Federal Manager's Daily Report

In passing HR-5485, the general government appropriations bill, the House included several provisions urging stricter OMB oversight of agency operations.

An explanation from the Appropriations Committee says that panel “appreciates that the administration has tried to improve customer service . . . . However, more needs to be done to improve the services that the government provides whether it is citizens calling the Internal Revenue Service with questions, or Office of Personnel Management processing federal employment retirement claims.”

It orders OMB to develop standards to improve customer service for all agencies, and to report to Congress on how these standards are incorporated into agency performance plans.

The bill also would require OMB to produce a report on agency compliance with a 2012 memo ordering them to reduce their travel expenses by 30 percent below the fiscal 2010 level. The report would have to identify the savings achieved by each agency, whether the savings goal was achieved, and how or if the changes in travel and conference policies have impacted agencies’ ability to perform mission critical activities. It also would have to include recommendations to improve upon OMB’s travel policies.

“OMB shall ensure that agencies are implementing policies regarding travel, event, meeting or conference locations based on the most efficient use of taxpayer funds,” a House report on the bill says.

Also, OMB would be directed to “ensure agency compliance of the data-centric approach to federal financial reporting and fully standardized automated agency data submissions” under the DATA Act.

OMB further would have to report on what it is doing to ensure that agencies are not making improper payments to deceased individuals and to improve the use of performance measures in agency budget requests.