In this whitepaper, the author proposes that the new U.S. presidential administration update federal programming guidance procedures on budgeting and acquisition with an eye towards defining a more holistic management framework based upon industry standards for project, program, and portfolio management — that could result in a more effective and efficient bureaucracy.

This paper proposes that the U.S. federal government would benefit from utilizing PMI’s project, program, and portfolio standards framework as the basis for a common, robust federal system methodology. It outlines how three approved American National Standards developed by PMI can provide robustness and clarity, with a common language and a standard framework for agencies’ utilization. If followed in a disciplined manner, the standards provide for significant efficiencies within and across agencies, as well as improved efficiencies with industry.