Program Management Improvement Accountability Act
PL 114-264 (S.1550), enacted 12/14/2016

130 STAT. 1371 
PUBLIC LAW 114–264—DEC. 14, 2016 
Public Law 114–264 
114th Congress 
An Act 
To amend title 31, United States Code, to establish entities tasked with improving 
program and project management in certain Federal agencies, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Program Management Improve-
ment Accountability Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PROJECT MANAGEMENT. 
(a) DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR MANAGEMENT.— 
(1) ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS.—Section 503 of title 31, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) PROGRAM AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT.— 
‘‘(1) REQUIREMENT.—Subject to the direction and approval 
of the Director, the Deputy Director for Management or a 
designee shall— 
‘‘(A) adopt governmentwide standards, policies, and 
guidelines for program and project management for execu-
tive agencies; 
‘‘(B) oversee implementation of program and project 
management for the standards, policies, and guidelines 
established under subparagraph (A); 
‘‘(C) chair the Program Management Policy Council 
established under section 1126(b); 
‘‘(D) establish standards and policies for executive 
agencies, consistent with widely accepted standards for 
program and project management planning and delivery; 
‘‘(E) engage with the private sector to identify best 
practices in program and project management that would 
improve Federal program and project management; 
‘‘(F) conduct portfolio reviews to address programs 
identified as high risk by the Government Accountability 
Office; 
‘‘(G) not less than annually, conduct portfolio reviews 
of agency programs in coordination with Project Manage-
ment Improvement Officers designated under section 
1126(a)(1) to assess the quality and effectiveness of pro-
gram management; and 
‘‘(H) establish a 5-year strategic plan for program and 
project management. 
‘‘(2) APPLICATION TO DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.—Paragraph 
(1) shall not apply to the Department of Defense to the extent 
31 USC 501 note. 
Program 
Management 
Improvement 
Accountability 
Act. 
Dec. 14, 2016 
[S. 1550] 
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130 STAT. 1372 
PUBLIC LAW 114–264—DEC. 14, 2016 
that the provisions of that paragraph are substantially similar 
to or duplicative of— 
‘‘(A) the provisions of chapter 87 of title 10; or 
‘‘(B) policy, guidance, or instruction of the Department 
related to program management.’’. 
(2) DEADLINE FOR STANDARDS, POLICIES, AND GUIDELINES.— 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Deputy Director for Management of the Office of 
Management and Budget shall issue the standards, policies, 
and guidelines required under section 503(c) of title 31, United 
States Code, as added by paragraph (1). 
(3) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
on which the standards, policies, and guidelines are issued 
under paragraph (2), the Deputy Director for Management of 
the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with 
the Program Management Policy Council established under 
section 1126(b) of title 31, United States Code, as added by 
subsection (b)(1), and the Director of the Office of Management 
and Budget, shall issue any regulations as are necessary to 
implement the requirements of section 503(c) of title 31, United 
States Code, as added by paragraph (1). 
(b) PROGRAM MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT OFFICERS AND PRO-
GRAM MANAGEMENT POLICY COUNCIL.— 
(1) AMENDMENT.—Chapter 11 of title 31, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 1126. Program management improvement officers and pro-
gram management policy council 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT OFFICERS.— 
‘‘(1) DESIGNATION.—The head of each agency described in 
section 901(b) shall designate a senior executive of the agency 
as the Program Management Improvement Officer of the 
agency. 
‘‘(2) FUNCTIONS.—The Program Management Improvement 
Officer of an agency designated under paragraph (1) shall— 
‘‘(A) implement program management policies estab-
lished by the agency under section 503(c); and 
‘‘(B) develop a strategy for enhancing the role of pro-
gram managers within the agency that includes the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(i) Enhanced training and educational opportuni-
ties for program managers that shall include— 
‘‘(I) training in the relevant competencies 
encompassed with program and project manager 
within the private sector for program managers; 
and 
‘‘(II) training that emphasizes cost contain-
ment for large projects and programs. 
‘‘(ii) Mentoring of current and future program man-
agers by experienced senior executives and program 
managers within the agency. 
‘‘(iii) Improved career paths and career opportuni-
ties for program managers. 
‘‘(iv) A plan to encourage the recruitment and 
retention of highly qualified individuals to serve as 
program managers. 
31 USC 1126. 
Deadline. 
Consultation. 
31 USC 503 note. 
31 USC 503 note. 
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130 STAT. 1373 
PUBLIC LAW 114–264—DEC. 14, 2016 
‘‘(v) Improved means of collecting and dissemi-
nating best practices and lessons learned to enhance 
program management across the agency. 
‘‘(vi) Common templates and tools to support 
improved data gathering and analysis for program 
management and oversight purposes. 
‘‘(3) APPLICATION TO DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.—This sub-
section shall not apply to the Department of Defense to the 
extent that the provisions of this subsection are substantially 
similar to or duplicative of the provisions of chapter 87 of 
title 10. For purposes of paragraph (1), the Under Secretary 
of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (or a des-
ignee of the Under Secretary) shall be considered the Program 
Management Improvement Officer. 
