Influenza Pandemic
Federal Executive Boards' Ability to Contribute to Pandemic Preparedness Gao ID: GAO-07-1259T September 28, 2007The federal executive boards (FEB) bring together federal agency and community leaders in major metropolitan areas outside Washington, D.C., to discuss issues of common interest, including pandemic influenza. This testimony addresses the FEBs' emergency support roles and responsibilities, their potential role in pandemic influenza preparedness, and some of the key challenges they face in providing emergency support services. The issues discussed in the testimony are based on the GAO report, The Federal Workforce: Additional Steps Needed to Take Advantage of Federal Executive Boards' Ability to Contribute to Emergency Operations (GAO-07- 515, May 2007). GAO selected 14 of the 28 FEBs for review because they coordinate the greatest number of federal employees or had recent emergency management experience. In this report, GAO recommended that the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to formally define the FEBs' role in emergency planning and response. In completing the FEB strategic plan, OPM should also establish accountability for the boards' emergency support activities and develop a proposal to address the uncertainty of funding sources for the boards. While not commenting specifically on the recommendations, OPM said it is building a business case through which to address the resources FEBs need to continue operations.
Located in 28 cities with a large federal presence, the FEBs are interagency coordinating groups designed to strengthen federal management practices and improve intergovernmental relations. The FEBs bring together the federal agency leaders in their service areas and have a long history of establishing and maintaining communications links, coordinating intergovernmental activities, identifying common ground, and building cooperative relationships. The boards also partner with community organizations and participate as a unified federal force in local civic affairs. OPM, which provides direction to the FEBs, and the boards have designated emergency preparedness, security, and safety as an FEB core function and are continuing to work on a strategic plan that will include a common set of performance standards for their emergency support activities. Although not all FEB representatives agreed that the boards should play an expanded role in emergency service support, many of the FEB representatives cited a positive and beneficial working relationship with FEMA. As one of their emergency support activities, the FEBs and FEMA, often working with the General Services Administration, host emergency planning exercises and training for federal agencies in the field. The FEBs' emergency support role with its regional focus may make the boards a valuable asset in pandemic preparedness and response. The distributed nature of a pandemic and the burden of disease across the nation dictate that the response will be largely addressed by each community it affects. As a natural outgrowth of their general civic activities and through activities such as hosting emergency preparedness training, some of the boards have established relationships with, for example, federal, state, and local governments; emergency management officials; first responders; and health officials in their communities. Some of the FEBs are already building capacity for pandemic influenza response within their member agencies and community organizations by hosting pandemic influenza training and exercises. The communications function of the FEBs is also a key part of their emergency support activities and could be an important asset for pandemic preparedness and response. The FEBs, however, face key challenges in providing emergency support, and these interrelated issues limit the capacity of the FEBs to provide a consistent and sustained contribution to emergency preparedness and response. First, their role is not defined in national emergency plans, which may contribute to federal agency officials being unfamiliar with their capabilities. In addition, with no congressional appropriations, the FEBs depend on host agencies and other member agencies for their resources. This has resulted in inconsistent funding for the FEBs nationwide and creates uncertainty for the boards in planning and committing to provide emergency support services.
GAO-07-1259T, Influenza Pandemic: Federal Executive Boards' Ability to Contribute to Pandemic Preparedness
This is the accessible text file for GAO report number GAO-07-1259T
entitled 'Influenza Pandemic: Federal Executive Boards' Ability to
Contribute to Pandemic Preparedness' which was released on September
28, 2007.
This text file was formatted by the U.S. Government Accountability
Office (GAO) to be accessible to users with visual impairments, as part
of a longer term project to improve GAO products' accessibility. Every
attempt has been made to maintain the structural and data integrity of
the original printed product. Accessibility features, such as text
descriptions of tables, consecutively numbered footnotes placed at the
end of the file, and the text of agency comment letters, are provided
but may not exactly duplicate the presentation or format of the printed
version. The portable document format (PDF) file is an exact electronic
replica of the printed version. We welcome your feedback. Please E-mail
your comments regarding the contents or accessibility features of this
document to Webmaster@gao.gov.
