LETTER TO WILLIAM J. CASEY FROM WILLIAM J. ANDERSON

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 10, 2009
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: February 14, 1985
• Content Type: LETTER

Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3
EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
ROUTING SLIP
3637 (O-81)
Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3
 Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3
UNITED STATES GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20548
February 14, 1985
The Honorable William J. Casey, Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C. 20505
Dear Mr. Casey:
On January 14, 1985, we mailed you a questionnaire related to our survey
of federal efforts to improve productivity through capital investment programs.
As I mentioned in my previous letter, the objectives of our survey are to
develop an inventory of productivity enhancing capital investment programs in
the federal government and to obtain indications of the potential for starting
new programs for those agencies that currently don't have such programs.
Your response is of the utmost importance to us, but as of this date,
we have not received it. If you have already returned the completed
questionnaire, please disregard this letter and accept our thanks for
contributing your time and knowledge.
In the event that the first questionnaire was misplaced, we have enclosed
a second copy. We urge you to fill it out and return it to us in the enclosed
self-addressed, postage-paid envelope as soon as possible.
Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated.
William J. Anderson
Director
General Government Division
DCI
EX"_ C
F._'a /
Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3
 Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3
EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
ROUTING SLIP
Compt
SUSPENSE 30 Jan 85
For direct response please. info cv to Pc
--.--, Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3
 Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3
UNITED STATES GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20548
January 14, 1985
The Honorable William J. Casey, Director
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, D.C. 20505
Executive Reg;s tr;.
85- 213
The U.S. General Accounting Office, an agency of the Congress is conducting
a survey of federal efforts to improve productivity and reduce costs through
capital investment programs. The objective of our survey is to identify those
formal programs and/or funds established to facilitate investments in labor
saving facilities and equipment. Special funds or set-aside programs for capital
investments which offer substantial productivity improvements and related cost
savings, for example, have been used by private industry for many years and were
begun by the Department of Defense in the 1970's.
We have prepared the attached questionnaire to assist us in obtaining
information we need to (1) develop an inventory of productivity enhancing
capital investment programs in the federal government, and (2) obtain
indications of the potential for starting new programs for those agencies that
currently don't have such programs. We are asking that we be given the name(s)
of the official(s) in your department/agency whom we can contact should we desire
further information on any programs underway or the potential for establishing
such programs.
Please complete the questionnaire and return it, by January 31, 1985,
in the business reply envelope provided. If you would like to clarify or
qualify your responses, please use the response space after question 21. Should
you have any questions concerning the questionnaire or our study in general,
contact Larry Peacock at [phone] (FTS 827-6621) or Horace Kreitzman at
[phone] (FTS 275-2156).
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
William J. Anderson
Director
General Government Division
Enclosures
Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3
 Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87MOO539ROO2203600003-3
`~F,iJ ST42
SURVEY OF FEDERAL EFFORTS TO IMPROVE
PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMS
The U.S. General Accounting Office is
conducting a survey of federal efforts to improve
productivity through capital investments. This sur-
vey will enable us to develop an inventory of pro-
ductivity enhancing capital investment programs in
federal agencies and obtain indications of the
potential for starting new programs.
This questionnaire is being sent to each of
the federal departments and agencies which are con-
sidered to have capital expenditures and budgets
sufficiently large enough to have, or have the
potential for, formal efforts or programs directed
toward identifying and promptly funding fast payback
capital investments with high potential. for improv-
ing productivity. We are interested in investments
in equipment and facilities (buildings) that are not
routine replacements, but directed toward more
innovative productivity enhancements.
Please complete the questionnaire and return
it-in the enclosed pre-addressed envelope by January
31, 1985. Should you have any questions concerning
the questionnaire or our study in general, please
contact Larry Peacock at [phone] (FTS
827-6621) or Horace Kreitzman at [phone] (FTS
275-2156).
Mr. W.D. Campbell, Regional Manager
Norfolk Regional Office
U.S. General Accounting Office
5705 Thurston Avenue
Virginia Beach, Virginia
ATTN: Larry Peacock
157
Please fill in the following Information about the
individual responsible for completing the questionnaire
in the event that clarification and/or additional
information are needed.
Telephone:
(Area Code and Number)
DEFINITIONS
Productivity enhancing capital investments
are defined for the purpose of this questionnaire as
those investments in labor saving equipment, facili-
ties, or systems which are.self-amortizing--i.e.,
they generate labor cost savings that are sufficient
to recoup the investment cost within a reasonable
period of time.
Fast payback capital investments
generally refer to those capital investments which
accrue labor and/or other cost savings, and provide
a quick return on investment (some organizations use a
specific period, such as 2 years, as the maximum
length of time for self-amortization of the investment
to qualify as a fast payback capital investment).
- ,,, , Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87MOO539ROO2203600003-3
 Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3
1. What are your department's/agency's total actual
(1980-1984) and projected (1985-1990) capital
expenditures for facilities and equipment? (If
actual is not available for fiscal year 1984,
please provide an estimate.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Fiscal
year
Amount
for
facilities
$(000)
Amount
for
equipment
$(000)
Total
$(000)
1980 (actual)
1981 (actual)
1982 (actual)
1983 (actual)
1984 (actual)
1985 (projected)
1986 (projected)
1987 (projected)
1988 (projected)
1989 (projected)
1990 (projected)
2. Does your department/agency identify capital
equipment separately in the budget?
