Strategies and Best Practices
for Career Executives:
Managing the Transition to a
New Administration
The Senior Executives Association
© 2016
The Role of Career
Executives in Transition
“What Agencies Are Required to Do – and Are
Doing Now to Prepare for Transition”
July 21, 2016
Second in a Webinar Series with the Support of The
Distinguished Executives Advisory Network –
“The DEAN’s List”
The Senior Executives Association
© 2016
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Panelists
Moderators
Carol Bonosaro,
President
Emeritus, Senior
Executives
Association
Jan Lane,
President/CEO,
VISIO Consulting;
Retired DHS SES
Tim Horne, Federal Transition Coordinator and
career co-chair of the Agency Transition Directors
Council
Lee Lofthus, Assistant Attorney General for
Administration, Department of Justice
Gail Lovelace, former CHCO at GSA and
Director of Presidential Transition during the
Bush-Obama transition
The Senior Executives Association
© 2016
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Impetus for Holding
Transition Webinars
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Most think tanks are focused on the policies and management
agenda of the next Administration and/or on preparation of new
political appointees
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Many career executives have not lived through a Presidential
transition while serving in SES positions
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Some agencies aren’t preparing for transition as the current
Administration presses to maintain focus on its goals
The Senior Executives Association
© 2016
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Transition Webinars Series
Schedule
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Webinar 1 - May 18, 2016 - What to expect during the year, the role of
the SES in the transition, and what executives can and should begin to
do right now to prepare themselves and their agencies for the transition.
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Webinar 2 - July 21, 2016 - What agencies are required to do – and
are doing now – to prepare for transition
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Webinar 3 - October 5, 2016 - What to expect from transition teams
and the next Administration, and determining and integrating
information relevant to candidates’ policies and commitments.
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Webinar 4 - December 7, 2016 - How to engage effectively and
support new political leadership after arrival.
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© 2016
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Goals
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Inform career SES’s on the Transition process, what to
expect, and how to navigate it
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Creation of a Handbook on Presidential Transition for
Federal Career Executives to include:
o Strategies and best practices
o References to valuable resources
o Lessons learned from Distinguished Executives
The Senior Executives Association
© 2016
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GSA’s Role in
Presidential Transitions
Since 1963, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has played a prominent role in
the peaceful transition of authority between the incoming and outgoing administrations. Todate, the agency has provided support for 13 Presidential elections, eight of which included
a transition of power.
GSA Provides:
• Support to the Eligible Candidates
• Support to the Office of the President-elect and Vice-President-elect
• Support for Interagency Transition
• Support for the Presidential Inauguration
• Support to the Office of the Former President and Vice-President
• Transition Directory & Appointee Orientation
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© 2016
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GSA Administrator & Federal
Transition Coordinator
Administrator
U.S. General Services Administration
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Authorized to provide, upon request, services and facilities to the eligible candidates and the
President-elect and Vice-President-elect
Designates a senior career executive as the Federal Transition Coordinator
Ascertains the apparent successful candidates of the Office of President and Vice-President
Serves as a member of the White House Coordinating Council
Federal Transition Coordinator
U.S. General Services Administration
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Carrying out the duties and authorities of GSA relating to Presidential transitions
Coordinates transition planning across agencies
Ensures agencies comply with all statutory requirements relating to Presidential transitions
Facilitates communication between Transition representatives of eligible candidates, senior
employees in agencies, and the Executive Office of the President
Serves as a Co-Chair on the Agency Transition Directors Council (ATDC)
Serves as a Member on the White house Transition Coordinating Council (WHTCC)
The Senior Executives Association
© 2016
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Guiding Legislation
The purpose of the following guiding legislation is to enable an
orderly transfer of executive power when a new U.S. President/Vice
President is elected.
Presidential Transition Act of 1963, as amended
PL 94-499 Appropriation Authorization 1976
Presidential Transitions Effectiveness Act of 1988
Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998
Presidential Transition Act of 2000
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act 2004
Pre-Election Presidential Transition Act of 2010
Presidential Transitions Improvements Act of 2015
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© 2016
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Appointee Orientation
Availability: November 9, 2016 through July 19, 2017
• Prospective Presidential Appointees
• Coordinate Orientation Activities
o President-Elect Determines Scope
o Prospective Presidential Appointees
• Development & Delivery
o Briefings, Workshops, or other Activities
 Problems & Challenges Confronting
New Political Appointees
The Senior Executives Association
© 2016
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Transition Directory
• Compilation of Federal Publications & Materials
 The “Plum” Book
 The Federal Register
 Hiring/Being a Federal Employee
 Records Management Guidelines
 Ethics Guidelines
• External Transition Resources
https://presidentialtransition.usa.gov/
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© 2016
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Presidential Transition
Councils
Agency Transitions
Directors Council
Membership
Shall assist the Federal Transition Coordinator in
identifying and carrying out his/her responsibilities
relating to a Presidential Transition. It is the role
of the council to provide guidance to agencies in
gathering briefing materials and information
relating to the Presidential transition that may be
requested by eligible candidates.
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The council will ensure that agencies adequately
prepare career employees who are designated to fill
non-career positions and will consult with the
President’s Management Council, or any successor
thereto, in carrying out its duties. Reports to
Congress will be provided 6 months and 3 months
prior to the general Election.