This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright
protection in the United States. It may be reproduced and distributed
in its entirety without further permission from GAO. Because this work
may contain copyrighted images or other material, permission from the
copyright holder may be necessary if you wish to reproduce this
material separately.
Testimony:
Before the Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the
Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate:
United States Government Accountability Office:
GAO:
For Release on Delivery Expected at 10:00 a.m. EDT:
Friday, September 28, 2007:
Influenza Pandemic:
Federal Executive Boards' Ability to Contribute to Pandemic
Preparedness:
Statement of Bernice Steinhardt, Director Strategic Issues:
GAO-07-1259T:
GAO Highlights:
Highlights of GAO-07-1259T, a testimony before the Subcommittee on
Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the
District of Columbia, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs, U.S. Senate.
Why GAO Did This Study:
The federal executive boards (FEB) bring together federal agency and
community leaders in major metropolitan areas outside Washington, D.C.,
to discuss issues of common interest, including pandemic influenza.
This testimony addresses the FEBs‘ emergency support roles and
responsibilities, their potential role in pandemic influenza
preparedness, and some of the key challenges they face in providing
emergency support services.
The issues discussed in the testimony are based on the GAO report, The
Federal Workforce: Additional Steps Needed to Take Advantage of Federal
Executive Boards‘ Ability to Contribute to Emergency Operations (GAO-07-
515, May 2007). GAO selected 14 of the 28 FEBs for review because they
coordinate the greatest number of federal employees or had recent
emergency management experience. In this report, GAO recommended that
the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) work with the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to formally define the FEBs‘
role in emergency planning and response. In completing the FEB
strategic plan, OPM should also establish accountability for the
boards‘ emergency support activities and develop a proposal to address
the uncertainty of funding sources for the boards. While not commenting
specifically on the recommendations, OPM said it is building a business
case through which to address the resources FEBs need to continue
operations.
What GAO Found:
Located in 28 cities with a large federal presence, the FEBs are
interagency coordinating groups designed to strengthen federal
management practices and improve intergovernmental relations. The FEBs
bring together the federal agency leaders in their service areas and
have a long history of establishing and maintaining communications
links, coordinating intergovernmental activities, identifying common
ground, and building cooperative relationships. The boards also partner
with community organizations and participate as a unified federal force
in local civic affairs.
OPM, which provides direction to the FEBs, and the boards have
designated emergency preparedness, security, and safety as an FEB core
function and are continuing to work on a strategic plan that will
include a common set of performance standards for their emergency
support activities. Although not all FEB representatives agreed that
the boards should play an expanded role in emergency service support,
many of the FEB representatives cited a positive and beneficial working
relationship with FEMA. As one of their emergency support activities,
the FEBs and FEMA, often working with the General Services
Administration, host emergency planning exercises and training for
federal agencies in the field.
The FEBs‘ emergency support role with its regional focus may make the
boards a valuable asset in pandemic preparedness and response. The
distributed nature of a pandemic and the burden of disease across the
nation dictate that the response will be largely addressed by each
community it affects. As a natural outgrowth of their general civic
activities and through activities such as hosting emergency
preparedness training, some of the boards have established
relationships with, for example, federal, state, and local governments;
emergency management officials; first responders; and health officials
in their communities. Some of the FEBs are already building capacity
for pandemic influenza response within their member agencies and
community organizations by hosting pandemic influenza training and
exercises. The communications function of the FEBs is also a key part
of their emergency support activities and could be an important asset
for pandemic preparedness and response.
The FEBs, however, face key challenges in providing emergency support,
and these interrelated issues limit the capacity of the FEBs to provide
a consistent and sustained contribution to emergency preparedness and
response. First, their role is not defined in national emergency plans,
which may contribute to federal agency officials being unfamiliar with
their capabilities. In addition, with no congressional appropriations,
the FEBs depend on host agencies and other member agencies for their
resources. This has resulted in inconsistent funding for the FEBs
nationwide and creates uncertainty for the boards in planning and
committing to provide emergency support services.
To view the full product, including the scope and methodology, click on
GAO-07-1259T. For more information, contact Bernice Steinhardt at (202)
512-6806 or steinhardtb@gao.gov.
