Department of Education

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Request

CONTENTS

Page

Appropriations Language ........................................................................................................X-1

Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes.......................................................................X-2

Amounts Available for Obligation ............................................................................................X-3

Obligations by Object Classification ........................................................................................X-4

Summary of Changes .............................................................................................................X-5

Authorizing Legislation............................................................................................................X-7

Appropriations History.............................................................................................................X-8

Summary of Request ..............................................................................................................X-9

Salaries and Expenses .....................................................................................................X-10

Building Modernization .....................................................................................................X-22

Supplementary Tables:

Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Employment by Office ...........................................................X-25

Summary of Budget Authority by Principal Office..............................................................X-26
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Appropriations Language

For carrying out, to the extent not otherwise provided, the Department of Education 

Organization Act, including rental of conference rooms in the District of Columbia and hire of

three passenger motor vehicles, [$430,000,000] $447,000,000, of which up to $27,000,000, to 

remain available until expended, shall be available for relocation expenses, and for the

renovation and repair of leased buildings:

1 Provided, That notwithstanding any other provisions 

of law, none of the funds provided by this Act or provided by previous Appropriations Acts to the 

Department of Education available for obligation or expenditure in the current fiscal year may be 

used for any activity relating to implementing a reorganization that decentralizes, reduces the 

staffing level, or alters the responsibilities, structure, authority, or functionality of the Budget 

Service of the Department of Education, relative to the organization and operation of the Budget 

Service as in effect on January 1, 2018.2

 (Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2019.)

NOTE

Each language provision that is followed by a footnote reference is explained in the Analysis of Language 

Provisions and Changes document, which follows the appropriation language.
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Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes

Language Provision Explanation

1

...of which up to $27,000,000, to remain 

available until expended, shall be available 

for relocation expenses, and for the 

renovation and repair of leased buildings:

This language sets aside non-expiring funds

to relocate staff and to renovate and repair

Department of Education occupied buildings.

2 Provided, That notwithstanding any other 

provisions of law, none of the funds provided 

by this Act or provided by previous 

Appropriations Acts to the Department of 

Education available for obligation or 

expenditure in the current fiscal year may be 

used for any activity relating to implementing 

a reorganization that decentralizes, reduces 

the staffing level, or alters the 

responsibilities, structure, authority, or 

functionality of the Budget Service of the 

Department of Education, relative to the 

organization and operation of the Budget 

Service as in effect on January 1, 2018.

This language prohibits the use of any 

funding to reduce staffing, decentralize, or

change the structure, authority,

responsibilities, functionality, or operation of 

the Department’s Budget Service as it 

existed January 1, 2018.
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Amounts Available for Obligation

(dollars in thousands)

Appropriation and Adjustments 2018 2019 2020

Discretionary budget authority:

Discretionar y budget authority:Appropriation................................................ $430,000 $430,000 $447,000

Subtotal, discretionary 

appropriation..............................

430,000 430,000 447,000

Transfer from Department of Education, 

Hurricane Education Recovery Act, for 

Program Administration ............................... 3,000 0 0

Transfer to IT System Modernization and 

Working Capital ............................................ 0 0 -5,000

Subtotal, adjusted discretionary 

appropriation.............................. 433,000 430,000 442,000

Unobligated balance, start of year...................... 109 3,040 0

Recovery of prior-year obligations ...................... 290 0 0

Unobligated balance expiring ............................. -237 0 0

Unobligated balance, end of year....................... -3,040 0 0

Total, direct obligations ................................... 432,953 433,040 442,000
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Obligations by Object Classification

(dollars in thousands)

