Presidential Appointments

Positions that are generally subject to change during transitions are listed in United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions, commonly known as The Plum Book. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) prepares this document every four years at the request of Congress and it is published after the election in November. The 2008 edition was published on Nov. 12, 2008.

There are four broad categories of individuals or positions that may change during a transition:

1. Presidential appointments made with the advice and consent of the Senate (PAS) to positions in which the incumbent serves at the pleasure of the President;
2. Other Presidential appointments (PA) to positions in which the incumbent serves at the pleasure of the President;
3. Non-career Senior Executive Service (SES) appointments; and
4. Appointments to other positions in which the incumbent serves at the pleasure of the agency head. These positions, commonly known as “Schedule C” positions, are excepted by OPM based on their responsibility for determining or advocating agency policy, or their confidential character.

Positions in these four categories normally include Cabinet Officers and heads of other executive branch agencies, Under Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, Directors of Bureaus and Services, and Chairpersons and Members of Boards, Commissions, and Committees.

Incumbents of these positions customarily resign at the request of the incoming administration or before a new agency head takes office. It is also common for an incoming administration to ask certain persons to remain in their jobs during the transition to ensure the needed continuity during the initial period of staffing.

Obama Announces Transition Team—and Web Site (Washington Post)
The "Obama-Biden Transition Project" will be overseen by:

• Former White House Chief of Staff John D. Podesta
• Senior campaign adviser Valerie Jarrett
• Obama's former Senate Chief of Staff and top campaign aide Pete Rouse

The transition co-chairs will work with an advisory board full of Clinton veterans and Obama and Biden allies and confidants. The transition Web site, www.change.gov has launched and has the most current information about nominations and transition activities.

Presidential Transition (U.S. General Services Administration)
The Presidential Transition Acts of 1963 and 2000 authorize the GSA to provide the President-elect and the Vice-President-elect the services and facilities needed to assume their official duties as well as a full suite of services to the outoing administration. Resources provided include:

• GSA's Role in Presidential Transition
• Information for Appointees
• Laws & Regulations
• Other Resources

Serving the Congress and the Nation (Government Accountability Office)
The GAO’s resource to provide insight into, and recommendations for addressing, the nation’s major issues, risks and challenges

Prunes Online (Council for Excellence in Government)
An interactive, one-stop shop for anyone involved in the transition process. Includes links to the Plum Book online, a survivor’s guide for nominees, and a Presidential Appointment roadmap.

Presidential Transition Weblog (The IBM Center for the Business of Government)
Blog devoted to the topic of presidential transition including a plethora of links to transition-related resources.

Operator’s Manual for the New Administration (The IBM Center for the Business of Government) )
Designed to “help executives understand the terrain of government, become familiar with the terms and lingo used inside agencies, and know how to effectively use the tools of government.”

Getting it Done: A Guide for Government Executives (The IBM Center for the Business of Government)
Explains six essential to-dos for getting things done in Washington and articles on how to manage stakeholders.

Federal Agency Performance-Related Web Site Directory (Office of Management and Budget)
Links to every agency’s strategic plans, performance plans, performance reports, and program-level assessments to help assess the current state of governmental agencies.

Key Player Catalog
Catalogs think tanks, government agencies, academic institutions and other thought leaders following and generating assessments about transition issues related to government management.

Government Transition 2009 Wiki
This public service Wiki site is a repository of ideas and recommendations from knowledgable organizations and experts, and provides a forum for elaboration and discussion.

Inaugural Homepage (Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies)
Schedule, history, and photos of the events that have happened thus far in the planning process.

Inauguration Day History (Wikipedia)

Inaugural Archive (Library of Congress)
Archived inaugural speeches and presentations from past Inaugurations.