Federal Information Technology Documents
Federal Information Technology



Federal Register, Volume 61 Issue 140 (Friday, July 19, 1996)

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 140 (Friday, July 19, 1996)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 37657-37662]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18555]
                        Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 140 / Friday, July 19, 1996 /
Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________
Title 3--
The President
[[Page 37657]]
                Executive Order 13011 of July 16, 1996
Federal Information Technology
                A Government that works better and costs less requires
                efficient and effective information systems. The
                Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the Information
                Technology Management Reform Act of 1996 provide the
                opportunity to improve significantly the way the
                Federal Government acquires and manages information
                technology. Agencies now have the clear authority and
                responsibility to make measurable improvements in
                mission performance and service delivery to the public
                through the strategic application of information
                technology. A coordinated approach that builds on
                existing structures and successful practices is needed
                to provide maximum benefit across the Federal
                Government from this technology.
                Accordingly, by the authority vested in me as President
                by the Constitution and the laws of the United States
                of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
                Section 1. Policy. It shall be the policy of the United
                States Government that executive agencies shall: (a)
                significantly improve the management of their
                information systems, including the acquisition of
                information technology, by implementing the relevant
                provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
                (Public Law 104-13), the Information Technology
                Management Reform Act of 1996 (Division E of Public Law
                104-106) (``Information Technology Act''), and the
                Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (Public
                Law 103-62);
                    (b) refocus information technology management to
                support directly their strategic missions, implement an
                investment review process that drives budget
                formulation and execution for information systems, and
                rethink and restructure the way they perform their
                functions before investing in information technology to
                support that work;
                    (c) establish clear accountability for information
                resources management activities by creating agency
                Chief Information Officers (CIOs) with the visibility
                and management responsibilities necessary to advise the
                agency head on the design, development, and
                implementation of those information systems. These
                responsibilities include: (1) participating in the
                investment review process for information systems; (2)
                monitoring and evaluating the performance of those
                information systems on the basis of applicable
                performance measures; and, (3) as necessary, advising
                the agency head to modify or terminate those systems;
                    (d) cooperate in the use of information technology
                to improve the productivity of Federal programs and to
                promote a coordinated, interoperable, secure, and
                shared Governmentwide infrastructure that is provided
                and supported by a diversity of private sector
                suppliers and a well-trained corps of information
                technology professionals; and
                    (e) establish an interagency support structure that
                builds on existing successful interagency efforts and
                shall provide expertise and advice to agencies; expand
                the skill and career development opportunities of
                information technology professionals; improve the
                management and use of information technology within and
                among agencies by developing information technology
                procedures and standards and by identifying and sharing
                experiences, ideas, and promising practices; and
                provide innovative, multi-disciplinary, project-
                specific support to agencies to enhance
                interoperability, minimize unnecessary duplication of
                effort, and capitalize on agency successes.
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                Sec. 2. Responsibilities of Agency Heads. The head of
                each executive agency shall: (a) effectively use
                information technology to improve mission performance
                and service to the public;
                    (b) strengthen the quality of decisions about the
                employment of information resources to meet mission
                needs through integrated analysis, planning, budgeting,
                and evaluation processes, including:
                    (1) determining, before making investments in new
                information systems, whether the Government should be
                performing the function, if the private sector or
                another agency should support the function, and if the
                function needs to be or has been appropriately
                redesigned to improve its efficiency;
                    (2) establishing mission-based performance measures
                for information systems investments, aligned with
                agency performance plans prepared pursuant to the
                Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (Public
                Law 103-62);
                    (3) establishing agency-wide and project-level
                management structures and processes responsible and
                accountable for managing, selecting, controlling, and
                evaluating investments in information systems, with
                authority for terminating information systems when
                appropriate;
                    (4) supporting appropriate training of personnel;
                and
                    (5) seeking the advice of, participating in, and
                supporting the interagency support structure set forth
                in this order;
                    (c) select CIOs with the experience and skills
                necessary to accomplish the duties set out in law and
                policy, including this order, and involve the CIO at
                the highest level of the agency in the processes and
                decisions set out in this section;
                    (d) ensure that the information security policies,
                procedures, and practices of the executive agency are
                adequate;
                    (e) where appropriate, and in accordance with the
                Federal Acquisition Regulation and guidance to be
                issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB),
                structure major information systems investments into
                manageable projects as narrow in scope and brief in
                duration as practicable, consistent with the
                Information Technology Act, to reduce risk, promote
                flexibility and interoperability, increase
                accountability, and better correlate mission need with
                current technology and market conditions; and
                    (f) to the extent permitted by law, enter into a
                contract that provides for multiagency acquisitions of
                information technology as an executive agent for the
                Government, if and in the manner that the Director of
                OMB considers it advantageous to do so.
