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<td colspan="5"><p><strong>Office of Information Resources
Management</strong></p>
<p><strong>Office of the Assistant Secretary for Budget, Technology and
Finance</strong></p>
<p><strong>Department of Health and Human Services</strong></p></td>
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<td colspan="5"><p>HHS IRM POLICY FOR</p>
<p>COMMENTS FROM AND RESPONSES TO OPERATING</p>
<p>DIVISIONS</p>
<p>ON NEWLY DEVELOPED POLICIES and CIO COUNCIL</p>
<p>and ITIRB CLEARANCE DOCUMENTS</p></td>
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<td colspan="7"><strong>February 14, 2003</strong></td>
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<td colspan="2"><strong>Project:</strong></td>
<td colspan="5">HHS Newly Developed Policies</td>
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<td colspan="2">Document Number:</td>
<td colspan="5">HHS-IRM-2003-0001</td>
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Table of Contents

[1. Purpose 3](#purpose)

[2. Background 3](#background)

[3. Scope 3](#scope)

[4. Policy 3](#__RefHeading___Toc3020256)

[4.1. HHS Policies 3](#hhs-policies)

[4.2. CIO Council and ITIRB Clearance Documents
4](#cio-council-and-itirb-clearance-documents)

[5. Roles and Responsibilities](#__RefHeading___Toc3020259) 4

[5.1. The HHS Chief Information Officer (CIO)
4](#the-hhs-chief-information-officer-cio)

[5.2. The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Information Resources
Management (DASIRM)
5](#the-deputy-assistant-secretary-for-information-resources-management-dasirm)

[6. Information and Assistance 5](#information-and-assistance)

[7. Effective Date/Implementation 5](#effective-dateimplementation)

[8. Approved 5](#approved)

# Purpose

This document establishes a fifteen calendar-day comment period for
Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and StaffDivs when new policies are
developed or revised, and a ten calendar-day comment period for OPDIVs
and StaffDivs when CIO Council or Information Technology Investment
Review Board (ITIRB) Documents are developed or revised. The comment
period begins from the date of e-mail distribution for Policies and from
the date of assignment for CIO Council or ITIRB materials.

# Background

The June 7, 1990 IRM Circular \# 1, entitled "Announcement of the IRM
Circular Series," was developed to set forth the objectives of the HHS
IRM circular series, and responsibilities of the development, issuance,
and maintenance of policy circulars. Because the set of policy circulars
is clearly out of date, new procedures must be established.

# Scope

This policy applies to all OPDIVs and
StaffDivs.[]{#__RefHeading___Toc3020256 .anchor}

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

#### Policy

## 4.1. HHS Policies

HHS policies will normally be limited to one subject. New policies
supersede any previously published policy on the same subject and each
new policy will state the date and title of the policy that it
supersedes.

The OPDIVs and/or StaffDivs shall be invited to provide comments on
draft policies after Office of Information Resources Management (OIRM)
Desk Officers, managers and Deputy Assistant Secretaries (DAS) reviews
are completed.

The OPDIVs and/or StaffDivs shall also be asked to comment on revised
HHS policies. The need for revisions may occur due to the passage of new
legislation, a change in internal policy, for updating of policies, or
for any other necessary revisions to policy.

The HHS CIO or the Director of IT Policy will issue all HHS draft
policies for comment.

The OPDIVs and/or StaffDivs will have fifteen calendar-days to provide
comments from the date of distribution. Extensions of time to respond
will be considered and should be requested in writing by the fifteen
calendar-day due date. If there are no comments received and no
extension requests, then it will be presumed that the OPDIV and/or
StaffDiv has no comments.

OIRM will respond to the OPDIV and/or StaffDiv comments within
thirty-calendar days from the receipt of the last OPDIV or StaffDiv
comment. A spreadsheet matrix of each OPDIV's and/or StaffDiv's comments
and OIRM's determination (accepted as presented, accepted but modified,
or not accepted and why) will be provided to each OPDIV and/or StaffDiv.

If policy matters cannot be resolved with the OPDIVs and/or StaffDivs,
the proposed draft policy or policies will be sent first to the HHS
Director of IT Policy and then to the CIO for resolution, as needed. The
CIO may convene the CIO Council to expedite the resolution of policy
issues.

There may be instances where the HHS CIO deems it necessary to use sole
discretion in determining portions of the policy or the need for the
policy. The OPDIVs and/or StaffDiv's will always be informed and
involved in the development of the policies, but may not always have
their comments totally incorporated. The Department will commit to
discussing and documenting which comments are incorporated and which are
not, and to the extent possible, why, if not. Example: an Agency comment
may be: "reorder the paragraphs" or "use italics instead of bolding."
The Department may not incorporate such changes.

## 4.2. CIO Council and ITIRB Clearance Documents

A ten calendar-day comment period will apply to CIO Council and ITIRB
Clearance Documents such as Statements of Work (SOWs), Memoranda,
Program Charters, etc. This comment period is shorter than the one
established for Policies since the urgency for decision of the council
or the board may be driven by more time-sensitive materials (contract
termination or award, project schedule, project funding or correction,
etc.). The same type of OPDIV and/or StaffDiv comment matrix will be
used to capture comments and OIRM's determination (accepted as
presented, accepted but modified, or not accepted and why) will be
provided to each OPDIV and/or StaffDiv.

**5. Roles and Responsibilities**

## 5.1. The HHS Chief Information Officer (CIO) 

The CIO is responsible for providing advice and assistance to the
Secretary and other senior management personnel. The HHS CIO is
responsible for policy content approval and final issuance of policies.
As the chair of both the CIO Council and the ITIRB, the CIO is
responsible for issuance of the CIO Council and ITIRB documentation,
such as SOWs, memoranda and/or Program Charters, etc. If OIRM is unable
to resolve a non-concurrence on a policy, SOW, memorandum or Program
Charter, etc., issue or issues, through the Director of IT Policy then,
the HHS CIO will make a final determination. The CIO may also convene
the CIO Council to facilitate resolution.

In rare cases, such as the need for an emergency policy, the HHS CIO may
immediately issue a policy, without prior OPDIV/StaffDiv comment. The
HHS CIO will use this method on an exception basis when:

-   The HHS CIO deems it necessary to use sole discretion in determining
    the policy.

-   An urgent need exists for immediate notification of a new policy.

Even in these rare situations, OPDIVs always have the opportunity and
responsibility to suggest and request changes. An emergency policy is
not an interim policy for it must carry the full weight of the CIO and
is enforceable and is not to be confused with a procedure.

## 5.2. The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Information Resources Management (DASIRM)

The DASIRM shall be responsible for overseeing policy, SOW and/or
Program Charter, etc. development and for making recommendations to the
Secretary, the Assistant Secretaries for Budget, Technology and Finance
as well as Administration and Management, the CIO Council and the ITIRB
regarding policy issues.

# Information and Assistance

Finalized, signed IT Policies will be put under version control by the
Director of IT Policy and sent to each OPDIV and StaffDiv via email for
distribution within their organizations. The IT Policies will also be
published on the Internet at:
[www.hhs.gov/read/irmpolicy](http://www.hhs.gov/read/irmpolicy). Please
direct questions, comments, suggestions or requests for further
information to the HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Information
Resources Management, (202) 690-6162.

# Effective Date/Implementation

The effective date of this policy is the date the policy is approved.

# Approved

[\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_/s/\_\_Kerry Weems,
Acting\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ DATE:\_Feb 14,
2003\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_]{.underline} Assistant Secretary for Budget,
Technology and Finance