A MESSAGE FROM OPM DIRECTOR LINDA M. SPRINGER
CHAIRMAN, CHIEF HUMAN CAPITAL OFFICERS COUNCIL
As Chairman of the Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCO) Council, I am pleased to present our fourth annual report to Congress. Since its inaugural meeting in June 2003, the Council has continued to evolve and expand its influence with the Federal community. This report outlines important activities undertaken by the Council in Fiscal Year (FY) 2006.
In addition, this year's report details how three specific changes to the Council - realigning the subcommittees, appointing Deputy Chief Human Capital Officers, and expanding the training academy - enhanced its overall visibility, leadership, and structure.
As we continue our development, the Council members remain united and committed to meeting the human capital objectives outlined in the Chief Human Capital Officers Act of 2002.
I look forward to the continued efforts of the Council during this fiscal year and beyond.
This report can also be found on the CHCO Council's website at www.chcoc.gov.
Linda M. Springer
Chairman
Table of Contents
I Executive Summary..................................................................................... 3
II Background.............................................................................................. 4
III. Council Activities...................................................................................... 5
§ Meetings of the Council................................................................................ 5
§ Meetings of the Executive Committee............................................................ 7
§ Key Activities of the Subcommittees.............................................................. 7
§ Chief Human Capital Officers Training Academy............................................. 10
§ Deputy Chief Human Capital Officers............................................................. 11
Appendix 1: Members of the Chief Human Capital Officers Council..................... 12
Appendix 2: Members of the Executive Committee............................................ 13
Appendix 3: Chief Human Capital Officers Council Charter.................................. 14
I. Executive Summary
The Chief Human Capital Officers Act of 2002 (Act), enacted as part of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 on November 25, 2002,[1] required the heads of 24 Executive departments and agencies to appoint or designate Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs) and to establish a Chief Human Capital Officers Council (Council). The 25-member Council is composed of the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Deputy Director for Management of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the CHCOs of the 15 Executive departments, and the CHCOs of additional agencies and the Small Agency Council, as designated by the OPM Director.
During FY 2006, several changes were made to the structure and organization of the CHCO Council to enhance its visibility, leadership, and overall effectiveness.
First, during the March 2006 CHCO Council meeting, Chairman Linda M. Springer discussed her intent to restructure and realign the subcommittees. After working with the Council members, Chairman Springer unveiled six new subcommittees during the Council's May 2006 meeting. The new subcommittees are as follows: Emergency Preparedness, Hiring and Succession Planning, Human Capital Workforce, Human Resources Line of Business, Learning and Development, and Performance Management. Council members accomplished an important milestone when they developed the FY 2007 subcommittee mission statements and goals outlining the objectives for the coming fiscal year. This plan was formally adopted by the Council during the November 2006 meeting.
Second, Chairman Springer asked each Chief Human Capital Officer to appoint a deputy to serve on the Council. The inclusion of the Deputy Chief Human Capital Officers serves three important purposes. First, they will create a stronger link between the Council's activities and discussions with the Federal Human Resources Directors. Second, the Deputies will help identify best practices for Council meetings, training academy sessions, and subcommittee meetings. Finally, the Deputy CHCOs will ensure continuity when there are changes in leadership among the CHCOs.
Third, key enhancements were made to the CHCO Council Training Academy during FY 2006. In the past, the academy sessions were open to CHCOs only. However, to increase participation and attendance, each CHCO can now send three attendees from their organization to these sessions. This modification, instituted for the last training academy session in FY 2006, was intended to ensure that the best practices shared and discussed during the sessions reach the appropriate human capital staff within the agencies. This change yielded immediate and positive results as nearly 60 CHCOs, Deputy CHCOs, and staff attended the August 2006 training academy session.
This year's annual report to Congress provides details on these changes and outlines the various activities of the Chief Human Capital Officers Council during FY 2006.
