USDA Departmental Management

Frequently Asked Questions

Why has Secretary Vilsack created a new Departmental Management area within USDA?
• Secretary Vilsack has charged the USDA staff offices with ensuring that all USDA
mission areas are equipped to achieve optimal results in the most efficient and effective
manner possible. Combining the various operations like procurement, information
technology, human resources and finance into a unified USDA management area will
eliminate duplicate functions and organizational layering; improve quality of services and
communications; and streamline processes and improve transparency to customers.
Ultimately, effective USDA management means effective results for taxpayers and the
people USDA serves.

What is the timeline for implementing the new Departmental Management?

• Secretary Vilsack has created the new Departmental Management with his signed
memorandum and organizational chart. This new organization will begin October 1,
2009, with most personnel changes effective October 11, the date of the first pay period
of the new fiscal year. Further detailed announcements will be made by staff office
leadership regarding specific changes in some of the offices within Departmental
Management.

Will there be a Reduction in Force (RIF) associated with this reorganization?

• No.

Will any employee be asked to move from their commuting area as a result of this
reorganization?
• No.

Will any employee’s job change as a result of this reorganization?

• The majority of employee’s jobs will not change; however in some cases, an employee’s
job may require changes, but no one will lose pay or grade.

Will there be an early out/buy out offered?

• We are pursuing Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) and Voluntary
Separation Incentive Payments (VSIP) from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
to present as many positive options as possible during this transformation.

Staff Organizations

What is the Office of Advocacy and Outreach?

• The new Office of Advocacy and Outreach will ensure that USDA mission areas are
serving socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and small farms and beginning
farmers and ranchers to the fullest extent possible. Created in response to the 2008 Farm
Bill, this innovative new office will also manage farm-worker coordination, outreach to

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 institutions of higher education, accountability, and USDA-wide outreach and technical
assistance programs.

Why are the Offices of the Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Information Officer included in
the new Departmental Management?
• Financial and information technology policy are critical aspects of Secretary Vilsack’s
vision for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the way the USDA mission areas
serve the public. Including both in the new Departmental Management will improve
coordination between the two offices as well as with other mission areas and staff offices
in order to allow the Secretary to better implement his priorities.

Why is the Office of Budget and Program Analysis combined with the Office of the Chief
Financial Officer?
• Combining the Office of Budget and Program Analysis with the Office of the Chief
Financial Officer will create a one-stop shop for all matters related to budget estimates,
legislative reports and regulations, financial reporting and auditing. These combinations
will help meet Secretary Vilsack’s vision of streamlined processes that are transparent to
customers. Further, USDA will join most other federal cabinet level departments in
having a joint budget development and implementation office.

Why is the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights a part of the new Departmental
Management?
• Reversing the tide of civil rights program and employee complaints is a top priority for
Secretary Vilsack and unprecedented progress has been made to date in his
administration. Including the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights in the
new Departmental Management will improve necessary focus and coordination with the
new Office of Advocacy and Outreach and the Office of Human Resource Management.

What is Correspondence Management?

• As the USDA’s Executive Secretariat, Correspondence Management will handle all of
the Secretary’s incoming communication and coordinate proper and timely responses to
USDA constituents.

Why is the Office of Security Services and the Office of Homeland Security combining into the
Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Coordination?
• Integrating these two offices will improve the safety and preparedness of USDA staff and
the public. Specifically, it will consolidate essential services related to government-wide
emergency policy and assessments, personnel and document security, physical security,
emergency programs, continuity of operations, and continuity of government into one
office – thereby meeting Secretary Vilsack’s priority of eliminating duplicate functions
and organizational layering.

Why is the Office of Human Capital Management changed to the Office of Human Resource
Management?
• As the lead human resources organization within USDA, a first-class Office of Human
Resource Management (HRM) is vital to achieving the Secretary’s priority of

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 transforming USDA culture and providing a strategic and coherent approach to the
management of USDA’s most valuable assets-the people working for USDA who
individually and collectively contribute to USDA’s mission. To meet this need, a key
component of the Departmental Management transformation is rebuilding a new human
resource management program that can meet the Department’s human capital challenges
of the future. Watch for more information over the next few months as the HRM
transformation project progresses.

Why is the Office of Ethics moving to the Office of Human Resource Management?
• A robust ethics program is an invaluable component of USDA-wide policies and
practices designed to create a productive and skilled workforce that meets the public’s
high expectation of trust. Integrating the Office of Ethics with HRM will enable joint
policy making and improved collaborative efforts. Ultimately, a strong ethics program
cannot be separate from a strong human resource program.

Why is Non-EEO related Dispute Resolution a part of the Office of Human Resource
Management?
• Too often, relatively minor disputes and miscommunication between USDA staff and
supervisors result in Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints. Many of these
formal complaints can be prevented through an alternative dispute resolution process.
Including alternative dispute resolution in HRM instead of alongside the EEO functions
within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights will dispel any notion that
USDA employees must file EEO complaints in order to receive alternative dispute
resolution.

What is Management Services?

• Management Services is a new unit created to service the operational needs of the various
offices that comprise Departmental Management, as well as the Office of the Secretary.
Modeled after the USDA mission areas’ administrations for management, this unit will
execute the human resource operations, information technology, budget formulation and
execution, and procurement functions required to efficiently support Departmental
Management and the Office of the Secretary.

What other offices are included in Departmental Management?

• The existing Departmental Administration staff offices will also be included in the new
Departmental Management: Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization;
Office of Operations; Office of Procurement and Property Management.

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