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National Academy Report Drives Changes at Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management

The National Academy of Public Administration has released a new report on a management review of the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management, which oversees the cleanup of dangerous materials resulting from more than half a century of nuclear weapons production and government-sposored nuclear energy research. EM has accepted and begun to implement nearly all of the Panel's proposals, which deal with staffing levels, HR improvements and related issues.

Read the press release
Read the report
Appendices to the report
Click here to read the Department of Energy statement on the report

Audio Commentary:  Excerpts from a joint December 18 media availability held at the Department of Energy by Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management Jim Rispoli (left) and National Academy Fellow and Board of Directors member Jonathan D. Breul (right), who served on the study panel. 

Jim Rispoli discusses how EM is working to implement the report’s recommendations

Jonathan Breul explains how the National Academy panel compared staffing at EM to that of other government entities that deal with environmental cleanup.

Academy Develops New HR Model for University of California

The National Academy of Public Administration has completed an innovative model for improving human resources systems at the University of California, one of the nation's most respected public universities.  This Certified Assessment of Human Resources Systems, or CAHRS (pronounced“cares”), was developed in partnership with UC to ensure that HR operations match the excellence of the University’s primarymission areas of education, medical care and research. The CAHRS model measures human capital performance against validated HR Standards---developed using an extensive research and validation process---and includes a Readiness Review, Self-Assessment, Peer Review and Certification.

While there are programs to certify individual HR professionals on the basis of their credentials or expertise, no program exists to certify HR systems as a whole. This new CAHRS model is a significant step toward filling that gap. And while the current CAHRS model was designed for implementation in an academic environment, CAHRS is sufficiently flexible to be transferable to other organizations, both public and private, with relatively minor modification.

Read the report

National Academy Releases New Summary Report on Offshoring

The National Academy is releasing a new capping report to summarize a recent series of panel reports on the offshoring of service jobs. The reports attempt to further define an elusive phenomenon and provide some recommendations to mitigate its impact.

Click here for the Summary Report

Click here to view: 
Offshoring: An Elusive Phenomenon 
Offshoring: How Big Is It?  
Offshoring: What Are Its Effects?

Click here for a three minute audio commentary, excerpts from a conversation with Panel Chair Janet Norwood.

Academy Celebrates 40th Anniversary

The National Academy of Public Administration celebrated 40 years of promoting excellence in government with a series of events during the organization’s Fall Meeting November 14-16 in Washington, DC.  Highlights included a 40th Anniversary Celebration Dinner at the historic Willard Hotel, paying tribute to both the National Academy’s four decades of service and some of our newest Honorary Fellows, including former Secretary of Transportation and of Commerce, Norman Y. Mineta, who was in attendance.
 
The National Academy also kicked off it’s year-long “National Dialogue” series on government’s most crucial challenges at a November 15th plenary featuring Academy President and CEO Jenna Dorn, Senior Brookings Fellow and former US. Office of Management and Budget director Alice Rivlin, former Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater and several others.

Click here for video highlights

National Academy Report Recommends Next Steps to Advance National System of Environmental Indicators

The National Academy of Public Administration has released a panel report that provides recommendations to the five federal environmental and natural resources agencies on practical next steps for creating a national system of environmental indicators.  Over the past year, a National Academy panel worked closely with a federal interagency team to explore institutional options to select and regularly produce environmental indicators that are reliable, relevant, and trusted.  The panel recommends that federal agencies forego organizational changes at this juncture and instead use a pilot to engage the states and other key players, broaden support, and build momentum for a national system of environmental indicators through the transition to the next Administration. 

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Academy Releases Review of National Historic Preservation Program

The National Academy is releasing a panel report that provides the first comprehensive review of the National Historic Preservation program. The report highlights the far-reaching benefits of historic preservation and offers recommendations to the National Park Service and other federal agencies to build capacity, enhance performance, and strengthen national leadership.

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Academy’s Post-Katrina Recommendations Drive Improvements Underway at Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance Program

The National Academy of Public Administration has released a report on the impact of Hurricane Katrina and the other Gulf Coast storms of 2005 on the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and its Disaster Assistance Program.  The study details the storm-related challenges faced by the agency and offers several recommendations to help SBA better cope with future megadisasters on the scale of Katrina. SBA Administrator Steve Preston says the Academy’s recommendations are already translating into changes at the agency.

Read the Press Release 

Read the report

Audio Commentary: Academy Fellow and Study Panel Chair Tom Stanton discusses Katrina’s impact on SBA and some recommended steps for improvement (2:01)  

Audio Commentary: SBA Administrator Steve Preston explains how Academy recommendations are driving changes at the agency (3:05) 

Wildfire Suppression and Preparedness Planning:
Experts Available to Comment on Wildfires and Related National Academy Reports to Congress and Departments of Agriculture, Interior

As officials and residents in California continue to cope with major wildfires, experts from the National Academy of Public Administration are available to provide context and to comment on a series of major reports the National Academy issued in recent years on wildfire mitigation for the U.S. Congress and the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior.  Click here for more information.

Click here for more information

Click here to view Wildfire Report archive

Academy Study Examines Budgeting and Communications at U.S. Judiciary

A newly-released report by the Academy examines the U.S. Judiciary’s budgeting process and how priority-setting is factored into that process. The Academy panel also studied the Judiciary’s recent cost-containment measures and took a look at how the Judiciary keeps lawmakers and the public posted on its activities. Conducted at the request of Congress, the Academy report, “Budgeting for the U.S. Judiciary” found sound stewardship of the budget process and management of federal funds, but suggested improvements in how the Judiciary communicates its operations and accomplishments to Congress and the public.

