[Agriculture Fact Book 98]
USDA is the third-largest civilian Department of the U.S. Government, overseeing a variety of agencies, Government corporations, and other entities that employ more than 100,000 people at over 15,000 locations in all 50 States and 80 countries.
The Department has undergone a historic reorganization to improve coordination among its broad range of programs and agencies. This reorganization, which affects headquarters and field structures, was authorized by the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-354), signed into law in October 1994.
The reorganization focused the Department’s work under the following seven mission areas, which are described in chapters 6-12 of this Agriculture Fact Book:
Some programs serve the entire Department of Agriculture, including all mission areas. Among these are the Assistant Secretary for Administration (Departmental Administration), Office of the Chief Economist, Office of Inspector General, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, and Office of the Chief Information Officer, all of which report directly to the Secretary of Agriculture. The Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs serves as liaison between the Department and Members of Congress and their staffs, State and local governments, and Indian tribes and their members.
Departmental Administration (DA) provides leadership and guidance to ensure that USDA is managed effectively, efficiently, and fairly in its administrative programs and services. The Departmental Administration Staff Offices provide support to policy officials of the Department, and overall direction and coordination for the administrative programs and services of the Department. In addition, DA manages the Headquarters Complex and provides direct customer service to Washington, DC, employees.
The Office of Civil Rights provides overall leadership, oversight, direction, and coordination for USDA civil rights and equal employment opportunity programs. The goal of this office is to ensure equal opportunity for women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in the work force, and to ensure equal opportunity in the delivery of USDA programs and services to all customers without regard to race, sex, national origin, disability, and other protected bases for certain programs and activities.
This office is responsible for ensuring program delivery compliance, and for evaluating USDA agency programs and activities for civil rights concerns. The Office of Civil Rights has full responsibility for investigating and adjudicating complaints.
The Office of Civil Rights proactively promotes civil rights at USDA, provides guidance and oversight to USDA agencies, and conducts compliance reviews and audits to ensure enforcement of all applicable civil rights laws, rules, and regulations. USDA’s civil rights policy, developed in 1998, requires that all employees treat coworkers and customers fairly and equitably, with dignity and respect.
The Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM) provides overall direction, leadership, and oversight of USDA human resources management programs and initiatives. OHRM establishes departmental human resources management policy and represents USDA in governmentwide initiatives. It develops and administers guidelines, principles, and objectives supporting human resources management, safety and health management, and labor management partnership for USDA. In addition, OHRM provides operational human resources management services for the Office of the Secretary, USDA Staff Offices, and the Departmental Administration offices.
OHRM manages an employee career management program to assist USDA employees. The program was enhanced in 1997-98 by enabling field employees to access information available at two resource centers. Access by telephone, fax, and e-mail was provided to field employees, who can now use such services as individual career counseling via the telephone, review and critique of résumés and other application forms via the fax, and dissemination of information materials.
OHRM also provides leadership for the Program Manager of the USDA National Scholars Program, in cooperation with the USDA 1890 Task Force and the USDA’s National Scholars Program, in cooperation with the 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Institutions, to recruit students interested in careers in agriculture. In addition, OHRM administers the USDA Summer Intern Program and 10 other student internships, which employed a total of 4,201 students in 1998. Of those students employed, 16 percent were African American, 9.6 percent were Hispanic, 4.1 percent were Asian, and 4 percent were Native American or Alaskan Native. Also included in this group were 27 students with severe disabilities.
In addition, OHRM administers the Summer Intern Program and 10 other student internships, which employed a total of 4,201 students in 1998. This is an increase of more than 35 percent from the prior year. Of the students employed, 16 percent were African American, 9.6 percent were Hispanic, 4.1 percent were Asian, and 4 percent were American Indian or Alaskan Natives. Also included in this group were 27 students with disabilities.
