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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE COUNCIL ANNOUNCES CONTRACT AWARD

WASHINGTON, D.C. Attorney General John Ashcroft announced that the Department of Justice has awarded a contract to the firm of Arthur Andersen LLP to conduct a management study of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The study is being undertaken on behalf of the Department of Justice's Strategic Management Council, a formal board of top Justice officials chaired by Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson, which was created last May to provide direction and leadership on a wide range of Department matters. On June 20, Ashcroft requested that the Council conduct a comprehensive review of the FBI. As part of that review, Ashcroft requested the Council commission a study by a private firm to review the policies and practices of the Bureau regarding information technology, personnel matters, crisis management, and related issues.

"This study by a firm of Andersen's caliber will provide valuable information to enhance the institutional integrity and performance of the FBI. By addressing the many challenges facing the Bureau and finding the appropriate solutions, we will reinforce the FBI's effectiveness as the premier law enforcement organization in the world," said Ashcroft.

Selection of Andersen resulted from a competition conducted under the General Services Administration's (GSA) Management, Organizational, and Business Improvement Services (MOBIS) Schedule, which has proven invaluable in allowing federal managers to quickly access a broad range of experienced management consulting firms. Andersen was selected on the strength of its ability to assemble an experienced consulting team that could deliver recommendations based on its research in a short time frame.

As outlined in the contract, Andersen will evaluate the organizational structure and mission of the FBI, including the agency's own perception of its mission and core values and how well its organizational structure is suited to identify and act on institutional and operational problems. In addition, Andersen will review the Bureau's policies, practices, and procedures in several other areas, including its records and data management and the way the agency approaches the procurement and maintenance of information technology systems; its approach to human resource management, including the recruitment, selection, hiring, and retention of employees, as well as its approach to human capital planning and resource deployment. Finally, Andersen will review the manner in which the Bureau reacts to crises, emphasizing the effectiveness of its communication structure, its decision making and command authority, and the relation of Headquarters officials to those in field offices.

The results of the study will inform the Strategic Management Council's recommendations, due to the Attorney General at the beginning of next year, for overall improvements to the FBI.

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