Obj ect class number Object Class

2018

Actual

2019

Appropriation

2020

Request

Change from 

2019 to 2020

11.10 Full-time permanent $179,583 $190,389 $191,122 $733

11.31 Full-time temporary 10,029 2,134 2,143 9

11.32 Part-time 2,099 0 0 0

11.33 Consultants 79 0 0 0 

11.51 Overtime 439 447 447 0

11.52 Awards 2,464 2,525 2,525 0

11.8 Other compensation 65 0 0 0

Subtotal R ow

Subtotal, Personnel Comp. 194,758 195,495 196,237 742

12.00 Benefits 61,444 64,266 64,725 459

12.15 Student Loan Repayment 0 52 52 0

13.10 Benefits for former personnel 1,470 433 433 0

Subtotal R ow

Subtotal, Benefits 62,914 64,751 65,210 459

21.00 Travel 2,350 4,093 4,288 195

22.00 Transportation of things 4 0 0 0 

23.10 Rental Payments to GSA 35,976 39,101 39,101 0

23.31 Communications 910 923 1,088 165

23.32 Postage/fees 171 127 127 0

Subtotal R ow

Subtotal, 23 37,057 40,151 40,316 165

24.00 Printing & Reproduction 1,151 1,050 1,059 9

25.10 Advisory and Assistance Svcs 1,685 2,163 2,088 -75

25.21 Other Services 22,364 17,954 18,518 564

25.22 Training/Tuition/Contracts 1,493 3,209 2,839 -370

25.23 Field Readers 0 0 27 27

25.30 Goods/Services from Gov't 22,410 22,292 24,917 2,625

25.40 Operations/Maint of Facilities 25 0 0 0 

25.71 Operations/Maint of Equipment 697 1,494 1,494 0 

25.72 IT Services/Contracts 75,694 74,513 69,510 -5,003

Subtotal R ow

Subtotal, 25 124,368 121,625 124,393 -2,232

26.00 Supplies 343 537 538 1

31.01 IT Equipment/Software 992 536 557 21

31.03 Other Equipment 1,308 1,234 374 -860

Subtotal R ow

Subtotal, 31 2,300 1,770 931 -839

32.00 Building Alterations 4,714 528 14,028 13,500

Total Row

Total, Obligations 429,959 430,000 442,000 12,000

Total, Pers. Comp. & Ben. 257,672 260,246 261,447 1,201

Total, Non-Personnel 172,287 169,754 180,553 10,799
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Summary of Changes

(dollars in thousands)

2019................................................................................................. $430,000

2020................................................................................................. 442,000

Net Change......................................................................... +12,000

Increases:

2019

Appropriation

Change from

Appropriation

Built in:

Built in: Increase in pay and benefits for one extra paid day 

in FY 2020. $259,222 +$973

Built in: Increase in benefits for workers compensation. 1,024 +228

Program:

Program Increase in travel. 4,093 +195

Program Increase in communications for the OSERS IDEA 

Website. 0 +192

Program Increase in printing and supplies. 1,587 +10

Program Increase in other services primarily for Acquisition 

Management Program (AMP). 188 +564

Program Increase in field readers. 0 +27

Program Increase in goods/services from the Government, 

for security background investigations. 3,000 +1,000

Program Increase in goods/services from the Government, 

for Human Capital Operations. 0 +1,141

Program Increase in goods/services from the Government, 

primarily for E-gov: Grants.gov. 322 +101

Program Increase in goods/services from the Government, 

primarily for security rent, Federal Personnel & 

Payroll System (FPPS), and Federal Audit 

Clearinghouse. 6,096 +383

Program Increase in IT technology equipment/software,

primarily for the Database management system 

(Asset Management) and FOIAXpress. 229 +21

Program Increase in building alterations, LBJ 4th floor and

New York regional offices modernization. 0 +13,500

Subtotal, increases +18,335
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Summary of Changes

(dollars in thousands)

Decreases:

2019

Appropriation

Change from

Appropriation

Program:

Program Decrease in communications from OSEP GRADS 

360 and Customer Service Database. $877 -$27

Program Decrease in training. 3,209 -370

Program Decrease in advisory and assistance services. 2,163 -75

Program Decrease in IT services and contracts. 74,513 -3

Program Decrease in IT services and contracts for Transfer to 

IT System Modernization and Working Capital Fund. 74,513 -5,000

Program Decrease in other equipment primarily for furniture, 

filing & non-IT office equipment. 1,234 -860

Subtotal, decreases -6,335

Net Change +12,000
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Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Activity

2019

Authorized

2019

Appropriation

2020

Authorized

2020

Request

Salaries and Expenses (DEOA) Indefinite $430,000 Indefinite $433,500

Building Modernization (DEOA) Indefinite 0 Indefinite

 

13,500

Total appropriation 430,000 447,000

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Appropriations History

(dollars in thousands)

Year

Budget 

Estimate 

to Congress

House 

Allowance Footnote

Senate 

Allowance Footnote AppropriationFootnote

2011 $492,488 $465,0001 $492,4881 $455,2881

2012 479,038 449,8152 449,0742 446,259

2013 448,470 446,2593 448,4703 430,605

2014 430,605 N/A4 422,9174 422,917

2015 442,000 N/A5 426,9175 418,260

2016 474,089 410,0006 391,3266 432,000

2017 474,827 432,0007 432,0007 432,0007

2018 429,066 287,1578 430,0008 430,0008

2019 459,257 430,0009 430,0009 430,0009

2020 447,000

 

1 The level for the House allowance reflects the House-passed full-year continuing resolution; Senate 

allowance reflects Committee action only; the Appropriation reflects the Department of Defense and FullYear Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (P.L. 112-10). 2 The level for the House allowance reflects an introduced bill and the level for the Senate allowance 

reflects Senate Committee action only.

3 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular annual 2013 

appropriations bill, which proceeded in the 112th Congress only through the House Subcommittee and 

the Senate Committee.

4 The House allowance is shown as N/A because there was no Subcommittee action; Senate allowance 

reflects Committee action only.

5 The House allowance is shown as N/A because there was no Subcommittee action; Senate allowance 

reflects Senate Subcommittee action only.

6 The levels for House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular annual 2016 appropriations 

bill, which proceeded in the 114th Congress only through the House Committee and Senate Committee. 7 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2017 

appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017.