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The Senior Executives Association
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The Federal Transition Coordinator (CoChairperson)
Deputy Director for Management, OMB
A Senior Representative from Each Agency
 As Outlined in [Sec. 901(b)(1) of title 31]
 Responsibilities Relating to the
Presidential Transition
 NARA and OPM
A Senior Representative from Any Other
Agency
 As Determined by the Co-Chairpersons
 Agency Must Have Significant
Responsibilities Relating to the
Presidential Transition Process
The Transition Representative for Each Eligible
Candidate (Advisory Capacity)
© 2016
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Presidential Transition
Councils
White House Transition
Coordinating Council
Supports the Presidential transition by
providing guidance to agencies and the Federal
Transition Coordinator regarding preparations
for the Presidential transition, including
succession planning and preparation of briefing
materials.
The council also facilitates communication and
information sharing between the transition
representatives of eligible candidates and senior
employees in agencies and the Executive Office
of the President. It is also the responsibility of
the council to prepare and host interagency
emergency preparedness and response
exercises.
The Senior Executives Association
Membership
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Senior Employees in the EOP (Chairperson)
The Federal Transition Coordinator
EOP Senior Employees
• As Determined by the President,
Selections May Include:
 Chief of Staff to the President
 Any Cabinet Officer
 The Director of OMB
 The Administrator
 The Director of the OPM
 The Director of the OGE
 The Archivist of the United States.
The Transition Representative for each Eligible
Candidate (Advisory Capacity)
Any Other Individual the President Determines
Appropriate
© 2016
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Transition Service
Providers
General Services Administration (GSA)
Provides logistical support, including office space and funding, to eligible candidates
Office of Government Ethics (OGE)
Reviews financial disclosure reports and conflicts of interest analyses for incoming Senate-confirmed appointees
Department of Justice (DOJ)
Manages and adjudicates security clearance process for PAS appointees and transition team members
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Conducts background investigations on new appointees and transition team members who require security clearances
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Helps ensure that outgoing and incoming officials follow records requirements; responsible for removing historical
documents from White House before new president moves in
Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
Conducts background investigations for all appointees below the PAS/PA level in most agencies; works with PPO on
approval of all Non career SESs and Schedule Cs prior to onboarding at their agency; and provides guidance to
agencies as they prepare for thousands of departing/incoming political appointees
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© 2016
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A Department
Coordinator’s Perspective
DOJ – Transition Best Practices
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DOJ Transition governance structure established
o DOJ Transition Leads selected: Senior career manager
(Assistant Attorney General for Administration) and
Attorney General’s Chief of Staff
o DOJ Transition Office established
o Career Transition Coordinators in each of the DOJ
components identified
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© 2016
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A Department
Coordinator’s Perspective
• Good agency communication is key
o DOJ Transition Lead participates in the governmentwide Agency Transition Directors Council – and
keeps DOJ components and managers informed
o DOJ Transition Lead provides regular briefings to
Transition Coordinators and they keep their
respective organizations informed
The Senior Executives Association
© 2016
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A Department
Coordinator’s Perspective
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Prepare briefing materials for the incoming teams
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DOJ Transition Office prepares overall cross-Department materials
(organizational charts, budget briefings, IT/Cyber status, etc.)
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DOJ component-level Transition Coordinators prepare the
bureau/component materials for the incoming President-Elect
teams
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Briefing materials are prepared for the incoming teams on the
urgent policy or program issues they will face as they come in the
door
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Goal of briefing materials is Quality, not Quantity
The Senior Executives Association
© 2016
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A Department
Coordinator’s Perspective
• Identify career “acting officials” early
o Transition Coordinators should be working with
their Cabinet Head and Deputy Secretary to identify
career “acting” officials for key appointee positions
that will become vacant on or before January 20th
o Acting officials need to be identified by September
15th
The Senior Executives Association
© 2016
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A Department
Coordinator’s Perspective
• Timeline
o Be ready for President-Elect teams to arrive
immediately after election day
o Inauguration Day – be ready for first appointees to
arrive January 20th
The Senior Executives Association
© 2016
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A Unique Perspective – Director
of the 2008 Presidential
Transition
Most Important Lesson Learned from 2008 Transition
An Executive's Role during Transition
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Acting, Leading, Staying Focused on Mission
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Continuing to work with Current Politicals
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Readiness for new Administration
The Senior Executives Association
© 2016
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Helpful Resources
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Congressional Research Service: Presidential Transition Act: Provisions and Funding:
https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RS22979.pdf
President Obama’s May 6, 2016 Executive Order: https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-pressoffice/2016/05/06/executive-order-facilitation-presidential-transition
Presidential Transitions Improvement Act of 2015: https://www.congress.gov/bill/114thcongress/senate-bill/1172
The Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) guidance on the Vacancies Act:
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/finalqa.htm
Guidance on Application of Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998
https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/olc/opinions/1999/03/31/op-olc-v023-p0060.pdf
Plum Book: https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/GPO-PLUMBOOK-2012/pdf/GPO-PLUMBOOK2012.pdf
SEA Presidential Transition Guidance and Resources: seniorexecs.org
Partnership for Public Service Transition Center website
http://presidentialtransition.org/about/index.php
Partnership for Public Service Transition Guide which includes roles for Federal agencies:
http://presidentialtransition.org/timeline/agencies/index.php
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