From ELC: Panel identifies top federal IT priorities

A group of government and industry executives previewed technology-related recommendations for the next administration Oct. 26 at the opening session of the Industry Advisory Council's Executive Leadership Conference in Williamsburg, Va.

Mark Forman, former administrator of e-government and information technology at the Office of Management and Budget, and Roger Baker, former chief information office in the Commerce Department and leader of IAC’s Transition Study Project, said more than 80 people had written issue papers containing the recommendations and the group will deliver them just after the Nov. 4 elections. The authors include a large number of CXO-level people who served in Democratic and Republican administrations.

The nonpartisan, vendor-neutral issue papers will provide road maps for applying technology to 10 high-priority national issues, Forman and Baker said. Those priorities are:

• Acquisition process improvement.


• Budget challenges.


• The war on terrorism.


• Health care.


• Energy and the environment.


• Identity and access management.


• Entitlement programs.


• Disaster protection.


• Financial and regulatory reform.


• Government management.

In addition to overseeing the creation of the issue papers, the project’s governing board is writing two papers that will set the strategic context for IAC’s recommendations and insights.

The first paper will address the government’s use of IT for improving results and will focus on bringing innovative solutions to program delivery and management.

The second paper will concentrate on managing federal IT assets as a strategic national resource and suggest ways to maximize federal IT initiatives to support the country’s global economic competitiveness.

IAC, an advisory body established by the American Council for Technology, embarked on the project earlier this year to provide education, advice and insights to the next administration.

“Government is facing many challenges over the next four years,” said Leslie Steele, chairwoman of IAC’s Executive Committee. “We want to assist the incoming administration in using technology to address national problems. In that way, we hope to help government meet its new challenges by offering our knowledge of areas where we are experienced and have been successful, while at the same time demonstrating the value of public/private collaboration to improve service to the citizens.”

The first papers are scheduled for release the week of Nov. 10. In addition, project members are developing briefings to present to leaders of the incoming administration and other key decision-makers.