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The Office of Procurement and Property Management (OPPM) provides leadership and policy guidance concerning procurement, property management, energy conservation, disaster management, and coordination of emergency programs. OPPM also promotes and establishes USDA policy for alternative fuel vehicles, and the purchase of biobased, environmentally preferable, and recycled products.
OPPM is working to simplify and reduce the cost of procurement, and to improve access to information about procurement and property management policy for businesses and other members of the public. The cost of procurement has been reduced by expanding the use of commercial credit cards to make small purchases. At the end of FY 1997, over 16,000 credit cards had been issued to qualified holders throughout USDA. OPPM posts USDA procurement and property management policy and procedures on the Departmental Administration web site (www.usda.gov/da.html). Businesses interested in selling to USDA can view “Doing Business with USDA” at the web site. OPPM also posts information about disaster relief at this web site.
Mail
Smokey Bear receives more mail than any other individual in the Department.
Each year, USDA receives over 180 million pieces of mail, and at the
Washington, DC, headquarters alone, over 21 million pieces of mail are handled
each year--for an average of about 84,000 pieces of mail processed each
workday.
The headquarters mail operation is an active employer of those with disabilities. Over one-third of its employees are people with disabilities. Working closely with private and public placement organizations, the division has succeeded in bringing these employees into the work force. In recognition of its success in hiring the disabled, the division has received numerous government and private-sector awards.
The mail center is one of USDA’s Reinvention Laboratories supporting Vice President Gore’s National Performance Review, in which the Department has taken an active role. One advance is the implementation of computer-assisted mail sorting systems, which will improve efficiency and reduce by five the number of employees needed for this staff. Also, USDA is taking the lead in developing Government-wide mail management initiatives that are projected to save over $2 million.
Washington Area Strategic Space Plan
The Washington Area Strategic Space Plan has been developed to address USDA
Washington metropolitan area work space needs well into the 21st century. It is
a strategy for moving employees from leased space (at 18 locations) into
Government-owned space in Beltsville, MD, and a modernized South Building
headquarters complex in Washington, DC. The first component of the plan, the
construction of the 350,000-square-foot Beltsville Office Facility (BOF), was
completed in December 1997. Approximately 600 employees occupied the complex as
of August 1998, and relocation to the BOF will continue until the four
buildings are fully occupied.
The four-building complex is equipped with a state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure designed into the base building construction. Other features include a full-service cafeteria, the National Agricultural Research Center Credit Union, and a health unit. A Child Development Center, fitness center, sundry store, nursing mothers room, and telecommuting center are planned.
The second component of the plan is to modernize the 1.3-million-square-foot, 60-year- old South Building, which is in need of renovation to make it a modern, safe office environment. The project will be completed in eight phases. The first-phase construction contract was awarded on July 30, 1998. Construction of Phase I should take approximately 1 year.
Public Law 95-507, enacted October 1978, required the establishment of Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) in every Federal agency. USDA established its OSDBU on June 26, 1979. OSDBU provides departmentwide leadership and oversight for implementing and executing Small Business Programs prescribed under Sections 8 and 15 of the Small Business Act of 1958 as amended. It also has implementation responsibilities for Executive Order (E.O.) 12432, Minority Business Enterprise Development, and E.O. 12138, Women-Owned Business Enterprise Development.
OSDBU develops policy to enhance the utilization of small, minority, and women-owned businesses in the contract and program opportunities of USDA. It analyzes procurement trends and develops initiatives to improve contract awards to small, minority, and women-owned businesses. It provides outreach to raise awareness and solicit small business interest in USDA programs, and it monitors and reports the percentage of contract awards by USDA to small, minority, and women-owned businesses.
OSDBU’s goal is to provide information, guidance, and technical assistance to ensure continuous growth in the rate of small business participation in USDA programs and procurements.
If you are interested in business opportunities with the Department of Agriculture, visit our web site at www.usda.gov/da/smallbus.html or call (202) 720-7117 for more details.
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