e. Competitive Sourcing Under a Revised A-76 Circular      August 5-7    Washington, DC

-The Performance Institute is hosting this timely summit that will provide attendees with up-to-date information on the new competitive sourcing developments and how to use these changes to keep your agency in compliance with the new A-76 guidelines.  Sessions will focus on the major changes to A-76-providing not only an overview of the requirements but providing examples and tips for agency implementation.  For more information or to receive a copy of the agenda, please contact Vincent Badolato [email protected].

6. Citizen-Centered e-Government
 

a. OMB to Remodel Federal Technology Systems along Business Lines

-OMB plans to conduct a complete overhaul and remodeling of federal technology systems to remove isolated systems and provide for compatible and efficient information access.  The six business lines for remodeling are: criminal investigations, health monitoring, financial management, human resources, data and statistics, and monetary benefits.  This multi-billion dollar operation is expected to continue until 2008.  To read more, go to: GovExec - Technology Systems Overhaul
 

b. GeoData.gov Launched

-The first release of GeoData.gov, the new public gateway to maps, geospatial data and resources, was launched as part of Geospatial One-Stop.  GeoData.gov, launched by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Department of Interior, features one-stop access to geospatial information and resources and allows multiple users in different locations to share information, while integrating data from many sources.  To read the press release, go to: E-Gov - GeoData.gov
 

c. Deloitte Research Report: Using IT to Address Budget Shortfalls

-Deloitte Research released a report on how to utilize the power of information technology to address budget shortfalls in government.  The report contains an approach for using the full capacity of IT, as well as strategies to remove inefficiencies from IT budgets.  To access this report (requires a free, one time registration) go to: Deloitte Research Report
 

d. Government Technology Performance Summit
September 15-19              Washington, DC

- To ensure that agencies are equipped with innovative, comprehensive practices to ensure IT project performance, The Performance Institute, Gartner and other groups are sponsoring the Government Technology Performance Summit 2003 in Washington, DC.  This wide-ranging summit contains four separate tracks to leverage technology to improve program performance, IT project management for results, IT performance planning and project metrics, and using technology to achieve the PMA.  With three days of in-depth workshops and presentations from IT experts in both the public and private sector, participants will emerge with an extensive knowledge base on how to improve performance and utilize IT potential to its fullest.  For more information or to register, go to: Government Technology Performance Summit

Project Director: Carl DeMaio
Newsletter Editor: Vincent Badolato  

The PMA Update is provided as an informational newsletter to all federal employees.  Should you not wish to continue to receive the newsletter, please respond to this email address with "unsubscribe" and your email will be taken off of the distribution list.

The Performance Institute is a private think tank that serves as the nation’s leading authority and repository on performance-based management practices for government organizations.  Its mission is to identify, study and disseminate the leading management innovations pioneered by “best-in-class” government programs at federal, state and local levels. Through its national conferences on pressing issues, interactive executive training programs, and best practice research projects, the Institute provides cutting-edge expertise in the design, implementation and evaluation of strategies to solve operational challenges and enhance government performance.

Reason Public Policy Institute is a public policy think tank promoting the principles of competition, accountability, performance and transparency in government.  Through practical and innovative approaches to complex government management problems, Reason seeks to assist federal, state and local government leaders in implementing change in the design and management of government programs.