AOC is also responsible for making all necessary capital improvements  within the complex, including major renovations and new construction. Given the important role AOC plays in supporting the effective functioning  of the Congress and neighboring institutions, the Legislative Branch  Appropriations Act, 2002, mandated this review, and Senate and House  Appropriations Committee reports directed our review on certain  management shortcomings at AOC that needed attention, with a focus on  recommending solutions—strategic planning, organizational alignment,  strategic human capital management, and financial management. Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

The Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2002, directed us to conduct a  comprehensive management study of AOC’s operations. Therefore, as a first priority, AOC needs to establish a  management and accountability framework by, among other things,  demonstrating top leadership commitment to organizational   involving key congressional and other stakeholders in developing its   using its strategic plan as the foundation for aligning its activities, core  processes, and resources to support mission-related outcomes;  establishing a communications strategy to foster change and create  shared expectations and build involvement;   developing annual goals and a system for measuring performance; and  strategically managing its human capital to drive transformation and to  support the accomplishment of agency goals. As AOC continues to develop its strategic plan, it should consider how it  can build such a communications strategy to help to achieve the  organization’s mission. AOC’s needs to improve its executive decision-making capacity and  accountability in order to help (1) elevate attention on management issues  and transformation, (2) integrate various key management and  transformation efforts, and (3) institutionalize accountability for  addressing management issues and leading transformation. Effective internal control also helps in managing change to cope  with shifting environments and evolving demands and priorities. Strategic Management Framework Important for Addressing Long-standing Worker Safety, Project Management, and Recycling Issues

In the preceding chapters, we discussed the need for the Office of the  Architect of the Capitol (AOC) to put in place the management and  accountability framework needed for organizational transformation— leadership, strategic planning, organizational alignment, communications,  and performance measurement—and the management infrastructure of  financial, information technology, and other controls that support the  transformation. Improvements in these areas can also ameliorate the performance of  program areas of long-standing concern to AOC’s employees and  congressional stakeholders—worker safety, project management, and  recycling.
Why GAO Did This Study

The Office of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) plays an important role in supporting the effective functioning of the Congress and its neighboring institutions. With a budget of $426 million, AOC is responsible for the maintenance, renovation, and new construction of all buildings and grounds within the Capitol Hill complex. GAO was mandated by the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2002, to conduct a comprehensive management review of AOC's operations to help identify improvements in strategic planning, organizational alignment, and strategic human capital management to help AOC better achieve its mission and to address long-standing program issues. To address these objectives, GAO reviewed AOC's legislative authority and internal documents, interviewed key AOC officials and senior managers, and conducted employee focus groups.

What GAO Found

AOC is an agency working to transform itself and has planned management improvement efforts, such as a new strategic planning process, to help it make this transition. GAO found that without AOC establishing a management and accountability framework, it might have difficulty leading and executing its organizational transformation. Leading organizations undergoing transformation efforts draw from the following management and accountability components: (1) demonstrating top leadership commitment to organizational transformation; (2) involving key stakeholders in developing an organizationwide strategic plan; (3) using the strategic plan as the foundation for aligning activities, core processes, and resources to support mission-related outcomes; (4) establishing a communications strategy to foster transformation and create shared expectations and build ; (5) developing annual goals and a system for measuring performance; and (6) managing human capital and information technology strategically to drive transformation and to support the accomplishment of agency goals. To support its transformation initiatives and to cope with shifting environments and evolving demands and priorities, AOC also should continue to develop its management infrastructure and controls. Establishing this management and accountability framework and further developing its management infrastructure and controls can also help AOC improve performance in program areas of long-standing concern to AOC's employees and congressional stakeholders--worker safety, project management, and recycling.