QSMOs Are Poised to Offer Initial Services, Officials Announce

White House and General Services Administration officials have announced that the Quality Service Management Offices are close to offering their initial services.

QSMOs were designated by the Office of Management of Budget to serve as the federal government's hub for services such as cybersecurity, core financial management, compensation management, work scheduling and leave management.

"In the last year, there have been three designations of QSMOs," said GSA Administrator Emily Murphy, a past Potomac Officers Club event speaker and a three-time Wash100 winner. 

The three nearly operational QSMOs are GSA, the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. GSA's QSMO services will include talent acquisition, talent development, employee performance management, compensation and benefits management.  

The Shared Services Governance Board, which reviews operational plans, is reportedly nearing approval by the Department of Health and Human Services as the fourth QSMO. 

“They're not a one-year thing that may or may not happen. This looks to deliver value,” said Deputy Federal CIO Maria Roat, a past Potomac Officers Club event speaker and a 2020 Wash100 winner. 

QSMOs are the federal government's attempt to shift federal agencies to common services, according to Robert Shea, national managing principal for public policy at Grant Thornton and former associate director of OMB.

He described the effort as a “softer approach” to establish marketplaces and standards for common federal services to continuous assessment. 

"The government overall has improved its customer service culture and experience. That is a major factor driving shared services under the Trump administration," Shea added.