                Sec. 3. Chief Information Officers Council. (a) Purpose
                and Functions. A Chief Information Officers Council
                (``CIO Council'') is established as the principal
                interagency forum to improve agency practices on such
                matters as the design, modernization, use, sharing, and
                performance of agency information resources. The
                Council shall:
                    (1) develop recommendations for overall Federal
                information technology management policy, procedures,
                and standards;
                    (2) share experiences, ideas, and promising
                practices, including work process redesign and the
                development of performance measures, to improve the
                management of information resources;
                    (3) identify opportunities, make recommendations
                for, and sponsor cooperation in using information
                resources;
                    (4) assess and address the hiring, training,
                classification, and professional development needs of
                the Federal Government with respect to information
                resources management;
                    (5) make recommendations and provide advice to
                appropriate executive agencies and organizations,
                including advice to OMB on the Governmentwide strategic
                plan required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995;
                and
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                    (6) seek the views of the Chief Financial Officers
                Council, Government Information Technology Services
                Board, Information Technology Resources Board, Federal
                Procurement Council, industry, academia, and State and
                local governments on matters of concern to the Council
                as appropriate.
                    (b) Membership. The CIO Council shall be composed
                of the CIOs and Deputy CIOs of the following executive
                agencies plus two representatives from other agencies:
                    1. Department of State;
                    2. Department of the Treasury;
                    3. Department of Defense;
                    4. Department of Justice;
                    5. Department of the Interior;
                    6. Department of Agriculture;
                    7. Department of Commerce;
                    8. Department of Labor;
                    9. Department of Health and Human Services;
                    10. Department of Housing and Urban Development;
                    11. Department of Transportation;
                    12. Department of Energy;
                    13. Department of Education;
                    14. Department of Veterans Affairs;
                    15. Environmental Protection Agency;
                    16. Federal Emergency Management Agency;
                    17. Central Intelligence Agency;
                    18. Small Business Administration;
                    19. Social Security Administration;
                    20. Department of the Army;
                    21. Department of the Navy;
                    22. Department of the Air Force;
                    23. National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
                    24. Agency for International Development;
                    25. General Services Administration;
                    26. National Science Foundation;
                    27. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; and
                    28. Office of Personnel Management.
                The Administrator of the Office of Information and
                Regulatory Affairs of OMB, the Controller of the Office
                of Federal Financial Management of OMB, the
                Administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement
                Policy of OMB, a Senior Representative of the Office of
                Science and Technology Policy, the Chair of the
                Government Information Technology Services Board, and
                the Chair of the Information Technology Resources Board
                shall also be members. The CIO Council shall be chaired
                by the Deputy Director for Management of OMB. The Vice
                Chair, elected by the CIO Council on a rotating basis,
                shall be an agency CIO.
                Sec. 4. Government Information Technology Services
                Board.
