Projects:

The Information Policy and Technology (IPT) Branch at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is interested in having one student work on one of the projects below. In addition to the specific project, the student will attend meetings with IPT staff and learn about the functions of other offices within OMB. The two possible projects are as follows:

1. State and Federal Information Resource Policies Comparisons
Complete a review of state information resource policies and compare the findings to Federal information resource policies. The federal government is the largest single producer, collector, consumer, and disseminator of information in the United States. Because of the extent of the government's information activities, and the dependence of those activities upon public cooperation, the management of federal information resources is an issue of continuing importance to all federal agencies, state, and local governments, and the public. The student will research state information policies to discover how states are addressing various areas of information resources management including security, privacy and information access. The student will also become familiar with relevant federal information laws and policies possibly including the Paperwork Reduction Act, OMB Circular A-130, and the Federal Information Security Management Act. The student will prepare an informal report summarizing his or her research on state information resources policies and comparing the results to existing Federal information resource policies. At the end of the week, the student will present this report to the IPT staff. Through this project, the student will gain valuable insight into the many considerations and difficult balances associated with Federal and state information resources policies.

Participant Comments

"I worked on two reports. One consisted of an analysis of a proposed change to the definition of 'computer software' in the Federal Acquisitions Regulation; the other consisted of comparing federal and state information resource policies. I liked the opportunities to learn about the workings of the federal government, to observe OMB meetings with agency staff, to do relevant research, etc. The opportunities to observe and interact with OMB and agency staff and to do relevant research were fulfilling."


2. EE-Gov G2B Portfolio
As a component of the Presidential Management Agenda (PMA), the G2B Portfolio engages agencies to work as a team across traditional boundaries to better serve the American people, focusing on the citizens rather than individual agency needs and leveraging E-Gov collaboration to create more cost-effective and efficient ways to serve citizens. The specific E-Gov initiatives the student will likely work with include:
• E-Rulemaking
• Federal Asset Sales
• Business Gateway
The student will assist the G2B Portfolio Manager in the day-to-day activities of running the various initiatives in the portfolio including attend meetings, review reports, and identify relevant policies and their potential impacts on the initiatives. This project will help the student develop his/her leadership and analytical skills while working with the dynamic and high-profile E-Gov initiatives. More information on the E-Gov initiatives is available online.