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March 8, 2005 Welcome to your latest edition of the FirstGov Buzz e-letter! In this issue:
CIO Spotlight – Thomas P. Hughes, Chief Information Officer, U.S. Social Security Administration
"The public can now apply for Social Security retirement, spouse and disability benefits, and conduct other business with SSA online in a secure and private environment," said Hughes, appointed to his post by President Bush in 2002. Hughes said that for those who prefer to conduct business with SSA by telephone, the agency is using speech technology in its national 800 number service so that citizens can request Medicare Replacement Cards and Proof of Income Letters without speaking to a teleservice representative. As CIO, Hughes is directly responsible to Social Security Commissioner Jo Anne Barnhart for developing an information technology (IT) strategy that aligns with and supports the agency’s strategic plan. "I am responsible for advancing the agency's mission in recognizing where IT can add value while transforming or supporting program operations," Hughes said. "I oversee the capital planning and investment control process, enterprise architecture, IT budgeting, egovernment, and technology security areas." Hughes brought to SSA a wealth of experience in IT strategy and ebusiness change management with large corporations and in the public sector. Previous positions include vice president of OCS Technologies, senior consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and manager of his own consulting firm. Hughes also developed numerous business/technology solutions and led organizational change for several corporations and ebusiness organizations. Hughes’ public sector experience includes an elected position as State District Court Clerk in Texas, where he completely reengineered the courts and trust fund management environments. That effort resulted in recognition as the most efficient court operations in Texas. Today, Hughes says SSA faces “formidable” challenges in the coming years “as we leverage emerging technologies, such as Voice over Internet Protocol and wireless, into our existing procedures.” “More is being asked of government as we continue to apply business principles to management and administrative decisions,” he said. “In the information resource management area, we place a high priority on selecting sound technology investments. I am working closely with other agency executives to ensure that our investments will provide the results expected.” Immediate challenges include continuing to develop new electronic processes to support provisions of the Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003. SSA has also enlisted the General Services Administration’s USA Services to handle misdirected telephone calls and emails. “Both processes are working well and benefit the public, as well as the agency,” Hughes said. “We look forward to continuing this collaboration.” Hughes said his professional and educational backgrounds have prepared him well for the daily challenges he faces at an agency that has become the focus of much attention in President Bush’s second administration. “The Social Security Administration is a large and changing program,” he said. “My experience in change management in major corporations has been a key to understanding the complexities of working in such a large organization.” Hughes received a Master of Public Administration degree from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where he focused on government and business strategy, attending Harvard Business and Kennedy Schools. He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Dallas and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in systems analysis and design from The University of Texas at Arlington. USA Services Launches Interagency Committee for Citizen Contact Criteria USA Services has formed an interagency committee to draft proposed governmentwide criteria for citizen contact activities. The group, the Citizen Service Level Interagency Committee (C-SLIC), seeks agency members to participate in drafting minimum performance levels, such as hold time for citizens calling or response times for email for federal agency citizen contact. The group seeks participation from those with experience managing or overseeing telephone, email, web chat, automated frequently asked questions (FAQs), and other systems. Please contact James Vaughn at james.vaughn@gsa.gov or call 202-208-0554 if you are interested in participating or have questions. USA Services Contact Center Workshop Want to learn about how to build a business case to determine whether to outsource your contact center? Would you like to know how to outsource your contact center and maintain subject-matter expertise? Hear these solutions and others ideas from leading industry experts from 9 - 10 am on April 13. For more information and/or to make a reservation, contact Carole Dobbs, USA Services, at carole.dobbs@gsa.gov or 202-219-1680. FirstGov.gov Brimming With New and Updated Content One of the outstanding features on FirstGov.gov that you may not have surfed across yet is the FirstGov Reference Center. This page offers what you might find in the Reference section of a library – directories, data and statistics, forms, graphics and photos, historical documents, laws and regulations, maps, news, publications, acronym guide, and much more. FirstGov.gov also boasts a new and robust A-Z Site Index, which is another aid in helping visitors find what they’re looking for on the site. Before you take a peek, though, try to set aside a block of time to review what’s here, for it may just pull you in and hold your attention with its vast cache of information, services, and transactions. For our federal employee audience, a new year brings updated pay tables, per diem rates, new mileage reimbursement rate, and much more. Finally, the Indian Ocean Tsunami page was the third most popular page on FirstGov.gov in January, with almost ninety thousand visits. USA Services Achieves Finalist Status for the 2005 Excellence.gov Awards USA Services was a finalist in the list of “Top 25” egovernment programs vying for one of the 2005 Excellence.gov Awards, sponsored by the Industry Advisory Council and the Federal CIO Council. The “Top 5” programs were honored on Feb. 9 during a luncheon award ceremony at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C. They were: E-Training Initiative, Office of Personnel Management; FAFSA on the Web, Department of Education; FDA Industry Systems (FIS), U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Online Customer Self-Service, U.S. Postal Service; and Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS), and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The 2005 Evaluation Criteria included: 1) Program’s impact on agency’s ability to deliver on its mission; 2) Effective adoption strategy demonstrated by measureable results; 3) Incorporation of industry and government best practices related to adoption strategy; 4) Evidence of excellent satisfaction among stakeholders, participants, and end-users.
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