8 The level for the House allowance reflects floor action on the Omnibus appropriation bill; the Senate 

allowance reflects Committee action on the regular annual 2018 appropriations bill; the Appropriation 

reflects the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141). 9 The levels for the House and Senate Allowance reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2019

appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects enactment of the Department of Defense and Labor, Health 

and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 115-245).
X-9

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Click here for accessible version

Summary of Request

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FISCAL YEAR 2020 PRESIDENT'S BUDGET

(in thousands of dollars)

Amount Percent

 1. Salaries and expenses D 430,000 430,000 433,500 3,500 0.81%

 2. Building Modernization D 0 0 13,500 13,500 ---

430,000 430,000 447,000 17,000 3.95%

NOTES: D = discretionary program; M = mandatory program

Detail may not add to totals due to rounding. 

Total

Program Administration (DEOA)

Cat 

Code

2018 

Appropriation 

2019 

Appropriation

2020 

President's 

Budget

2020 President's Budget Compared 

to 2019 Appropriation
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Salaries and Expenses

(Department of Education Organization Act)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2020 Authorization: Indefinite

Budget Authority:

Annual Fund 2019

Appropriation

2020

Request Change

Personnel Compensation and 

Benefits Costs $260,246 $261,447 +$1,201

Non-Personnel Costs 169,754 167,053 -2,701

Total $430,000 428,500 -1,500

FTE 1,626 1,626 0

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Program Administration account provides a significant portion of the funding and staff to 

administer the Department's programs and activities in the following program and staff offices:

Program offices:

Office of Postsecondary Education

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic 

Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education

Institute of Education Sciences

Staff offices:

Office of the Secretary

Office of the Under Secretary

Office of the General Counsel

Office of Finance and Operations

Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development

Office of Communications and Outreach

Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs

Office of the Chief Information Officer
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Program offices are the front-line administrators of the Department’s programs, providing 

leadership and financial support for education programs assisting preschoolers; elementary,

secondary, and postsecondary students; and adults. Program offices are critical to managing 

the Department’s multi-billion dollar program budget through activities including grant making, 

grantee technical assistance, grant monitoring, and contract management. In addition, the 

offices support research and demonstration projects to improve education and disseminate 

information on research findings and education statistics.

Staff offices provide the policy, legal, management, and financial support needed to help the 

Department fulfill its mission. These offices are vital to the day-to-day operation of the 

Department and provide policy leadership and administration of key Departmental priorities.

Department Reorganization

On March 13, 2017, the President signed Executive Order 13781, “Comprehensive Plan for 

Reorganizing the Executive Branch” (EO), directing the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) to submit a comprehensive plan to reorganize Executive Branch departments and 

agencies. On April 12, 2017, OMB issued M-17-22 “Comprehensive Plan for Reforming the 

Federal Government and Reducing the Federal Civilian Workforce” (OMB memo) providing 

guidance on implementing the EO. The OMB memo outlined four objectives of the 

reorganization and reduction in workforce:

• Create a lean, accountable, more efficient government that works for the American 

people;

• Focus the Federal government on effectively and efficiently delivering those programs 

that are the highest needs to citizens and where there is a unique Federal role rather 

than assuming current programs are optimally designed or even needed;

• Align the Federal workforce to meet the needs of today and the future rather than the 

requirements of the past; and

• Strengthen agencies by removing barriers that hinder front-line employees from 

delivering results.

The Department’s reorganization took effect January 6, 2019. The Administration’s vision for

this reorganization was to reduce redundancy; maximize employee and organizational 

efficiency; maximize transparency and employee involvement; leverage ED colleagues’ 

knowledge and expertise; and maximize creative problem-solving and teamwork while adhering 

to legal requirements. The reorganization has resulted in a more dynamic and flexible 

workforce that can be deployed to address emerging issues and changing priorities.

The reorganization work resulted in these key organizational changes in several principal office 

structures:

• The consolidation of the Office of the Secretary (OS) with the Office of the Deputy 

Secretary (ODS);

• The integration of the Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) into the Office of 

Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE);
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Salaries and Expenses

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• The merger of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) with the Office of 

Management (OM) to create a new Office of Finance and Operations (OFO);

• The integration of certain functions of the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), 

Office of the Deputy Secretary, and Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy 

Development (OPEPD) – including the entire Budget Service organization – into OFO; 

and

• The establishment of new organizational structures for both OCIO and OPEPD due to 

the creation of OFO.

In fiscal year 2018, the Program Administration budget supported 1,585 Full-Time Equivalents 

(FTE) Employment. The fiscal year 2019 appropriation includes funding to support 1,626 FTE, 

an increase of 41 FTE.

The Secretary made the decision to extend the government-wide hiring freeze until the end of 

fiscal year 2019, however, the Secretary has delegated decision making on hiring exception 

requests to the appropriate head of each office. The Department has also taken great care to 

ensure that exceptions to the hiring freeze have been granted for positions that protect data and

perform the Department’s most critical work. It has also prioritized programs and strategies to 

recruit and retain promising talent at relatively low cost, including Presidential Management 

Fellows (PMFs), Pathways, and merit promotion opportunities available for GS-13s and below.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2015 ............................................................................. 418,2601

2016 ............................................................................. 431,000

2017 ............................................................................. 432,000

2018 ............................................................................. 430,000

2019 ............................................................................. 430,000

 

1 Includes $4,740 thousand transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services per Section 491 

of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, P.L. 113-128. Also includes $12,000 thousand 

transferred from the Student Aid Administration and Student Financial Assistance accounts under the 

transfer authority included in Section 304 of the Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2015.