1. Yes
2. No
3. Please list below the principal product(s)/
service(s) produced by your agency with the
majority of your capital investment expenditures
for facilities and/or equipment shown In
Question 1 above. (Please attach additional
pages, if necessary.)
PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVING CAPITAL
INVESTMENT PROGRAMS UNDER WAY
4. Does your department/ agency have any special or
separately identified efforts or programs directed
toward improving productivity through capital
investments?
1. F--' Yes
2. No (Skip to question 17.)
If there is more than one program, please duplicate
the questionnaire, as necessary, and respond to
Questions 5-16 for each program.
5. Please provide the following information about who
is responsible for your productivity enhancing
capital investment programs.
Name:
Title:
Organization:
Address:
6. Does your program include provisions for funding
facilities and equipment? (Please check one box
in each row.)
Yes No
1. Facilities: ^ ^
2. Equipment: ^ ^
7. Is your formal productivity improvement program
separately funded or financed so that these
investments do not compete with routine budget
requirements?
1. ^ Yes
2. ^ No
Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3
 Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3
8. Who in your department/agency has the authority
to approve the funding for proposed productivity
enhancing capital investments? (Check all that
apply.)
I. Assistant Secretary/Comptroller
2. f-~ Capital investment program manager
3. Q Program/department/division
nn manager
4. 4--~ Other (please specify)
9. Please provide the total amount of funds spent
(actual and projected) for capital investments
implemented under the formal program or approved
for the purpose of enhancing productivity for
fiscal years 1980 through 1990. (If actual is
not available for fiscal year 1984, please
provide an estimate.)
PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCING CAPITAL INVESTMENT
EXPENDITURES
Fiscal Year
Amount
for faci-
lities
$(000)
Amount
for
equipment
$(000)
Total
$(000)
1980 (actual)
1981 (actual)
1982 (actual)
1983 (actual)
1984 (actual)
1985 (projected)
1986 (projected)
1987 (projected)
1988 (projected)
1989 (projected)
1990 (projected)
10. Please provide the current amount (cost) of any
backlog of identified productivity enhancing
capital investment opportunities for which funding
is not available. (If actual is not available,
please provide an estimate and check the
appropriate box. If none, enter "0".)
1. For Q ^
facilities: $
2. For ~ a
equipment: $
11. Is there a separate system or process (set of pro-
cedures) for obtaining approval of capital invest-
ments proposed for the productivity enhancing
program?
1- 0 Yes
2. p No
12. Is there a formal mechanism or set of procedures
for tracking the productivity improvements and
other benefits resulting from the investments?
1- 1--~ Yes (Continue)
2- I--~ No (Skip to Question 14)
13. If you track program benefits, please provide the
total cost savings and other benefits, if any,
realized from the productivity enhancing capital
investment program for fiscal years 1980 through
1984. (Please add additional pages if necessary to
provide the information. If actual is not avail-
able for fiscal year 1984, please provide an
estimate.)
PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCING CAPITAL INVESTMENT
PROGRAM COST SAVINGS
Fiscal
year
Cost Savings from
Facilities Equipment
Investments Investments
$(000) $(000)
Total
$(000)
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
14. If you do not track program benefits, is the return
on investment computed for each Investment directed
toward improving productivity?
i- Q Yes
2. D
Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3
 Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3
15. How long has your oldest productivity enhancing
capital Investment effort or program been in
effect? (Please check only one.)
1. Q 1-3 years (Skip to Question 21.)
2. 4-6 years
3.Q' 7-9 years
4. Q 10-12 years
5. Q Other (please explain)
16. 11 your program has been under way for more than
3 years, to what do you attribute Its
continuance? (Please check all that apply.)
1. Management emphasis and support
2. 1--i Adequate funding of the program.
3. Q Continuing need to reduce costs of
department/agency operations.
4. Q
Incentives to department/division mana-
gers (Please explain or list the type of
incentives under Item 5 below.)
5. 0 Other (Please Iist or explain.)
POTENTIAL FOR STARTING A FORMAL EFFORT
(PROGRAM) TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY
THROUGH CAPITAL INVESTMENTS
17. Do you consider your department/ agency to have the
potential for establishing a formal effort or
program directed toward improving productivity
through capital Investments?
1. Q Yes (Continue)
2. Q No (Skip to Question 21.)
18. Has your department/agency ever considered
establishing a capital investment program directed
primarily toward fast payback and/or productivity
enhancing opportunities?
1. Q Yes (Continue)
2. Q No (Skip to Question 21.)
19. If you answered yes to question 18, which of the
following, If any, were the reasons for not
proceeding with a program? (Please check all that
apply.)
1. Q Budget limitations
2. Q Insufficient potential
3. Q Still under consideration
4. Q Other (please specify)
Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3
 Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3
20. Pler-se estimate the amount (cost) of productiv-
ity enhancing capital investment opportunities
available in your department/ agency which have
not been funded. (If none, enter "0".)
1. For facilities: S
2. For equipment: $
OTHER INFORMATION
21. If you have additional comments regarding any
previous question or general comments concerning
federal efforts to improve productivity through
capital investment programs, please use the
space below or attach additional sheets.
WS/ 12-84
5
Approved For Release 2009/09/10: CIA-RDP87M00539R002203600003-3