Government Service Delivery Improvement Act

Bill: 118-s-5077
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
Introduced: 2024-09-18
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Latest action: action_date: 2024-09-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 5077 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 18, 2024 Ms. Hassan (for herself and Mr. Marshall ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs A BILL To amend chapter 3 of title 5, United States Code, to improve Government service delivery, and build related capacity for the Federal Government, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Government Service Delivery Improvement Act . 2. Federal Government service delivery (a) Amendment Chapter 3 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: III Federal Government Service Delivery 321. Definitions In this subchapter: (1) Agency The term agency has the meaning given that term in section 3502 of title 44. (2) Director The term Director means the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. (3) Government service delivery The term Government service delivery means any action by an agency related to providing a benefit or service to an individual, business, or organization (such as a grantee or State, local, or Tribal entity), including any such action of a contractor or nonprofit organization acting on behalf of the agency or administering a federally funded program. (4) Government service delivery channel The term Government service delivery channel means the format or medium of an interaction or transaction with the Federal Government, including in-person, through the mail, through a digital service, by telephone, through a contact center, on a website, through outreach and communication, and through collaboration with a third party, or through other ways in which an individual or entity significantly interacts with the Federal Government. (5) High impact service provider The term high impact service provider means an agency program identified by the Director due to the scale and impact of the public-facing services of the program. 322. Federal Government service delivery (a) Federal Government Service Delivery Lead The Director shall designate or appoint a senior official as the Federal Government Service Delivery Lead within the Office of Management and Budget whose responsibility is to coordinate governmentwide efforts to improve Government service delivery by agencies. The individual shall have the following duties and authorities: (1) Facilitate and coordinate governmentwide efforts to improve Government service delivery provided by agencies, particularly with respect to high impact service providers. (2) Carry out the duties and powers prescribed by the Director. (3) Serve as the lead, governmentwide official responsible for supporting Government service delivery. (4) Advise the Director concerning the improvement of Government service delivery provided by agencies. (5) In consultation with each lead agency service delivery official and any other agency stakeholder as appropriate, develop and oversee the implementation of governmentwide Government service delivery standards, policies, and guidelines for services and programs provided by agencies, including standards, policies, and guidelines to— (A) understand the needs of an individual, business, or organization interacting with an agency; (B) solicit and consider voluntary feedback on the Government service delivery by the agency; (C) assess Government service delivery processes; (D) consider the factors of ease, efficiency, transparency, accessibility, fairness, burden (as defined in section 3502 of title 44), and duration, including wait and processing times, with respect to Government service delivery; and (E) encourage the adoption of commercial products and services in accordance with section 3307 of title 41. (6) Collect and report qualitative and quantitative information or data on Government service delivery through existing reporting mechanisms. (7) Evaluate the quality of Government service delivery, including through the establishment of performance metrics developed using the standards, policies, and guidelines developed pursuant to paragraph (5) and the information or data collected and reported pursuant to paragraph (6). (8) Engage with stakeholders to identify leading practices in service design and delivery that would improve Government service delivery across and within agencies. (9) Ensure agency service delivery initiatives, including those related to the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act ( 15 U.S.C. 3501 note; Public Law 115–336 ), are identified in agency congressional budget justifications. (10) Coordinate with Office of Management and Budget stakeholders and other agency stakeholders on Government service delivery. (11) In collaboration with relevant agency officials as appropriate, and in coordination with relevant Office of Management and Budget stakeholders, ensure that websites of agencies, including those associated with high impact service providers, are consistent with the objectives of this subchapter, the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act, and any other applicable law. 323. Lead agency officials for Government service delivery (a) Responsibility for Government service delivery The head of each agency shall be responsible for the Government service delivery of the agency which shall, at a minimum, include improving and enhancing Government services to better achieve the mission of the agency and build and maintain trust, transparency, and accountability. (b) Lead agency service delivery officials Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this subchapter, the head of each agency shall designate or appoint a senior official of the agency (who may be the deputy head of the agency) to implement this subchapter who shall have the following duties and authorities: (1) Report directly to the head or deputy head of the agency. (2) Possess sufficient operational authority to effectuate implementation of Government service delivery improvements within the agency, particularly with respect to high impact service providers. (3) Coordinate and execute, as appropriate, under the direction of the head of the agency, and in collaboration with relevant agency officials as appropriate, efforts to improve and enhance the Government service delivery and Government service delivery channels of the agency. (4) At the direction of the Federal Government Service Delivery Lead, submit an implementation plan for improving agency Government service delivery. (5) Coordinate the collection and reporting of the data and information required pursuant to section 322 and use such data and information to improve Government service delivery. (6) Facilitate collaboration among and between offices, and components within the agency and with other agencies as appropriate, in coordination with the Federal Government Service Delivery Lead, to improve and enhance Government service delivery. (7) Assist with the implementation by the agency of the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act ( 15 U.S.C. 3501 note; Public Law 115–336 ). (8) Assist in the incorporation of the Government service delivery requirements established under this subchapter in agency plans (such as strategic plans or annual performance plans). 324. Rule of construction Nothing in this subchapter may be construed to diminish or reduce the authority of agency Chief Information Officers for information resources management provided in section 11315 of title 40 or those authorities to manage information resources to accomplish agency missions as established in section 3502 of title 44. . (b) Clerical Amendment The table of sections for chapter 3 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: Subchapter III—Federal Government Service Delivery 321. Definitions. 322. Federal Government service delivery. 323. Lead agency officials for Government service delivery. 324. Rule of construction . (c) GAO report Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the relevant congressional committees a report that includes the following: (1) An assessment of the implementation and effectiveness of subchapter III of chapter 3 of title 5, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). (2) Specific recommendations to further the implementation and effectiveness of such subchapter. (d) Agency report Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in coordination with the Federal Government Service Delivery Lead, shall submit to the relevant congressional committees a report that includes the following: (1) An assessment on the implementation and effectiveness of subchapter III of chapter 3 of title 5, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). (2) Specific recommendations to further the implementation and effectiveness of such subchapter. (3) A summary and assessment of the usefulness of the metrics such subchapter requires the Federal Government Service Delivery Lead to establish and report for the purpose of assessing the quality of Government service delivery provided by agencies, including metrics to assess the efforts of high impact service providers in improving services. (e) No new funds authorized No new funds are authorized to be appropriated by this Act or any amendment made by this Act and the head of each agency shall comply with this Act and any amendment made by this Act using existing funds. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Agency The term agency means each agency listed in section 3502 of title 44, United States Code. (2) Government service delivery; high impact service provider The terms Government service delivery and high impact service provider have the meaning given those terms in section 321 of title 5, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). (3) Relevant congressional committees The term relevant congressional committees means the Committee on Oversight and Accountability of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.