Bush team: OMB deputy, not IT czar

President-elect Bush's transition team said information technology in the federal government will be managed by a high-level deputy at the Office of Management and Budget — not by an "IT czar."

On Thursday, Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer said no commitment was made during the campaign to name a federal chief information officer to oversee technology across government. "We don't use the word "czar,'" he said.

"During the campaign, the closest we came to it was a commitment to have someone in the Office of Management and Budget, one of the principal deputies at OMB, focus in on technology issues," Fleischer said.

He said the job would be one of the "important duties of an existing slot at OMB," but gave no hint about any prospective nominees or when the job would be filled.

During the presidential campaign, Bush told FCW in a response to written questions that he would issue an executive order designating a federal CIO at OMB.

At the time, he said the federal CIO would be responsible for providing the leadership and coordination needed for a "truly digital and citizen-centric government."

IT issues are clearly on Bush's agenda. Thursday, he met with more than a dozen CEOs from high-tech companies to discuss technology and the economy.