II. Background
The Chief Human Capital Officers Act of 2002 (Act), enacted as part of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 on November 25, 2002,[2] required the heads of 24 Executive departments and agencies to appoint or designate Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs). In addition, the Act established a Chief Human Capital Officers Council (Council) "to advise and coordinate the activities of the agencies of its members on such matters as modernization of human resources systems, improved quality of human resources information, and legislation affecting human resources operations and organizations."[3]
The 25-member Council is composed of the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), who serves as chairman; the Deputy Director for Management of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), who acts as vice chairman; the CHCOs of the 15 Executive departments; and the CHCOs of additional agencies and the Small Agency Council, as designated by the OPM Director.
The Act's effective date was May 24, 2003 (180 days after enactment).
III. Council Activities
Meetings of the Council
During FY 2006, the full CHCO Council met on November 8, 2005; January 10, 2006; March 14, 2006; May 9, 2006; July 11, 2006; and September 12, 2006.
November 8, 2005
During the Council's first meeting of the fiscal year, members received presentations on a full range of issues. First, Ms. Abby Block, representing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) at the Department of Health and Human Services, briefed the Council on the Federal Government's new prescription drug program. Next, Mr. Daniel A. Green, OPM's Deputy Associate Director for Employee and Family Support Policy, briefed the Council on several upcoming OPM surveys. His presentation was followed by a discussion led by Mr. Norman Enger, OPM's Director of the Office of the Human Resources Line of Business (HR LOB). Mr. Enger updated the Council on the progress made in implementing the HR LOB, one of five lines of business launched in April 2004. Then Ms. Marta Brito Pérez, OPM's Associate Director for Human Capital Leadership and Merit System Accountability, provided an update on closing HR competency gaps. OPM worked closely with the Council's Select Subcommittee on the Human Resources Fellowship Consortium to identify critical human resources competencies and categories. Next, Mr. Robert Danbeck, OPM's CHCO, informed the Council of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report requested by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs to examine OPM's capacity to lead Governmentwide human resources (HR) reform. After Mr. Danbeck, Dr. Michael Beckmann, OPM's Acting Deputy Associate Director for Leadership Capacity Services, briefed the Council on the 2006 OPM Federal Workforce Conference. Wrapping up the November agenda, Ms. Claudia Cross, Department of Energy CHCO and chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Human Resources Fellowship Consortium, updated the Council on her group's efforts to identify key competencies for the Federal HR workforce.
January 10, 2006
The January Council meeting began with a briefing on the HR LOB co-presented by Ms. Karen Evans, Administrator for E-Government and Information Technology at OMB, and by Mr. Norman Enger of OPM. Next, Ms. Kathie Ann Whipple, Deputy General Counsel at OPM, discussed Selective Service compliance and Federal employment. Mr. Robert Danbeck then provided an update on OPM's 2006 Federal Workforce Conference. This was followed by a discussion led by Ms. Marta Brito Pérez on the Applicant Satisfaction Survey and Management Satisfaction Survey. The criteria for the two surveys was developed by the Council's Subcommittee on Hiring to assess applicant satisfaction with the Federal Government's hiring process and management satisfaction with the quality of candidates and available flexibilities.
March 14, 2006
During the March Council meeting, Chairman Springer discussed the future structure of the Council, which included the addition of Deputy CHCOs and a realigned subcommittee framework. To help coordinate and conduct this important transition, each Council member provided Chairman Springer with the names of their deputies and their preferences for subcommittee assignments.
May 9, 2006
The Council convened its third annual meeting on Tuesday, May 9, 2006, in the Dirksen Senate Office Building. U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich served as the keynote speaker, addressing the Council members and Federal employee groups and noting that successful development and implementation of progressive human resources policies depends on the hard work and dedication of the Chief Human Capital Officers. After the Senator's remarks, the following four representatives from Federal employee organizations addressed the Council: Ms. Terry Rosen, Labor Relations Specialist, American Federation of Government Employees; Mr. Larry Adkins, Deputy General Counsel, National Treasury Employees Union; Mr. Donald McCall, National Vice President, Federal Managers Association; and Ms. Carol Bonosaro, President, Senior Executives Association. Next, the attendees received a briefing from two congressional staff members: Ms. Nanci Langley, Minority Deputy Staff Director, U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia; and Mr. Ron Martinson, Staff Director, U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce and Agency Organization.