FY 2020 BUDGET REQUEST

The Administration is requesting $433.5 million for the fiscal year 2020 Salaries and Expenses

budget, $3.5 million more than the fiscal year 2019 appropriation. Appropriations for the 

Program Administration account have declined significantly in recent years; the Department is 

operating with less money in fiscal year 2019 than it did in 2011, despite inflation and increases

in pay rates, physical and information technology (IT) security needs, and other Government 

requirements prompted by IT security breaches in other Federal agencies and the private 

sector.
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The chart below provides detail on the Program Administration request by type of cost.

STAFFING AND COSTS SUMMARY

The fiscal year 2020 request for Program Administration would support 1,626 FTE, level with 

fiscal year 2019. Although the request entails no increase in fiscal year 2020 FTE, the total will 

allow hiring behind staff departures in critical positions.

Personnel Compensation and Benefits (PC&B) Costs

The fiscal year 2020 request includes $261.5 million for Personnel Compensation and Benefits

to support 6 program and 8 staff offices; $1.2 million more than the fiscal year 2019 

appropriation. The increase is due to one additional paid day and for increased FERS benefits 

contribution rates.

Staffing levels are expected to stabilize in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 after a relatively steady 

decline over the past decade. A 10-year history of staffing is shown in the following table.

Program Administration FTE Usage (Fiscal Year 2011 – FY 2020)

FY 

2011

FY 

2012

FY 

2013

FY 

2014

FY 

2015

FY 

2016

FY 

2017

FY 

2018

FY 

2019

FY 

2020 

Est.

2,128 2,053 1,942 1,898 1,912 1,888 1,753 1,585 1,626 1,626

Contracts

23.2%, $100.4

Other Non-Personnel 

7.5%, $32.5

Overhead

(Rent)

9.0%, $39.1

Personnel 

Compensation & 

Benefits

60.3%, $261.5

FY 2020 Salaries & Expenses Costs by Category

($ in millions)

 PC&B and fixed overhead costs comprise 69% of the Program Administration budget.
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Non-Personnel Costs

The total request for Non-Personnel activities for fiscal year 2020 is $167.1 million, $2.7 million 

less than the fiscal year 2019 appropriation. Non-Personnel costs cover such items as travel, 

rent, mail, telephones, utilities, printing, Information Technology (IT), contractual services, 

equipment, supplies, and other overhead departmental services.

IT Modernization – Working Capital Funds

The Administration requests that the Program Administration Salaries and Expenses account be 

allowed the flexibility to use the authority of the IT Working Capital Funds authorized by the 

Modernizing Government Technology (MGT) Act. The authority would enable the Department

to transfer one-year administrative funds to an account with a three year period of availability for 

use on IT modernization. The anticipated transfer amount for fiscal year 2020 is $5 million. 

The IT Working Capital Fund authority would allow the Department to make the best use of 

limited administrative funds. The three year availability would permit more time to appropriately 

consider all risks, merits, and alternatives with IT investments, reducing risk and maximizing the 

effectiveness. Currently, when circumstances like a contract postponement or lower-thananticipated FTE costs leave unexpected funds available at the end of a fiscal year, the 

Department takes strategic steps to ensure funds are placed on operational procurements.

Thirty percent of the Program Administration account funds major contracts such as the 

Department’s IT infrastructure and security and financial management systems. These major 

procurements are not routine in nature, but rather have become more complex; requiring for 

example, additional layers of integration with security requirements. Contract actions, 

particularly those that are complex, are often subject to protests, which can impact the timing of 

funding needs --in many cases crossing over fiscal years. The IT Working Capital Fund will give 

the Department the flexibility to align the availability of funds with these complex procurement 

actions.

Consistent with the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act, the Secretary shall 

ensure that the Department’s Chief Information Officer, at a minimum, be the principal advisor to 

the Secretary and a member on any board or governance structure of the Department 

responsible for advising and setting Departmentwide information technology budgets to include 

the IT Working Capital Fund. Furthermore, funds transferred to the IT Working Capital may not 

be obligated without authorization from the Department’s Chief Information Officer.

Departmental Centralized Services

Approximately 74 percent of the total non-personnel budget request covers Program 

Administration’s share of the Department’s centralized services. The centralized services 

request totals $122.7 million for fiscal year 2020, $3.9 million less than the fiscal year 2019 

appropriation. The major centralized service items include overhead costs for: rent to the U.S. 

General Services Administration (GSA) and interagency agreements for services such as 

payroll processing, guard services, and background security investigations. Centralized 
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Salaries and Expenses

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services also include communications and IT equipment, services, support, maintenance, and 

improvements.

