FederalDaily.com > OMB Touts Results of Competitive Sourcing

FederalDaily - April 24, 2006

OMB Touts Results of Competitive Sourcing

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) said on April 20 that two of its new reports show that public-private competitions completed in FY 2005 are expected to yield $3.1 billion in savings over the next five to 10 years. “Federal employees are taking strategic advantage of competitive sourcing to achieve quantifiable savings and provide better service to taxpayers,” said Clay Johnson, OMB’s Deputy Director for Management. Cumulative projected savings from competitions completed between FY 2003-2005 are expected to generate $5.6 billion, or about $1 billion in annualized estimated savings, OMB said. This translates to about $27 for every dollar spent on competition, regardless of who performs the work, according to OMB. Federal employees won competitions for over 80 percent of the work competed over the past three fiscal years. To read OMB’s reports, go to www.results.gov or www.omb.gov.

Negroponte Discusses Intelligence Community

The U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) comprises almost 100,000 employees in 16 federal departments and agencies, Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte said. “They are stationed all over the world, many in dangerous locations, separated from their families,” he added, speaking at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on the first anniversary of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (April 20). “From town halls, briefings, overseas travel, one-on-one encounters and more formal assessments, I can tell you that overall, Intelligence Community professionals like their work in the IC…They also have high trust and respect for their managers and senior leaders.” He also said there was room for improvement, specifically, “Our employees want us to do a better job recognizing high performers and addressing poor performance.”

DHS Strategy against Illegal Immigration

On April 20 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary Julie L. Myers announced new immigration enforcement strategies. ICE Fugitive Operations teams are charged with locating and arresting aliens at large who are fugitives that have been ordered removed by an immigration judge. ICE will expand the number of Fugitive Operations teams from the existing 35 teams to 52 teams by the end of this fiscal year. ICE also plans to open a Fugitive Operation Support Center to assist field agents and officers in record checks and processing real-time leads. ICE’s Operation Community Shield targets foreign-born gang members. ICE has requested 322 position enhancements for Operation Community Shield in fiscal year 2007. Social Security abuse provides a “gateway for illegal aliens to obtain jobs,” according to DHS. Currently, ICE does not have access to Social Security data, but DHS is seeking legislation to change that.

NATCA Asks FAA Back to Bargaining Table

National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) President John Carr wrote a formal request on April 21 to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Marion C. Blakey asking that the FAA return to the bargaining table to resume negotiations with NATCA for a voluntary agreement. “…a voluntary labor agreement between NATCA and the agency covering the air traffic controllers unit and two other units represented by NATCA remains desirable and achievable,” Carr’s letter stated. This is the latest action in a harsh, public dispute over a new contract. Previously, an impasse in union/agency negotiations was declared on April 5. Once the impasse was declared, the FAA sent its proposal to Congress, which then had 60 days to take action. Without congressional action, after 60 days the agency can implement its final proposal. “NATCA stands ready to offer a revised economic proposal…” said the April 21 letter.