The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the General Services Administration (GSA) have announced a new partnership to boost training for agencies—saving money and improving human capital resources.
The April 28 release states that OPM and GSA will “jointly manage the solicitation and award of a new strategically sourced, multiple award contract vehicle to support OPM’s Training and Management Assistance (TMA) program, which provides customized human capital and training services to all agencies.”
In collaboration with the Strategic Sourcing Leadership Council, this new partnership will support the largest government-wide strategically sourced solution for human capital and training services. It also leverages the GSA’s acquisition expertise in combination with OPM’s skills in human capital and training programs, to form a more powerful government solutions team.
Federal Times reports that “OPM will continue to offer training and management products, but will capitalize on GSA's know-how in providing government-wide cost savings and efficiencies.”
“This partnership is a great example of the results that collaboration can bring to government,” says OPM Director Katherine Archuleta. “We will continue to bring excellent services to the agencies while also strategically ensuring that the process is as cost-effective and efficient as possible. OPM will continue to provide excellent service and help agencies find the human capital and training solutions they need,” she adds.
“At a time when every agency is facing tightening budgets while also dealing with increasing demands for government services, a skilled, trained workforce is more important than ever before,” says GSA Administrator Dan Tangherlini. “This program will help the entire government get the HR support and training services they need and save valuable taxpayer dollars.”
The joint venture reflects the management agenda laid out in President Obama’s fiscal 2015 budget. His plan called on agencies to “share services and leverage the buying power of the government to bring greater value and efficiency for taxpayer dollars.” Obama said his budget “invests in the government’s most important resource, its workers, ensuring that we can attract and retain the best talent in the federal workforce and foster a culture of excellence.”
“Improving the effectiveness and efficiency of government is a key component of the President’s Management Agenda and a core principle of our strategic sourcing initiative,” says OMB Deputy Director for Management Beth Cobert. “Today’s announcement of the GSA and OPM partnership to improve how we buy human resources services and training is great news for the taxpayer. By leveraging the core competencies of these agencies, we will reduce redundancy, increase administrative efficiencies, and realize cost savings.”
OPM ensures that the quality of human capital services and training products to agencies is high and aligned with the Federal Human Capital Assessment and Accountability Framework. While the new procurement is being finalized, OPM will continue to provide human capital and training solutions to agencies through its existing TMA contract. OPM and GSA plan to have the new contract solution in place in FY 2015.