July 11, 2006
The July 11, 2006, Council meeting began with a presentation on the establishment of effective CHCO and Deputy CHCO working relations from Dr. Jeff Pon and Ms. Claudia Cross from the Department of Energy. Dr. Pon and Ms. Cross discussed four main topics for the Council: (1) strategies for building an effective relationship; (2) challenges to effective management; (3) success stories; and (4) past and current issues within the Department affecting human resources. The next item on the agenda was presented by Ms. Nancy Randa, OPM's Deputy Associate Director for Leadership and Executive Resources Policy, who provided an update to the Council on the FY 2005 Senior Executive Service performance data. Council members also received an update from OPM on the agency's Career Patterns initiative, the development of human capital guidance in the event of a pandemic influenza outbreak, and a legislative and regulatory update on human capital issues. The last item discussed was the analysis of CHCO-provided data that reflected the types of graduate degrees obtained by individuals hired through the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program versus the types of graduate degrees needed to help address critical hiring shortages in agencies.
September 12, 2006
The Council's last meeting of FY 2006 included a lengthy agenda. The Council first received a briefing from OPM on the upcoming Federal Career Day Job Fairs. The job fairs are designed to target specific colleges and universities with strong curricula in mission-critical occupations (e.g., engineering, foreign languages, sciences, biological sciences, nursing, and information technology) coupled with an interest in supporting Federal employment opportunities for their students. Next, Ms. Toni Dawsey, the CHCO from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), discussed her agency's use of OPM's USAJOBS vacancy announcement template. Ms. Dawsey explained the ease with which NASA was able to incorporate this system into its existing recruitment and hiring platform. This presentation was followed by a briefing on the steps OPM is taking to implement the Career Patterns initiative from Ms. Marta Pérez and Mr. Ronald Flom. Mr. Flom is OPM's Chief Human Capital Officer and Associate Director for Management Services. Ms. Pérez began the session by discussing how the Human Capital Leadership and Merit System Accountability Division conducted its Career Patterns inventory, while Mr. Flom explained OPM's corporate approach to this initiative. Next, Chairman Springer led the Council in a thought-provoking and engaging discussion on the overall use of human resources flexibilities. As the last agenda item, each of the six subcommittee chairs briefed the Council on their activities. Director Springer also informed the Council that all subsequent meetings would include dedicated time on the agenda for each chair to update the Council on their subcommittee's progress toward meeting their goals and objectives.
Meetings of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee continues to serve as the leadership entity of the Council and is responsible for certain priorities, including (1) discussing and guiding the strategic direction of the Council; (2) suggesting and approving meeting agenda items for the full Council meetings; and (3) discussing cutting-edge human capital initiatives and their impact on the community at large. In FY 2006, the Executive Committee met on October 27, 2005; December 15, 2005; April 13, 2006; and June 29, 2006.
Key Activities of the Subcommittees
Important enhancements were made in FY 2006 to improve the Council's subcommittee structure. First, the subcommittees were realigned and refocused to reflect key human capital challenges facing Federal agencies. The new alignment created six subcommittees, including: Emergency Preparedness; Hiring and Succession Planning; Human Capital Workforce; Human Resources Line of Business; Learning and Development; and Performance Management. This new structure allowed the Chief Human Capital Officers and their deputies to serve as leaders in these critical issue areas.
Second, OPM linked the goals and objectives from the agency's 2006 - 2010 Strategic and Operational Plan to each subcommittee. The linkage enabled OPM to forge strategic partnerships with the appropriate subcommittee representatives and their staff members. In addition, this collaborative approach provided the subcommittees with the opportunity to affect human capital policy and programmatic changes during the developmental and implementation stages and yielded positive, achievable and recognizable outcomes.
