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GovExec.com Today
August 19, 2004
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In this issue:
* Defense solicits help in marketing competitive sourcing
* Study finds positive impression of federal government workers
* Union fights decision to change work schedules for some CMS employees
* Chairman of 9/11 commission calls on Pentagon to support reform
* Agencies stand to lose money over telework eligibility
* 9/11 panel seeks billions more in federal spending
* Today's column: Pay and Benefits Watch
* The Earlybird: Today's headlines
* Quote of the day
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1. Defense solicits help in marketing competitive sourcing
By Amelia Gruber
The Defense Department is enlisting a consulting company's help to plot a fresh
strategy for marketing competitive sourcing, the controversial initiative aimed at
improving efficiency by allowing contractors to bid on government jobs characterized
as commercial in nature.
The Pentagon has solicited proposals from companies interested in designing a
comprehensive plan for disbursing accurate information about competitive sourcing,
said Joe Sikes, Defense's director of competitive sourcing and privatization, on
Tuesday. In part, the company would provide advice on generating positive publicity
for the program, he said.
"Success stories" are vital to the Defense Department's efforts to run job
competitions following rules in the May 2003 revised version of the Office of
Management and Budget's Circular A-76, Sikes said. Lawmakers prevented the Pentagon
from holding contests under the modified rules until officials completed a competitive
sourcing report.
Full story: { Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081804a1.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081804a1.htm
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2. Study finds positive impression of federal government workers
By David McGlinchey
Most Americans view the federal government positively, but there still are some
enduring stereotypes that must be dispelled, according to a study released Wednesday
by the Partnership for Public Service.
"Despite long-standing negative stereotypes about government work, the research shows
that Americans have a favorable impression of the federal government," according to
the report, A New Call to Service in an Age of Savvy Altruism. "Our research found
that more than 62 percent of the American people we surveyed view the federal
government favorably, and 91 percent say that the jobs and duties of federal
government workers are 'important' in their lives."
The report found also that future federal recruiting should advertise the opportunity
to help others and advance a career. The report called this "idealism that takes you
places."
Full story: { Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081804d1.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081804d1.htm
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3. Union fights decision to change work schedules for some CMS employees
By Shawn Zeller
The American Federation of Government Employees has asked the Federal Service
Impasses Panel to reconsider a May ruling that allowed the Center for Medicare and
Medicaid Services to reduce the range of alternative work schedules available to
employees. On Wednesday, the union said it had filed a "motion for reconsideration"
with the panel after it ruled in favor of CMS management on 25 of 26 disputed issues.
The impasses panel's ruling means that CMS employees will no longer be able to combine
flexible work schedules. An employee who works flex-time, for example, would not be
able to also work from home. At the same time, union stewards would not be able to
work alternative schedules if they perform union duties during the work day.
Beyond work schedules, a number of other issues were involved in the case, including
employee rights, health and safety concerns, work hours, parking, recycling,
contracting out, equal employment opportunity and employee performance evaluation.
Full story: { Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081804sz1.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081804sz1.htm
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4. Chairman of 9/11 commission calls on Pentagon to support reform
By Chris Strohm
The chairman of the 9/11 commission on Tuesday said he sensed resistance to
governmental reform coming from the Pentagon and called for a unified effort to make
needed changes.
"Reorganizing government is very, very hard. We recognized that when we made the
recommendation and we made the decision to [recommend] it anyway, because it's the
right thing to do," the panel's chairman, Thomas Kean, a former Republican governor
from New Jersey, told Government Executive. Kean said he sensed that the Pentagon's
leadership was resisting some of the commission's recommendations for overhauling the
intelligence community.
"I know that any time you move around power, you have resistance," he added. "We
believe that people have to work together. There has to be a unified intelligence
effort, and we believe we've recommended the right way to do that. But everybody's got
to participate,and everybody's got to be part of it, including the Defense Department."
Full story: { Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081804c2.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081804c2.htm
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5. Agencies stand to lose money over telework eligibility
From National Journal's Technology Daily
A number of federal entities stand to lose as much as $5 million each if they do not
certify that their workers are eligible for teleworking, but the government has not
clearly defined "certification" other than to ask agencies to sign a document stating
that they have made the option of teleworking available to all employees.
The Office of Personnel Management is using the document to compile an annual survey
of agencies' progress on the matter.
A provision in the House appropriations bill for fiscal 2005 for the Commerce, Justice
and State departments and other agencies said they must certify that they have made
telework an option for their employees by 2004.
Full story: { Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081804tdpm1.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081804tdpm1.htm
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6. 9/11 panel seeks billions more in federal spending
By Chris Strohm
A handful of recommendations from the 9/11 commission--such as accelerating a
biometric entry-exit system at the nation's borders and installing advanced explosives
detection machines at airports--would cost the federal government billions more in
spending if implemented.
Commissioners do not deny that they made several expensive recommendations, but say
federal agencies have no other choice but to make investments in order to protect the
public.
"What we have suggested calls for major change, and I must say is not inexpensive.
It's going to cost a lot of money," said former Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., the
commission's co-chairman.
Full story: { Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081804c1.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081804c1.htm
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7. Today's column: Pay and Benefits Watch
Appealing Overtime
Three federal workers' unions are petitioning an appeals court to take another look at
a case involving overtime for federal workers.
Full column: { Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081904pb.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081904pb.htm
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8. The Earlybird: Today's headlines
Get links to the top news of the day:
{ Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/ebird.htm }
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/ebird.htm
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9. Quote of the day
"Despite long-standing negative stereotypes about government work, the research shows
that Americans have a favorable impression of the federal government."
-- A { Link: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0804/081804d1.htm }
new report from the Partnership for Public Service finds the federal workforce fares
well in public opinion.
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