On February 26, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued guidance to federal agencies on implementing President Trump’s Executive Order 14210 from February 11 requiring federal agencies to collaborate with DOGE to implement large-scale reductions and to curb future hiring (covered by InfoBytes here). The guidance instructed agencies to prepare for large-scale reductions in force (RIFs) and develop Agency RIF and Reorganization Plans (ARRPs) by March 13, which was outlined in the guidance as Phase 1 of a two phase process to identify and implement cuts to the federal workforce.

The guidance indicated that in Phase 2, agencies are required to submit outlines of proposed changes to operations by April 14, including proposals to agency organizational structures and functions, confirmations that personnel data had been reviewed, and plans for relocating offices. Agencies were instructed their proposals should limit hiring to high-need areas only and agencies should relieve four employees for every one employee hired. The guidance noted that law enforcement, border security, national security, public safety, military, and certain noncareer positions — as well as positions in the Executive Office of the President and the U.S. Postal Service — were excluded from application of the ARRP process described in the guidance. Agencies were also instructed to submit monthly progress reports to OPM and OMB on May 14, June 16, and July 16 of this year.

The guidance included a sample timeline for how OPM will implement decisions regarding RIFs and noted that OMB and OPM must certify ARRPs at agencies providing direct services to citizens, such as Social Security, Medicare and veterans’ health care before proposals will be implemented at such agencies.