From: Public Printer
Sent: Thursday, April 13, 2006 10:26 AM

To: GPO-EMPLOYEES
Subject: A Message from the Public Printer

Dear GPO-er,

Thanks to the good work of all, we have managed to turn GPO in a new direction, one that promises a positive future for our great agency for many years to come.

In the last three years we have: 

• Created a well-respected "A Strategic Vision for the 21st Century," which is a road map not only to our future but to Government publishing in all three branches of the Federal Government.
• Completely reversed our financial situation, moving from red ink year after year, to surpluses that have allowed us to invest in the digital equipment that we need to continue to serve our customers as their needs change.
• Reorganized our agency around product and service groups that are focused on providing unparalleled service to our Government customers, library partners and the general public.
• Recruited top notch professionals from other Government agencies and the private sector to expand our technical knowledge. GPO today is widely regarded throughout Government as a technological leader and innovator.
• Built the first GPO agency-wide Information Technology group and are well on our way to replacing our cumbersome legacy computing systems with a state-of-the-art enterprise computing platform that will integrate our entire organization.
• Achieved the funding and go-ahead from Congress to build a next generation digital information system that will allow us to ingest digital information from all Government sources, authenticate it for users and preserve it for posterity.  This system, which we have code-named FDsys, will be the heart of all GPO's future publishing activities for both print and electronic distribution of Government information to the public.
• Entered into new and innovative contractual relationships with leading universities and businesses to strengthen and broaden our ability to serve our Government customers and provide information to the public.
• Developed a truly innovative plan, now in front of Congress, that will allow us to build and fully equip a new 21st century digital information factory at no cost to taxpayers.    

Now, after three and a half years of helping you to achieve the above results and much, much more, it is time for Nora and me to begin the plans for return to our home in Nevada.  As you know, my pledge to you and the President was to remain as Public Printer for the 3 to 5 years it would take to reposition GPO for the future.

I have advised the President that I will continue to serve until a new Public Printer is chosen.  I want to assure you that I will work hard to make a smooth transition of leadership so that GPO does not miss a step going forward.

But, at the end of the day it is up to you.  Just as you have helped build the new, 21st century GPO, it is you who must continue to move the agency forward, every day.  I wouldn't leave if I was not sure you could do it.

Bruce James
Public Printer of the United States

United States Government Printing Office
Washington, DC 20401