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Taking Environmental Protection to the Next Level:
An Assessment of the U.S. Environmental Services Delivery System

A report this summer by a National Academy of Public Administration panel urges the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to lead new partnerships to effectively clean up America’s 40,000 polluted waters.  These waters continue to be a serious national problem because of inadequate attention to reducing agricultural and urban runoff.  The Panel’s recommendations provide a blueprint for implementing important new practices for controlling urban and agricultural runoff.

Read the Press Release
Read the Summary report
Read the Full report

Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program: Assessing Performance

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) asked the Academy to conduct an independent study that would provide the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program with a performance assessment framework.  The Academy Panel recommended new strategic directions to increase the program’s impact on public health and safety outcomes.  These include national preparedness for catastrophic events; prevention in addition to response; social equity to address needs of underserved communities; expanded regional cooperation; and a reevaluation of emergency medical services.

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Shaping the National Debate on Federal Financial Management and Performance Issues

With the 2008 presidential campaign underway, the Academy has partnered with several other organizations to promote dialogue and debate on a wide range of federal management issues.

The Performance Coalition's project uses a web-based survey tool to pursue and obtain input about federal management’s experiences and ideas. A final report will come from the survey results and dialogue sessions.

Click here to share your thoughts, experiences and feedback

Data-Driven Workforce Management Needed to Ensure NASA’s Institutional Health

April 2, 2007 — NASA is undergoing a fundamental mission shift that will require the agency to adopt a knowledge-based, data-driven strategy to better align its workforce, according to an Academy Panel report. The report includes practical tools to help NASA ensure a flexible, optimally sized, and appropriately skilled workforce.

The Panel urges NASA to use a comprehensive framework to assess its field centers annually, integrate acquisition and workforce planning at the highest levels of the agency, formalize processes and metrics for workforce decisions, maximize existing human capital flexibilities and seek new ones as needed. The Panel believes that NASA’s reliance on a multisector workforce of civil servants and contractors gives it the opportunity to demonstrate the public sector’s agility to adapt quickly to changing mission requirements.

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Read supplementary material

2007 National Public Service Awards/Keeper of the Flame Awards Presentation

March 23, 2007 — The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) and the National Academy of Public Administration announce the winners of the 2007 National Public Service Awards, the premier awards for excellence in public service at all levels of government. The awards ceremony takes place March 26, 2007 at noon, during ASPA’s national conference at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC.

ASPA and the Academy established the National Public Service Awards in 1983 to honor individuals whose accomplishments are models of public service both inside and outside the work environment.  The awards recognize individuals who exhibit the highest standards of excellence, dedication and accomplishment over a sustained period of time and who are creative and skilled career managers.

Read the press release

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Budget Process Must Be Transformed, Academy Panel Finds

March 5, 2007 — A National Academy of Public Administration panel today called on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Congress and the Administration to fundamentally transform the Corps’ budget process.  The Corps’ funding priorities have long faced criticism, but it came into sharp focus when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the Gulf coast in 2005. 

The panel found that minor changes to the current budget process will not fix the Corps’ systemic problems.  Congress must change the underlying laws; the Corps and other water resources agencies must change their planning and budget guidelines; and OMB must change how it reviews the Corps budget.  In the process, the Corps must become a much more strategic and reliable steward of the nation’s critical water resource systems, responsible for the safety of at-risk populations and health of water-reliant ecosystems.

“It will take time for these fundamental changes to make the nation safer and more resilient,” said Panel Chair Sean O’Keefe, Academy Fellow and LSU Chancellor.  “But, the time to start is now.  The next storm will not wait for government to get ready.” 

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Read the summary report
Read the press release

Services Off-shoring Has Little Economic Impact on Science and Engineering Labor Market, Academy Panel Finds

February 28, 2007 — Services off-shoring has had little economic impact on the science and engineering labor market, American student career choices or the U.S. university system's ability to produce these types of workers, according to an Academy report released today. Off-shoring: What Are Its Effects? is the third report issued by an Academy Panel examining services off-shoring and its impact on the American economy and workforce.

Economic globalization will increase competition for science and engineering workers as well as the opportunities for services off-shoring, the Panel found. To remain competitive, the United States must be able to attract and retain the best and brightest of these workers and students. The Panel recommends reducing barriers to the flow of foreign science and engineering students and high skilled workers. It also recommends reassessing worker support programs for those displaced by the greater job volatility expected in a highly competitive global environment.

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EEOC Efforts Will Improve Call Center, but Greater Attention Is Needed

February 6, 2007 — In 2004, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) piloted an outsourced National Contact Center (NCC) to respond to first-time callers with questions about EEOC’s mission and services.  An Office of Inspector General review last year found that the NCC provided timely customer service and received good ratings. However, it also found there were operational shortcomings, ineffective procedures, and poor communications.  The report recommended that EEOC continue with the NCC only if significant changes were made.  Congress agreed to continue funding the pilot for one additional year pending an Academy Panel assessment. 

The Academy Panel found that EEOC has begun to aggressively address shortcomings in the NCC's implementation and follow-up.  It concluded that EEOC’s efforts would significantly improve NCC, but that additional areas need attention.  Also, the Panel found that the cost of moving the call center into EEOC would substantially exceed the current arrangement.  Given that and the fact that many improvement plan initiatives still are being implemented, the Panel recommended that EEOC maintain the current arrangement until and unless a more detailed, comprehensive cost analysis is conducted.

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Jennifer Dorn Named President and CEO of Academy

February 5, 2007 — The Board of Directors of the National Academy of Public Administration today announced the appointment of Jennifer L. Dorn as the Academy’s President and Chief Executive Officer effective March 1. 

Dorn currently serves as the U.S. representative on the Board of the World Bank, a global cooperative owned by 184 member countries, of which the United States is the largest shareholder.  Dorn brings to the Academy more than 30 years of public service leadership.  She has served in four Senate-confirmed positions under three U.S. Presidents, including Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, where she managed the federal government’s $7.2 billion annual program to improve and support public transportation services in communities across America. 

