On December 14 2016, President Obama signed S.1550 into law. S.1550 is the Program Management Improvement and Accountability Act of 2015 (PMIAA). This is legislation to improve the federal government’s program management practices and workforce development. It was not just endorsed by the Project Management Institute (PMI). PMIAA was also informed by PMP certification holders’ input and research.
PMI President and Chief Executive Officer Mark A. Langley said PMIAA “will help maximize efficiency within the US federal government, thereby generating more successful program outcomes and increasing the value that Americans receive for their tax dollars.” Here are some of the PMP values that will make this possible.
Talent Growth
PMIAA will introduce Program Management Improvement Officers. They will plan enhanced training and career opportunities for program managers. Along with this, senior executives and program managers will take a more active mentoring role. Their focus will be on current and future program managers working in their agency. There will also be more incentives to help recruit and retain those who are already highly qualified.
Utilizing Best Practices
This is another role of Program Management Improvement Officers. They will improve resources and support better means of collecting and disseminating best practices and lessons learned. Part of this involves working closer with the private sector. Between them, the public and private sector can share and integrate best practices. These best practices will be supported by common templates and tools for data gathering and analysis.
Continual Improvement
By adding best practices as an ongoing process, there’s a clear emphasis on continual improvement. Along with the promotion of talent growth, it’s clear this legislation is part of a process, not a leap. PMIAA will also introduce a Program Management Policy Council. One of its duties will be to discuss continual improvement policies with the workforce.
Risk Management
The Program Management Policy Council will also review programs identified as high risk. They will then recommend actions to take. These recommendations will go to a Deputy Director for Management or designee. One of Deputy Director’s jobs is portfolio reviews, which address these high risk programs. As federal government projects and programs use taxpayer money, managing risk is important.
Accountability
It’s the General Accountability Office (GAO) that identifies programs as high risk. GAO is an independent agency, unofficially known as the “congressional watchdog”. Along with thorough risk management, US citizens can also expect high level accountability. One of PMIAA’s intended outcomes is more interaction between the government and GAO. This includes the GAO Report on Effectiveness of Policies on Program and Project Management. It will scrutinize the project and program management improvements that come from this legislation.
Many public and private sector organizations want to adopt these same benefits. PMP is the federal government’s choice because it’s the project management Gold Standard. You can transform your organization too, with the right qualification. PMIAA’s talent growth initiative is just part of the increasing demand for experienced managers. With no better time to become PMP-certified, start your journey with accredited PMP training. For any questions or queries, please visit our contact page.