(1)
PERFORMANCE
MEASURES
AND
STAND-
ARDS.—The Director of the Office of Management 
and Budget shall develop— 
(A) performance measures to determine 
whether Federal agencies are providing high- 
quality customer service; and 
(B) standards to be met by Federal agen-
cies in order to provide high-quality customer 
service. 
(2) REQUIREMENT
TO
TAKE
INTO
ACCOUNT 
CERTAIN
INFORMATION.—The
standards
under 
paragraph (1) shall be developed after taking into 
account the information collected by Federal agen-
cies under subsection (b). 
(b) CUSTOMER SERVICE INPUT.—The head of each 
Federal agency shall collect information from its cus-
tomers regarding the quality of customer services provided 
by the agency. The information shall be collected through 
a survey, focus groups, or other appropriate methods. 
Each Federal agency shall include this information in its 
performance report submitted under section 1116 of title 
31, United States Code. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget shall issue an annual report on 
the success of Federal agencies in meeting the customer 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:58 Oct 02, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6401
E:\BILLS\H404.RS
H404
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
service performance measures and standards developed 
under subsection (a). 
SEC. 3. IMPLEMENTATION OF CUSTOMER SERVICE STAND-
ARDS. 
(a) CUSTOMER RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE.—The 
head of each Federal agency shall designate an employee 
to be the customer relations representative of the agency. 
Such representative shall be responsible for implementing 
the customer service standards developed under section 2 
and the agency requirements under subsection (b). 
(b) AGENCY REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1)
GUIDELINES
AND
CONTACT
INFORMA-
TION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The head of each Fed-
eral agency, acting through its customer rela-
tions representative, shall— 
(i) issue guidelines to implement the 
customer
service
standards
developed 
under section 2 within the agency, includ-
ing specific principles of customer service 
applicable to that agency; and 
(ii) publish customer service contact 
information, including a mailing address, 
telephone number, and e-mail address. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:58 Oct 02, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6401
E:\BILLS\H404.RS
H404
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
(B) AVAILABILITY.—The guidelines and 
the customer service contact information re-
quired under this paragraph shall be available 
on the agency’s public website. 
(2) STATIONERY REQUIREMENTS.—Each Fed-
eral agency shall include its address and phone num-
ber on any agency stationery. In the case of cor-
respondence originating from a regional or local of-
fice of a Federal agency, the agency shall include the 
address and phone number of the regional or local 
office on the stationery. 
SEC. 4. REPORT BY GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OF-
FICE. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than two years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comp-
troller General shall submit to the Committee on Over-
sight and Government Reform of the House of Represent-
atives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Gov-
ernmental Affairs of the Senate a report analyzing the in-
formation reported by agencies under section 2(b). 
(b) MATTERS COVERED.—The report shall include— 
(1) whether agencies are implementing the cus-
tomer service standards; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:58 Oct 02, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6401
E:\BILLS\H404.RS
H404
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
(2) whether there is an increase in overall qual-
ity in customer service in the Federal Government; 
and 
(3) any recommendations the Comptroller Gen-
eral may have to improve performance measures and 
standards for customer service in the Federal Gov-
ernment. 
(c) USE OF REPORT.—The report may be used by 
Congress as well as the Director of Office of Management 
and Budget to update performance measures for customer 
service. 
SEC. 5. INCENTIVES FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. 
(a) AWARD PROGRAM.—The head of a Federal agen-
cy may establish an awards program to pay a cash award 
under chapter 45 of title 5, United States Code, to em-
ployees for demonstrated excellence in customer service. 
(b) PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL.—Compliance with 
customer service standards developed under this Act shall, 
to the extent practicable, be an element of a performance 
appraisal system referred to in section 5307(d) of title 5, 
United States Code. 
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) The term ‘‘customer’’, with respect to a 
Federal agency, means any individual or entity, in-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:58 Oct 02, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6401
E:\BILLS\H404.RS
H404
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
cluding a business, State or local government, other 
Federal agency, or Congress, to which the agency 
provides services or information. 
(2) The term ‘‘Federal agency’’ has the mean-
ing given the term ‘‘Executive agency’’ by section 
105 of title 5, United States Code, except that the 
term does not include an agency if the President de-
termines that this Act should not apply to the agen-
cy for national security reasons. 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Federal Customer Serv-
ice Enhancement Act of 2008’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) CONTACT INFORMATION.—The term ‘‘contact 
information’’ means mailing addresses, telephone 
numbers, e-mail addresses, and website addresses. 
(2) CUSTOMER.—The term ‘‘customer’’, with re-
spect to a Federal agency, means any individual or 
entity, including a business, State or local govern-
ment, other Federal agency, or Congress, to which the 
agency provides services or information directly. 
