The Office of Management and Budget finalized the guidance documents outlining how agencies should implement the Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA), the most far-reaching IT reform legislation in almost two decades.
The final guidance — released June 10 — mirrors the draft guidelines put out for comment in April, with no significant changes.
OMB Memo: Management and Oversight of Federal IT
"This guidance is a result of extensive outreach and collaboration conducted over the past four months, including a month-long public comment period," Federal CIO Tony Scott said. "The guidance takes major steps toward ensuring agency CIOs have significant involvement in procurement, workforce and technology-related budget matters while continuing a partnership with other senior leaders."
Tony Scott: FITARA: A new foundation for technology management
The document details the new expanded roles for department-level CIOs in budgeting, acquisition and hiring, as well as mandating the involvement of CFOs and budget officers in IT discussions.
More: FITARA guidance outlines CIO authorities, delegating responsibility
Those roles are defined in the Common Baseline — a basic set of requirements all agencies will have to meet by Dec. 31. Agencies also have to submit a self-assessment and implementation plan to OMB by Aug. 15 explaining the necessary changes to internal workflow and management structure.
The guidance also explains how department CIOs can delegate some of their new responsibilities through "assignment plans," which must be submitted to OMB, as well.
"Our guidance not only fulfills the new law's requirements but also empowers federal executives with the means and information necessary to help federal IT become an effective strategic partner to mission programs," Scott said.
More: CIOs stress reform aspect of FITARA
Aaron Boyd is an awarding-winning journalist currently serving as editor of Federal Times — a Washington, D.C. institution covering federal workforce and contracting for more than 50 years — and Fifth Domain — a news and information hub focused on cybersecurity and cyberwar from a civilian, military and international perspective.