                    (a) Purpose and Functions. A Government Information
                Technology Services Board (``Services Board'') is
                established to ensure continued implementation of the
                information technology recommendations of the National
                Performance
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                Review and to identify and promote the development of
                innovative technologies, standards, and practices among
                agencies and State and local governments and the
                private sector. It shall seek the views of experts from
                industry, academia, and State and local governments on
                matters of concern to the Services Board as
                appropriate. The Services Board shall also make
                recommendations to the agencies, the CIO Council, OMB,
                and others as appropriate, and assist in the following:
                    (1) creating opportunities for cross-agency
                cooperation and intergovernmental approaches in using
                information resources to support common operational
                areas and to develop and provide shared governmentwide
                infrastructure services;
                    (2) developing shared governmentwide information
                infrastructure services to be used for innovative,
                multiagency information technology projects;
                    (3) creating and utilizing affinity groups for
                particular business or technology areas; and
                    (4) developing with the National Institute of
                Standards and Technology and with established standards
                bodies, standards and guidelines pertaining to Federal
                information systems, consistent with the limitations
                contained in the Computer Security Act of 1987 (40
                U.S.C. 759 note), as amended by the Information
                Technology Act.
                    (b) Membership. The Services Board shall be
                composed of individuals from agencies based on their
                proven expertise or accomplishments in fields necessary
                to achieve its goals. Major government mission areas
                such as electronic benefits, electronic commerce, law
                enforcement, environmental protection, national
                defense, and health care may be represented on the
                Services Board to provide a program operations
                perspective. Initial selection of members will be made
                by OMB in consultation with other agencies as
                appropriate. The CIO Council may nominate two members.
                The Services Board shall recommend new members to OMB
                for consideration. The Chair will be elected by the
                Services Board.
                Sec. 5. Information Technology Resources Board.
                    (a) Purpose and Functions. An Information
                Technology Resources Board (``Resources Board'') is
                established to provide independent assessments to
                assist in the development, acquisition, and management
                of selected major information systems and to provide
                recommendations to agency heads and OMB as appropriate.
                The Resources Board shall:
                    (1) review, at the request of an agency and OMB,
                specific information systems proposed or under
                development and make recommendations to the agency and
                OMB regarding the status of systems or next steps;
                    (2) publicize lessons learned and promising
                practices based on information systems reviewed by the
                Board; and
                    (3) seek the views of experts from industry,
                academia, and State and local governments on matters of
                concern to the Resources Board, as appropriate.
                    (b) Membership. The Resources Board shall be
                composed of individuals from executive branch agencies
                based on their knowledge of information technology,
                program, or acquisition management within Federal
                agencies. Selection of members shall be made by OMB in
                consultation with other agencies as appropriate. The
                Chair will be elected by the Resources Board. The
                Resources Board may call upon the department or agency
                whose project is being reviewed, or any other
                department or agency to provide knowledgeable
                representative(s) to the Board whose guidance and
                expertise will assist in focusing on the primary
                issue(s) presented by a specific system.
                Sec. 6. Office of Management and Budget. The Director
                of OMB shall:
                    (1) evaluate agency information resources
                management practices and, as part of the budget
                process, analyze, track and evaluate the risks and
                results of all major capital investments for
                information systems;
[[Page 37661]]
                    (2) notify an agency if it believes that a major
                information system requires outside assistance;
                    (3) provide guidance on the implementation of this
                order and on the management of information resources to
                the executive agencies and to the Boards established by
                this order; and
                    (4) evaluate the effectiveness of the management
                structure set out in this order after 3 years and make
                recommendations for any appropriate changes.
