Dear Mr. Chairman: 20515 The Joint Committee on Printing (Joint Committee) JURISDICTION, AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES The Joint Committee on Printing's jurisdiction, I. Establishment of policy and oversight of the printing, binding and distribution of federal publications. The Joint Committee also promotes cooperation among executive departments in addressing mutual printing, binding and distribution problems or requirements, (e.g., JCP/DOD Technical Information Committee). II. Oversight of the Government Printing Office's (GPO's) policies and operations. This includes the Joint. Committee serving as a final board of appeal in GPO labor/management negotiations pertaining to wage matters. III. Oversight of the Federal Printing Procurement Program, through which approximately 70 percent of the Federal Government's printing is procured by GPO from the private sector. The Program's objectives are to improve service, effect cost savings and reduce unnecessary Government competition with private industry. IV. Compilation, publication and distribution of certain Congressional publications, including the Congressional Directory and Congressional Pictorial Directory. V. Establishment of standards and specifications for printing papers procured and used by Federal departments. The Joint Committee is also designated by law as the final arbiter for the United States in settling all differences between GPO and a contractor selling paper concerning the quality of the paper. VI. Oversight of the public's right of access to government publications by monitoring the Superintendent of Documents Depository Library Program, general sales program, by-law distribution program and cataloging and indexing programs. VII. Promotion of cooperation between the Senate and House of Representatives information entities in such areas as automated production of Congressional publications and automated indexing. I. ESTABLISHMENT OF POLICY AND THE FORMULATION OF REGULATIONS FOR THE PRINTING, BINDING AND DISTRIBUTION OF FEDERAL PUBLICATIONS. 1. Joint Committee on Printing Automation Program The Joint Committee on Printing actively monitors technological innovations and trends in the private sector. By monitoring and understanding such developments, we are able to promote the use of the latest printing processes, equipment, and automated systems throughout the Government. These efforts produce greater program efficiency and often generate substantial savings. At the same time they permit Federal Agencies to accomplish their overall management responsibilities and missions more effectively. - In The Joint Committee's efforts with the Department of Defense continue to offer the Department and the individual Services improved methods for processing and producing technical information products. The Committee focuses primarily on greater coordination among the Services thereby reducing duplication of effort -- and the introduction of automated modern technology that has been pioneered by the private sector. Several important programs evolved from these JCP/DOD activities. The Army's Automated Publications Production System (APPS), the Air Force's Automated Technical Order System (ATOS), and the Navy Automated Publishing System (NAPS) are most noteworthy. addition, the Navy's print-on-demand program has been applied to support the Department of Defense's standards and specifications documentation program. As part of this effort, electronic printing systems with the capability to generate bar coding are being used in support of Defense's automated logistics marking program. It is worthy of note that, with the Committee's assistance, bar coding was part of the Navy's regular printing program almost a year in advance of the Defense Department program requirement. By allowing for implementation ahead of schedule on this phase of the program, savings were generated considerably earlier. Other Committee accomplishments include the successful implementation of a project to automate the technical documentation requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This program integrates FAA professional work groups and FAA contractors with the Government Printing Offices's printing resources to produce FAA's technical documentation products automatically, on demand. The Committee also has worked closely with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on a new system for producing printed products. Through the use of automated printing and publishing systems, data captured electronically by the Commission can generate a wide variety of printed products tailored to meet the demands of the Commission as well as the demands of the public. This technological innovation allows the Commission to increase the quality, reduce the bulk, and improve on the timeliness of products. At the same time, a substantial amount of money will be saved. The Committee's efforts promoting cooperation between the Bureau of the Census and the U.S. Geological Survey are beginning to bear fruit. Common data bases that combine computerized geographical codes from Census, with digitized field maps from the Geological Survey, are being produced for use in 1990 decennial census programs. The program is expected to generate a savings of $5M during the 1990 census cycle, and perhaps as much as $40M during the 2000 decennial census cycle. Printing activities in the Federal Government must be considered as integral to the overall operational programs which they support. Only through this radical restructuring of perspective will the full financial and managerial benefits of modern technology be possible. To achieve such a perspective will require the full complement of technical and persuasive skills of the Joint Committee. 2. Agency Printing and Publishing Plans Owing to the many changes in printing technologies, the Joint Committee on Printing determined that a broader perspective on government printing and publishing activities was necessary in order to perform its oversight responsibilities. Therefore, the Joint Committee has requested each department and agency to submit to the Committee, on an annual basis, a comprehensive printing program plan. plans are intended to replace many of the ad hoc individual requests received by the Joint Committee seeking approval of such things as equipment and establishment of printing environments. The Many departments have provided plans for the current and two following years. The effort involved in compiling these plans should result in improved internal management of individual department and agency programs. Departments are expected to report at the end of each year on the actual results of their plans, and any major deviations from an approved plan during its term will require additional Joint Committee review. The results of the first year of this planning process have been encouraging. Both the departments and the Joint Committee have reached a greater understanding of program requirements. II. OVERSIGHT OF THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE'S POLICIES AND OPERATIONS The Joint Committee on Printing is directly responsible for overseeing the Government Printing Office to ensure that the printing needs of Congress and the Executive Branch are met expeditiously and cost-effectively and that the public has the widest possible access to government-published information. By setting policy for the GPO to execute, by providing continuity in GPO programs through all Presidential administrations, and by encouraging the application of new technologies to GPO's functions, the Joint Committee has successfully met its statutory directives. In recent years, rapid and remarkable advances have occurred through the merger of printing and computer technology. It is clear that a consistent, yet flexible, management system is crucial to the effective use of such information technology. Within the government, such a system is critical to the task of governing. The Joint Committee on Printing's long experience in the flow of information places it in a unique position to help develop and coordinate the use of the equipment and systems necessitated by our changing times. The role of the Joint Committee in the coming years will be more comprehensive and demanding than ever before. The growing federal deficit calls upon us all to economize and promote efficiencies wherever possible. Through a professional and realistic analysis of Federal printing and information needs, the Joint Committee will continue to formulate policies for the GPO that will ensure its utility and vitality. In so doing, the Committee will continue its search for new ways to reduce waste and promote cost savings wherever possible. In that regard, former Chairman Mathias, on October 14, 1986, directed the Public Printer to follow a new, systematic approach to meeting customers' needs and required that GPO introduce search and retrieval capabilities that effectively complement the printing process. 1. Long Range Study of the Government Printing Office The Joint Committee on Printing has been working with a multiagency study group, chaired by the General Accounting Office, whose purpose is to evaluate GPO's role in the decades ahead and to recommend ways to improve service, modernize equipment, and communicate (both personally and electronically) with its customers. The other members of the study group are the Office of Technology Assessment and the Government Printing Office. In October 1985, the Government Printing Office began an assessment of its current operational capabilities and its ability to meet customer needs. The General Accounting Office has been working with GPO to ensure the completeness and objectivity of the agency's internal assessment. A preliminary GPO draft report has been reviewed by the General Accounting Office, which offered a number of constructive recommendations for improving the final product. GPO is currently incorporating these recommendations. The Joint Committee is also reviewing the preliminary draft which was submitted by the Public Printer on December 1, 1986. The General Accounting Office also is developing a questionnaire for use in surveying the needs of GPO customers. The questionnaire, which was pretested at the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce and Interior, is currently being revised. The survey of GPO customers will occur in 1987. The Office of Technology Assessment commenced its portion of the long range study in July 1986 with the first |