[End of section]
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:
I am pleased to be here today to discuss the federal executive boards
(FEB) and, in particular, their ability to contribute to the nation's
efforts to prepare for a potential influenza pandemic and help protect
federal employees, approximately 85 percent of whom work outside the
greater Washington, D.C., area. Located in 28 cities with a large
federal presence, the FEBs are interagency coordinating groups designed
to strengthen federal management practices and improve
intergovernmental relations. FEBs bring together the federal agency
leaders in their service areas and have a long history of establishing
and maintaining communication links, coordinating intergovernmental
activities, identifying common ground, and building cooperative
relationships. The boards also partner with community organizations and
participate as a unified federal force in local civic affairs.
In a recent report to you, we examined the FEBs and concluded that the
regional focus of the FEBs' emergency support services could aid in
pandemic influenza planning and preparedness efforts.[Footnote 1] We
also observed that the boards face several key challenges in carrying
out their emergency support role. My statement today will review our
findings and present the actions we believe need to be taken to take
better advantage of these unique organizations.
Background:
The nature of pandemic influenza presents distinctive challenges.
Unlike incidents that are discretely bounded in space or time (e.g.,
most natural or man-made disasters), a pandemic is not a singular
event, but is likely to come in waves, each lasting weeks or months,
and pass through communities of all sizes across the nation and the
world simultaneously. While a pandemic will not directly damage
physical infrastructure, such as power lines or computer systems, it
will threaten the operation of critical systems by potentially removing
from the workplace the essential personnel needed to operate them.
According to the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza
Implementation Plan, the center of gravity of the pandemic response
will be in communities.[Footnote 2] The distributed nature of a
pandemic, as well as the sheer burden of disease across the nation over
a period of months or longer, means that the federal government's
support to any particular state, tribal nation, or community will be
limited in comparison to the aid it mobilizes for disasters such as
earthquakes or hurricanes, which strike a more confined geographic area
over a shorter period of time. This makes it essential to have joint
and integrated planning across all levels of government and the private
sector to ensure that available plans and response actions are
complementary, compatible, and coordinated.
Created by a Presidential Directive in 1961, the FEBs are composed of
the federal field office agency heads and military commanders in the
FEBs' areas of service. The FEBs' overall mission over the past 46
years has included supporting and promoting national initiatives and
responding to the local needs of federal agencies and their communities
through activities such as the Combined Federal Campaign and local
scholarship programs. The regulations that guide the boards[Footnote 3]
describe emergency operations as one of their functions, although the
boards are not intended to be first responders. The regulations also
state that the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is
responsible for overseeing and directing the operations of all of the
FEBs consistent with the law and with the directives of the President.
Research has shown that systems like the FEBs have proven to be
valuable public management tools because they can operate horizontally,
across agencies in this case, and integrate the strengths and resources
of a variety of organizations in the public, private, and nonprofit
sectors to effectively address critical public problems, such as
pandemic influenza.[Footnote 4]
However, determining the appropriate emergency operations for the FEBs
to provide is challenging because of several limitations. Although
membership by agency heads on the boards is required, active
participation is voluntary in practice, and the boards operate with no
independent authority. The FEBs also have no congressional charter and
receive no congressional appropriation but rather depend on voluntary
contributions from their member agencies. The boards also rely on a
host agency, generally the one with the greatest number of employees in
the area, to provide staff, usually one or two full-time personnel,
including an executive director.
Scope and Methodology:
This statement is based on our May 4, 2007, report, requested by the
Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal
Workforce, and the District of Columbia, Senate Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs.[Footnote 5] Our objectives in that
report were to (1) identify the actions FEBs have taken to fulfill
their emergency preparedness and response roles and responsibilities,
(2) describe the key challenges facing the FEBs in fulfilling these
roles and responsibilities, and (3) evaluate the extent to which the
FEBs can contribute to emergency preparedness and response to pandemic
influenza. We selected 14 of the 28 FEBs for review because they
coordinated the greatest number of federal employees or had recent
emergency management experience. The selected FEBs were Atlanta,
Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Minnesota, Los
Angeles, New Orleans, New York City, Oklahoma, Philadelphia, San
Francisco, and Seattle. We interviewed at least two key FEB
representatives, including the chairs or vice chairs and the executive
directors from the 14 selected boards. Additionally, we reviewed FEB
documents, such as annual reports, monthly activity reports, minutes,
and correspondence, at the selected sites. We also interviewed OPM and
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials at their
headquarters in Washington, D.C., and two FEMA regional directors based
in Chicago, Illinois, and Denton, Texas. We conducted our work from
March 2006 through February 2007 in accordance with generally accepted
government auditing standards.
