Links to Office of Agency Programs:
Office of Agency Programs
The Office of Agency Programs has three divisions that monitor and provide services to Federal agency ethics programs. These are the Program Services Division, Program Review Division and the Education Division. The three divisions coordinate their services to assist agencies in carrying out their programs. They work closely with agencies to identify and resolve problem areas, provide educational materials and training, stay abreast of budgetary concerns and identify emerging issues to be addressed by OGE. OAP also hosts the annual Government Ethics Conference and maintains the Ethics News and Information List Serve service.
Ethics News and Information Email List Service
The Ethics News and Information e-mail list service is OGE's primary medium for communicating with the ethics community. OGE uses the list to provide timely information to ethics officials about changes in ethics regulations, statutes, interpretations, guidance etc., as well as upcoming events such as the conference and ethics training.
Annual Government Ethics Conference
OGE hosts an annual Government Ethics Conference update executive branch ethics officials on the most recent developments in the Government Ethics area and to provide opportunities to enhance their understanding of the ethics statutes, regulations and policies. Officials attend and participate in a mix of general sessions and smaller concurrent sessions. These sessions provide ethics officials an opportunity to meet and discuss common issues and problems and to share resolutions and solutions.
Program Services Division (PSD)
The Program Services Division provides dedicated liaison and program support services to each executive branch department and agency ethics office through the Desk Officer Program. Each department and agency is assigned an OGE Desk Officer who is responsible for providing assistance in maintaining effective ethics programs and providing advice and guidance on the Standards of Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch.
In addition, PSD manages the annual and termination public financial disclosure reporting system for approximately 1,000 Presidential Appointees confirmed by the Senate (PAS positions) and 125 Designated Agency Ethics Officials (DAEOs) (PDF). PSD collects, tracks and reviews theses reports to ensure that they are complete and do not raise any unaddressed questions of potential conflicts of interest. These reports are made available upon request to the general public and the news media. The staff also review public financial disclosure reports filed by Presidential appointees confirmed by the Senate at the time of their nomination and tracks and ensures compliance with ethics agreements made by these Presidential appointees during their confirmation process.
PSD also handles all administrative aspects of the financial disclosure program such as responding to agency requests for extensions and exemptions for filing public reports and requests for waivers of the $200 late filing fee.
Public Financial Disclosure Reporting System
Under Title I of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, as amended, senior officials in all three branches of Government are required to file public reports of their finances. Officials must report information on their income and assets, financial transactions, gifts and travel reimbursements, liabilities, employment agreements, positions held outside the U.S. Government and sources of compensation greater than $5,000. The agencies review and certify that the reports are complete and that any potential or actual financial conflicts under the statutes or regulations are identified and resolved.
OGE oversees the executive branch reporting system. The statute and OGE regulations, contained in 5 C.F.R. part 2634, specify which officials are required to file a Standard Form 278 (SF 278) (PDF). The approximately 1,000 Presidential appointees confirmed by the Senate and approximately 125 DAEOs are required to file reports each year with their agency on, May 15, and also when they leave Federal employment. After agency review of these reports, they are forwarded to OGE for final review and certification. An additional 19,000 other high-level officials are required to file an SF 278 with their agencies for certification at the agency only. Within OGE, PSD has primary responsibility for tracking, collecting, reviewing and certifying these public reports.
Public Document Service for Public Financial Disclosure Reports
The SF 278s are available to the public under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, as amended. Within 30 days after receiving a report, agencies, including OGE, must permit its inspection and furnish a copy to any individual who presents a proper written request. Agencies must make reports publicly available for six years after receipt. An individual's written request for inspection or copying must include
his/her name, occupation, and address
the name and address of any other person or organization on whose behalf the inspection or copy is requested, and
that he/she is aware of the prohibitions on obtaining or using the report, which basically preclude use for any unlawful or commercial purposes.
OGE has developed a standardized application form, OGE Form 201 (PDF) for this purpose. Individuals requesting an SF 278 should specify each requested report by the filer's name and the filing year of the report.
PSD oversees the public inspection process and provides copies f the reports OGE collects and reviews, which are primarily the reports fo the President, Vice President, and Presidential appointees confirmed by the Senate. Currently, OGE charges a nominal copying fee only if the total number of report pages copied exceeds 333. Individuals may phone OGE to request a copy of OGE Form 201.
Ethics Agreement Compliance
PSD also tracks each Presidential appointee's compliance with any ethics agreements the appointee made during the Senate confirmation process. These agreements concerning the financial interests of the appointees, their spouses, and their dependent children are made to bring filers into compliance with applicable ethics laws and regulations and to avoid conflicts of interest with their Government positions. Appointees are to certify, with documentation to OGE, that such agreements have been satisfied within 90 days of their Senate confirmation.
Program Review Division (PRD)
The Program Review Division conducts on-site ethics program reviews of headquarters and regional offices to determine whether an agency has an effective ethics program tailored to its mission. The reviews are accomplished in accordance with detailed review guidelines (PDF - HTML) and are scheduled in advance as part of an annual program plan. The guidelines provide a step-by-step approach to examining each of the ethics program elements at an agency. Tips on preparing for an annual ethics program review and for administering a well-run ethics program have been developed by PRD (PDF - HTML). The annual program plan sets forth which agency reviews will be conducted during the year. The plan lists headquarters offices in Washington, DC and various offices and military facilities in the regions. After establishing the commencement date of an ethics program review with the agency's ethics official, a confirmation letter will be prepared and sent to the designated agency ethics official along with a checklist of ethics materials (PDF - HTML).
Program Reviews
Program reviews entail a thorough analysis of the agency's implementation of all basic requirements of an ethics program, as well as more unique elements of a program that may arise because of the actual mission of the agency. Individual ethics program elements which PRD examines include
ethics program structure and staffing
public financial disclosure
confidential financial disclosure
ethics education and training
ethics counseling and advice
outside employment and activities, and
post employment
Following the review, a report is sent to the Designated Agency Ethics Official. That report may contain recommendations to improve the ethics program if deficiencies are found. Agencies are required to respond to OGE within 60 days concerning the actions they are taking pursuant to OGE's recommendations. To confirm that the agency has acted on OGE's recommendations, PRD conducts a follow-up review six months from the date of the report.
Education Division (ED)
The Education Division develops and provides ethics training courses and materials for executive branch departments and agencies. ED delivers training to both new and experienced agency ethics officials through workshops and seminars designed to improve their skills in performing ethics related duties and maintaining effective ethics programs. In addition, ED develops and makes available ethics training courses and materials for agency ethics officials to use in conducting ethics training for their employees. These courses and materials are available in a variety of formats such as instructor led, web-based and video, and cover a variety of ethics topics to enable agency ethics officials to best meet their training needs.
Ethics Training Workshops
OGE offers a variety of ethics training workshops to agency ethics officials that focus on applying the standards of ethical conduct, criminal conflict of interest statutes and the financial disclosure regulations in their day-to-day work. These workshops offer attendees the opportunity to work through case studies and problems that enhance their knowledge of the ethics rules. Many ethics officials use the knowledge and materials obtained through these workshops to train employees. These workshops are conducted in Washington, DC, and other Federal regions around the country.
Ethics Training Materials
OGE develops a wide variety of ethics training materials for use by all executive branch departments and agencies in meeting the mandatory ethics training requirements. These materials include computer and web-based training, videotapes, pamphlets, booklets and reference manuals. All of the printed materials are available either from this web site or can be purchased from vendors. See ordering information for OGE publications, videos and software.