Departmental Centralized Services

(dollars in thousands)

Item

2019 

Appropriation 2020 Request Difference

Rent $39,101 $39,101 $0

Other Central Support 33,705 38,631 4,926

Central IT 53,776 44,951 -8,825

Centralized Services $126,582 $122,683 -$3,899

Department Priorities

The following section provides detailed information on the Department’s top priority areas.

Centralized IT services

IT Security

The Office of the Chief Information Officer oversees IT projects that provide security for the 

Department’s IT systems.

The Program Administration request for these projects is $19.7 million, $925,000 more than the

fiscal year 2019 appropriation. Additional IT funding is provided by the Department’s other 

Salaries and Expenses accounts. The total request across all accounts for these projects is 

$38.9 million.

Several high-profile Governmentwide security breaches have compromised sensitive personal 

data and reinforced the importance of the Department’s IT security investments.

The scope of the Enterprise Cybersecurity Program (ECP) investments primary focus is on 

improving security for the Department’s primary network infrastructure, Portfolio of Integrated 

Value-Oriented Technologies (PIVOT) and the applications and systems hosted therein. ECP 

funds will also ensure that the large number applications and systems externally hosted at 

contractor-managed sites across the country are fully compliant with Federal and Department

cybersecurity and privacy policies and guidelines.

The ECP projects and investment goals include:

• enhanced protection of high value assets (HVAs);

• robust implementation of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity 

Framework functions (Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover);
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• improved situational awareness;

• enhanced network monitoring;

• timely incident response;

• consistent and formal security authorizations for all Federal Information Security 

Modernization Act information systems;

• timely mitigation of vulnerabilities to acceptable risk levels; and,

• updated documentation of ECP policies, processes and procedures to conform with the 

National Institute of Standards and Technology guidelines for risk-based security 

authorization.

EDCAPS

The Program Administration request for EDCAPS is $5.9 million. Additional IT funding is 

provided by the Department’s other Salaries and Expenses accounts. The total request across 

all accounts for these projects is $25.9 million.

Funding supports continued operations and enhancement of the EDCAPS core financial 

system, which includes five major components:

• G5 (grant making system);

• Contracts and Purchasing Support System (contracts and procurement system);

• Financial Management Systems Software (FMSS) (general ledger, accounting, 

reporting, budget execution, funds control);

• Integrated Support Services; and, 

• Travel System.

The Phase 1 critical upgrade to the FMSS was completed on June 30, 2017. Phase 2 was 

more encompassing and provided a multitude of upgrades to include: enhanced business 

processes and functions, improved interfacing between major system components, security and 

system alert features, and development of financial reporting including the Departmentwide 

financial statements. The upgraded system went live as planned on November 19, 2018.

Phase 3 started immediately upon completion of Phase 2 and will continue until May 30, 2019. 

Phase 3 allows for the stabilization and operations and maintenance of the Oracle R12 

application and includes the tasks listed below:

• Post go-live end user support. This support shall include desk-side support as 

necessary, help desk support including answering user questions and resolving system 

problems, how to tip sheets, etc.

• Providing in-depth technical support to R12 users as necessary to include issues related 

to system performance, data conversion and reconciliations, and bug fixes if necessary. 

• Following Phase 3, the upgraded FMSS will enter normal operations and maintenance 

and begin to look at additional enhancements that can be made to improve functionality.
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PIVOT

PIVOT contracts are scheduled to replace the Department’s contracts for EDUCATE network

services and IT infrastructure, which expired in November 2017 and have been extended 

through continuing services until May 2019. These contracts are the largest dollar value 

contracts funded by the Program Administration account, and are essential to operations in

every Department office. They will provide hardware, software, network connectivity (including 

remote network access), data storage, technical support, email, wireless, and mobile phone 

services.

The Department gathered information from EDUCATE customers to help guide the 

development of the new contract solicitation. The PIVOT contracts are expected to further the 

Department’s effort to leverage cloud and other shared services in an effort to improve 

efficiency and maximize flexibility, while improving service levels and the underlying technology. 

The Department’s continued goal with its IT platform is that it supports improved services to 

stakeholders; reduces operational risk; improves performance and accountability; enhances

security and privacy; and optimizes, standardizes, and consolidates the information 

management and technology infrastructure. 

The PIVOT contract framework consists of six contracts, shown in the table below.

Portfolio of Integrated Value-Oriented Technologies (PIVOT)

Contract Description Solicitation Release 

Date Planned Award Date

PIVOT - Integrator 

and End-User 

Services (I)

Integration and 

Performance Management, 

End User Computing and 

Helpdesk, Unified 

Communications, 

Multimedia and Enterprise 

Security

December 2016

(proposals were 

received February 

2017)

February 2018 

(Planned)

AWARDED –

(Actual Start –

October 2018)

PIVOT - Hosting (H) Data Storage and 

Systems/Application 

Hosting

March 2017

(proposals were 

received June 2017)

February 2018 

(Planned)

AWARDED

(Actual Start – June 

2018)

PIVOT - Network (N) Data Network 

Management

June 2019 January 2020

PIVOT - Oversight 

(O)