Recruited in 1998 by former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop as the National Health Museum’s first president, Dorn laid the foundation for the creation of a preeminent institution and educational resource about health.  She also served for seven years as Senior Vice President of the American National Red Cross, overseeing fundraising, marketing, communications, international services and government relations for what was then a $1.8 billion organization.

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Academy Announces Intergovernmental Forum on Transportation Finance

January 19, 2007 — With the Federal Highway Trust Fund slated to run out of money soon, and growing frustrations over traffic congestion, highway safety and uncertain energy supplies, leaders from across the governmental spectrum are taking action to develop workable strategies to finance the future transportation needs of this country.  The National Academy of Public Administration – representing the top organizations of state, local and county officials – announced the formation of an Intergovernmental Forum on Transportation Finance to identify short- and long-term alternatives to the growing fiscal crisis.

The Forum is expected to bring together high-level leaders working at all levels of government – federal, state and local – to build collaborative options that will consider the balanced needs of transportation, energy policy, national security and the environment.  The Forum will hold a series of public meetings and panels throughout 2007 and will conclude with a final report and specific recommendations.  Other Forum members represent the National Governors Association, National Conference of State Legislatures, National League of Cities, National Association of Counties, International City/County Management Association and Council of State Governments and designees from the Administration and Congress.

Read the press release

Visit the Center for Intergovernmental Relations

Proceedings of 2006 Academy Social Equity Leadership Conference Published

December 20, 2006 — In February 2006 the Academy, in partnership with the University of Nebraska at Omaha, hosted the 5th Social Equity Leadership Conference. This conference, attracting several state, local, and national participants and leaders, was themed: "Taking Social Equity to the Streets". Discussions focused on national and local indicators of disparities in health and criminal justice. They explored innovative approaches to implementing public policies and delivering public services in order to promote social equity.

Read 2006 Social Equity Conference Proceedings

Read Addendum to Proceedings

Academy Panel Finds That Services Off-Shoring is Smaller Than Perceived

November 30, 2006 — Services off-shoring is much smaller than popular perceptions may suggest, according to a report issued by a National Academy of Public Administration panel.  In Off-shoring: How Big Is It?, the Panel studied off-shoring from 1999 to 2003 by multi-national corporations and industries providing pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, architectural and engineering services, computer system design services, and business support services.  Although the extent of services off-shoring varied by industry, the Panel found little evidence of consistent growth overall.  

The Panel also found that services outsourcing to domestic firms was 10 to 30 times greater than services off-shoring in the industries studied.  These two activities are often mistakenly considered the same, but their economic effects differ greatly.  The key difference is that services outsourcing shifts services jobs among domestic U.S firms, while services off-shoring can cause at least an initial loss in U.S. jobs when domestic firms use imported services, produced with overseas labor, to replace domestic services workers.

Read the press release

Read Off-Shoring: How Big Is It?

Academy Panel Evaluates ICE Financial Plan

November 21, 2006 — Since its creation in March 2003, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been the largest investigative branch of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In 2005, an external auditor noted 10 department-wide material weaknesses in its disclaimer on DHS' financial statements. ICE co-owned eight of the weaknesses and the Chief Financial Officer developed a financial action plan to address them. ICE asked the Academy to conduct an independent high-level review of the plan and provide recommendations for improvement. An Academy Panel assesses the plan and suggests how the CFO can build upon its initial success in "Stabilizing and Enhancing Financial Management: An Independent Review of the ICE Financial Action Plan".

Read the report

Academy Experts Recommend Strategies for Managing Effectively in a Post-9/11 World

November 7, 2006 — The events of September 11, 2001 revealed serious deficiencies in government organization, systems and management.  National Academy of Public Administration Fellows recommend strategies to manage effectively in a post-9/11 world in Meeting the Challenge of 9/11: Blueprints for More Effective Government, published this month.   “This book provides invaluable insights and recommendations on how to improve government organization and performance as our nation faces new and imposing threats here and abroad,” Academy President Howard Messner said. 

Meeting the Challenge of 9/11: Blueprints for More Effective Government, available for purchase on line, is the first in a series of books published as part of a partnership between the Academy and M.E. Sharpe, Inc. The series explores American public policy and management issues and forces that will shape and transform them in the months and years to come.  

Read the press release

Listen to Editor, Thomas H. Stanton speak about the book on The Federal Drive with Mike Causey and Jane Norris on Federal News Radio.

Buy the book

Study Team Examines NASA's Launch Services Program

October 26, 2006 — An Academy study team has found that NASA’s Launch Services Program at the Kennedy Space Center is performing well and enjoying high mission success due to the program’s proactive technical integration with spacecraft customers throughout the mission life cycle.  At the same time, the  team noted customer concerns about increasing costs of LSP services and suggested that the program offer cost containment options to the customers.

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Academy Announces 2006 Class of Fellows

October 26, 2006 — The National Academy of Public Administration is pleased to announce its 2006 class of Academy Fellows.  Forty-seven distinguished public administrators will be inducted into the 600-strong Fellowship at the Academy's annual Fall Meeting, to be held November 15-17 in Washington, DC. 

Academy Fellows, the cornerstone of the organization, provide trusted advice on issues of governance and public management to government leaders in every branch and at every level--both domestically and internationally.  They include the nation's top policy makers, outstanding public administrators, distinguished scholars of public policy and public administration, business executives and labor leaders.  

Read the press release

Academy Panel Cites Progress Made by National Marine Sanctuary Program

October 18, 2006 — By employing tools of networked governance, the National Marine Sanctuary Program is on the road to building a strong performance-based management system, according to a report issued by a National Academy of Public Administration panel.  Despite a traditionally small budget and poorly understood mandate, the program has grown to become an essential part of ocean governance, engaging the energies and resources of other federal agencies and levels of government, communities and NGOs. The panel recommends that the program continue to streamline its planning processes and build its four key systems for performance-based management:  its national strategic plan, sanctuaries management plan, condition reports and annual operating plans.

