Executive Order 12615—Performance of Commercial Activities

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, and in order to facilitate ongoing efforts to ensure that the Federal Government acquires needed goods and services in the most economical and efficient manner, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. The head of each Executive department and agency shall, to the extent permitted by law: (a) Ensure that new Federal Government requirements for commercial activities are provided by private industry, except where statute or national security requires government performance or where private industry costs are unreasonable; (b) Identify by April 29, 1988, in cooperation with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget all commercial activities currently performed by government. The department and agency heads are encouraged to consult with the President's Commission on Privatization in making such identification; (c) Schedule, by June 30, 1988, all commercial activities identified pursuant to subsection (b) for study in accordance with the procedures of OMB Circular No. A-76, as revised, and the Supplement thereto, to determine whether they could be performed more economically by private industry; (d) Meet the study goals for Fiscal Year 1988 set forth in "Management of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 1988"; and thereafter, beginning with Fiscal Year 1989, conduct annual studies of not less than 3 percent of the department or agency's total civilian population, until all identified potential commercial activities have been studied; (e) Include in each annual budget proposal to the Office of Management and Budget estimates of expected yearly budget savings from the privatization of commercial activities projected to be accomplished following the completion of scheduled studies, unless an exception is authorized by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. These estimates shall be based on analysis of savings under previous studies and estimated savings to be achieved from future conversions to contract. A department or agency proposal may reflect retention of expected first-year savings as negotiated with the Office of Management and Budget for use as incentive compensation to reward employees covered by the studies for their productivity efforts, or for use in other productivity enhancement projects; (f) Develop and maintain an effective job placement program for government employees affected by privatization initiatives and cooperate fully in interagency placement efforts; (g) Designate a senior-level official to coordinate the OMB Circular No. A-76 studies and other privatization efforts; and (h) Report to the President on progress each quarter, through the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Sec. 2. The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall, to the extent permitted by law: (a) Issue guidance to departments and agencies to implement this Order. Such guidance shall be designed to ensure an equitable cost comparison of government-operated commercial activities with private industry performance of the same activities, and to improve the efficiency in the conduct of studies; (b) Publish for public review (i) not later than 30 days after its completion, the inventory of commercial activities identified pursuant to section l(b) and the activities scheduled for study by departments and agencies in Fiscal Year 1988 pursuant to section l(c); and (ii) not later than 30 days before the start of each successive fiscal year, the list of activities to be reviewed during that year pursuant to section l(d); and (c) Establish a tracking system to monitor, on a quarterly basis, progress by departments and agencies in carrying out this Order. Sec. 3. The Director of the Office of Personnel Management, in consultation with the heads of other Executive departments and agencies, shall review and revise, as necessary and to the extent permitted by law, personnel policies and regulations in order (a) to ensure that government managers have the flexibility to organize in the most effective and efficient manner to achieve levels of productivity comparable with those of private industry, and (b) to reduce any adverse effects of productivity improvements on employees. Sec. 4. For purposes of this Order, the terms "commercial activity," "conversion to contract," and "cost comparison" shall have the meanings set forth in OMB Circular No. A-76, as revised. Sec. 5. Nothing in this Order shall be construed to confer a private right of action on any person, or to add in any way to applicable procurement procedures required by existing law. RONALD REAGAN The White House, November 19, 1987. [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 4:28 p.m., November 19, 1987]