Third, to allow for greater ownership, transparency and accountability, each subcommittee drafted mission statements and goals for FY 2007. After the plans were adopted by each subcommittee, they were packaged together and approved by the full Council during the November 14, 2006, meeting. The creation of the subcommittee plans provided the foundation for the tasks and priorities that the Council will address in the next 12 months. The subcommittee plans can be found on the CHCO Council's website at www.chcoc.gov.
The following provides a summary of the mission of each subcommittee and key milestones accomplished in FY 2006:
Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness
The mission of the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness is to assist OPM in establishing policies and procedures that enable Federal agencies to continue their operations during emergencies, while safeguarding their employees. In times of crisis, it is imperative that the Federal Government continue to effectively execute its mission, while responding to the crisis and leading the effort to restore normal operations. Inherent in this responsibility is assuring the safety and well-being of its employees, who are both a valued resource and key to important day-to-day governmental operations.
The Emergency Preparedness Subcommittee was extremely active in FY 2006 and continued to serve as a valued advisor to OPM. From May through August 2006, the subcommittee assisted in the development of OPM's human capital guidance for a pandemic influenza outbreak. OPM was required to develop this guidance by section 9.1.1. of the Homeland Security Council's National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Implementation Plan. Through this close working relationship, OPM and the subcommittee developed guidance that was issued in three phases over the summer of 2006. The guidance can be found by visiting www.opm.gov/pandemic.
Subcommittee on Hiring and Succession Planning
The mission of the Subcommittee on Hiring and Succession Planning is to support innovative marketing and recruitment strategies, a simplified and streamlined hiring process, and a structured succession planning effort necessary to obtain and develop the talent needed to meet the complex mission requirements of the 21st century Federal workforce.
During FY 2006, the Subcommittee on Hiring and Succession Planning partnered with OPM on the planning of the Federal Career Day Job Fairs. Several recommendations from the subcommittee were included in the planning phases of the job fairs and led to enhanced coordination and participation among agency representatives and potential candidates. The subcommittee's recommendations included working with the Federal Executive Boards to increase attendance and highlight in-state jobs, offering workshops with information about both mission-critical jobs and specific hiring opportunities, encouraging agencies to build long-term relationships with colleges and universities through the job fairs, and establishing a training session for participating agencies.
Subcommittee on Human Capital Workforce
The Federal human capital workforce is transforming from a transaction-based environment to a more strategic and consultative role. The mission of the Subcommittee on the Human Capital Workforce is to help ensure a successful transition by reviewing, developing and recommending strategies and a framework to promote and foster this evolution.
This subcommittee formally adopted its mission statement and goals for FY 2007 during its October 3, 2006, meeting.
Subcommittee on Human Resources Line of Business
The mission of the Subcommittee on Human Resources Line of Business (HR LOB) supports Governmentwide efforts to ensure that the HR LOB meets the needs of agencies in their Strategic Management of Human Capital. In addition, the subcommittee will provide high-level policy guidance and support to OPM and various Governmentwide groups working on important HR LOB initiatives.
The HR LOB Subcommittee agreed to its FY 2007 mission statement and goals during its September 8, 2006, meeting.
Subcommittee on Learning and Development
The mission of the Subcommittee on Learning and Development is to help create a culture of continuous learning and employee development that will facilitate performance improvements throughout the Federal Government. To enhance and improve organizational performance, the Subcommittee on Learning and Development will examine, explore and propose new and existing learning and development programs.
This newly formed subcommittee held its inaugural meeting on August 24, 2006, during which it developed and adopted its mission statement. The subcommittee goals were formally adopted on October 4, 2006.