                Sec. 7. General Services Administration. Under the
                direction of OMB, the Administrator of General Services
                shall:
                    (1) continue to manage the FTS2000 program and
                coordinate the follow-on to that program, on behalf of
                and with the advice of customer agencies;
                    (2) develop, maintain, and disseminate for the use
                of the Federal community, as requested by OMB or the
                agencies, recommended methods and strategies for the
                development and acquisition of information technology;
                    (3) conduct and manage outreach programs in
                cooperation with agency managers;
                    (4) be a focal point for liaison on information
                resources management, including Federal information
                technology, with State and local governments, and with
                nongovernmental international organizations subject to
                prior consultation with the Secretary of State to
                ensure such liaison would be consistent with and
                support overall United States foreign policy
                objectives;
                    (5) support the activities of the Secretary of
                State for liaison, consultation, and negotiation with
                intergovernmental organizations in information
                resources management matters;
                    (6) assist OMB, as requested, in evaluating
                agencies' performance-based management tracking systems
                and agencies' achievement of cost, schedule, and
                performance goals; and
                    (7) provide support and assistance to the
                interagency groups established in this order.
                Sec. 8. Department of Commerce. The Secretary of
                Commerce shall carry out the standards responsibilities
                under the Computer Security Act of 1987, as amended by
                the Information Technology Act, taking into
                consideration the recommendations of the agencies, the
                CIO Council, and the Services Board.
                Sec. 9. Department of State. (a) The Secretary of State
                shall be responsible for liaison, consultation, and
                negotiation with foreign governments and
                intergovernmental organizations on all matters related
                to information resources management, including Federal
                information technology. The Secretary shall further
                ensure, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce,
                that the United States is represented in the
                development of international standards and
                recommendations affecting information technology. In
                the exercise of these responsibilities, the Secretary
                shall consult, as appropriate, with affected domestic
                agencies, organizations, and other members of the
                public.
                    (b) The Secretary of State shall advise the
                Director on the development of United States positions
                and policies on international information policy and
                technology issues affecting Federal Government
                activities and the development of international
                information technology standards.
                Sec. 10. Definitions. (a) ``Executive agency'' has the
                meaning given to that term in section 4(1) of the
                Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C.
                403(1)).
                    (b) ``Information Technology'' has the meaning
                given that term in section 5002 of the Information
                Technology Act.
                    (c) ``Information resources'' has the meaning given
                that term in section 3502(6) of title 44, United States
                Code.
                    (d) ``Information resources management'' has the
                meaning given that term in section 3502(7) of title 44,
                United States Code.
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                    (e) ``Information system'' has the meaning given
                that term in section 3502(8) of title 44, United States
                Code.
                    (f) ``Affinity group'' means any interagency group
                focussed on a business or technology area with common
                information technology or customer requirements. The
                functions of an affinity group can include identifying
                common program goals and requirements; identifying
                opportunities for sharing information to improve
                quality and effectiveness; reducing costs and burden on
                the public; and recommending protocols and other
                standards, including security standards, to the
                National Institute of Standards and Technology for
                Governmentwide applicability, for action in accordance
                with the Computer Security Act of 1987, as amended by
                the Information Technology Act.
                    (g) ``National security system'' means any
                telecommunications or information system operated by
                the United States Government, the function, operation,
                or use of which (1) involves intelligence activities;
                (2) involves cryptologic activities related to national
                security; (3) involves command and control of military
                forces; (4) involves equipment that is an integral part
                of a weapon or weapons system; or (5) is critical to
                the direct fulfillment of military or intelligence
                missions, but excluding any system that is to be used
                for routine administrative and business applications
                (including payroll, finance, logistics, and personnel
                management applications).
                Sec. 11. Applicability to National Security Systems.
                The heads of executive agencies shall apply the
                policies and procedures established in this order to
                national security systems in a manner consistent with
                the applicability and related limitations regarding
                such systems set out in the Information Technology Act.
                Sec. 12. Judicial Review. Nothing in this Executive
                order shall affect any otherwise available judicial
                review of agency action. This Executive order is
                intended only to improve the internal management of the
                executive branch and does not create any right or
                benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law
                or equity by a party against the United States, its
                agencies or instrumentalities, its officers or
                employees, or any other person.
                    (Presidential Sig.)
                THE WHITE HOUSE,
                    July 16, 1996.
[FR Doc. 96-18555
Filed 7-18-96; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P