Program & Project 

Management Support, IT 

Performance Monitoring 

and IT Technical Expertise

August 2017 September 2017

AWARDED
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Portfolio of Integrated Value-Oriented Technologies (PIVOT)

Contract Description Solicitation Release 

Date Planned Award Date

PIVOT - Printers (P) Printing Services, 

Scanning and Copier 

Services

October 2017 May 2018 

AWARDED

PIVOT - Mobile

Services (M) Recompete

Mobile Device 

procurement, provision and 

deployment

January 2019 May 2019

The $24.6 million budgeted for fiscal year 2020 for PIVOT, is a decrease of $4.6 million from the 

fiscal year 2019 appropriation. The decrease comes from the savings realized by ceasing 

parallel operations necessary during the transition from EDUCATE to PIVOT. The requested 

amount is solely for the Program Administration account’s shared costs. The Department’s total 

budget for this investment is $51.3 million. The balance of the funding needed is included in the 

budget requests for the Department’s other Salaries and Expenses accounts.

Non-Centralized IT Services

Impact Aid Payment System

The Administration requests $704,000 in fiscal year 2020 for the third year of redesign for the

Impact Aid Payment system. The current system is not 508 compliant, lacks document 

management functionality to meet records management requirements, and lacks an automated 

interface with the Department’s grant system. In addition, ongoing maintenance has proven

difficult. The system lacks transparency to the frustration of grantees and relies on key software 

components that are no longer supported by vendors. The Department has undertaken the 

Impact Aid Payment System Redevelopment project to reduce operation and maintenance 

costs in a way that satisfies current business, functional, and technical requirements and 

provides flexibility to adapt to future needs. The new Impact Aid Payment system will add 

capabilities to meet higher security requirements and additional business needs that are not 

available with the legacy system. This will improve the customer experience for school districts 

and improve the speed and accuracy with which they receive their funding by reducing reliance 

on physical documents, streamlining the e-Application Process, reducing manual processing, 

automating transmission of obligation and payment files to the Grants Management System 

(G5), using current and supported software, and reducing data errors. 

The funds requested in fiscal year 2020 will cover licensing, software, and cloud support. 

Additionally, the funds would cover licensing and software fees for the redesigned system and 

would maintain the legacy Impact Aid Payment system during transition.
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

Salaries and Expenses

X-19

IDEA.Gov Web Site

In fiscal year 2018, the outdated IDEA.gov site experienced technical glitches and prolonged 

outages, prompting the emergency development and launch of a new IDEA.gov site. IDEA.gov 

provides stakeholders current and valuable resources about the support and services 

guaranteed to infants, children, and youth with disabilities and their families under the 

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Fiscal year 2018 funds were sufficient to 

support development and maintenance through fiscal year 2019. In fiscal year 2020, $192,000 

is requested for operations and maintenance and to support development, modernization and 

enhancement to modify the site so that content stays relevant and users experience optimal 

performance.

EDFacts

EDFacts is an information management solution of systems and services related to K-12 

education performance data. Systems provide web-based data collection, ad hoc and standard 

reporting, commercial-off-the-shelf software for business process management and metadata 

collection, a data warehouse centralizing K-12 data with data from other systems, and a 

commercial software survey. Services provided by EDFacts include data supplier conferences, 

data user and supplier assistance, technical assistance to States, custom reports, and training. 

EDFacts data is centralized with other Department data such as financial grant information. 

EDFacts supports policy and budget decisions with a significant degree of accuracy and 

timeliness.

The Administration is requesting a total of $12.3 million in fiscal year 2020, an increase of 

$1.1 million more than the fiscal year 2019 appropriation. Funds will support steady state 

operations and maintenance costs, continue system upgrades to tighten the security profile and 

respond to data submission innovations gaining interest among the states, address Every 

Student Succeeds Act changes, upgrade the EDFacts Metadata Repository for improvements in 

reference metadata, and continue to enhance data management and quality improvements.

Enterprise Risk Management Services and Tools

The Administration is requesting a total of $1.5 million for fiscal year 2020 for the Enterprise 

Risk Management Services and Tools project, level with the fiscal year 2019 appropriation. 

Funds will improve the existing Risk Management tools used by the Department’s grant-making 

offices by developing the Tool to Assess Grantee Risk. Funds will also be used to leverage 

evidence-based methods of mining social media and text to expand the Department's datadriven management of risks to principal offices and grantees' performance. In addition, funds 

are requested to perform OMB-mandated risk analysis for Federal grants. This request will also 

support automated risk management services and tools, including pre-award reports on

prospective grantees, grant related business intelligence data visualization, and calculations to 

inform program monitoring plans. This investment will help the Department proactively manage 

risks inherent to administering Federal programs by identifying, duplication, overlap, noncompliance, fraud, waste, and abuse.
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

Salaries and Expenses

X-20

Other Non-Personnel Costs

The following section provides additional information on projects not related to IT.