Read the press release

Read Ready to Perform? Planning and Management at the National Marine Sanctuary Program

Academy Workgroup Recommends Ways to Strengthen Federal Financial Management in 21st Century

October 16, 2006 — The CFO Act has improved the integrity of financial management and data systems but more changes are needed, according to a National Academy of Public Administration workgroup.  Responding to a congressional request for assistance, the workgroup recommended a single, integrated financial management statute for the federal government and a designated official position in agencies to oversee all administrative functions.  It also urged OMB and agency heads to take a more aggressive oversight role in implementing financial systems. 

Read the workgroup's findings and recommendations in Moving from Scorekeeper to Strategic Partner: Improving Federal Management in the Federal Government

Lee Hamilton to Speak at Academy

September 28, 2006 — The Honorable Lee Hamilton, Director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, will speak on global competence and foreign policy at the National Academy of Public Administration on Wednesday, October 18, 2006.  Mr. Hamilton's formal remarks will be followed by an open discussion.  Lee Hamilton has recently served as Vice Chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States and Co-Chairman of the Iraq Study Group.  A former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, he chaired the House Committee on International Relations. 

  Mr. Hamilton's appearance is being sponsored by the Global Leadership Consortium, which has been established through a partnership among the Academy, the Federal Executive Institute, and the USDA Graduate School .  The consortium provides networking and training opportunities for government employees whose work has international implications but whose agencies are not part of the traditional foreign affairs or defense communities.

For additional information, please contact Daniel Spikes via e-mail, or phone at 202-204-3625.

FBI Making Substantial Progress, Thornburgh Testifies

September 14, 2006 — The Federal Bureau of Investigation has made substantial progress transforming itself into a more modern organization in response to 9/11 and other events, said Academy Fellow and former U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburgh in testimony before the U.S. Congress.  Thornburgh highlighted the work of an Academy Panel, which he chairs, that is focusing on organizational change, budget and planning, human resources, and intelligence functions at the FBI.  The bureau’s job is not finished and much remains to be done, Thornburgh testified.

Read Dick Thornburgh’s testimony

Read Transforming the FBI: Integrating Management Functions under a Chief Management Officer

Academy Releases Summary Report from Intergovernmental Forum on Revenue Systems 

August 3, 2006 — The design of the tax system of all governments determines whether the revenue system of the United States achieves the goals embodied in the principles of equity, efficiency, simplicity, revenue sufficiency and administrability, according to a summary report from the Intergovernmental Forum on Revenue Systems.  The report highlights the major themes, challenges and solutions shared among the Forum participants over a nearly year-long period of study. The Intergovernmental Forum, chaired by Academy Fellow Paul Posner, was held in concert with a consortium of organizations representing state and local officials, and with the Administration and Congress.

Read the press release

  Read Financing Governments in the 21^st Century: Intergovernmental Collaboration can Promote Fiscal and Economic Goals

Academy Forms Global Leadership Consortium With Federal Executive Institute and USDA Graduate School

July 25, 2006 — The Academy , Federal Executive Institute and U.S. Department of Agriculture Graduate School today signed an agreement to form the Global Leadership Consortium. The Consortium provides networking and training opportunities for federal employees whose work has international implications but whose agencies are not part of the traditional foreign affairs or defense communities.

Read the press release

Academy Issues Intergovernmental Research Agenda

July 19, 2006 — Increasing pressures from major trends affecting society require that public administrators be better informed of the intergovernmental system, according to a staff report issued by the Academy.  A self-funded initiative, the report focuses on an agenda of support for improving our capacity to perform intergovernmental research; and highlights capacity issues, suggests research design considerations, and offers commentary on several priority areas. The recommendations and spotlighted research deserve the attention of stakeholders and reinforce the importance of intergovernmental research, polling and statistics.

Read the National Agenda for the Support of Intergovernmental Research, 2006

Academy Holds Second Global Leadership Consortium Forum

July 13, 2006 — Ambassador Thomas Pickering of Boeing and Gregory Treverton of RAND recently spoke on global leadership issues and the qualities and abilities that U.S. government workers need to succeed in the international environment. The forum was the second in a series arranged by the Global Leadership Consortium. A partnership of the Academy, Federal Executive Institute, and USDA Graduate School, the consortium provides networking and training opportunities for employees whose work has international implications.

Read the summary notes

Academy Panel Urges National Strategy to Deal with Preemption of State and Local Powers

July 5, 2006 — Increasing federal preemptions of state and local responsibilities, authorities and revenue sources require a new strategy involving stakeholders at every level of government, according to a report issued by an Academy panel. Prepared for the National Governors Association, the report highlights complex issues that preemptions create and includes practical recommendations for our nation’s leaders to explore. The Academy panel found that federal preemptions and the imposition of unfunded mandates are increasing and likely to continue. Against this backdrop, the panel urged that federal preemptions be used only as a last resort with intergovernmental partnerships emphasized as an alternative.

Read the press release

Read Beyond Preemption: Intergovernmental Partnerships to Enhance the New Economy

Howard University Professor Addresses Immigration Policy at Academy Meeting

June 27, 2006 — Dr. William Spriggs, Chair of the Economics Department at Howard University, recently addressed the National Academy of Public Administration’s Standing Panel on Social Equity on the issue of U.S. immigration policy. Spriggs noted that the current immigration debate ignores realities of the low income labor market in the Unites States as they affect African Americans.

Read the summary notes

Academy Fellow Provides Testimony on CDBG Reform Act of 2006

June 27, 2006 — Academy Fellow Thomas Downs has provided testimony to the House Government Reform Subcommittee on Federalism and the Census on four major provisions of the CDBG Reform Act of 2006. In his testimony, Downs highlighted the work of an Academy Panel that developed effective performance measures for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program.