FEB Emergency Preparedness and Response Roles and Responsibilities Are
Being Developed as a Core Function of the Boards:
To assist in standardizing emergency activities across the FEB system,
OPM and the boards are developing a multiyear strategic plan that will
include a core function for the FEBs called emergency preparedness,
security, and employee safety. The plan will increase accountability by
including expectations and measures to assess how well each FEB is
performing the activities. OPM officials recognize that the FEBs can
add value to regional preparedness efforts as vehicles for
communication, coordination, and capacity building but acknowledge that
the emergency activities of the FEBs have varied from board to board.
The inclusion of the emergency support function in the strategic plan
is intended to provide a more consistent delivery of FEB emergency
preparedness and response programs and activities for the federal
workforce across the system of 28 boards.
At the time of our review, all of the 14 boards in our study had some
type of emergency communications network and emergency preparedness
council in place. The FEBs are charged with providing timely and
relevant information to support emergency preparedness and response
coordination, and OPM expects the boards to establish notification
networks and communications plans to be used in emergency and
nonemergency situations. The boards are also expected to disseminate
relevant information received from OPM and other agencies regarding
emergency preparedness information and to relay local emergency
situation information to parties such as OPM, FEB members, media, and
state and local government authorities.
According to OPM, the FEB role in emergency service support also
includes coordination activities. For example, OPM reported that it
expects the boards to serve as federal liaisons for state and local
emergency officials and to assess local emergency situations in
cooperation with federal, state, and local officials. Although all of
the boards reported some involvement of state and local officials in
their emergency activities, the degree of board connections with state
and local officials varied. The Minnesota FEB and the Oklahoma FEB, for
example, reported strong relationships with state and local government
officials, state and local emergency management leaders, and private
sector businesses. The Dallas-Fort Worth FEB executive director
reported that the board partners with state and local government
representatives, the private sector, law enforcement, and first
responders, all of which are key players in assessing local emergency
situations. On the other hand, the Chicago FEB executive director said
that because Chicago is so large, the board has few established
relationships with state and local officials. The chair of the Boston
FEB said its board had 24-hour contact numbers for some state officials
but not city officials.
The FEBs have played a role in responding to past emergencies. For
example, when the Oklahoma City Murrah Federal Building was bombed on
April 19, 1995, the FEB staff knew all of the agencies in the Murrah
Building; the home telephone numbers of critical staff; the city,
county, and state principals in Oklahoma City; and which federal
agencies were available to provide immediate relief and support. During
hurricanes Katrina and Rita, according to a FEMA official, the New
Orleans FEB executive director established and maintained an essential
communication link between FEMA's Office of National Security
Coordination and OPM. The New Orleans FEB also served as a conduit for
information between Washington and local federal agencies and was able
to provide status updates to identify common needs or problems that
agency leaders were facing that required expedited assistance to
resolve. As another example, during nonemergency but disruptive events,
such as political conventions or rallies, the FEBs in the affected
areas have helped to contain the potential disturbance to federal
agencies' operations.
Looking ahead, however, representatives from 14 of the 28 FEBs
disagreed on the role the boards should play in emergency service
support, particularly during an emergency. Without adequate staff and
resources, some of the executive directors expressed concern that they
will not be able to meet expectations. One executive director, for
example, commented that there was a general expectation within his
board's metropolitan federal community that the FEB will assume a
significant leadership role during a possible future emergency. He
observed, however, that limited and declining funding does not provide
for an effective communication system. Consequently, he felt that this
expectation was unrealistic and may contribute to major
misunderstandings in the event of a significant emergency. On the other
hand, several of the executive directors felt that the FEBs would be
able to accomplish much more in this area with additional resources.