Security for Personnel and Buildings

A total of $19.1 million is requested for security-related expenses including guard services, 

background investigations, and the implementation of the Continuity of Operations Plan. The 

Federal Protective Service (FPS) is responsible for setting overall security policy and in 

determining the costs of security items. The Department works with the FPS and other local 

and Federal law enforcement organizations to ensure the safety and security of the 

Department's many buildings, its sensitive information, and its employees. The Department’s 

security policies and procedures have been implemented in response to General Services 

Administration and Department of Homeland Security standards and comply with an array of 

legal and regulatory requirements. The fiscal year 2020 request is an increase of $1.2 million

over the fiscal year 2019 appropriation, with the increase primarily attributable to background 

investigations and security rent.

Presidential Scholars Program

The Presidential Scholars Program, which recognizes the Nation’s most distinguished 

graduating high school seniors, started in 1964. Each year the White House Commission on 

Presidential Scholars selects up to 161 students for this honor. The fiscal year 2020 costs to 

support contract renewal for this program is estimated at $814,000, $22,000 more than the 

fiscal year 2019 appropriation

Human Capital Operations

In fiscal year 2019, the Department is executing a Human Resources (HR) transition contract. 

This will allow the organization to continue evaluating the viability of transitioning to a share 

service provider. Activities will include classification, recruitment, on-boarding, staffing, 

workforce/succession planning and alignment, records management, knowledge management, 

and HR business partner consultant training to facilitate any transition of back-end HR 

processes to a shared service provider while maintaining the full range of operational services 

normally found in a full-service HR program.

The fiscal year 2020 request includes $1.1 million to maintain this HR transition contract. A 

portion of funding for this project will be provided by the Department’s other Salaries and 

Expenses accounts. The total request across all accounts for these projects is $2.3 million.

Acquisition Management Program

The Administration’s fiscal year 2020 request includes $1.1 million to fund the contract support 

for the Department’s Acquisition Management Program (AMP), $912,000 more than the 2019 

appropriation. The contract will provide assistance in four core functions: 
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

Salaries and Expenses

X-21

• Acquisition Policy 

• Acquisition Workforce Development 

• Supply Chain Management and 

• Acquisition Business Systems 

The contract will support the AMP, which manages the Department’s compliance with the 

Services Acquisition Reform Act. Contractor support is required to assure the Department 

complies with innovation-related directives in the President’s Management Agenda along with 

other OMB initiatives. The increase will support acquisition workforce development through 

web-based training. It will also provide project management, planning, and support for the 

Acquisition Management Consolidated Acquisition System.
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

X-22

Building Modernization

(Department of Education Organization Act)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2020 Authorization: Indefinite

Budget Authority:

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Building Modernization activity supports relocation of Department of Education staff as well 

as renovation of Department buildings within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and in 

several regional offices.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2015 ........................................................................................ 0

2016 ................................................................................$1,000

2017 ........................................................................................ 01

2018 ........................................................................................ 0

2019 ........................................................................................ 0

 

1 The 2017 Appropriation Act provided authority for up to $1 million for Building Modernization. The 

Department chose not to use the authority; it ultimately needed these funds for other expenses under 

Program Administration.

FY 2020 BUDGET REQUEST

The Administration requests $13.5 million for fiscal year 2020, $13.5 million more than the fiscal 

year 2019 appropriation. The Department is actively working to use space more efficiently. The 

Administration has encouraged agencies to reduce the total square footage of domestic office 

and warehouse inventories. In response, the Department has developed a comprehensive 

program to modernize and reduce occupied space. This program promises to improve

utilization rates through consolidation, more efficient workspaces, and elimination of unneeded 

space. Rent is a large “fixed” cost that cannot be sustained amid fiscal constraints. The 

primary goal is to reduce the Department’s space footprint and associated out-year costs.

2019

Appropriation

2020

Request

Change from

Appropriation

$0 $13,500 +$13,500
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

Building Modernization

X-23

With the reduction in staffing and Program Administration funding over the past five years,

Building Modernization funding is imperative to ensure that taxpayer resources are focused on 

the operating costs that allow the Department to better serve students and their parents. As the 

Potomac Center Plaza (PCP) headquarters office lease is soon set to expire, the fiscal year 

2020 request would ensure that the Department can pursue all avenues possible to avoid 

spending more of its operating resources on rent.

The funds requested for fiscal year 2020 would go toward a number of initiatives outlined below.

Headquarters Offices Modernization and Consolidation: 

• LBJ Modernization 4th Floor: Following the completion of the 5th floor at the Lyndon 

Baines Johnson Building (LBJ), the 4th floor will be reconfigured and consolidated. This 

will double its density and utilization and enable the relocation of staff from much of the 

currently leases PCP space to LBJ by 2023. Funds needed total $5.2 million.

Regional Offices Modernization and Consolidation:

• New York Regional Office: The current lease in New York is expiring in May of 2020. 

GSA has notified the Department that the new space at 26 Federal Plaza (Federal 

Building) won’t be available until June 2022 once construction is completed. This will 

require a two year extension of the current lease before the Federal building is available. 