Read Thomas Downs’ testimony

Academy Remembers Fellows Tom McFee and Larry Terry

June 23, 2006 — The Academy is saddened by the recent passing of Fellows Thomas McFee, former Assistant Secretary for Personnel Administration at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Larry Terry, Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas at Dallas. McFee had a distinguished career in the federal government where he worked tirelessly on behalf of government employees. In 2004, the Academy and the American Society for Public Administration awarded him the National Public Service Award and in 2006 the National Public Service Keeper of the Flame Award. Terry made numerous contributions to public administration at the federal, state and local levels in addition to his role at the University of Texas at Dallas. He received ASPA’s Presidential Citation of Merit Award for his leadership of Public Administration Review and the Conference of Minority Public Administrators’ Citation of Merit Award for scholarly achievements.

Academy President C. Morgan Kinghorn said, “The Academy and the nation have lost two icons in the public administration community. We will miss them greatly.”

Academy Launches Global Leadership Consortium

May 17, 2006 — The Academy, in conjunction with the Federal Executive Institute and the USDA Graduate School, recently launched the Global Leadership Consortium. The Consortium provides networking and training opportunities for employees whose work has international implications but whose agencies are not part of the traditional foreign affairs or defense communities.

David Walker, Comptroller General of the United States, and Clay Johnson, Deputy Director of the U.S. Office and Management and Budget, presented their views on “Human Capital and Competitiveness for Global Leadership” at the Consortium’s kick-off forum on Tuesday May 9, 2006.

Read the summary notes

Academy Assists NIH with Administrative Restructuring

May 5, 2006 — Given President’s Management Agenda requirements and other forces, most federal agencies are restructuring their organization and administrative processes. The National Institutes of Health asked the Academy to assist it with restructuring its acquisition, budget, equal employment opportunity, facilities, finance, grants, human resources and information technology functions. The Panel convened to help guide this assignment documented lessons learned across this wide variety of management changes in an easy-to-read lessons learned report. The report features six concise lessons that the Panel believes have general applicability to federal agencies undertaking similar restructurings. The full report details each of the eight NIH initiatives, plus many other related matters.

Read Effective Administrative Restructuring

Read the Two-Part Guide to Administrative Restructuring

Guide to Risk Management and Internal Management Controls

May 3, 2006 — Under the recent revision of OMB Circular A-123, which responds in part to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, all federal agencies are expected to tighten their internal management control procedures. Although most federal agencies are continuing to focus primarily on tightening their financial controls, the revised circular also addresses the need to reduce all types of risks that occur in managing federal programs. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) asked the Academy to help it update its long-standing all-risk controls—using current best practices, making maximum use of new automated systems, and setting a new tone of vigilance to spot and mitigate risky situations before they cause serious trouble. Improved communications, training, process reengineering, and change-management elements are all involved. The final work product was a handy two-sided laminated guide designed to be distributed widely as a take-away at briefings and training sessions. This guide summarizes all the key points of the enhanced NIH risk management program. Most of the material is germane to any organization.

Read Risk Management at NIH

Academy Assesses Forest Service Information Solutions Organization

May 1, 2006 — In September 2004 when the Forest Service won the competitive sourcing competition to centralize, consolidate and significantly down-size of all the agency’s computer, telephone, video, and radio operations, it established a completely new organization in headquarters to perform the task. In August 2005, the Forest Service asked the Academy to assess the new Information Solutions Organization’s (ISO) first year of operation and make recommendations for improvement. The Academy Panel convened for this task found that the ISO achieved the projected first year savings (which are expected to recur in future years), and had performed well overall. Although not all performance goals were completely met, the Forest Service was aware of the shortfalls and was working hard to correct them. Additional future savings will be delayed because of factors beyond the ISO’s control. The Panel made five recommendations for improvement.

Read First-Year Assessment: USDA Forest Service Information Solutions Organization (ISO)

Academy Provides Competitive Sourcing Information to Federal Agencies

May 1, 2006 — Under the President’s Management Agenda and OMB Circular A-76, all federal agencies are submitting more of their commercial-type activities to competition with private sector service providers. The purpose is to find the most efficient means of providing public services to the American people. In 80-90 percent of these competitions, the federal agency has been winning the right to continue providing the services—but generally with a significantly reorganized and streamlined, performance-based organization. With Forest Service support and OMB encouragement, the Academy convened 50 officials from 17 federal agencies to explore the special issues generated by the new way of doing business created when the government wins these competitions. The Symposium Proceedings highlight the key issues facing agencies in this new competitive environment and some of the actions being taken to resolve them.

Read: New Tools for Implementing ‘Most Efficient Organizations’ (MEOs) in the Federal Government: Symposium Proceedings (PDF)  

Academy Fellows Address Human Capital Lessons For Iraq Reconstruction

April 10, 2006 — Several Academy Fellows recently contributed to the first report of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction's Lessons Learned Initiative. The initiative is designed to enhance efforts underway in Iraq and to inform future reconstruction and stabilization planning in three key areas: human capital management, contracting, and program and project management.

Fellows Rodney Bent, C. Morgan Kinghorn, Roz Kleeman, Chris Mihm, John Palguta and Hannah Sistare commented to the findings and recommendations that stemmed from the inspector general's research and interviews conducted with personnel who had first-hand experience in Iraq reconstruction human resource matters. "Iraq Reconstruction: Lessons in Human Capital Management" presents those findings and recommendations.

