GovernmentExecutive.com

Lawmakers next year plan to push agencies to begin a program that aims to swap federal information technology employees with private-sector employees.

The effort was supposed to have been initiated years ago. The IT exchange program was created by an e-government law four years ago, but no exchanges have occurred to date. There is only one year remaining until the program's congressional authority ends.

Congress adopted the trading idea to enhance the skills of federal IT workers, but the agency charged with regulating the program and reporting results to Congress -- the Office of Personal Management -- neglected to tell Congress that no exchanges have occurred, according to a Government Accountability report released Friday.

The seven participating entities have drafted plans, but only three -- the Commerce, Defense and Homeland Security departments -- have finalized their plans, the report said. Homeland Security, the first to get its plan approved, tried unsuccessfully to negotiate one exchange.

"Agencies will face several challenges in making exchanges, including shortages of employees with key skills and concerns that exchanges could hinder companies' ability to do future business with the government," the auditors' report stated.

Federal ethics requirements, especially financial disclosure rules, could discourage corporate employees from participating.

Another predicament for agencies is the program's marketing, which consists of posts on the USAJOBS Web site. GAO suggests that federal managers advertise the program through the media and make personal contact with companies.

"Given the short time remaining for beginning exchanges, it will be essential to expeditiously address the challenges to enable a significant number of successful exchanges," GAO said.

In a written response, OPM officials said they will continue to promote the program as a tool available to agencies for training the federal IT workforce.

Some outgoing Republican congressional leaders do not view the report as a condemnation but as an opportunity to fix the program. "We hope this report motivates agencies and OPM to kick this important program into a higher gear," said David Marin, the Republican staff director of the Government Reform Committee. "What we can't allow is for this report to prompt some members to reconsider reauthorizing the exchange."

The Senate expressed both encouragement and concern for the program's future. Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, said, "I am disappointed that no exchanges have yet taken place, but I am pleased that the Department of Homeland Security seems to be in the forefront of taking advantage of this program."

OPM agreed with the auditors' recommendation to include in OPM's semiannual reports to Congress the number of exchanges accomplished. "With this information," Collins said, "Congress can make an informed decision about whether to extend authority for the program when it expires."

COMMENTS

• Having spent significant time in both areas I can assure you that the private sector operations are much better than those of the Defense Department at least. We are so secure that often we cannot even work! Our various systems that do not "talk" with each other are often down for days. We have automated processes that make little sense to automate! For example, the travel systems have removed the separation of functions so that now the same person can certify the funding authority and approve the orders! What a good way to open fraud and make it easy for the unintelligent to steal sums from the government without management even being aware the fraud is going on. What happened to internal controls? I bet management asserts in its annual statement that it has full control of the obligation authority and funds distribution. Our financial people do not even realize that they do not distribute cash! All cash distributions are done by the Treasury through a series of tax and loan accounts but the Defense Department thinks it pays bills! It only authorizes payment -- the Treasury actually pays the bills! Government IT people do not even stand a chance for success because the "users" do not even know what they do or how it is done! Taxpayer Posted December 20, 2006 7:03 AM
• Ah yes, another scientific first. Crossing private industry workers with government workers is like trying to cross a dog and a cat. You wind up with the worst traits of both species. GovExec.com reader Posted December 19, 2006 1:20 PM
• With all due respect, an exchange program involving public and private IT professionals might look good on paper, but has absolutely no real merit and will do harm. The fact is that federal IT staff are already outnumbered by their private IT contractors and consultants. With very few exceptions, the federal IT staff are better trained, more experienced and more focused on the mission. Turnover for private contractors is horrendously frequent -- so the federal IT staff are constantly having to invest their limited time to train new private contractors. Due to mass retirements, agency IT staff are already dangerously stretched. To rob those agencies of the experience and commitment of their remaining federal IT staff would be a nail in the coffin for many critical IT projects. Also, is it correct for private enterprise to profit from the labor of "exchanged" federal IT staff? Many might question the ethics. Joseph Posted December 19, 2006 8:03 AM