On December 14 2016, President Obama signed S.1550 into law. S.1550 is known as the Program Management Improvement and Accountability Act of 2015, or PMIAA. This legislation is intended to improve federal government’s program management and workforce development. It was not only approved by the Project Management Institute (PMI). PMP certification holders also contributed their research and input to PMIAA.
Mark A. Langley, President and Chief Executive Officer of PMI, stated that PMIAA will “help maximize efficiency within the US Federal Government, thereby generating more success program outcomes and increasing value that Americans receive tax dollars.”
Talent Growth
PMIAA will create Program Management Improvement Officers. They will provide career opportunities and training for program managers. Senior executives and program managers will also be more involved in mentoring. They will be focusing on the future and current program managers within their agency. They will also offer more incentives to recruit and retain highly-qualified individuals.
Utilizing Best Practices
This is another role for Program Management Improvement Officers. They will help improve resources and provide better support for collecting and disseminating the best practices and lessons learnt. This includes collaborating with the private sector. The public and private sectors can share best practices and integrate them. These best practices will be supported with common templates and tools to gather and analyze data.
Continual Improvement
The emphasis is on continuous improvement by incorporating best practices as an ongoing process. This legislation, along with the promotion and growth of talent, is part of a continuous process. It’s not a one-off. A Program Management Policy Council will be established by the PMIAA. It will also discuss continuous improvement policies with the workforce.
Risk Management
Program Management Policy Council will also be reviewing programs that are high-risk. They will then recommend steps to be taken. These recommendations will be sent to the Deputy Director for Management, or to a designee. Portfolio reviews are one of the responsibilities of the Deputy Director. These portfolio reviews address high-risk programs. It is crucial to manage risk because federal government programs and projects use taxpayer money.
Accountability
The General Accountability Office (GAO), which identifies high-risk programs, is responsible. GAO is an independent agency that is also known as the “congressional watchdog”. Americans can expect high-level accountability, as well as risk management. PMIAA’s goal is to increase interaction between the government, GAO and other agencies. This includes the GAO Report On Effectiveness of Policies on Project and Program Management. It will examine the program and project management improvements that result from this legislation.
These same benefits are sought by many public and private sector organisations. PMP is the preferred choice of the federal government because it’s the Gold Standard in project management. With the right qualifications, you can transform your company too. PMIAA’s talent development initiative is just one example of the growing demand for experienced managers. There is no better time than now to become PMP-certified. Start your journey with PMP training. Please visit our contact page if you have any questions.