IRS Plans to Modernize “Where’s My Refund” Assistance Tool After GAO Probe
To coincide with Tax Day, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report examining challenges faced by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) during the 2021 tax filing season.
The Congressional Budget Justification Transparency Act Signed into law
The Congressional Budget Justification Transparency Act was signed into law on September 24, 2021, requiring budget justifications and appropriation requests of agencies be made publicly available.
OPM Announces Government-wide Survey on Program Evaluation Work
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) enters the next phase of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 roll out with an occupational program evaluation study.
The Future of Financial Management: Bureau of the Fiscal Service to Modernize by 2030
In an annual letter to agency chief financial officers, Commissioner Tim Gribben of The Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service announced several financial management goals for 2021.
iFEST 2021: Learning and Thriving in the New Normal
A year of dramatic shifts in online education and training have made iFEST 2021 a must-participate conference for the distributed learning community. iFEST brings together senior officials and innovators from government, industry, and academia for this three-day online conference to discuss new solutions for the new normal.
NAPA Releases Proposed Executive Order to Improve the Federal Workforce
The National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) has released a proposed executive order titled Modernizing and Reinvigorating the Public Workforce and Restoring Honor in Public Service. The proposal, written by fellows of the Academy, provides guidance that would rebuild trust in the public sector and strengthen the federal workforce. NAPA is an organization that helps government leaders solve their most critical management challenges by providing expert advice to government leaders in building and managing more effective, efficient, equitable, accountable, and transparent organizations.
SSLC Releases Report on Improving Shared Services in Government
The Shared Services Leadership Coalition (SSLC) recently released a report titled What Comes Next: Shared Services Beyond 2020- An Action Plan to Accelerate Shared Services in the Next Administration. According to its mission statement, the SSLC “advocates that the Federal Government accelerate implementation of modernized shared service business models to reduce costs and improve performance of common administrative and mission related functions on behalf of the public interest in competent, cost-effective 21st Century government.”
OPM Revamping Modernization Efforts
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is launching an attempt to reboot its IT modernization efforts and update its technology. OPM’s Office of the Inspector General released a report that identifies IT modernization as a top priority for the agency. Chief Information Officer Clare Martorana and independent consultants have laid out a plan that would reform OPM’s technology and fix many of its IT issues.
OMB Behind Schedule on Open Data Initiatives
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has not yet released guidance for federal agencies regarding implementing comprehensive data inventories, which could be delaying public access to government data. OMB also has not published reports on the 24 Chief Financial Officers Act agencies’ performance and compliance with the Open, Public, Electronic and Necessary (OPEN) Government Data Act.
Future of Defense Task Force Exposes Major Vulnerabilities in U.S. National Security
On September 29, 2020, the bipartisan Future of Defense Task Force released their final report, findings, and recommendations following a months-long review of U.S. defense assets and capabilities. The task force’s results show that U.S. national security is at a turning point. The report states that remaining competitive “will require a paradigm shift in our defense posture from heavy, expensive, and antiquated, to lean, adaptive, and integrated.”
House Modernization Committee Issues Final Round of Recommendations
The House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress passed its final round of recommendations before the end of its term. The committee has passed 97 bipartisan recommendations in its 20-month lifespan. The latest set of recommendations includes several provisions strengthening the legislative branch, namely those that strive to reform the budget and appropriations process.
Shifting Federal Employees Away from Low-Value Work
Recent updates to the President’s Management Agenda (PMA) Cross Agency Priority (CAP) Goals have focused on shifting federal employees away from low-value work toward high-value work.
FEDtalk This Week: Making Congress Modern
Chair of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA), and Vice Chair of the Committee, Representative Tom Graves (R-GA), spoke to host Jason Briefel on this week’s episode of FEDtalk. Briefel also spoke with Congressional reform advocates Kevin Kosar of the R Street Institute and Daniel Schuman of Demand Progress.
Senate Holds Hearing on Modernizing Telework for Feds, Using Private Sector Practices
In order to determine the best way to restructure federal work practices and redefine telework eligibility, a Senate Committee Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee invited a panel of private sector executives to share their thoughts.
Senior Executives Association, Center for Organizational Excellence Host Press Conference Announcing Report on Transforming Human Capital Management in Federal Workforce
In a press conference Tuesday, the Senior Executives Association (SEA) announced the release of a report detailing ways to build the capacity for change within the federal workforce. The report, led by Study Chair Steve Goodrich of the Center for Organizational Excellence (COE), argues that while most stakeholders agree modernization is necessary, in its current state the federal human capital management system (HCM) is ill-equipped to lead that modernization. The report includes three recommendations with 16 action items spread between them.