The Congress has assigned a number of responsibilities to the CIOs of  federal agencies. CIOs’ Responsibilities, Reporting Relationships, Tenure, and Challenges

The agency CIOs were generally responsible for most of the 13 key areas  we identified as either required by statute or among those critical to  effective information and technology management, and most of these CIOs  reported directly to their agency heads. Their median  tenure was about 2 years—less than the 3 to 5 years that CIOs and former  senior agency IT executives said were necessary for a CIO to be effective;  this gap could be problematic because it could inhibit CIOs’ efforts to  address major challenges, including IT management and human capital. The views of current CIOs and former agency IT executives about whether  it is important for the CIO to report to the agency head were mixed. CIOs Have Diverse Backgrounds and Generally Remained in Office about 2 Years

At the major departments and agencies included in our review, the current  CIOs had diverse backgrounds, and since the enactment of the Clinger- Cohen Act, the median tenure of permanent CIOs whose time in office had  been completed was about 2 years. When asked how long a CIO needed to  stay in office to be effective, the most common response of current CIOs  and former agency IT executives was 3 to 5 years. In particular, two challenges were cited by over 80 percent of the  CIOs: implementing effective information technology management and  obtaining sufficient and relevant resources. Actions Can Be Taken to Improve Agencies’ Information and Technology Management

The Congress and agencies can take various actions to assist CIOs in  fulfilling their vital roles. Also, the  report we are releasing today contains a Matter for Congressional  Consideration in which we suggest that, as you hold hearings on and  introduce legislation related to information and technology management,  you consider whether the existing statutory requirements related to CIO  responsibilities and reporting to the agency head reflect the most effective  assignment of information and technology management responsibilities  and the best reporting relationship. Agencies, too, can take action to improve their information and  technology management. However,  views were mixed as to whether CIOs could be effective leaders without  having responsibility for each individual area. Agencies’ use of various  mechanisms, such as human capital flexibilities, could help reduce the  turnover rate or mitigate its effect.
Why GAO Did This Study

Federal agencies rely extensively on information technology (IT) to effectively implement major government programs. To help agencies manage their substantial IT investments, the Congress has established a statutory framework of requirements, roles, and responsibilities relating to IT management. GAO was asked to summarize its report, being issued today, on federal chief information officers' (CIO) responsibilities, reporting relationships, and tenure and on the challenges that CIOs face ( Federal Chief Information Officers: Responsibilities, Reporting Relationships, Tenure, and Challenges, GAO-04-823 , July 21, 2004) and to offer suggestions for actions that both the Congress and the agencies can take in response to these findings.

What GAO Found

In looking at 27 agencies, GAO found that CIOs generally were responsible for most of the 13 areas that had been identified as either required by statute or critical to effective information and technology management and that about 70 percent reported directly to their agency heads. Among current CIOs and former agency IT executives, views were mixed on whether it was important for the CIO to have responsibility for each of the 13 areas and a direct reporting relationship with the agency head. In addition, current CIOs come from a wide variety of professional and educational backgrounds and, since the enactment of the legislation establishing this position, the permanent CIOs who had completed their time in office had a median tenure of about 2 years. Their average time in office, however, was less than the 3 to 5 years that both current CIOs and former agency IT executives most commonly cited as the amount of time needed for a CIO to be effective. Too short of a tenure can reduce a CIOs' effectiveness and ability to address major challenges, including implementing effective IT management and obtaining sufficient and relevant resources. Both the Congress and the federal agencies can take various actions to address GAO's findings. First, as the Congress holds hearings on and introduces legislation related to information and technology management, there may be an opportunity to consider the results of this review and whether the existing statutory framework offers the most effective structure for CIOs' responsibilities and reporting relationships. Second, agencies can use the guidance GAO has issued over the past few years to address, for example, agencies' IT management and human capital challenges. Finally, agencies can also employ such mechanisms as human capital flexibilities to help reduce CIO turnover or to mitigate its effect.