Executive Order 13589 of November 9, 2011

Promoting Efficient Spending

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to further promote efficient spending in the Federal Government, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. My Administration is committed to cutting waste in Federal Government spending and identifying opportunities to promote efficient and effective spending. The Federal Government performs critical functions that support the basic protections that Americans have counted on for decades. As they serve taxpayers, executive departments and agencies (agencies) also must act in a fiscally responsible manner, including by minimizing their costs, in order to perform these mission-critical functions in the most efficient, cost-effective way. As such, I have pursued an aggressive agenda for reducing administrative costs since taking office and, most recently, within my Fiscal Year 2012 Budget. Building on this effort, I direct agency heads to take even more aggressive steps to ensure the Government is a good steward of taxpayer money.

Sec. 2. Agency Reduction Targets. Each agency shall establish a plan for reducing the combined costs associated with the activities covered by sections 3 through 7 of this order, as well as activities included in the Administrative Efficiency Initiative in the Fiscal Year 2012 Budget, by not less than 20 percent below Fiscal Year 2010 levels, in Fiscal Year 2013. Agency plans for meeting this target shall be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) within 45 days of the date of this order. The OMB shall monitor implementation of these plans consistent with Executive Order 13576 of June 13, 2011 (Delivering an Efficient, Effective, and Accountable Government).

Sec. 3. Travel. (a) Agency travel is important to the effective functioning of Government and certain activities can be performed only by traveling to a different location. However, to ensure efficient travel spending, agencies are encouraged to devise strategic alternatives to Government travel, including local or technological alternatives, such as teleconferencing and video-conferencing. Agencies should make all appropriate efforts to conduct business and host or sponsor conferences in space controlled by the Federal Government, wherever practicable and cost-effective. Lastly, each agency should review its policies associated with domestic civilian permanent change of duty station travel (relocations), including eligibility rules, to identify ways to reduce costs and ensure appropriate controls are in place.

(b) Each agency, agency component, and office of inspector general should designate a senior-level official to be responsible for developing and implementing policies and controls to ensure efficient spending on travel and conference-related activities, consistent with subsection (a) of this section.

Sec. 4. Employee Information Technology Devices. Agencies should assess current device inventories and usage, and establish controls, to ensure that they are not paying for unused or underutilized information technology (IT) equipment, installed software, or services. Each agency should take steps to limit the number of IT devices (e.g., mobile phones, smartphones, desktop and laptop computers, and tablet personal computers) issued to employees, consistent with the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-292), operational requirements (including continuity of operations), and initiatives designed to create efficiency through the effective implementation of technology. To promote further efficiencies in IT, agencies should ( printed page 70864) consider the implementation of appropriate agency-wide IT solutions that consolidate activities such as desktop services, email, and collaboration tools.

Sec. 5. Printing. Agencies are encouraged to limit the publication and printing of hard copy documents and to presume that information should be provided in an electronic form, whenever practicable, permitted by law, and consistent with applicable records retention requirements. Agencies should consider using acquisition vehicles developed by the OMB's Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative to acquire printing and copying devices and services.

Sec. 6. Executive Fleet Efficiencies. The President's Memorandum of May 24, 2011 (Federal Fleet Performance) directed agencies to improve the performance of the Federal fleet of motor vehicles by increasing the use of vehicle technologies, optimizing fleet size, and improving agency fleet management. Building upon this effort, agencies should limit executive transportation.

Sec. 7. Extraneous Promotional Items. Agencies should limit the purchase of promotional items (e.g., plaques, clothing, and commemorative items), in particular where they are not cost-effective.

Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) authority granted by law to a department or agency, or the head thereof;

(ii) functions of the Director of OMB related to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals; or

(iii) the authority of inspectors general under the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) Independent agencies are requested to adhere to this order.

(d) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.