For example, one executive director, with an emergency operations
background, emphasized that if the boards were given dependable funding
and increased stature within the federal government by formal
recognition of their emergency support role, their return on investment
in terms of emergency support functions would be substantial.
Despite the varying perspectives on an expanded emergency support role
for the FEBs, many of the executive directors or chairs from the boards
cited a positive and beneficial working relationship with FEMA. An
important FEB emergency support responsibility is facilitating
continuity of operations (COOP)[Footnote 6] and other emergency
planning, and the FEBs work with FEMA and the General Services
Administration (GSA) to develop and strengthen agency COOP and other
emergency plans. For example, most of the boards have COOP working
groups or emergency committees, often lead by FEMA and GSA, which help
conduct various emergency exercises. The exercises are designed to
provide insight and guidance that can be used to develop specific
action plans that address interruptions in services provided by their
agencies. For example, a FEMA official testified in May 2006 that the
COOP working groups established with the FEBs in New Orleans, Houston,
and Miami prior to the hurricanes of 2005 and the many COOP training
and exercise activities conducted by these organizations were
instrumental in facilitating federal agency recovery and reconstitution
efforts following hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma.[Footnote 7]
According to a FEMA director, many of the agencies in the field have
COOP policies, procedures, and planning in place in part because the
FEBs have assisted FEMA in accomplishing its responsibilities as lead
agent for federal executive branch COOP programs.
FEBs' Unique Role in the Local Federal Community Can Aid in Pandemic
Influenza Preparedness and Response:
As mentioned previously, the nature of pandemic influenza, which
presents different concerns than localized natural disasters, may make
the FEBs a valuable asset in pandemic preparedness and response. The
distributed nature of a pandemic and the burden of disease across the
nation dictate that the response will be largely addressed by each
community it affects. The FEBs' connections to their local communities
could play an important part, as predisaster relationship building and
planning are often the cornerstones of this type of incident
management.
Many of the FEBs have cultivated relationships within their federal,
state, and local governments and their metropolitan area community
organizations as a natural outgrowth of their general activities. For
example, FEB activities, such as the Combined Federal Campaign and
scholarship programs, bring the boards into contact with local
charities and school boards. Through activities such as hosting
emergency preparedness training or through participation in certain
committees, some of the FEBs have established relationships with
emergency management officials, first responders, and health officials
in their communities. In addition, through their facilitation of COOP
exercises and training, the FEBs bring together government leaders,
health officials, and first responders in a venue where the parties can
share ideas, discuss plans, and coordinate approaches.
In terms of current pandemic planning, some of the FEBs are already
building capacity for pandemic influenza response within their member
agencies and community organizations by hosting pandemic influenza
training and exercises. For example, some of the boards have been
involved in pandemic influenza-related activities that range from
informational briefings to coordinating pandemic exercises that
included nonprofit organizations, the private sector, and government. A
number of FEBs have held pandemic influenza tabletop exercises.
Pandemic influenza tabletop exercises are based on a series of possible
events that could occur during an outbreak of pandemic influenza with
scenarios constructed to facilitate problem solving and to provoke
thinking about gaps and vulnerabilities. For example, the Boston FEB,
together with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and FEMA,
held a pandemic influenza tabletop exercise in November 2006. The
exercise objectives included goals such as helping to increase the
awareness of federal, state, local, and tribal government agencies of
the requirement to incorporate pandemic influenza procedures into COOP
planning and identifying special considerations for protecting the
health and safety of employees and maintaining essential government
functions and services during a pandemic outbreak. The Seattle FEB,
with the assistance of FEMA and the City of Seattle, sponsored an all-
day conference in October 2006 called "Pandemic Flu: Get Smart, Get
Ready! Conversation Tools and Tips."