Read the report "Iraq Reconstruction: Lessons in Human Capital Management"

The Need for Interconnectivity in Public Health and Corrections

March 3, 2006 — The Academy’s Positioning Committee and Center for Intergovernmental Relations convened a roundtable discussion with experts from the fields of criminal justice, public health, academia, and public administration. Based on their discussions and findings, the Academy released a report, “Public Health and Corrections: An Intergovernmental Perspective and the Need for Connectivity.” The report discusses the need for interconnectivity and increased awareness in the public health care and corrections systems, and gave recommendations for specific actions, and possible avenues, for developing a national interconnectivity model.

Read Public Health and Corrections: An Intergovernmental Perspective and the Need for Connectivity

Academy Releases New International Affairs Working Paper Series: Sub-Saharan Africa and the HIV/AIDS Pandemic

February 22, 2006 — Sub-Saharan Africa has been devastated by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. With only 10 percent of the world’s population living there, the region is home to nearly 60 percent of the world’s HIV-positive population. To raise attention to the fact that the pandemic not only tragically affects the general public, but also teachers and civil servants, the Academy convened a conference in 2003 to study the issue. The conference produced a paper, “Mitigating HIV/AIDS’ Impacts on Teachers and Administrators in Sub-Saharan Africa,” which the Academy released as the first paper in a new series.

Read Mitigating HIV/AIDS’ Impacts on Teachers and Administrators in Sub-Saharan Africa

Academy Offers Advice on Federal, State and Local Disaster Response

February 14, 2006 — For over a decade, the Academy has been providing respected, expert management advice to leaders at the federal, state and local levels for natural disaster preparation, response and recovery.

The Academy released two FEMA reports in 1993 and 1994 at the request of Congress and former FEMA director James Lee Witt. The first report looked at coordination and contingency planning at all levels, the effectiveness of governmental responses, lessons leanrned, Congressional oversight, and coordination with private relief agencies. The second follow-up report examined the progress FEMA made in implementing Academy recommendations.

Read the press release

Read "Coping with Catastrophe: Building Emergency Management Systems to Meet People's Needs in Natural and Manmade Disasters"

Read "Review of Actions Taken to Strengthen the Nation's Emergency Management System"

Academy's Executive Consortium Releases Report on Federal Leadership Development

February 1, 2006 — The Academy's Executive Consortium, along with Human Capital Solutions, recently released a symposium report which addresses key issues regarding federal leadership development. The summer 2005 symposium was led by a panel of federal experts who concluded new competencies are needed for leaders of today and tomorrow; federal agencies must find a way to transfer successful military leadership practices to civilian leadership development; and new personnel authorities are needed to enhance government leadership development programs.

Read "Can Government Grow Great Leaders"

Academy Advises U.S. Forest Service

February 1, 2006 — Aside from watching over America's pristine forests, the U.S. Forest Service faces a very challenging mission—clean-up its financial books and save money by automating many of its administrative processes. One key administrative process, the Grants and Agreements program, represents a critical part of the Forest Service mission. The Deputy Chief for Business Operations asked the Academy to review the decision process that deployed the new Grants and Agreements software before all the elements were in place to enable it to be fully successful. An Academy Panel reviewed the process and recommended improvements, allowing the Forest Service to move ahead more smoothly with similar reforms in the future.

Read Review of the Decision to Deploy the New USDA Forest Service Grants and Agreements Software Module Through the USDA I-WEB

Off-Shoring: An Elusive Phenomenon

January 4, 2006 — Shifting business operations to off-shore locations is an elusive and exceedingly complex phenomenon that is difficult to measure and estimate. Responding to recent studies citing the need for better data to understand the extent and economic effects of off-shoring, the Academy was asked by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Science, State, Commerce and Justice to conduct a comprehensive study of off-shoring activities and their major economic effects. “Off-Shoring: An Elusive Phenomenon” is the first of several reports by an Academy Panel to accomplish this objective.

Read Off-Shoring: An Elusive Phenomenon (PDF) and (HTML)

Managing a Multisector Workforce

December 13, 2005 — At virtually every federal agency, contractor employees are part of the workforce implementing government programs. Who should be held accountable for the accomplishment of federal missions by workers from other sectors? An Academy Working Group addressed this other questions in a recently released paper, “Managing Federal Missions with a Multisector Workforce: Leadership for the 21st Century.”

Read Managing Federal Missions with a Multisector Workforce
Read Multisector Workforce Bibliography
Read Multisector Media Bibliography
Read the press release

Academy Addresses America’s Fiscal Future

December 5, 2005 — In a town where everyone cannot always agree, there is one topic that all will agree to: there is no easy solution to America’s long-term fiscal future. As part of the Academy Big Ideas initiative, the Fiscal Future Committee hosted a lunch forum today with current and former government officials to address the fiscal future of the United States. Speakers included Academy President C. Morgan Kinghorn, Paul A. Volcker, Alice Rivlin, Roland Harris III, and G. Edward DeSeve.

The Academy also released its report, “Ensuring the Prosperity of America: Addressing the Fiscal Future”.

Read the press release

Read Ensuring the Prosperity of America

Executive Luncheon Series

October 7, 2005 — On October 20, the National Academy of Public Administration and Government Executive will kickoff a new luncheon series on achieving performance and results in government. The luncheon, to be held at the Willard Hotel, will feature panelists who will discuss, “Stovepipes No More: How Agencies Can Coordinate to Achieve Better Performance.” The series is a joint effort between the Academy, which is the preeminent independent, non-profit organization for public governance, and Government Executive, the premier news source for federal managers.

