1.1.1 CIO Responsibilities - Laws and Executive Orders

1.1.1 CIO Responsibilities - Laws and Executive Orders

CIOs are responsible and accountable for the effective implementation of IT management responsibilities. This section includes statutory responsibilities of CIOs related to leadership and accountability. The statutory language is directly pulled from applicable laws and executive orders. These statutory responsibilities are then implemented through OMB guidance and guidance from other government-wide organizations. This language, along with the language in other sections under the heading “CIO Responsibilities - Laws and Executive Orders,” defines the CIO role and gives the CIO their statutory mandate.

General Responsibilities

1. [CIO] of an executive agency is responsible for—providing advice and other assistance to the head of the executive agency and other senior management personnel of the executive agency to ensure that information technology is acquired and information resources are managed for the executive agency in a manner that implements the priorities established by the head of the executive agency. (44 U.S.C. §3506. US Federal Information Policy. Federal Agency Responsibilities.)
2. The [CIO] designated under paragraph (2) shall head an office responsible for ensuring agency compliance with and prompt, efficient, and effective implementation of the information policies and information resources management responsibilities established under this subchapter, including the reduction of information collection burdens on the public. The [CIO] and employees of such office shall be selected with special attention to the professional qualifications required to administer the functions described under this subchapter. (44 U.S.C. §3506(a)(3). US Federal Information Policy. Federal Agency Responsibilities. Chief Information Officer.)
3. The [CIO] of an executive agency is responsible for:
   1. Providing advice and other assistance to the head of the executive agency and other senior management personnel of the executive agency to ensure that information technology is acquired and information resources are managed for the executive agency in a manner that implements the policies and procedures of this subtitle, consistent with chapter 35 of title 44 and the priorities established by the head of the executive agency;
   2. Developing, maintaining, and facilitating the implementation of a sound, secure, and integrated information technology architecture for the executive agency; and
   3. Promoting the effective and efficient design and operation of all major information resources management processes for the executive agency, including improvements to work processes of the executive agency. (44 U.S.C. §3506. US Federal Information Policy. Federal Agency Responsibilities.)
4. The [CIO] of an agency listed in section 901(b) of title 31:
   1. Has information resources management duties as that official’s primary duty;
   2. Monitors the performance of information technology programs of the agency, evaluates the performance of those programs on the basis of the applicable performance measurements, and advises the head of the agency regarding whether to continue, modify, or terminate a program or project; and
   3. Annually, as part of the strategic planning and performance evaluation process required (subject to section 1117 of title 31) under section 306 of title 5 and sections 1105(a)(28), 1115–1117, and 9703 (as added by section 5(a) of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (Public Law 103–62, 107 Stat. 289)) of title 31—(A) assesses the requirements established for agency personnel regarding knowledge and skill in information resources management and the adequacy of those requirements for facilitating the achievement of the performance goals established for information resources management; (B) assesses the extent to which the positions and personnel at the executive level of the agency and the positions and personnel at management level of the agency below the executive level meet those requirements; (C) develops strategies and specific plans for hiring, training, and professional development to rectify any deficiency in meeting those requirements; and (D) reports to the head of the agency on the progress made in improving information resources management capability. (40 U.S.C. §11315. Responsibility for Acquisitions of Information Technology. Agency Chief Information Officer.)

Authorities and Reporting Relationships

The CIO of the covered agency approves the appointment of any component CIO in that agency. ( 40 U.S.C. §11319(b)(2). Responsibility for Acquisitions of Information Technology. Resources, planning, and portfolio management. & EO 13833. Enhancing the Effectiveness of Agency Chief Information Officers. May 2018.) The CIO of the covered agency reports directly to the agency head, such that the CIO has direct access to the agency head regarding all programs that include IT. ( 44 U.S.C. §3506(a)(2). Federal Information Policy. Federal Agency Responsibilities & EO 13833. Enhancing the Effectiveness of Agency Chief Information Officers. May 2018.).