Subcommittee on Performance Management
The mission of the Subcommittee on Performance Management is to help improve performance management in the Federal Government by assessing and highlighting best practices, participating in the formation of regulatory and programmatic agendas relative to performance management, recommending strategies for enacting legislation, and recommending oversight and programmatic changes.
This subcommittee held its inaugural meeting on August 31, 2006, during which it developed and adopted its mission statement and goals.
ChiefHumanCapitalOfficersTrainingAcademy
The Council's Training Academy was originally intended to provide a forum for CHCOs to share, discuss and learn about cutting-edge best practices in the Federal human capital arena. However, key enhancements were made to the CHCO Council Training Academy framework in FY 2006. For example, to increase participation and attendance, each CHCO now sends a total of three representatives from their organization to the sessions. This modification, instituted for the last academy session in FY 2006, was intended to ensure that best practices are shared and discussed with the staff responsible for implementing human capital policies and procedures for the CHCOs. This change yielded immediate and positive results as nearly 60 CHCOs, Deputy CHCOs, and staff attended the August 2006 training academy session.
In FY 2006, the CHCO Council Training Academy met on October 27, 2005; February 9, 2006; June 8, 2006; and August 10, 2006.
October 27, 2005
During the October 2005 training academy session, Dr. Doris Hausser, Senior Policy Advisor to the OPM Director, briefed attendees on the development of the metrics for assessing the management of human capital by Federal agencies required by section 1304 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
February 9, 2006
This training academy session included a discussion of the "Phased Retirement to Improve Succession Planning and Knowledge Management" proposal prepared by Mr. Scott Cameron, the Chief Human Capital Officer at the Department of the Interior. Mr. Robert Danbeck, OPM's Associate Director for Human Resources Products and Services and Chief Human Capital Officer, and OPM policy advisors complemented the discussion by providing ways to effectively deal with the transition of retiring personnel.
June 8, 2006
During this session, Mr. Solly Thomas, Director of OPM's Center for Human Capital Implementation and Assessment, provided an overview and briefing on the agency's cutting-edge tools that support the Federal Government's efforts to implement sound strategic human capital management policies and procedures.
August 10, 2006
During the August training academy session, the new format was unveiled and nearly 60 CHCOs, Deputy CHCOs and staff attended a session on conducting competency assessments on mission critical occupations. Attendees heard presentations from Ms. Daliza Salas, Deputy CHCO from the Department of Labor and from Mr. Steve McPeek, Assistant Director of Human
Capital Strategy at the Department of Justice.
Deputy Chief Human Capital Officers
In March of 2006, Chairman Springer requested that each Chief Human Capital Officer appoint a deputy to serve on the Council. The inclusion of the Deputy Chief Human Capital Officers serves three important purposes. First, they will help create a stronger link between the Council's activities and discussions with the Federal Human Resources Directors. Second, the Deputies will help identify and share best practices for Council meetings, CHCO Training Academy sessions, and subcommittee meetings. Finally, the Deputy CHCOs will ensure continuity when there are changes in leadership among the CHCOs. In addition, the CHCO Council's Executive Director met separately with the deputies on two occasions in FY 2006. He will continue to meet with the deputies in FY 2007 to discuss important human capital related information.
The Deputy CHCOs attended their first Council meeting on May 9, 2006. Since that time, they have played an integral role in the advancement and success of the Council and all its activities.