The Minnesota FEB has been a leader among the boards in pandemic
influenza planning. Using a tabletop exercise it created, the board
hosted its first pandemic influenza exercise in February 2006, with a
follow-up exercise in October 2006. The October exercise included
approximately 180 participants from 100 organizations within federal
agencies, state and local government, and the private sector. The
Minnesota FEB executive director noted that Minnesota has excellent
state and local government relationships, which help to facilitate
planning of this nature. Examples of partnerships the board has with
state and local entities include those with the State of Minnesota
Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the Minnesota
Department of Health, the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, and the
American Red Cross. In addition, the Minnesota FEB executive director
serves on the board of directors of the Association of Minnesota
Emergency Managers as the federal agency liaison, a newly created
partnership with the organization.
The communications function of the boards is also a key part of their
emergency support activities and could be an important asset for
pandemic preparedness and response. For example, many of the FEBs are
already active in disseminating pandemic influenza preparedness
materials. The National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Implementation
Plan also emphasizes that government and public health officials must
communicate clearly and continuously with the public throughout a
pandemic, and the plan recognized that timely, accurate, credible, and
coordinated messages will be necessary. For example, when asked about
the role they envision the FEBs playing in the response to a pandemic,
the Dallas-Fort Worth FEB representatives said that because the board
is viewed by its member agencies as a credible source of information,
the board's role should be to coordinate communications among member
agencies. They gave the example of the Department of Health and Human
Services working through the board to disseminate medical information
to the local community.
During pandemic influenza, the FEBs have the potential to broaden the
situational awareness of member agency leaders and emergency
coordinators and provide a forum to inform their decisions, similar to
what the FEBs provide for other hazards, such as inclement weather
conditions. A FEMA official noted that FEBs have vital knowledge of the
federal agencies in their jurisdictions, which can provide valuable
situational awareness to community emergency responders.
Finally, some of the FEBs are considering the role they can play during
pandemic influenza in assisting member agencies by supporting human
capital functions, such as supporting the federal workforce and
coordinating the deployment of personnel among member agencies as may
be appropriate. Several FEB representatives said, for example, that
they were considering how they could provide assistance in coordinating
support to federal agencies responding to pandemic influenza, such as
addressing personnel shortages by locating available resources among
member agencies.
The FEBs Face Key Challenges in Providing Emergency Support Services:
The FEBs face key challenges in carrying out their emergency support
role. Several interrelated issues limit the capacity of FEBs to provide
a consistent and sustained contribution to emergency preparedness and
response.
First, their role is not defined in national emergency plans. According
to both FEB directors and FEMA officials, the FEBs could carry out
their emergency support role more effectively if their role was
included in national emergency management plans. FEMA officials from
two different regions said they felt the boards could be used more
effectively and that they add value to the nation's emergency
operations. They agreed with several of the FEB executive directors we
interviewed who said the boards lack recognition within the federal
government's emergency response structure and their value in emergency
support was often overlooked by federal agency officials unfamiliar
with their capabilities. A FEMA regional director noted that it is very
important that the FEB emergency support role is understood, and he
believed including the boards in emergency management plans was an
opportunity to communicate the role of the FEBs and how they could
contribute in emergencies involving the federal workforce.
In addition, varying FEB capabilities test the boards' ability to
provide consistent levels of emergency support services across the
country. The FEBs differ substantially in the size of their formal
jurisdictions and in the number of federal employees and agencies
served by each board. The map in appendix I shows the varying service
areas of the 28 boards, and the table in appendix II shows how the
number of federal employees and agencies served varies by FEB. As noted
earlier, the FEBs also have no congressional charter and receive no
congressional appropriation but rather rely on voluntary contributions
from their member agencies. This has resulted in inconsistent funding
for the FEBs nationwide, and the levels of support provided to the
boards in terms of operating expenses, personnel, and equipment vary
considerably.
The FEBs' dependence on host agencies and other member agencies for
their resources also creates uncertainty for the boards in planning and
committing to provide emergency support services. The lack of funding
in a particular year may curtail the amount of emergency support an
individual board could provide. Many of the FEB representatives
characterized the board funding structure as dysfunctional, and some
expressed concern that their activities will be further affected by
reduced agency funding and resource support as agency budgets grow more
constrained. When boards' funding is precarious, the executive
directors spend the majority of their time soliciting resources from
member agencies, without adequate time or resources to focus on mission-
related activities. Some federal agencies that have voluntarily funded
FEB positions in the past have begun to withdraw their funding support.
