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GovExec.com Today
August 20, 2004
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In this issue:
* Senior executives fear new salary rules will roll back job protections
* Senators question FBI progress on reforms since 9/11 attacks
* IG: Energy facilities lack complete continuity of operations plans
* GAO cautions Pentagon on outsourcing weapons system maintenance work
* OPM says its hiring success can be a model for the government
* Report urges defense to help with domestic technologies
* Panel hears views on biometric passports, other ideas
* Today's column: Legal Briefs
* The Earlybird: Today's headlines
* Quote of the day
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1. Senior executives fear new salary rules will roll back job protections
By Shawn Zeller
The Senior Executives Association is lobbying Tom Davis, R-Va., chairman of the
House Government Reform Committee, urge the Office of Personnel Management to revise
new regulations governing agency performance management systems.
SEA President Carol Bonosaro said she hopes Davis will intervene with OPM so that the
new rules will provide an annual cost-of-living adjustment for senior executives who
receive a rating of at least "fully successful."
Under regulations issued last month, agencies can use their discretion in determining
whether or not to award raises to any executives. "It makes no sense," says Bonosaro.
Full story: { Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081904sz1.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081904sz1.htm
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2. Senators question FBI progress on reforms since 9/11 attacks
By Chris Strohm
Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee questioned whether the FBI has made enough
progress on reforms since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks during a hearing Thursday.
The hearing was held to consider recommendations by the 9/11 commission, which has
proposed sweeping reforms within the U.S. intelligence community. Commission members
believe the FBI is heading in the right direction under Director Robert Mueller, but
worry that reforms will not stick if there are leadership changes at the bureau.
"The commission's report strikes several familiar chords, showing we have much ground
yet to cover before we can say the FBI is as effective as Americans need the bureau to
be in preventing and combating terrorism," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., committee
ranking member.
Full story: { Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081904c1.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081904c1.htm
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3. IG: Energy facilities lack complete continuity of operations plans
By Amelia Gruber
Several of the Energy Department's nuclear facilities aren't adequately prepared to
handle emergencies, according to a recent inspectors general report.
A year-long review of emergency procedures at five Energy Department laboratories,
including four nuclear sites, revealed that none had adequately tested
continuity-of-operations plans or listed essential duties. Only one of the five had
settled on a place to relocate in the event of an emergency.
Two of the sites lacked orders of succession for key jobs, and two weren't prepared to
protect records and databases, according to the Energy IG report (DOE/IG-0657). "As a
result, the department may face increased risks to its operations, employees and
surrounding communities during an emergency situation," the report cautioned.
Full story: { Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081904a1.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081904a1.htm
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4. GAO cautions Pentagon on outsourcing weapons system maintenance work
By George Cahlink
The Defense Department should take a more cautious approach to outsourcing
maintenance work for weapons systems, according to a new Government Accountability
Office report.
The Pentagon has been pushing the services to use more performance-based contracts for
the maintenance of weapons systems. Under those deals, the military would hire a
contractor to manage and maintain weapon systems for a predetermined, fixed price.
Defense has said those contracts would mirror what the private sector already does to
support its most complex equipment.
GAO found, however, that most large companies did not use performance-based contracts
for large equipment because the systems complexity discourages competition and may
even be more expensive. GAO noted companies used performance-based contracts for
smaller, less complex systems, which often are awarded without competition because few
companies can do that work.
"DoD's proposed approach to implementing performance-based logistics could limit
opportunities for achieving cost-savings from competition, volume discounts and
reduced administrative costs," stated the report, "Opportunities to Enhance the
Competition of Performance-Based Logistics" (GAO-04-715).
Full story: { Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081904g1.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081904g1.htm
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5. OPM says its hiring success can be a model for the government
By David McGlinchey
Officials at the Office of Personnel Management said Wednesday that they have
developed and proven a method that could solve hiring problems across the federal
government.
According to OPM, the agency has hired 278 employees over nine months, taking an
average of 36 days to hire each one. OPM has been pushing a formula that calls for
employees to be hired within 45 days after the vacancy announcement is closed.
"Our results prove it can be done," said OPM Director Kay Coles James. "We have hired
278 people into a variety of important occupations ... we are in a competition with
the private sector for talent, and OPM is doing what it can to help agencies hire the
very best job candidates."
Full story: { Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081904d1.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081904d1.htm
_____
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Brought to you by Microsoft
{ Link:
http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;10235920;5622871;a?http://ad.doubleclick.net/click;h=v2 }
{Image: Brought to you by Microsoft}
Shared Intelligence is Our Best Defense
Homeland security depends on getting the right information to the right people, right
away. Solutions from Microsoft and industry partners can help. Now state, federal and
municipal agencies can communicate seamlessly and more securely. And, like all
solutions built on Windows Server System, they're easy to use and cost less over time.
To see the solutions at work, go to { Link:
http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;10235920;5622871;a?http://ad.doubleclick.net/click;h=v2 }
microsoft.com/homeland.
_____
_____
6. Report urges defense to help with domestic technologies
By William New, National Journal's Technology Daily
The Defense Department should help the Homeland Security Department develop
technologies to fight disasters or terrorism, the National Academies of Science
National Research Council said in a report released Thursday.
"Many of the needs of emergency-response personnel could be addressed by technologies
developed by the Army and other military services, so [Homeland Security] and
[Defense] should partner to answer these needs," committee Chairman John Lyons said in
a statement. Lyons is a retired director of the Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi,
Md. The report identifies the Army as the service with the most experience in
providing support to civilian authorities.
The report, which is based on analysis from March, praised the Bush administration's
efforts on homeland security but criticized its lack of planning.
Full story: { Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081904tdpm1.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081904tdpm1.htm
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7. Panel hears views on biometric passports, other ideas
By Danielle Belopotosky, National Journal's Technology Daily
U.S. citizens should not be exempt from carrying biometric passports or other means
of verifying their identities, former Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., said Thursday in his
capacity as vice chairman of the panel that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks.
Speaking to the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, he also urged the federal
government to set standards for issuing identification documents such as birth
certificates and driver's licenses.
The hearing focused on the future of the FBI, border security and the anti-terrorism
law known as the USA PATRIOT Act, and intelligence experts reported on their efforts
to make improvements over the past three years. As Congress considers the so-called
9/11 Commission's recommendations, average citizens soon may be impacted.
Full story: { Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081904tdpm2.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081904tdpm2.htm
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8. Today's column: Legal Briefs
Dismissing Screeners
The Merit Systems Protection Board deals transportation security screeners a set back.
Full column: { Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/082004lb.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/082004lb.htm
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9. The Earlybird: Today's headlines
Get links to the top news of the day:
{ Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/ebird.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/ebird.htm
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10. Quote of the day
"All of the field offices have secure classified information facilities but they are
very, very small areas. I sometimes joke that they look like closets."
-- Maureen Baginski, the FBI's executive assistant director of intelligence, telling
Congress the FBI { Link:
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=29253&dcn=todaysnews }
needs more resources.
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