FederalDaily - October 2, 2007
OPM Seeks to Strengthen Role of FEBs in Crisis Coordination
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) plans to soon have in place a new memorandum of understanding
(MOU) that will strengthen the role of the 28 Federal Executive Boards (FEB) that help provide communications
and coordination to keep agencies running during crises, OPM officials told lawmakers Sept. 28. Kevin
Mahoney, OPM associate director for the human capital leadership and merit system accountability division,
testified about the evolution of the FEBs at a Senate Homeland Security subcommittee. The boards were
established in 1961 and generally serve as liaisons between agency headquarters and field operations.
In response to a May 2007 Government Accountability Office report, OPM is taking steps to improve the
FEBs’ viability, Mahoney said. OPM and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are developing
a MOU laying out key FEB functions to support the agency’s emergency planning and response efforts,
Mahoney said. He noted that improved performance measures and accountability for emergency support
will be in place for the FEB network by October 2008. To see more, go to: www.opm.gov.
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FDA Employees Win Four Outsourcing Competitions
Employee groups within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have won the first four of 13 planned
public-private competitions for their jobs, the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) announced
on Sept. 28. Results of the initial outsourcing competitions were not surprising, given the breadth
of experience within the employee groups, NTEU President Colleen Kelley said in a statement. “It
has long been clear,” she said, “that no one can do the work of the federal government
as well as trained, dedicated and accountable federal employees.” Kelley remained critical of
other new FDA efforts to turn over agency work to the private sector. FDA announced in August that
it would subject more than 330 positions in eight different agency organizations to a series of outsourcing
contests, which NTEU criticized as especially inappropriate in light of recent food safety issues.
NTEU also renewed its appeal to the agency to call off the remaining studies. “Rather than undercut
employee morale by putting their jobs at risk,” Kelley said, “this agency needs to be much
more concerned about having the staff, resources and leadership it needs to meet its vital missions.” To
see more, go to: www.nteu.org.
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Mansfield to Become Acting VA Secretary
With the Oct. 1 departure of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Jim Nicholson, Deputy VA
Secretary Gordon H. Mansfield becomes acting secretary pending a nomination of a new VA secretary by
President Bush. An Army veteran of two tours in Vietnam, Mansfield was appointed to the deputy VA job
by Bush in November 2003. Mansfield previously served as Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal
Opportunity at the Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1989 to 1993 under Bush’s
father, President George H. W. Bush. Mansfield received his undergraduate degree from Villanova University
and law degree from the University of Miami. Nicholson, 69, announced his intention to resign this
summer. To see more, go to:
http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1390.
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