Several FEB representatives felt the uncertainty about the funding of
the FEBs raises questions as to the survivability of the system and its
ability to fulfill its emergency support function.
To address these challenges, our report recommended that OPM work with
FEMA to develop a memorandum of understanding, or some similar
mechanism, that formally defines the FEB role in emergency planning and
response. We also recommended that OPM initiate discussion with the
Department of Homeland Security and other responsible stakeholders to
consider the feasibility of integrating the FEB emergency support
responsibilities into the established emergency response framework,
such as the National Response Plan. Finally, we recommended that OPM
continue its efforts to establish measures and accountability for the
FEBs' emergency support responsibilities and develop a proposal for an
alternative to the current voluntary contribution mechanism that would
address the uncertainty of funding sources for the boards. OPM's work
on a strategic plan with the FEBs affords the opportunity to complete
the development of clear expectations for the FEBs in emergency
operations and to develop appropriate performance measures for these
expectations. OPM also has an opportunity, as part of this planning
process, to consider alternative funding arrangements that would better
match the roles envisioned for the FEBs. OPM said it is building a
business case through which to address the resources FEBs need to
continue operations and that institutionalized relationships with
partners such as FEMA can help address funding issues.
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, this completes my
statement. I would be pleased to respond to any questions that you
might have.
Contacts and Acknowledgments:
For further information on this testimony, please contact Bernice
Steinhardt, Director, Strategic Issues, at (202) 512-6806 or
steinhardtb@gao.gov. Contact points for our Offices of Congressional
Relations and Public Affairs may be found on the last page of this
testimony. Individuals making key contributions to this testimony
include William J. Doherty, Assistant Director, and Judith C. Kordahl.
[End of section]
Appendix I: Jurisdictional Boundaries of the 28 FEBs:
Figure: Jurisdictional Boundaries of the 28 FEBs:
[See PDF for image]
Source: GAO presentation of OPM information.
[A] Includes civilian agencies in Guam.
[End of figure]
[End of section]
Appendix II: Number of Federal Employees and Agencies Served by Each
FEB in Descending Order of Employees Served:
Table 1: Number of Federal Employees and Agencies Served by Each FEB in
Descending Order of Employees Served:
FEB: Los Angeles;
Federal employees served: 118,250;
Number of federal agencies: 230.
FEB: San Antonio;
Federal employees served: 91,130;
Number of federal agencies: 68.
FEB: Oklahoma;
Federal employees served: 78,681;
Number of federal agencies: 252.
FEB: Honolulu-Pacific;
Federal employees served: 72,155;
Number of federal agencies: 96.
FEB: San Francisco;
Federal employees served: 70,000;
Number of federal agencies: 150.
FEB: Baltimore;
Federal employees served: 69,488;
Number of federal agencies: 140.
FEB: Chicago;
Federal employees served: 64,803;
Number of federal agencies: 180.
FEB: St. Louis;
Federal employees served: 62,155;
Number of federal agencies: 82.
FEB: New York City;
Federal employees served: 61,578;
Number of federal agencies: 152.
FEB: Atlanta;
Federal employees served: 58,020;
Number of federal agencies: 120.
FEB: Dallas-Fort Worth;
Federal employees served: 49,855;
Number of federal agencies: 144.
FEB: Philadelphia;
Federal employees served: 48,238;
Number of federal agencies: 154.
FEB: Seattle;
Federal employees served: 47,233;
Number of federal agencies: 147.
FEB: Boston;
Federal employees served: 45,479;
Number of federal agencies: 150.
FEB: Denver;
Federal employees served: 39,161;
Number of federal agencies: 160.
FEB: Kansas City;
Federal employees served: 38,906;
Number of federal agencies: 134.
FEB: Newark;
Federal employees served: 38,270;
Number of federal agencies: 79.
FEB: Minnesota;
Federal employees served: 35,806;
Number of federal agencies: 120.