‘‘(b) PROGRAM MANAGEMENT POLICY COUNCIL.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the Office 
of Management and Budget a council to be known as the 
‘Program Management Policy Council’ (in this subsection 
referred to as the ‘Council’). 
‘‘(2) PURPOSE AND FUNCTIONS.—The Council shall act as 
the principal interagency forum for improving agency practices 
related to program and project management. The Council 
shall— 
‘‘(A) advise and assist the Deputy Director for Manage-
ment of the Office of Management and Budget; 
‘‘(B) review programs identified as high risk by the 
General Accountability Office and make recommendations 
for actions to be taken by the Deputy Director for Manage-
ment of the Office of Management and Budget or a des-
ignee; 
‘‘(C) discuss topics of importance to the workforce, 
including— 
‘‘(i) career development and workforce development 
needs; 
‘‘(ii) policy to support continuous improvement in 
program and project management; and 
‘‘(iii) major challenges across agencies in managing 
programs; 
‘‘(D) advise on the development and applicability of 
standards governmentwide for program management trans-
parency; and 
‘‘(E) review the information published on the website 
of the Office of Management and Budget pursuant to sec-
tion 1122. 
‘‘(3) MEMBERSHIP.— 
‘‘(A) COMPOSITION.—The Council shall be composed of 
the following members: 
‘‘(i) Five members from the Office of Management 
and Budget as follows: 
‘‘(I) The Deputy Director for Management. 
‘‘(II) The Administrator of the Office of Elec-
tronic Government. 
‘‘(III) The Administrator of Federal Procure-
ment Policy. 
‘‘(IV) The Controller of the Office of Federal 
Financial Management. 
Review. 
Review. 
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130 STAT. 1374 
PUBLIC LAW 114–264—DEC. 14, 2016 
‘‘(V) The Director of the Office of Performance 
and Personnel Management. 
‘‘(ii) The Program Management Improvement 
Officer from each agency described in section 901(b). 
‘‘(iii) Any other full-time or permanent part-time 
officer or employee of the Federal Government or 
member of the Armed Forces designated by the Chair-
person. 
‘‘(B) CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Deputy Director for Manage-
ment of the Office of Management and Budget shall 
be the Chairperson of the Council. A Vice Chairperson 
shall be elected by the members and shall serve a 
term of not more than 1 year. 
‘‘(ii) DUTIES.—The Chairperson shall preside at the 
meetings of the Council, determine the agenda of the 
Council, direct the work of the Council, and establish 
and direct subgroups of the Council as appropriate. 
‘‘(4) MEETINGS.—The Council shall meet not less than twice 
per fiscal year and may meet at the call of the Chairperson 
or a majority of the members of the Council. 
‘‘(5) SUPPORT.—The head of each agency with a Project 
Management Improvement Officer serving on the Council shall 
provide administrative support to the Council, as appropriate, 
at the request of the Chairperson.’’. 
(2) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget, in consultation with each Program 
Management Improvement Officer designated under section 
1126(a)(1) of title 31, United States Code, shall submit to 
Congress a report containing the strategy developed under sec-
tion 1126(a)(2)(B) of such title, as added by paragraph (1). 
(c) PROGRAM AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL STAND-
ARDS.— 
(1) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘agency’’ 
means each agency described in section 901(b) of title 31, United 
States Code, other than the Department of Defense. 
(2) REGULATIONS REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date on which the standards, policies, and guidelines are 
issued under section 503(c) of title 31, United States Code, 
as added by subsection (a)(1), the Director of the Office of 
Personnel Management, in consultation with the Director of 
the Office of Management and Budget, shall issue regulations 
that— 
(A) identify key skills and competencies needed for 
a program and project manager in an agency; 
(B) establish a new job series, or update and improve 
an existing job series, for program and project management 
within an agency; and 
(C) establish a new career path for program and project 
managers within an agency. 
(d) GAO REPORT ON EFFECTIVENESS OF POLICIES ON PROGRAM 
AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT.—Not later than 3 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Government Accountability Office 
shall issue, in conjunction with the High Risk list of the Government 
Accountability Office, a report examining the effectiveness of the 
following on improving Federal program and project management: 
Deadline. 
Consultation. 
31 USC 503 note. 
Consultation. 
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130 STAT. 1375 
PUBLIC LAW 114–264—DEC. 14, 2016 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 1550: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 114–637 (Comm. on Oversight and Government Reform). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 114–162 (Comm. on Homeland Security and Governmental 
Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 161 (2015): Nov. 19, considered and passed Senate. 
Vol. 162 (2016): Sept. 20, 22, considered and passed House, amended. 
Nov. 30, Senate concurred in House amendment. 
(1) The standards, policies, and guidelines for program 
and project management issued under section 503(c) of title 
31, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(1). 
(2) The 5-year strategic plan established under section 
503(c)(1)(H) of title 31, United States Code, as added by sub-
section (a)(1). 
(3) Program Management Improvement Officers designated 
under section 1126(a)(1) of title 31, United States Code, as 
added by subsection (b)(1). 
(4) The Program Management Policy Council established 
under section 1126(b)(1) of title 31, United States Code, as 
added by subsection (b)(1). 
Approved December 14, 2016. 
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