03-13-07
Contact: Paul Griffo
Telephone: (202) 366-4064
James S. Simpson, head of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), today challenged FTA’s entire workforce to make the agency the best organization in the federal government.
“I am calling on every employee at FTA to add value, excellence, and shine to the work we do in everything from answering the telephone to analyzing and recommending funding for transit projects,” Simpson said.
Simpson, the FTA’s Administrator, said his challenge is central to the agency’s effort to pursue the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which is administered by the Department of Commerce and given each November to organizations that best demonstrate customer-focused change that enhances quality and productivity. Competing for the Baldrige Award is also consistent with the President’s Management Agenda related to Strategic Management of Human Capital.
To further open the lines of communication, Simpson said he would serve as FTA’s “Chief Complaint Officer” to improve FTA’s performance on the critical factors that drive success, internally and externally. He has invited all employees to provide him with ideas and suggestions to improve the agency.
“We intend to use the Baldrige process to improve the work we do, enlist every employee in quality service, and use performance data to improve our services to FTA customers,” Simpson said.
FTA leadership is also seeking information from grant recipients and others outside the FTA to gain outside perspective on the agency’s strengths and opportunities for improvement.
“If a transit operator has a problem with anything at the FTA, they can bring it to us,” he said. Bring it to my office and we’ll address it. If we do not hear about it, how can we fix it?”
This is the first year federal government organizations have been invited to join private and nonprofits in the competition for the award.
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