Government Information Technology Working Group

Coordinate, recommend, and implement information technology initiatives
to improve customer service.

The Government Information Technology Services (GITS) Working Group
should charter an interagency team by May 1994 to coordinate, recommend,
and implement information technology initiatives to improve customer
service. The progress of this team should periodically be reported to
the Vice President. OMB should work with this Customer Service
Improvement Team (CSIT) to develop funding strategies. An existing
interagency team, the Service to the Citizen Intergovernmental Task
Force, may be appropriate for this role. CSIT should work closely with
GITS to ensure complementary strategies exist toward common goals.
Membership of this team, as a minimum, should include representation
from the following: the GITS Working Group, the Service to the Citizen
Intergovernmental Task Force, the FIC, the SSA-USPS-VA kiosk
implementation organization, FedWorld, and the National Academy of
Public Administration.

As one of its first tasks, this team should develop and test an
integrated governmentwide "one-stop service shop." This would consist of
simple "Yellow Pages"-style databases of federal programs and automated
links to the information and service providers. This one-stop shop
should include access not only to information (e.g., how to apply for a
program) but also the capability to process information (e.g., ability
to accept an application electronically from the user). Customer access
to this one-stop shop should be available through a variety of means.
Access methods should include the telephone, information kiosk, and
personal computer. Building blocks for the one-stop shop include the
Federal Information Center, government services kiosks, and FedWorld
(see actions 2, 3, and 4). Links between these services should be
established where feasible, so that these efforts complement one another
and are not duplicative, e.g., government services kiosks should be able
to link to FedWorld's locator service. A draft strategic plan for
development and implementation of the one-stop service shop should be
completed by November 1994.

Significant customer service-related applications developed by
individual agencies or organizations should be directed to this team.
The team will then determine whether those initiatives may be
appropriate for governmentwide application.  Recommendations from
private and public sector organizations should also be considered by
this team.