TOPICS
TOPICS
OPM develops exchange program for IT managers
The Office of Personnel Management on Thursday solicited public comments on a program that would allow federal information technology managers to temporarily switch roles with their private sector counterparts.
OPM posted a proposed rule in the Jan. 15, 2004 Federal Register, seeking input on the development of an exchange program where career IT managers at federal agencies could accept temporary assignments at private companies as long as they promised to return to their government posts. The program, called the "Information Technology Exchange" and authorized by the 2002 E-Government Act, is intended to "improve the competency of the federal workforce in using IT to deliver government information and services," OPM's notice stated.
Such an exchange could help address a shortage of skilled federal IT project managers, said George Molaski, former chief information officer of the Transportation Department.
"This is a way of bringing in private sector talent to address critical short-term [IT] management needs," said David McClure, vice president of e-government at the Council for Excellence in Government. Company managers will also bring agencies a fresh perspective on technology management, he added, furthering innovation and creativity.
The program has a much broader purpose as well, Molaski said: To enhance the skills of information technology managers in both sectors. Federal employees participating in the exchange would gain much broader, richer, management experience and could receive training in new techniques, McClure said.
Managers at private companies would likely be eager to participate in the exchange, Molaski said, because they would gain a better understanding of how the government operates. "Where else can you send somebody in to help integrate [IT systems from] 22 different agencies?" he noted. Molaski is now president and chief executive officer of E-Associates LLC, a technology consulting company in Falls Church, Va.
But agencies could have a hard time implementing the program effectively if they do not receive adequate guidance, Molaski said.
The exchange would be open to federal managers with "exceptional" performance records in GS-11 level or higher positions. Members of the Senior Executive Service and certain interns, including Presidential Management Fellows, also would be eligible. In turn, agencies would accept managers from private companies.
Assignments under the exchange program could last from three months to a year, and could be extended in three-month increments for an additional year. Federal managers could not spend more than a total of six years working on an exchange assignment.
The E-Government Act leaves open the question of whether program participants would report to supervisors at their temporary workplace or to their permanent bosses. But before leaving on assignment, managers would have to sign an agreement specifying a supervisor and performance expectations. The agreement also would require the managers to return to their regular work upon completing the assignment, and to stay for at least as long as they had spent on the exchange.
Comments on the exchange program are due by March 15, and can be sent via e-mail to employ@opm.gov or via fax (202) 606-2329. Written comments can be mailed to:
- Ms. Leah M. Meisel
Deputy Associate Director for Talent and Capacity Policy
U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Room 6551
1900 E St. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20415-9700
COMMENTS
- I think such a program would be beneficial to both industry and the government. Currently we do place selected officers in private industry to gain the experience and expertise to see how a private company is run, and it pays dividends. Since this proposal is a "trade" where a government IT professional works for private industry and someone from the private sector works for the government, several issues need to be worked out in advance. Security clearances are at the top of the list(for the private sector employees who would serve with the government). Another issue would be how to ensure the government employee returns to government service after the internship. If the best and brightest are selected for this program, the employee may seek higher paying employment in the private sector. Once minor kinks are worked out, I believe this would be a great program. Richard Beese Posted January 26, 2004 5:02 PM
- I think this program would actually be good for the government. Many of the IT federal employees are military retirees. However, there isn't anything wrong with that, I too will soon retire from the reserves. I attained my network and computer skills from outside the government, but many times I've came very close to being laid off due to many of the dot-com and IT companies merging or closing down. So I jumped ship and became a federal government IT person. As a government IT person I realized that there are many people that don't have the necessary skills due to using outdated education and skills, lack of educational requirements, experience, and lack of good screening of applicable people. This program will help allow people to receive on-the-job experience, but it will have to be made mandatory. The IT world is forever changing and many older military retires and others refuse to enhance their skills. Yes, I was making more on the outside as an IT person, but pay isn't important to me at this momemt. To get good IT people the government has to either match the pay with outside IT companies, change some of the series 301 or 303 to 2210, make the 335 series pay more attractive, and make the government's educational IT program more attractive. GovExec.com reader Posted January 22, 2004 6:50 PM
- The federal sector is not utilizing its existing resources well. I work for Air Force--specifically the Tinker AFB Material Systems Group. There are several of us information technology workers who love project management and are good at it. Several of my coworkers came from project management assignments, but in a reduction in force were placed in programming jobs. The organization is moving more toward acquisition. However, our skills and talents are not being recognized or utilized, in large part because of the old antiquated system expert focus. Looking for project management jobs at other areas of the installation, we are running into the problem that our series is not 343 or 301 or whatever the flavor may be. I hate being placed into those boxes. I guarantee you that I can handle the job. There are very few jobs in the government that require brain surgery. They all can be learned. People, communications and leadership skills make managers successful. If we know where to go to get the information and manage a team, we are there. Also, in our case it would help if managers were more astute in the area of human resource development as well as organizational change and development. Anonymous Posted January 23, 2004 9:21 AM
