Obama signed the GPRA Modernization Act in January. While OMB has yet to issue any formal guidance to agencies on what they should do, there has been a flurry of conferences, forums, and seminars that have focused on the new law’s meaning and intent. In the past month, I’ve participated in more than a halfRead… Read more »
This piece was originally published for Bloomberg Government on 03/11/2011. The Obama White House announced plans in December to transform the way federal information technology projects are managed and executed. Its 25-point implementation instructions to federal agencies include many good ideas, from the adoption of light technologies and shared services to aligning the budget andRead… Read more »
Good morning, Fellow GovLoopers! Dan Chenok posted his thoughts on the FY 2012 IT Budget on the Business of Government Blog. I thought I’d share the highlights here (though you really should read the whole thing!) As occurs each year, the President’s Budget Proposal includes a Chapter on IT spending – it’s in the “AnalyticalRead… Read more »
Over the past two decades, Congress and the Executive Branch have created a series of “chief officer” positions in agencies, supported by cross-government councils. Council leaders are now changing the way they manage them to boost government efficiency and effectiveness in lean times. Agencies facing increasingly challenging fiscal environments are looking for ways to makeRead… Read more »
President Obama signed a memo to all agency heads yesterday with an unwieldy title: “Administrative Flexibility, Lower Costs, and Better Results for State, Local, and Tribal Governments.’ But it contains the seeds of a potential shift in how the federal government works, if implemented smartly. Over the years, presidents have directed agencies to streamline theirRead… Read more »
As part of an effort to reform the federal acquisition process for technology, US Federal CIO, Vivek Kundra, unveiled an ambitious 25-point plan for addressing many of the issues that plaque the way the government purchases technology in hopes of delivering more value to the taxpayer. Part of the implementation plan was to counter theRead… Read more »
Mythbusters are in Government — and it’s not just a TV show! I had the pleasure of joining colleagues and friends at the AFFIRM luncheon today where we heard Daniel Gordon, Administrator, Office of Federal Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget candidly talk about his priorities and a few myths they are trying toRead… Read more »
Attention to the FY 2012 budget’s performance and management initiatives have been overwhelmed by the enormity of the proposed budget cuts by both the President and the Congress, and the resolution of the pending FY 2011 continuing resolution. For the most part, the management section of the budget, reflects a continued commitment to initiatives initiallyRead… Read more »
In a move to prevent large businesses from claiming set-asides meant for small businesses, the Small Business Administration (SBA) is changing a number of its regulations. The changes include: Clarifying the effect of eligibility decisions on procurements Increasing the amount of time the SBA has to issue formal business size determinations and file North AmericanRead… Read more »
President Obama committed to reorganizing the government during his State of the Union address. He pointed to examples of how government agencies duplicate and overlap each other in their programs, and how this needs to be fixed. He also noted that it has been decades since the last major reorganization. And he’s right. The lastRead… Read more »