Read the press release

Academy Executive Consortium brochure

Committee Releases Draft Final Report on Fiscal Challenges facing Federal, State and Local Governments

August 31, 2005 — As part of the Academy's Big Idea Initiative, a committee of Fellows today released for review and comment the final draft of a “Report on the Fiscal Challenges Facing Federal, State and Local Governments." The report, the culmination of a year-long project approved by the Academy Board of Directors, provides an overview, observations and recommendations on three core areas:

• the federal budget’s long-term fiscal challenges
• fiscal Challenges at the state and local levels
• the fiscal future and role of federal budget concepts and process

Read the Draft Report

Fellows Travel to South Africa; Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Establish Forum

August 19, 2005 — Fellows Phil Rutledge, Charles Washington and Norm Johnson traveled to Bloemfontein, South Africa, to participate in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Academy and the Free State Province in South Africa. The purpose of this MOU to establish a forum for the parties to work together on issues of public administration in the Free State. In addition, these Fellows participated in and lectured at the First Annual Senior Management Service Seminar titled “Building a Cadre of Senior Leadership to Meet the Goals of the Free States Growth and Development Strategy.” Phil Rutledge closed the seminar by giving an insightful keynote lecture titled “The Free State Senior Management Service: Creating Intellectual Social and Technical Capital.”

Academy Fellows Testify on Wildland Fires, Federal Management Improvements

July 20, 2005 — Fellows of the National Academy of Public Administration provided expert testimony before Congress on two high-profile issues facing federal agencies. Bruce McDowell testified before a House appropriations subcommittee on implementation of the National Wildland Fire Program. The testimony followed more than four years of Academy studies on wildland fire management.

At the invitation of the House Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Management, Finance and Accountability, an Academy working group is identifying ways to reform federal financial management statutes and practices. This work led to recent testimony from Academy Board Vice Chair G. Edward DeSeve and President C. Morgan Kinghorn, who provided the subcommittee with their expert perspectives on this critical issue.

Read the Academy Fellows’ recent testimony

Are You Thinking of Transforming Yourself and Helping Transform Schools?

July 1, 2005 — The Broad Center for the Management of School Systems trains existing leaders "in the system" as well as others not in the education system—to jump start and transform education.

The program is funded by a $400 million endowment of the Broad Foundation, created by Eli and Edythe Broad, to promote the transformation of public education.

Paul Volcker is a trustee of Broad Center, and National Academy Fellow Robert Bobb, is a Fellow of the Broad Academy. If you have an interest in the Broad Academy, please contact Mollie Mitchell at 310-954-5082, or take a look at the Broad Academy website

Academy Releases Forum Report on the Role of Budget Processes and Concepts

June 16, 2005 — As part of the Academy's Fiscal Futures Big Idea Initiative, the Academy sponsored an invitation-only Forum on "The Role of Budget Processes and Concepts.” Keynote speakers included Rep. John Spratt (D-SC), and former Rep. William Frenzel (R-MN), currently a Guest Scholar at the Brookings Institution. Over 70 people attended the event held at the Cosmos Club on June 16, 2005, including senior executives from GAO, OMB, HHS, CBO and senior Congressional budget staff. The forum was part of a year-long project undertaken by the Fiscal Futures Program Committee to address pressing fiscal issues confronting government at the federal, state and local levels.

A summary of the proceedings can be found in the link below. The link also contains three Executive Summaries of the areas reviewed by the Fiscal Futures Committee, as well as more detailed research papers for each of the three areas.
1. The Fiscal Challenge at the Federal level
2. The Fiscal Challenge at the State and Local levels
3. The Role of Budget Processes and Concepts.

Read reports on the Academy’s Fiscal Futures initiative

Thornburgh Defends Rule of Law for U.N. Probe

May 17, 2005 — In a Washington Post op-ed today, Academy Fellow and former U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburgh defended the principles of The Volker committee which is investigating the oil-for-food scandal that has rocked the United Nations and U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan. Thornburgh expressed his concern about protecting witnesses who testify confidentially before official independent committees, rather than exposing their testimony under Congressional and media probes.

Federal courts recently granted a temporary restraining order for the Volker committee after a former committee staff member quit his job and took with him a box of confidential documents which he intended to publicly disseminate.

Thornburgh served as Attorney General under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush.

Read the Thornburgh Washington Post op-ed

Designing and Implementing Performance and Market Based Pay Systems

March 29, 2005 — On March 9, the Academy joined with the U.S. Government Accountability Office, Office of Personnel Management, Merit Systems Protection Board and Partnership for Public Service to sponsor a symposium on designing and managing a performance oriented and market based pay system. Symposium attendees heard from public and private sector representatives who have designed these systems.

The presentations give readers insight on how pay for performance systems are being designed and implemented in the federal government, state government and private industry.

This event follows up on Academy research in this evolving area. One year ago, the Academy issued Recommending Performance-Based Federal Pay, which cites 15 design principles necessary to the successful design and implementation of a performance based pay system. Earlier, the Academy issued a report on a forum sponsored with the National Commission on the Public Service (Volcker Commission) Implementation Initiative. Performance Based Pay in the Federal Government: How Do We Get There? distills the experienced advice and lessons learned by the conference presenters.

Academy Panel Develops Measures for Community Development Block Grant Program

March 17, 2005 — As the executive and legislative branches consider options for reengineering federal community development programs, an Academy Panel has developed performance measures for the Community Development Block Grant program.  The measures are useful to entitlement communities and states in tracking performance and managing programs at the local level.  The indicators, which enjoy wide support among government, grantee and public interest stakeholders, might serve as a model for other federal block grant programs.

Read "Developing Performance Measures for the Community Development Block Grant Program"

Academy Follows Up on National Marine Fisheries Service Action

March 3, 2005 — The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has made considerable efforts developing and implementing new approaches to improve fishery management decisions, priority-setting and resource allocation, and interactions with its constituencies and partners. However, the agency's ability to implement all of its planned changes, especially given what agency officials see as limited resources, will depend on continued support from Congress and the Administration, key partners and consituencies and NMFS’ own determined leadership. Academy staff recently reviewed actions that NMFS has taken to address recommendations issued by an Academy Panel and the National Research Council in 2002.