FEB: South Florida;
Federal employees served: 35,672;
Number of federal agencies: 129.
FEB: Detroit;
Federal employees served: 32,733;
Number of federal agencies: 85.
FEB: New Mexico;
Federal employees served: 32,102;
Number of federal agencies: 94.
FEB: Oregon;
Federal employees served: 31,000;
Number of federal agencies: 225.
FEB: Houston;
Federal employees served: 29,419;
Number of federal agencies: 115.
FEB: Cleveland;
Federal employees served: 25,842;
Number of federal agencies: 91.
FEB: Pittsburgh;
Federal employees served: 24,898;
Number of federal agencies: 107.
FEB: New Orleans;
Federal employees served: 20,141[A];
Number of federal agencies: 71[A].
FEB: Buffalo;
Federal employees served: 15,935;
Number of federal agencies: 100.
FEB: Cincinnati;
Federal employees served: 14,727;
Number of federal agencies: 90.
Source: OPM.
[A] Numbers are under review because of Hurricane Katrina.
[End of table]
[End of section]
Footnotes:
[1] GAO, The Federal Workforce: Additional Steps Needed to Take
Advantage of Federal Executive Boards' Ability to Contribute to
Emergency Operations, GAO-07-515 (Washington, D.C.: May 4, 2007).
[2] Homeland Security Council, National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza
Implementation Plan (Washington, D.C: May 2006).
[3] 5 C.F.R. § 960.
[4] See, for example, GAO, Results-Oriented Government: Practices That
Can Help Enhance and Sustain Collaboration among Federal Agencies, GAO-
06-15 (Washington, D.C.: Oct. 21, 2005), and Donald P. Moynihan,
Leveraging Collaborative Networks in Infrequent Emergency Situations
(Washington, D.C.: IBM Center for the Business of Government, June
2005).
[5] GAO-07-515.
[6] COOP planning is an effort conducted by agencies to ensure that the
capability exists to continue essential agency functions across a wide
range of potential emergencies.
[7] Statement of Robert Shea, Acting Director of Operations, Federal
Emergency Management Agency, House Committee on Government Reform, May
24, 2006.
GAO's Mission:
The Government Accountability Office, the audit, evaluation and
investigative arm of Congress, exists to support Congress in meeting
its constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the performance
and accountability of the federal government for the American people.
GAO examines the use of public funds; evaluates federal programs and
policies; and provides analyses, recommendations, and other assistance
to help Congress make informed oversight, policy, and funding
decisions. GAO's commitment to good government is reflected in its core
values of accountability, integrity, and reliability.
Obtaining Copies of GAO Reports and Testimony:
The fastest and easiest way to obtain copies of GAO documents at no
cost is through GAO's Web site [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov]. Each
weekday, GAO posts newly released reports, testimony, and
correspondence on its Web site. To have GAO e-mail you a list of newly
posted products every afternoon, go to [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov]
and select "Subscribe to Updates."
Order by Mail or Phone:
The first copy of each printed report is free. Additional copies are $2
each. A check or money order should be made out to the Superintendent
of Documents. GAO also accepts VISA and Mastercard. Orders for 100 or
more copies mailed to a single address are discounted 25 percent.
Orders should be sent to:
U.S. Government Accountability Office:
441 G Street NW, Room LM:
Washington, D.C. 20548:
To order by Phone:
Voice: (202) 512-6000:
TDD: (202) 512-2537:
Fax: (202) 512-6061:
To Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in Federal Programs:
Contact:
Web site: [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/fraudnet/fraudnet.htm]:
E-mail: fraudnet@gao.gov:
Automated answering system: (800) 424-5454 or (202) 512-7470:
Congressional Relations:
Gloria Jarmon, Managing Director, JarmonG@gao.gov:
(202) 512-4400:
U.S. Government Accountability Office:
441 G Street NW, Room 7125:
Washington, D.C. 20548:
Public Affairs:
Susan Becker, Acting Managing Director, BeckerS@gao.gov:
(202) 512-4800:
U.S. Government Accountability Office:
441 G Street NW, Room 7149:
Washington, D.C. 20548:
