The budget calls for $500 million to modernize services, reduce administrative burdens, pilot new online tools, and improve service delivery. Image: chainarong06/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffThe Biden administration’s budget package highlights ongoing and planned customer service initiatives, one of the three main elements—along with the federal workforce and improving government business practices—in its President’s Management Agenda.
A fact sheet said that the budget calls for $500 million government-wide to “modernize services, reduce administrative burdens, pilot new online tools and technologies, and improve agency capacity to improve service delivery.” Within that amount of special interest to the federal workforce would be an additional $6.6 million to the OPM to address the longstanding problem of the waiting time for new retirees to begin receiving their full annuity benefits.
Other funding boosts mentioned in the fact sheet would be provided for purposes including streamlining TSA passenger screening at airports; providing more State Department passport services online; upgrading SSA online and phone customer service; IT improvements to allow the IRS to improve the taxpayer experience and expand customer service outreach; and redesigning federal agency websites to make them more user-friendly.
The budget proposal itself further highlights initiatives including: standing up or greatly expanding customer experience offices at Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, Interior, Labor, Treasury, VA, SBA and SSA; adding employees with customer experience skills at those agencies plus FEMA and the Bureau of the Census; investing in programs to collect and report experience performance data from the public; and involving the GSA’s Technology Transformation Services with customer service improvement projects.
Also referenced was the recently announced series of pilot projects built around streamlining and consolidating interactions with various federal agencies at key life points such as the birth of a child, transition from military service, experiencing a natural disaster or financial shock, and transitioning into retirement.
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See also,
Calculating Service Credit for Sick Leave At Retirement
FERS Supplement vs The 10% Pension Bonus
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Where Should I Put My TSP in Retirement
