Evans takes on chief architect work

Karen Evans, the Office of Management and Budget's administrator of e-government and information technology, has added the duties of chief architect to her job following the departure of Richard Brozen, a NASA employee who had served in that capacity since April.

The Federal Enterprise Architecture Program Management Office has lacked a permanent staff since Bob Haycock stepped down as chief architect last spring. Brozen, a detailee who assumed some of Haycock's duties, has returned to NASA.

Three employees who came to OMB about two months ago man the chief architect's office, Evans told Federal Computer Week today. "I'm the one who's managing their daily activities," she said.

NASA officials have "been more than generous letting [Brozen] stay to help us out," Evans said. "He was never designated the chief architect. That's not his background. He was here for developmental assignments."

This time of year, when OMB is busy analyzing agencies' proposed fiscal 2006 budgets, was a natural time for Brozen to return to his home agency, she added.

Brozen's departure will have no effect on the release of the federal enterprise architecture's final component, the data reference model, Evans said, adding that the document will be released for formal agency review and comment any day now.

Hiring a new permanent chief architect is complicated by the fact that the position is in danger of being eliminated by House lawmakers. Language that would remove the position is in the committee report on the Transportation, Treasury and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, which provides OMB's funds.

"The committee is not convinced that a one-person program management office will be able to have any appreciable impact on the development of governmentwide information technology policy," the report states. The authors add that committee members believe "the office should be closed."

The Senate's version of the appropriations bill does not eliminate the chief architect position. That bill cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee Sept. 14 but hasn't been voted on by the full Senate. Congress is in recess until after the November elections.

Agency officials are not compelled to follow the advice included in legislative reports, though they generally do so to avoid infuriating lawmakers, who hold the purse strings.