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OMB draft memo details 16 CIO responsibilities

Framework clarifies governance, structure for all agencies

Federal News Network Staff

October 21, 2008 7:03 am

3 min read

By Jason Miller
Executive Editor
FederalNewsRadio

The Office of Management and Budget will lay out 16 roles and responsibilities for federal chief information officers in an upcoming memo.

FederalNewsRadio obtained a draft copy of the memo that is expected to be issued this week.

“The IT governance framework addresses management structure, responsibilities and authorities of heads of departments and agencies and their CIOs in planning, acquiring, securing and operating and managing IT systems and assets within the agency,” says the draft memo from OMB deputy director for management Clay Johnson. “In particular, this framework includes the requirement for heads of departments and agencies to consult with the director of OMB prior to appointing a CIO, and to advise the director on matters regarding the authority, responsibilities and organizational resources of the CIO…”

Karen Evans, OMB’s administrator for e-government and information technology, said last week that the memo is trying to ensure that IT is managed the same across government.

The draft memo asks agencies heads to summarize their agency’s current CIO alignment with each part of the framework, and sign a memo by Dec. 1.

“This summary may also include information on activities currently underway or other related management plans,” the draft memo says.

One former CIO questions why OMB is issuing the memo now after resisting it and saying it wasn’t necessary in the previous years of the administration.

Dan Mintz, the Transportation Department CIO, told FederalNewsRadio’s Chris Dorobek and Amy Morris on the “Daily Debrief” last week, that OMB has done a good job reviewing the memo with the CIO community.

“Inevitably the CIO which is one of the functions that spans completely across an organization by the nature of its job will change because the nature of organization change and technological integration with structure will change,” Mintz says. “It has to evolve. The whole nature of technology and its structure is changing all over the place.”

OMB says the CIO has “ultimate responsibility for the governance, management and delivery of IT programs within the department.” It says the no one else in the agency should have responsibilities that infringe up the CIOs.

The CIO also would have the ability to review qualifications of and provide input into the selection of senior IT officials within the headquarters and bureaus. OMB says bureau level CIOs and other IT executives must adhere to policy and direction established by the CIO.

OMB says the CIO could establish some of the performance elements of performance plans of IT executives.

The memo also would remind agencies that the CIO has the authority to set and enforce IT policy, including enterprise architecture, capital planning and investment control, asset management, IT budget and acquisition, security and operations and workforce management.

OMB also would set out eight responsibilities for CIOs to select, plan, control, evaluate IT investments.

The framework would say CIOs must ensure agency business IT policies and programs comply with the Federal Enterprise Architecture. CIOs also would participate in budget planning for headquarters and the bureaus, selecting IT projects and overseeing ongoing IT projects.

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On the Web:

Federal News Radio-OMB to clarify role of CIO

Federal News Radio-Daily Debrief interview with Transportation CIO Dan Mintz