Global Public Sector

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Executives and managers at all levels of government face the challenge of tight budgets and increased demands to raise performance, produce results and respond effectively to a fast-changing environment. Grant Thornton’s Global Public Sector group gives them creative, cost-effective solutions for business, financial, human capital and information technology solutions to help meet public sector challenges. Grant Thornton serves nearly all major departments and agencies in the U.S. federal and many in state and local governments. We work with Grant Thornton International Ltd member firms around the world on international development and public sector financial management.

Based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, with offices in Alexandria, Virginia, Austin and San Antonio, Texas, and Sacramento, California, Global Public Sector practice provides distinctive client service to international and U.S. federal, state and local governments and development organizations. We offer the following services:

The new cost warriors at the Department of Defense

In the 9th annual survey on federal defense financial management, the American Society of Military Comptrollers and Grant Thornton LLP surveyed nearly 600 uniformed and civilian financial executives and managers on what the Department of Defense can do to change its financial culture from one of spending to one of savings and constraint.

Performance Improvement Officer Survey 2011

The recently enacted Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 codified the position of performance improvement officer (PIO), first established by a 2007 Executive Order. In April 2011, Grant Thornton and the Partnership for Public Service released the first-ever survey of Federal PIOs based on responses from 23 of the 24 performance improvement officers (PIOs) or their designees at the largest federal agencies. The survey report, A critical role at a critical time, explores how PIOs see their roles and responsibilities and gauges their progress in establishing performance cultures within their agencies.

Public Financial Management Responses to an Economically Challenging World

As public sector financial management executives around the world cope with economic upheaval, Grant Thornton LLP and the International Consortium of Government Financial Managers examined the impact of the global financial crisis on governments. The 2010 survey is third in a series and focuses on responses to the crisis, including infrastructure investments and public-private partnerships, as well as transparency concerns. The report seeks to provide insight into the choices government financial leaders make and the tools they use to respond to financial management challenges.

State CFOs: Surviving in the New Era

This survey report focuses on the issues facing 40 state and territorial auditors, comptrollers, treasurers and other financial executives and 393 state government financial managers. Topics include risk management, dealing with budget cuts, debt management and state employee benefits (pensions and health care). Sponsors of the survey include the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers and Treasurers and the Association of Government Accountants.

CFOs: Surviving in the new era (2011 CFO Survey)

Government CFOs are juggling many challenges in today’s environment. The Association of Government Accountants and Grant Thornton LLP surveyed U.S. and Canadian government financial professionals for the annual CFO Survey on their key concerns, suggestions for improvement and ways they can maximize every dollar. The June 2011 survey focuses on risk management, how to deal with budget cuts and ideas for an improved model of federal annual audited financial reporting.

Embracing Government 2.0 Leading Transformative Change in the Public Sector

Government 2.0 is driving a transformation in transparency, participation and collaboration. As a result, government leaders need greater clarity and direction and the most effective uses of Government 2.0 technologies. In this white paper, Grant Thornton LLP, along with Freebalance--a For Profit Social Enterprise (FOPSE) software company--provide an overview of key social collaboration concepts relevant to today’s leaders. Further, the report outlines the skills needed for government social collaboration, as well as proven approaches for moving organizations in a direction that will help them realize the benefits of social media – improved productivity, reduced costs and measured results.

Twenty-first Annual Survey of Federal CIOs: Leveraging Technology to Improve the Performance of the Government

From January through April 2011, teams of representatives from TechAmerica member firm interviewed CIOs and other IT officials at 35 Federal departments, agencies, major programs and Congressional oversight groups. Their top three priorities for investing ever-scarcer IT funds in a future constrained by budget reductions were: 1) lowering costs; 2) integrating systems and processes; and 3) security and privacy measures.

A New C4 Agenda: Perspectives and Trends from State Government IT Leaders

In summer 2011, Grant Thornton, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) and TechAmerica surveyed 51 state and territorial government. CIO roles, IT governance, consolidation, shared services, health IT, workforce sourcing, and mobile devices and apps. At a high level, the survey reveals this to be a time of evolving roles, changing organizational capabilities and demanding workloads for the CIOs. The themes that emerge from the 2011 survey results center on consolidation, collaboration, clout and change.

Grant Thornton’s Survey of Federal Government Chief Human Capital Officers

As the mission of the federal government expands to meet 21st century challenges—from restructuring the financial industry and reforming health care to fighting terrorism—the public sector will need to hire hundreds of thousands of employees. Finding the right talent is critical. Grant Thornton and the non-profit Partnership for Public Service conducted the third annual survey of Chief Human Capital Officers, Closing the Gap: Seven Obstacles to a First Class Federal Workforce in 2010. The survey report is based on dozens of in-person interviews with human resource executives and offers insights on hiring reform, pay for performance, information technology, labor relations and the skills of the federal government’s HR workforce.

The Road Forward: The Federal Budget and Budgeting Profession

The federal budget dominates American news because it impacts every aspect of our society. Grant Thornton and the American Association for Budget and Program Analysis (AABPA) recently surveyed federal budget professionals (the army of analysts who prepare budget requests and manage the funds that Congress provides) on their opinions and concerns. They found the budgeteers primed for the coming budget battles.