GSA shuffles the decks at OGP, Citizen Services

Budget

GSA shuffles the decks at OGP, Citizen Services

Keith Thurston will work with Dave McClure on e-government efforts as will the Data.gov team. GSA also is hiring full-time employees to help the assorted CXO...

Federal News Network Staff

August 18, 2010 6:08 pm

2 min read

By Jason Miller
Executive Editor
Federal News Radio

The General Services Administration is shuffling the decks in the Office of Governmentwide Policy and the Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies.

Keith Thurston is moving from OGP to become the assistant for e-Government working for Dave McClure, the associate administrator in the Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies.

“Reporting directly to me, his primary role will be helping to manage our overall e-Government portfolio and our critical relationship with the OMB with a focus on reporting, budget, major issue resolution and contracting strategies,” McClure wrote in his e-mail explaining the changes obtained by Federal News Radio. “He’ll work closely with me and our e-Gov Project project managers on key issues and help to position OCSIT to continue to perform well as these projects mature and new expectations arrive. Keith has a long history of success on e-Gov efforts and working with the EOP.”

This is a very similar role Thurston has done for OGP over the years. Stacy Riggs will be acting in Thurston’s old job, as the assistant deputy associate administrator for OGP, in the mean time.

Additionally, the team leading the development of Data.gov, Marion Royal, Sally Kiel and Allan VanderMallie, moved to OCSIT.

“These changes consolidate elements of the E Government portfolio into OCSIT to foster synergy among the innovations and project staff,” wrote Kathleen Turco, associate administrator of the Office of Governmentwide Policy in a separate e-mail also obtained by Federal News Radio. ”

Turco also said that Bill Piatt, the new Director of the Office of Technology Strategy, “is developing a new direction and competency set” for his office, and will continue to seek performance improvements.

Sources also say GSA is moving the Integrated Acquisition Environment under OGP instead of it being shifted around between GSA’s CIO’s shop and the Federal Acquisition Service.

“I am working with each of the 2-letter offices to design a more effective and efficient OGP, shifting programs and resources to address high priority needs,” she wrote. “We have much to do to achieve our portion of GSA’s goals and fulfill the expectations of this administration, while continuing to meet the needs of each of our programs.”

GSA also under OMB’s direction is hiring people to help run the CFO, Chief Acquisition Officer and CIO councils. Sources say OMB wants the councils to be run by dedicated people instead of volunteers in order to get things done more quickly.

This is the second major change for OCSIT this year. McClure in May renamed the office and brought in Sonny Bhagowalia, the former Interior Department chief information officer.

Additionally, Turco moved from the GSA CFO role to lead OGP in May.