MEETING MINUTES

Meeting Date/Time: January 10, 2018 2:30pm – 4:00pm

Location: USDA, 1400 Independence Ave, SW, 1st Floor, Room 1052(c)

Agenda and Highlights:

1) Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS). Do you use FEVS data in your work as an 

ombuds? If you do, please tell us about your experiences.

 USPTO - As an internal ombuds this data is publicized and it’s noticed by leadership. 

Ombuds offices may be called upon to respond to trend data. 

 DOS – collaboration opportunities with various offices.

 DODIG – Uses with individual visitors, use the results/trends as the bases of a 

dialogue or systemic trends. Also meets with senior leadership to help translate the 

numbers into action plans and how to sustain improvements. 

 FDIC – uses the results with their workplace councils and steering committees to 

improve/focus on employee engagement/organizational development initiatives. 

From the Ombuds perspective, sometimes tied into a “pulse check” assessment or 

analysis. Estimates that they spend about 50% of their time working with this data. 

 DOA – Has identified three potential areas of improvement for the department and is 

reviewing the FEVS results to see if the results can inform these identified areas in 

any way. One example, customer service.

 NIH – In the past few years there is an increasing focus by senior executives on the 

FEVS. The survey results prompted outreach to the ombuds office from an agency 

leader. Management uses this as a proactive tool to leverage ombuds resources.

 SBA – Lobbied for the addition of some additional questions to FEVS to be a more 

accurate assessment for externally facing agency.

 DOE – Ombuds was successful in gaining access to FEVS results as a more granular 

level. This info was offered but they negotiated that access; process wasn’t a heavy 

lift – found the right POC, justified their request and the request was honored – it was 

a matter of just asking the question.

 CFPB – For external ombuds, be aware of how to direct questions about the survey to 

right people in your agency, to be aware of the morale and issues facing the agency 

when engaging in inreach or feedback, and for multi-person ombuds offices to be 

aware that they may be experiencing the same concerns.
2) Naming our Visitors. How can we maintain awareness of the language we use with 

visitors and the people with whom you work?

 Defining unique ombuds language and explaining those terms.

 Reviewing the tracking categories to make sure their meanings are clear with the 

agency and visitors.

 Discussion around the differences between mediation and facilitation and clearly 

defining those terms for the agency while also accurately reflecting the legal 

definitions.

3) Records Management. Do you have a NARA approved records schedule for your office? 

Can you share advice or guidance for those who are either going through the approval 

process or are yet to start the process?

 Discussions about process best practices for agency records schedule. The 

conversation evolved to the blanket GRS proposal that’s on the table. It sounds like 

several Ombuds offices have an approved NARA schedule and there’s possibly a lack 

of communication between NARA appraisers and possibly appraisers who drafted the 

current GRS proposal. COFO will continue to look into this issue. 

 TSA has received communication from the Department of Homeland Security to 

establish a records schedule and a request to change the current records schedule. 

NARA expressed interest in having a comprehensive uniform records disposition 

schedule for all ombuds offices. 

 NGA – In detail, established a charter and records schedule. Idea came about to create 

a records schedule for all ombuds in DHS. Was on track to have a comprehensive 

schedule for all in DHS

 In NARA discussions with PTO’s new records schedule, this idea was not raised.

 CFPB – Concerned about a general schedule, especially for offices that have had 

records schedules in place for longer periods of time. At CFPB it was developed with 

the records officer and did not interface with NARA.

 Can NARA dictate the terms? – Yes.

 Executive Committee concerned by what they saw in this situation and is quickly 

working on this issue with an update at the next meeting. As a call to COFO 

members, if anyone has any additional knowledge that could be proposed, please let 

us know.

 Identifying the importance and unique need for temporary records.

 It took one agency two years to negotiate a records schedule that worked for the 

office. It was key to have multiple examples and support in the agency. Meeting with 

NARA in person was also helpful.

 COFO Chair – A reminder that a lot of people still do not know what we do. Continue 

to support and share information with each other.
4) Issue Tracking. If you track concerns and issues, how adaptive are your categories? Do 

you update or change categories? 

 Most offices use IOA categories as a base but modify to reflect the nature/scope of 

their work. There was a follow-up question about what systems offices use; Excel, 

Access, iSight (contact NIH for more info). 

 CFPB has created their own issue tracking categories. We review them once a year 

for changes. We try to make sure they are broad enough to be inclusive but also check 

in to think of things we have been seeing or may see in the next year. The format is 

similar to other office but the nature, type, and scope of issues is specific to CFPB.

5) Update on upcoming election of COFO Officers and other ongoing activities.

 Tim Little provided a summary of email communication. Survey monkey survey will 

go out today so you can submit your votes; voting ends on January 30th and the 

results will be shared at the next COFO meeting. 

6) Additional topics raised by Members (please include suggested topics or Ombuds 

Challenges with your RSVP). 

 Joanne Dea - Human Centered Design Workshop at OPM

 COFO get together to follow meeting
Attendees:

In-Person

Achuko, Devara – Department of Homeland Security

Barrar, Riley – Customer Financial Protection Bureau

Berg, Mollie – Department of Homeland Security

Dea, Joanne – United States Department of Agriculture

Drefchinski, Megan – Federal Reserve Board

Heffernan, Claire – Department of Homeland Security

Hill, Gary – Department of Defense

Holman, Patrick – Department of Energy

Kinnavy, Noreen – International Broadcasting Bureau

Lenkel, Laurie - Department of Health and Human Services

Little, Tim – Department of State

Luckam, Stephanie - Department of Homeland Security

Maurer, Bill – Department of Energy

Palosky, Dania – Smithsonian

Smith, Julie – Department of State

Sotoudeh, Paul – U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Wolfe, Lexi – Small Business Administration

Zeller, Jessica – Health and Human Services

Phone

Adams, Joanne - United States Department of Agriculture

Asar, Sharon - Customer Financial Protection Bureau

Balick, Howard - Department of Health and Human Services

Brown, Andrea - U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Doyle, Bill – Department of Homeland Security

Epps, Ayanna – Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Fleming, Tasha – Department of Justice

Garmon, Felisa - Customer Financial Protection Bureau

Gartlan, Jennifer – Federal Maritime Commission

Gleason, Peggy – Department of Homeland Security 

Harris, Robert - Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Herling, Jasmine – National Credit Union Administration

Hurley, Nathan - Department of Health and Human Services

Kamenshine, Wendy - Customer Financial Protection Bureau

Larkins, Marcia - Department of Health and Human Services

Levine, Lisa – Department of Justice

Manderson, Katie – Department of State

Marquigny, Beckie – U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

McGuire, Carrie – Office of Government Information Services

McNeil, Tracey – U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Merrix, Celeste – Department of Homeland Security

Michael, David - Department of Health and Human Services
Patel, Bina – NGIC

Pritzker, David - Customer Financial Protection Bureau

Raines, Eric - Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Reilly, Kevin – National Aerospace and Space Administration

Reinfurt, Sandy – Department of Justice

Roberts, Sara – Department of Homeland Security

Semo, Alina – National Archives and Records Administration

Smith, Tyler – National Institute of Health

Walker, Don – Department to Defense

Weber, Guy – Department of Defense

Williamson, Cathleen – Office of the Director of National Intelligence

Zrubek, Tom – Department of Defense