Federal buildings have many advantages, including typically lower rents and long-term 

future occupancy with no requirement to re-compete the lease. As part of the relocation, 

the density/utilization rate of the New York space will be more than doubled from its 

current capacity, which will result in rent reductions of roughly $1.5 million annually. 

Funds needed total $8.3 million.

Additional funds requested, up to a total of $27,000,000, are conditional on other funding needs

within Program Administration. Funds would be used for the following purposes:

• LBJ Modernization 4th Floor: In addition to the initial $5.2 million, additional 

construction costs would complete the 4th floor modernization effort and supply 

furnishings.

• LBJ Modernization 3rd Floor: Following the completion of the 4th floor at LBJ, the 3rd

floor will be reconfigured and consolidated, doubling the density and utilization, and 

enabling the relocation of additional staff from PCP space to LBJ by 2023. This will 

result in a much smaller footprint at PCP (or replacement lease location).

• PCP Lease Expiration: The GSA lease and the Department’s Occupancy Agreement 

at the current PCP location is nearing the end of its term, with a lease expiration date in 

March 2020. A competitive procurement is required for a new lease. Whether at the 

existing location or a new building, the new lease will be for a somewhat smaller space. 

Funds will pay for either modernization of space of the existing PCP building or, if the 
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

Building Modernization

X-24

succeeding lease is at a new location, for a very limited, “barebones” buildout (i.e., 

primarily furniture with very few walls). 

The successful reduction in space and rent costs at PCP is dependent on completion of 

renovations to LBJ described above. As renovated space at LBJ becomes available, 

space at PCP will be reduced. Should the Department have to relocate staff currently at 

PCP, the estimated costs are $57 million.

The Department is in negotiations with GSA to delay any increase in LBJ rent charges 

until the Department is able to reduce space at PCP. This would prevent early rent 

increases before significant savings can be realized.

Regional Offices Modernization and Consolidation:

• Philadelphia Regional Office: By September 2021, the Philadelphia Regional Office’s 

lease will expire. This will require a competitive procurement for a new lease, with 

project completion by the end of the lease expiration date. The relocation of staff into a 

new building will require funding for design, move, disposal clean-out, IT system 

services, furniture, and construction costs. 
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

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Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Employment by Office

OFFICE

2018

Actual

2019

Appropriation

2020

Request

Change from 

2019 to 2020

Career, Technical, and Adult Education 73 72 72 0

Chief Information Officer 106 91 91 0

Communications and Outreach 84 82 82 0

Elementary and Secondary Education 260 263 263 0

English Language Acquisition, Language 

Enhancement, and Academic Achievement 

for Limited English Proficient Students 16 16 16 0

Finance and Operations 340 386 386 0

General Counsel 84 86 86 0

Institute of Education Sciences 166 169 169 0

Legislation and Congressional Affairs 13 15 15 0

Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development 18 33 33 0

Postsecondary Education 122 129 129 0

Secretary 103 83 83 0

Special Education and Rehabilitative Services 188 184 184 0

Under Secretary 12 17 17 0

Total 1,585 1,626 1,626 0

NOTE: FY 2018 reflects adjustments for comparability to FY 2019 and FY 2020 to reflect the Department’s 

Reorganization. The offices impacted include OFO (OM-166/OCFO-136/BS-OPEPD-38), OS (ODS-32), and OESE 

(OII-63).
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

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Summary of Budget Authority by Principal Office

(dollars in thousands)

OFFICE 2018 BA

2019

Appropriation

2020

Request

Change 

from 2019 

to 2020

Career, Technical, and Adult Education $12,969 $12,079 $12,125 $46

Central Information Technology 57,929 53,776 44,951 -8,825

Central Support 70,550 72,806 91,232 18,426

Chief Information Officer 19,009 15,971 16,033 62

Communications and Outreach 16,190 15,820 16,018 198

Elementary and Secondary Education 44,851 44,643 43,502 -1,141

English Language Acquisition, Language 

Enhancement, and Academic 

Achievement for Limited English 

Proficient Students 2,653 2,596 2,624 28

Finance and Operations 53,643 67,393 68,895 1,502

General Counsel 15,667 16,078 16,060 -18

Institute of Education Sciences 40,962 40,773 41,702 929

Legislation and Congressional Affairs 1,927 2,358 2,376 18

Planning, Evaluation, and Policy 

Development 11,050 7,584 7,902 318

Postsecondary Education 19,875 20,382 20,236 -146

Secretary 27,899 22,603 22,724 121

Special Education and Rehabilitative 

Services 32,502 31,565 31,869 304

Under Secretary 2,324 3,573 3,751 178

Total, Budget Authority 430,000 430,000 442,000 12,000

NOTES: FY 2018 reflects adjustments for comparability to FY 2019 and FY 2020 to reflect the Department’s 

Reorganization. The offices impacted include OFO (OM/OCFO), OS (ODS), and OESE (OII). FY 2020 includes 

Building Modernization in Central Support (no funds are included for Building Modernization in FY 2018 and 

FY 2019). FY 2020 reflects transfer adjustment in Central Information Technology for the IT System Modernization 

and IT Working Capital Fund.