ExecutiveOrdersEO
EO 13833Executive OrderTrump 45 · R Quiet signal

Executive Order 13833

Enhancing the Effectiveness of Agency Chief Information Officers

This executive order strengthens the authority of federal agency Chief Information Officers by requiring they report directly to agency heads, control IT budgets and hiring, consolidate redundant technology systems, and prioritize cybersecurity and cloud adoption. It also delegates expedited hiring authority for IT personnel and mandates OPM to issue a proposed rule within 30 days.

Federal Register Open PDF 83 FR 23345

Impact dates

  1. OPM Director must publish proposed rule delegating direct hiring authority for IT positions

  2. OPM Director must grant direct hiring authority upon affirmative agency determination

Key directives

  • CIOs must report directly to agency heads with access regarding all IT programs
  • CIOs serve as primary strategic advisor to agency head on IT use
  • CIOs have significant role in all IT-related planning, programming, budgeting, and execution decisions
  • CIOs approve appointment of all component CIOs
  • Agency heads must eliminate unnecessary IT management functions and merge/reorganize for consolidation
  • Agencies must prioritize procurement of shared IT services including cloud-based services
  • CIOs assess and advise on IT personnel knowledge/skill standards; component CIO evaluations include these standards
  • CIOs must be members (and chairs where appropriate) of IT investment and standards boards with voting authority
  • OPM must publish proposed rule delegating direct hiring authority for IT positions within 30 days
  • Proposed rule must provide 30-day OPM response for agency direct hiring authority determinations
  • IT hires under this authority limited to term appointments not exceeding 4 years, extendable once
  • OMB must amend or replace relevant guidance to reflect EO requirements

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • CIOs gain direct reporting lines to agency heads
  • CIOs become voting members/chairs of IT governance boards
  • CIO approval required for component CIO appointments

Near term (90d)

  • OPM must publish proposed direct-hiring rule for IT positions
  • OMB must update guidance to reflect EO requirements
  • Agencies begin IT consolidation planning

Long term

  • Implementation of agency-wide IT infrastructure consolidation
  • Transition to shared cloud-based services
  • Performance evaluations tied to IT knowledge standards

Risks & tensions

  • Tension between CIO centralization and existing component-level IT fiefdoms may create implementation resistance
  • Term appointment limit (4+4 years) for IT hires may reduce retention of technical talent in competitive market
  • Exclusion of Department of Defense and independent regulatory agencies limits scope
  • Vague 'as appropriate' and 'consistent with applicable law' qualifiers in Sections 7-8 may weaken enforcement
  • Dependent on appropriations availability per Section 11(b), potentially constraining IT modernization funding
Executive Order 13833: Enhancing the Effectiveness of Agency Chief Information Officers · Executive Orders