The Small Agency CIO Council, in partnership with the General Services Administration (GSA) IT Modernization division, has recently released a new handbook for Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and IT Executives of small agencies. The Federal Small Agency CIO and IT Executive Handbook is a foundational guide created to address the unique challenges faced by IT leaders in small agency communities and assist them in fulfilling their missions.
Read the handbook on the cio.gov website here.
Addressing the Unique Needs of Small Agencies
Small agencies often operate with unique organizational structures that do not align with the traditional staffing models for IT administration. It is common for small agencies to lack a full suite of IT leadership roles or even a designated CIO. In some cases, executives may take on multiple roles in IT management, while in others, executives may have backgrounds outside of the IT space.
Despite these differences, small agencies carry the same IT responsibilities and implementation requirements as larger agencies. The new handbook provides a general approach to the comprehensive management of an agency’s IT portfolio. It includes an overview of foundational elements and principles necessary to establish and maintain reliable, secure, and effective IT operations and services. Due to the diverse nature of small agency staffing, the handbook uses the term ‘IT Executive’ to refer to the individual at the agency with the primary responsibility for IT management and the standard duties of a federal CIO. The ultimate responsibility for managing IT, data, and information security lies with the agency head.
Objectives of the Handbook
The objectives of the Federal Small Agency CIO and IT Executive Handbook are to:
Provide IT Executives with foundational information about their areas of responsibility in managing their IT portfolio.
Highlight laws, policies, tools, and initiatives related to federal IT to improve compliance and implementation.
Offer decision-making guidance and recommendations for challenges specific to small agencies.
Serve as a consolidated knowledge base and quick reference for accessing information and resources from GSA and other organizations.
The handbook is designed to complement the existing Federal CIO Handbook and other role-specific guidance documents. It contains significant contributions from the federal community and small agency representatives and leaders. Although it is targeted towards small federal agencies, the contents of the document can benefit anyone within the federal IT community, as well as state and local governments.
A Step Forward for Small Agencies
The release of the Federal Small Agency CIO and IT Executive Handbook is a significant step forward for small agencies. It not only provides a valuable resource for IT executives but also highlights the importance of addressing the unique challenges faced by small agencies.
At DOF, we understand the value of supporting small agency IT teams who often find themselves wearing many hats and doing a lot with a little. We have successfully built resilient connectivity, cybersecurity, and surveillance solutions for customers with smaller IT teams. Through collaboration and creativity, we have been able to use financially flexible procurement options to ease the burden on their budgets.
We are proud to be a partner that builds holistic, custom solutions for our customers’ needs. We are excited to work with IT leaders who specialize in doing a lot with a little every day. Our commitment to providing comprehensive solutions to the unique challenges faced by small agencies aligns perfectly with the goals of the Federal Small Agency CIO and IT Executive Handbook. Together, we can ensure that small agencies have the support and resources they need to succeed in their missions.