News Briefs

THE DAILY FED

News Briefs

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The following news summaries are from OPM AM, the daily newsletter of the Office of Personnel Management. OPM AM is available on OPM Mainstreet, the agency's electronic bulletin board, at 202-606-4800.

THE FEDERAL DIARY--At 10 a.m. tomorrow, OPM's Acting Director Janice Lachance will talk about what feds can expect in the next few years on WUST radio (1120 AM)..and...GSA and Indian Health Service have announced limited buyouts with quick turnaround times. Employees should be prepared to think fast in such situations (The Washington Post).

OPM'S IG--"A small federal office located at OPM plays an important role in combating waste, fraud, and abuse in the American health care system, resulting in approximately $300 million in recoveries and disallowed costs for the taxpayers since 1994, and ensuring the integrity of that health care system for federal employees, retirees and their survivors" (Office of Communications News Release, 9/25/97).

FEHBP--Federal health plan enrollees will continue to pay lower average rates than the private sector as they have since 1995, OPM said today in announcing that premiums for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program will increase by an average of 8.5 percent for 1998 (9/26/95).

PARTNERSHIPS--Seven labor-management partnerships are cited by Vice President Al Gore as "models" for federal agencies and unions looking for cooperative ways to improve processes, and save money (FEND's Government Performance Report 9/22/97).

IRS--The IRS, battered by three days of Senate hearings into agency abuse of taxpayers and of its own employees, yesterday announced a series of steps to ease the management pressures that some IRS workers say led to the problems (9/26/97).

CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Access America Conferences

The National Performance Review (NPR), will launch a series of informational conferences aimed at providing government employees and private industry IT officials with techniques and strategies for implementing the goals of Access America, an NPR report outlining steps to increase access--via the Internet--to government services. The first conference will be held November 3 (changed from September 25) in Baltimore, Md. and then will travel to other cities across the country. Expert panels will discuss IT topics, including Internet/Intranet successes, the future of Distance Learning and collaboration, IT acquisition and procurement reform, and privacy and security.

Industry Advisory Council's Executive Leadership Conference

October 5-7, 1997 Richmond, Virginia. Forty-six hours of exciting and important keynotes, workshops and frank discussions on the topics foremost in the minds of both government and industry leaders such as "How the Internet is changing the way we do business;" "Public vs private competition: Does it make sense?" and "Past Performance of Past Performance." $265 for government attendees and $425 for industry members. Register separately at the Richmond Marriott (804) 643-3400. Contact Mary Ellen Geoffroy, Executive Director of IAC at 703-218-1965.

DTIC Annual Conference

The Defense Technical Information Center is presenting its Annual Users Meeting and Training Conference on Nov. 3-6, 1997 at the DoubleTree Hotel, National Airport, Arlington, Va. The conference theme is Information in the New Millenium. Contact Ms. Julia Foscue at 703-767-8236 or by e-mail at jfoscue@dtic.mil.