President Obama has issued an executive order setting in motion the upcoming presidential transition, including establishment of the White House Transition Coordinating Council and the Agency Transition Directors Council.
The White House council, to consist of high-level officials from the White House, GSA and certain other agencies, is to provide guidance to regarding preparations for the transition, including succession planning and preparation of briefing materials, and facilitate information sharing between the transition representatives of the candidates and senior employees in agencies and the Executive Office of the President.
The agency council, to include a senior career representative from any agency that has significant responsibilities related to the transition process, is to ensure agencies adequately prepare career employees who are designated to fill non-career positions during a transition, among other duties.
It also is to ensure the government has an integrated strategy for addressing interagency challenges and responsibilities around Presidential transitions and turnover of non-career appointees; coordinate transition activities among the Executive Office of the President, agencies, and the transition team of the candidates and the President-elect and Vice-President-elect; and provide guidance to agencies in gathering briefing materials and information relating to the transition for the candidates.