(3) CUSTOMER SERVICE.—The term ‘‘customer 
service’’ refers to customer satisfaction with the level 
of services or information provided to a customer, but 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:58 Oct 02, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H404.RS
H404
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
does not refer to the level of satisfaction or agreement 
of a customer with Federal agency policies or objec-
tives. 
(4) FEDERAL AGENCY.—The term ‘‘Federal agen-
cy’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘Executive agen-
cy’’ by section 105 of title 5, United States Code, ex-
cept that the term does not include an agency if the 
President determines that this Act should not apply 
to the agency for national security reasons. 
SEC. 3. DEVELOPMENT OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND 
STANDARDS FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE PRO-
VIDED BY FEDERAL AGENCIES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF CUSTOMER SERVICE BEST 
PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES.—The Director 
of the Office of Management and Budget shall prescribe 
guidance that— 
(1) establishes best practices for customer service 
to ensure that Federal agencies are providing high 
quality customer service; and 
(2) establishes best practices for measuring cus-
tomer service performance to monitor customer service 
quality at Federal agencies. 
(b) STANDARDS.—Customer service standards estab-
lished under subsection (a) shall take into account— 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:58 Oct 02, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H404.RS
H404
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
(1) any customer service standards of Federal 
agencies in effect on the date of enactment of this Act; 
(2) information collected from Federal agency 
customers regarding the quality of customer services 
provided by Federal agencies; and 
(3) approaches for governmentwide citizen con-
tact activities described in the report entitled ‘‘Citi-
zens Service Levels Interagency Committee Report’’ 
by the General Services Administration (dated Octo-
ber 2006), or any similar subsequent report. 
(c) GUIDANCE ON IMPLEMENTATION OF CUSTOMER 
SERVICE STANDARDS.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget shall prescribe guidance governing 
the implementation or updating of customer service stand-
ards and performance measures of Federal agencies using 
best practices developed under subsection (a) and any spe-
cific customer service related principles applicable to indi-
vidual agencies. 
(d) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget shall issue an annual report on 
the success of Federal agencies in meeting the customer serv-
ice standards developed under subsection (a) for each of the 
5 years after the date of enactment of this Act. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:58 Oct 02, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H404.RS
H404
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
SEC. 4. CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARDS AT FEDERAL 
AGENCIES. 
(a) IMPLEMENTATION.—Each Federal agency shall 
implement customer service standards and customer service 
performance measures as required under section 3(c). 
(b) REPORTING STANDARDS TO THE OFFICE OF MAN-
AGEMENT AND BUDGET.—For purposes of preparing each 
report under section 3(d), each Federal agency shall submit 
such information as the Office of Management and Budget 
may require on the customer service of the agency in rela-
tion to the standards and measures used by that agency. 
(c) CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OF STANDARDS.—The 
head of each Federal agency shall ensure that customer serv-
ice standards are continuously improved as warranted 
based on performance measures established under section 
3(a)(2). 
(d) CONTACT
INFORMATION
AVAILABILITY.—Each 
Federal agency shall ensure the availability of appropriate 
contact information regarding customer service inquiries 
from the public. 
(e) CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARDS AVAILABILITY TO 
THE PUBLIC.—Standards referred to under subsection (a) 
shall be publicly available on the website of each Federal 
agency. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:58 Oct 02, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H404.RS
H404
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
SEC. 5. REPORT BY GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OF-
FICE. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
shall submit a report analyzing the information collected 
under section 3(b) to— 
(1) the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform of the House of Representatives. 
(b) MATTERS COVERED.—The report shall include— 
(1) whether Federal agencies are implementing 
the customer service standards; 
(2) whether there is an increase in overall qual-
ity in customer service in the Federal Government; 
and 
(3) any recommendations the Comptroller Gen-
eral may have to improve performance measures and 
standards for customer service in the Federal Govern-
ment. 
(c) USE OF REPORT.—The report may be used by Con-
gress and the Director of Office of Management and Budget 
to update best practices referred to in section 3. 
SEC. 6. INCENTIVES FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. 
The head of a Federal agency may establish an awards 
program to pay a cash award under chapter 45 of title 5, 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:58 Oct 02, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H404.RS
H404
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
United States Code, to employees for demonstrated excel-
lence in customer service. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:58 Oct 02, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H404.RS
H404
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS
Calendar No. 1107 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 404 
AN ACT 
To require the establishment of customer service 
standards for Federal agencies. 
OCTOBER 1 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 17), 2008 
Reported with an amendment 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
04:58 Oct 02, 2008
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6651
Sfmt 6651
E:\BILLS\H404.RS
H404
wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with BILLS