Lean and Responsive Government Act - Requires the head of each federal agency to describe the implementation of continuous process improvement in the agency's periodic update on agency performance. Defines "continuous process improvement" as a management methodology (commonly referred to as lean six sigma) that combines tools to improve process speed, reduce waste, and incorporate requirements with data driven project analysis to provide products and services with improved quality at lower cost.
Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to: (1) make available on the OMB website a description of the results of the government-wide implementation of continuous process improvement, and (2) appoint an expert on such process as a member of the Performance Improvement Council to advise on its implementation across agencies.
Requires: (1) each agency's Chief Operating Officer to implement continuous process improvement, (2) each agency's Performance Improvement Officer to advise and assist the agency head and Chief Operating Officer in implementing such process, and (3) the head of each agency to include information on the results of continuous process improvement projects in each relevant appropriation request for the agency.
Requires the Director to designate a center of excellence for continuous process improvement training from within the Department of Defense (DOD).
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5064 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5064
To require government-wide application of continuous process
improvement methods to reduce waste and improve the effectiveness of
the Federal Government, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 10, 2014
Mr. Latham (for himself, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Collins of New York, Mr.
Hall, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Burgess, and Mr. Rice of South
Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require government-wide application of continuous process
improvement methods to reduce waste and improve the effectiveness of
the Federal Government, 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 ``Lean and Responsive Government
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; POLICY.
(a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
(1) Nearly 100 major United States corporations, countless
small businesses, and many government entities around the world
have reduced waste in their operations and improved the quality
of the goods and services they provide by implementing
continuous process improvement methodologies, most commonly
lean six sigma.
(2) Use of this methodology has resulted in average cost
reductions greater than 25 percent while also improving the
quality of goods and services.
(3) The use of continuous process improvement lean six
sigma within the Department of Defense and several other
departments and agencies has demonstrated that it can
successfully be applied across the Federal Government.
(4) Continuous process improvement is essential for Federal
agencies to be successful in setting and meeting performance
goals and is a key component that is missing from current
statutory requirements for performance improvement efforts.
(5) Clear direction and authority from Congress is needed
to ensure this innovative management process from the private
sector is applied across the Federal Government to achieve
waste reduction and optimal efficiency.
(b) Congressional Statement of Policy.--It shall be the policy of
the United States--
(1) to reduce waste and improve the effectiveness of the
Federal Government through the use of continuous process
improvement methods;
(2) to require each Federal agency to implement the
necessary capabilities to fully institutionalize such methods
within such agency to reduce waste while maintaining or
improving the level of services provided by the Federal
Government; and
(3) that the savings from such methods may be used to
justify agency funding requests.
SEC. 3. CONTINUOUS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT.
(a) Continuous Process Improvement Defined.--Section 1101 of title
31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following
new paragraph:
``(3) `continuous process improvement' means a management
methodology (commonly referred to as lean six sigma) that
combines tools to improve process speed, reduce waste, and
incorporate requirements with data driven project analysis to
provide products and services with improved quality at lower
cost.''.
(b) Agency Performance Reporting.--Subsection (c) of section 1116
of such title is amended--
(1) in paragraph (6)(E), by striking ``; and'' and
inserting a semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (7), by striking the period and inserting
``; and''; and
(3) by inserting at the end the following new paragraph:
``(8) describe the implementation of continuous process
improvement, including information on each of the following:
``(A) The extent to which employees have received
continuous process improvement training appropriate to
the position of such employee, and its relation to the
deployment goals in a typical application of continuous
process improvement.
``(B) A description of the application of
continuous process improvement in cost-reduction
projects, including any performance or quality
improvements and cost savings realized as a result of
such application.''.
(c) Implementation Results.--Subsection (c) of section 1122 of such
title is amended--
(1) in paragraph (8), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a
semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (9), by striking the period and inserting
``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(10) a description of the results of the government-wide
implementation of continuous process improvement.''.
(d) Chief Operating Officer Requirement.--Subsection (b) of section
1123 of such title is amended--
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a
semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period and inserting
``; and''; and
(3) by inserting at the end the following new paragraph:
``(5) implement continuous process improvement within the
agency.''.
(e) Performance Improvement Officer Requirement.--Paragraph (2) of
section 1124(a) of such title is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``; and'' and
inserting a semicolon;
(2) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by inserting at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(G) advise and assist the head of the agency and
the Chief Operating Officer on implementing the
continuous process improvement within the agency.''.
(f) Performance Improvement Council.--Subsection (b) of section
1124 of such title is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as
(D) and (E), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (B), the
following new subparagraph:
``(C) an appropriate expert designated by the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget
pursuant to paragraph (4);''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(4) Designation of expert on continuous process
improvement.--The Director of the Office of Management and
Budget shall appoint a highly-qualified expert on continuous
process improvement to serve as a member of the Performance
Improvement Council to advise on the implementation of
continuous process improvement across agencies.''.
SEC. 4. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR CONTINUOUS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT.
(a) In General.--Chapter 11 of title 31, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 1126. Center of excellence for continuous process improvement
``(a) In General.--The Director of the Office of Management and
Budget shall designate a center of excellence for continuous process
improvement training, from within the Department of Defense.
``(b) Functions.--The Director shall ensure that the center
designated under subsection (a) provides agencies with a common set of
approaches to training and deployment of continuous process
improvement.''.
(b) Designation.--The Director of the Office of Management and
Budget shall designate the center of excellence required under section
1126(a) of title 31, United States Code, as added by subsection (a),
not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents for
chapter 11 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 1125 the following new item:
``1126. Center of excellence for continuous process improvement.''.
SEC. 5. PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF APPROPRIATIONS REQUESTS TO THE
PRESIDENT.
Paragraph (1) of section 1108(b) of title 31, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following: ``The head of each
agency shall include information on the results of continuous process
improvement projects in each relevant appropriation request for the
agency. The head of an agency may submit a proposal on alternate uses
of the funds that have not been used as a result of continuous process
improvement projects.''.
SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.
Except as otherwise expressly provided under this Act, this Act and
the amendments made by this Act shall take effect 6 months after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
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