FederalDaily.com > GAO: Federal Regulators Need Clearer PFP Criteria

FederalDaily - September 28, 2006

GAO: Federal Regulators Need Clearer PFP Criteria

Federal regulators need to develop clearer criteria for agencies seeking certification to administer a pay for performance system for their senior executives, said a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. The GAO in a Sept. 26 report said that the certification process used by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)—with the concurrence of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)—was wanting. If certified, an agency has the flexibility to raise the pay of its highest performing senior executives above certain pay caps. To win such authority, it must meet nine certification criteria—including demonstrating that its performance management system aligns individual performance expectations with the agency mission. A number of agencies GAO contacted expressed concern over whether OPM is able to communicate expectations, guidance and deadlines to agencies in a clear and consistent manner, the report said. OPM officials agreed that agencies need better guidance and were working on improvements, it said. According to OPM, 24 agencies were certified during calendar year 2006—of these, only the Department of Labor’s system received full certification, the report said. To see highlights, go to: www.gao.gov/highlights/d061125thigh.pdf.

IRS Stretched Thin, NTEU Says

The leader of a union representing IRS employees said the agency needs to hire more employees, seek an adequate federal funding stream and reassign veteran tax collectors in an effort to close the nation’s $345 billion tax gap. The tax gap—the difference between taxes owed and taxes paid—could be whittled away if IRS just hired more employees, Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) said on Sept. 26. In an NTEU “White Paper,” Kelly noted that in 1995 about 114.6 million tax returns were filed—growing to 130.3 million by 2003. Yet, over that same time, the total number of IRS employees declined from 114,000 to 94,000. Furthermore, despite the growing workload, the requested IRS budget for FY 2007 reflects an insufficient increase of about 1.5 percent, Kelley said. And, she said, the IRS needs to move experienced staff from areas of less need—like paper tax return processing—to Automated Collection Systems (ACS) work. To see more, go to: www.nteu.org/PressKits/PressRelease/PressRelease.aspx?ID=967.

Bill Calls for Tighter Computer Security

A prominent Republican lawmaker has introduced legislation to require federal agencies to better protect Americans’ sensitive personal information after a new report showed more than 1,000 laptops have disappeared from the Commerce Department. House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis, R-Va., on Sept. 25 introduced the Federal Agency Data Breach Protection Act (H.R. 6163), which would require all federal agencies to inform the public about data breaches involving sensitive data. The bill amends the Federal Information Security Management Act, which Davis introduced and guided to passage in 2002. Davis' legislation directs the Office of Management and Budget to establish procedures for federal agencies to follow if personal information is lost or stolen. It also would require individuals be notified if personal information could be compromised by a breach of computer security by a federal agency. "If new policies and procedures are not forthcoming quickly, or if they lack the teeth to get the job done, I will revisit this matter with additional legislation," Davis said. To see more, go to:
reform.house.gov/GovReform/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=50676.