Read Improving Fisheries Management: Actions Taken in Response to the Academy’s 2002 Report

Security, Health and Engineering To Be Most Sought-After Jobs in Federal Government

February 2, 2005 — At a Washington press conference held today, the Academy joined the Partnership for Public Service in unveiling "Where the Jobs Are: The Continuing Growth of Federal Job Opportunities", a first-ever study of projected hiring needs across the federal government. With a grant from the New York Times, the Academy and Partnership have developed the most comprehensive guide to date for job seekers interested in federal service.

The report lists the professional fields and number of positions that two dozen agencies--representing 95 percent of the federal government--expect to fill. The post-9/11 world has propelled security and enforcement-related positions to the top of the list, while health care and engineering jobs follow closely behind.

Read "Where the Jobs Are: The Continuing Growth of Federal Job Opportunities"

Academy Fellows Recommend Strategies for an Effective Presidential Transition

December 3, 2004 — Presidential transition issues deserve a conspicuous presence on the public administration and management agenda, whether an incumbent is re-elected or an opponent is given the opportunity to serve.

In Transitioning from Campaigning to Governing, Academy Fellows offer management advice on fundamental issues that should appear on President Bush's agenda as he begins a second term, and provide creative approaches to dealing with those issues effectively.

Read Transitioning from Campaigning to Governing

Academy Assists Electric Transmission Entity Design

November 15, 2004 -— As regions across the nation consider independent entities to consolidate electric transmission, an Academy Panel has released a report aimed at assisting the Pacific Northwest do just that. It assessed the proposed governance structure for Grid West, which is designed to improve reliability and efficiency of transmission operations.

Many areas have formed these kinds of entities in response to increased public concern about the reliability, security, and effectiveness of the nation’s electric power system. In the Northwest, the Panel found divergent views among regional stakeholders about the best approach for these issues. It concluded that any structure must be accountable, workable and cost effective.

Read the report (PDF, HTML)

Panel Recommends that U.S. Park Police Clarify Its Mission and Set Realistic Priorities

September 15, 2004 — The U.S. Park Police, in conjunction with the Department of the Interior and National Park Service, must clarify its mission and set realistic priorities to effectively meet its responsibilities to protect the public and our national treasures in this post-9/11 world. In The U.S. Park Police: Aligning Mission, Priorities and Resources, an Academy Panel found that the Park Police cannot be an effective guardian of urban national parks and also attempt to be a full-service urban police force with currently available resources. This follow-up report to a previous 2001 Academy Panel report on the Park Police also found that little progress had been made in implementing the most critical 2001 Panel recommendations. Active and committed leadership from all three agencies is essential to implement the Panel's current recommendations for resolving these long-standing Park Police management issues.

Read the report (PDF, HTML)

Academy Panel Completes Unique Review of EERE's Reorganization

September 7, 2004 — In July 2002, the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) reorganized to better achieve results in its programs and activities. At the request of Assistant Secretary Garman and the House Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, an Academy Panel undertook a unique 18-month assessment of EERE's new organizational structure and implementation.

The Academy Panel believes it is the responsibility of government leaders to invoke changes that improve public management and administration. This report chronicles the highly interactive efforts of the Academy Panel and EERE’s senior managers to develop and implement an organization structure, business model, and change management process that will strengthen EERE's efforts to improve program performance and effectiveness.

Read the report (PDF, HTML)

21st Century Manager Series--A Product of the HRM Consortium

July 26, 2004 — "In federal agencies, as in the private sector, managers are being asked to focus on changing circumstances, technology, and workload requirements and to invest in their employees' growth and competence," says Frank Cipolla, who directed the Academy's recently completed 21st Century Manager series. But what skills and competencies do managers need to effectively address these management challenges? The Academy's recently completed five-study series, The 21st Century Federal Manager: A Study of Changing Roles and Competencies, presents recommendations for addressing these issues. The series, which focuses on first-line supervisors, middle managers and executives, was supported by the Academy's Human Resources Management Consortium members.

Read the reports

Congressman Wolf Discusses Proposed Academy Off-Shoring Study on CNN

June 23, 2004 — Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) discussed the details of a proposed Academy study on off-shoring tonight on CNN's "Lou Dobbs Tonight." Wolf credited the Academy with helping the FBI in its transformation and pointed toward a proposed $2 million study to collect data on the effects of moving jobs overseas.

Read the transcript

Forum Leads to Agreement on Employee Appeals Issues

April 19, 2004 — Agencies should train managers and OPM regulations should be simplified to improve the federal employee appeals process, said participants at an event hosted by the Academy's Standing Panel on the Public Service and the Volcker Commission's Implementation Initiative.

Read the items of consensus from the forum.

Newt Gingrich Delivers Webb Lecture

March 2004 — Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, delivered the Webb Lecture at the Academy's annual Fall Meeting in Washington, DC.

Gingrich's exciting lecture addressed transformational leadership and the need for entrepreneurial public sector management. "Go out on a blank piece of paper and design 2015. Then come back and figure out the bridges," said Gingrich.

Read the Webb Lecture

Performance-Based Pay: How Do We Get There?

February 5, 2004 — Performance-based pay is one of the most pressing public service issues facing federal government leaders. Many people agree that federal workers should be rewarded for high performance, but the difficulty lies in establishing the details of such a system and implementing it successfully.

"I'm delighted that we've been able to cooperate with the Academy in trying to follow up on very general recommendations that the Commission made. This work can provide the kind of flesh on the bones that's necessary if the Commission's recommendations are going to be adopted. There's something in the air in Washington that says civil service reform is not quite the dead-end that it's been for many decades," said Paul A. Volcker, Chairman of the National Commission on the Public Service.

Volcker moderated a forum convened by the Academy and the Commission's Implementation Initiative, which yielded valuable items of consensus from the forum's participants. Key ideas from the forum are captured in a report released today: "Performance-Based Pay in the Federal Government: How Do We Get There?"