APPENDIX 1
MEMBERS OF THE CHIEF HUMAN CAPITAL OFFICERS COUNCILŸ
MS. LINDA M. SPRINGER, CHAIRMAN
Director
Office of Personnel Management
MR. BOYD RUTHERFORD
Assistant Secretary for Administration
Department of Agriculture
Deputy: Ms. Roberta Purcell
MR. OTTO J. WOLFF
Assistant Secretary for Administration
Department of Commerce
Deputy: Ms. Deborah Jefferson
DR. DAVID S. C. CHU
Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness
Department of Defense
Deputy: Ms. Patricia Bradshaw
MR. MICHELL CLARK
Assistant Secretary for Management and
Chief Human Capital Officer
Department of Education
Deputy: Ms. Donna Butler
DR. JEFF T. H. PON
Chief Human Capital Officer
Department of Energy
Deputy: Ms. Claudia Cross
MS. ANTONIA HARRIS
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Resources
Department of Health and Human Services
MS. MARTA BRITO PEREZ
Chief Human Capital Officer
Department of Homeland Security
Deputy: Mr. Eugenio Sexton (Acting)
MR. KEITH A. NELSON
Assistant Secretary for Administration
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Deputy: Ms. Barbara Edwards
MR. R. THOMAS WEIMER
Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management, and Budget
Department of the Interior
Deputy: Ms. Kathleen Wheeler
MS. MARI BARR SANTANGELO
Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Human Resources
Department of Justice
Deputy: Mr. Raymond Pagliarini
MR. PATRICK PIZZELLA
Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management
Department of Labor
Deputy: Ms. Daliza Salas
MS. LINDA J. WASHINGTON
Acting Assistant Secretary for Administration
Department of Transportation
Deputy: Ms. Patricia Prosperi
•As of the end of Fiscal Year 2006
Mr. Clay Johnson III, VICE CHAIRman
Deputy Director for Management
Office of Management and Budget
AMB. George M. Staples
Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Human Resources
Department of State
Deputy: Ms. Linda Taglialatela
MS. ROCHELLE F. GRANAT
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and
Chief Human Capital Officer
Department of the Treasury
Deputy: Mr. Rick Hastings
MR. R. ALLEN PITTMAN
Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration
Department of Veterans Affairs
Deputy: Mr. Willie Hensley
MR. LUIS A. LUNA
Assistant Administrator for
Administration and Resources Management
Environmental Protection Agency
Deputy: Mr. Kenneth Venuto
MS. GAIL T. LOVELACE
Chief People Officer
General Services Administration
Deputy: Mr. William Kelly
MS. ANTONIA DAWSEY
Assistant Administrator for Human Capital Management
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Deputy: Mr. Jay Henn
MR. JAMES F. McDERMOTT
Chief Human Capital Officer
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Deputy: Ms. Mary Ellen Beach
MR. RONALD C. FLOM
Associate Director for Management Services
and Chief Human Capital Officer
Office of Personnel Management
Deputy: Mr. William Jackson
DR. REGINALD F. WELLS
Deputy Commissioner, Human Resources
Social Security Administration
Deputy: Ms. Feli Sola-Carter
DR. RONALD P. SANDERS
Chief Human Resources Officer
Office of the Director of National Intlligence
MR. ANTHONY A. ARNOLIE
Small Agency Council Representative
and Director of Information and Resource Management
National Science Foundation
Deputy: Ms. Joyce Dory
MR. JOHN C. SALAMONE
Executive Director
Chief Human Capital Officers Council
Office of Personnel Management
APPENDIX 2
Members of the Executive Committee Ÿ
MS. LINDA M. SPRINGER
CHAIRMAN
Director
Office of Personnel Management
Mr. Clay Johnson III
VICE CHAIRMAN
Deputy Director for Management
Office of Management and Budget
DR. DAVID S. C. CHU
Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness
Department of Defense
MR. PATRICK PIZZELLA
Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management
Department of Labor
MR. R. ALLEN PITTMAN
Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration
Department of Veterans Affairs
DR. JEFF T. H. PON
Chief Human Capital Officer
Department of Energy
MS. GAIL T. LOVELACE
Chief People Officer
General Services Administration
MR. KEITH A. NELSON
Assistant Secretary for Administration
Department of Housing and Urban Development
DR. RONALD P. SANDERS
Assistant Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Management
Office of the Director of National Intelligence
MR. JOHN C. SALAMONE
Executive Director
Chief Human Capital Officers Council
Office of Personnel Management
•As of the end of Fiscal Year 2006
APPENDIX 3
CHARTER
United States Government
Chief Human Capital Officers Council
Adopted:
June 11, 2003
The White House
Introduction
In his Management Agenda, the President has stated that the Federal Government's workforce is one of its most valuable assets. Our employees are a national resource, and the American public expects the Federal workforce to be managed effectively and efficiently on their behalf. The Congress, through law, also supports this goal and has required that agencies establish a system of human capital management with plans that are strategically developed, leadership that has authority and accountability, and performance that is measured and continuously improved.
Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs) are essential to the success of human capital management throughout the Federal Government. They are vested with stewardship responsibilities for Federal employees and agencies and also share a collective accountability with OPM for improving the strategic management of human capital throughout the executive branch. They exercise that accountability in part through the CHCO Council, as strategic partners with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
Authority
The CHCO Council (Council) is formally established by the Chief Human Capital Officers Act of 2002 (Act), which was enacted as part of the Homeland Security Act, Public Law 107-296, on November 25, 2002. The provisions are effective May 24, 2003.
Purposes
The purposes of the Council are to:
§ Advise OPM, OMB, and agency leaders on human capital strategies and policies, as well as on the assessment of human capital management in Federal agencies.
§ Inform and coordinate the activities of its member agencies on such matters as modernization of human resources systems, improved quality of human resources information, and legislation affecting human resources management operations and organizations.
§ Assist member CHCOs and other officials with similar responsibilities in fulfilling their individual responsibilities to:
(1) Implement the laws governing the Federal civil service, as well as the rules and regulations of the President, OPM, and other agencies with regulatory authority that affects Federal employees;
(2) In accordance with those laws and regulations, advise and assist agency heads and other senior officials in carrying out their responsibilities for selecting, developing, training, and managing a high-quality, productive workforce in accordance with Merit System Principles;
(3) Assess workforce characteristics and future needs and align the agency's human resources policies and programs with the agency's mission, strategic goals, and performance objectives;
(4) Advocate and assure a culture of continuous learning and high performance, developing and implementing effective strategies to attract, develop, manage, and retain employees with superior abilities;
(5) Identify human capital best practices and benchmarks, and apply those exemplars to their agencies and the Federal Government as a whole.
§ Provide leadership in identifying and addressing the needs of the Federal Government's human capital community, including training and development.
Membership
The Act establishes as permanent members of the Council:
(1) the Director of OPM;
(2) the Deputy Director for Management of OMB; and
(3) the Chief Human Capital Officers of executive departments.
The Act also provides that the Director of OPM may designate other members of the Council. Such additional members may include, but are not limited to:
(1) the Chief Human Capital Officers of other Executive agencies; and
(2) members who are designated on an ex officio basis and who may be invited to contribute to projects as particular skills and expertise are needed.
The Act provides that the Director of OPM serves as Chairperson of the Council, and the Deputy Director for Management of OMB serves as Vice Chairperson.
Other Attendees
As required by the Act, at least once a year, representatives of employee labor organizations will be invited to attend a Council meeting. At the discretion of the Chair, representatives of other organizations may be invited to attend Council meetings.
Meetings
Meetings will be scheduled at the direction of the Chair. Attendance will generally be limited to principals and members, as described above, and to others who are specifically invited or approved by the Chair.
When votes are taken, each Council member (other than ex officio members) will have one vote. Members must be present to vote.
Invited guests who are not Federal employees may express their views, but will not participate in deliberations or decisions on policy matters, unless the meeting has been opened to the public in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Note in this regard that FACA does not normally apply to Council meetings.
Minutes of meetings will be prepared by the Secretary/Treasurer, and copies will be provided to all members. The Secretary/Treasurer will maintain an official archive of all minutes and other official Council documents.
Committees
The Chair may establish standing committees of the Council and appoint committee chairs and members. The Chair may also establish one or more ad hoc committees to deal with specific issues or initiatives.
Annual Report
The Act requires that the Council submit each year to Congress a report on the activities of the Council.