Burning Question: Should government spend money trying to make itself look cool?
A Republican senator wants details on OPM's branding campaign to improve feds' image.
On Monday, at Government Executive's Excellence in Government conference, Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry revealed that he had set up a team at his agency to work on a branding campaign aimed at fulfilling President Obama's pledge to make government cool again.
The agency is interviewing 100 Americans about their attitudes toward public service, and then plans to hire a marketing firm to craft a campaign "to "bring the cool to life and repolish public service," Berry said.
One Republican senator has a few questions about the effort. Stephen Losey writes in Federal Times that Tom Coburn of Oklahoma sent a letter to Berry yesterday asking for details on what's involved in the campaign, how much it will cost and how it will benefit taxpayers.
Coburn also said he wants Berry to detail how contractors will be used, and to list "the reasons OPM believes the campaign is necessary at this time."
The agency has until Aug. 15 to respond.
Coburn questions need for OPM campaign to boost feds' image
(Federal Times)
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