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Washington, D.C.—In offering her congratulations to the newly-confirmed director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the leader of the nation’s largest independent union of federal employees said today she welcomes his “wisdom and insight” into the operation of the federal government.

In a letter to OMB Director Peter R. Orszag, President Colleen M. Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) sought a meeting at his earliest convenience “to offer whatever help we can as you form your agenda…and to share our knowledge of the internal workings of the agencies where our members work.”

She noted that in its recommendations to the Obama transition team, NTEU made clear its intention to work with the administration and congressional leadership on strengthening federal agencies and improving service to the public.

The appointment of the OMB director is particularly important to NTEU and its members, since it plays a key role in helping fashion agency budgets and setting the policy for federal contracting decisions.

President Kelley has been consistent in her support of adequate agency funding and staffing.

“There is no other way to perform the business of the American people in an effective, efficient manner than to ensure that the agencies charged with those important responsibilities have enough personnel and sufficient resources to do their jobs in the manner the public expects and deserves,” the NTEU leader said.

Setting the rules for federal contracting is one of OMB’s most critical functions. President Kelley, who has been leading the fight against runaway contracting over at least the past eight years, has agreed with President Obama’s view that agency costs can be held in check in part by improving federal oversight of contractors, ending inefficient contracts and bringing the work back into federal agencies—as permitted by the rules.

NTEU has called not only for much greater oversight and transparency in contracting, but for a one-year moratorium on all public-private competitions for federal work conducted under OMB Circular A-76. Earlier in this decade, that document was revised by OMB sharply in favor of private contractors.

“Getting control of contracting and providing adequate resources to agencies will not only significantly improve the workplace,” President Kelley said, “but will aid measurably in the ability of federal employees to provide quality service to the American people.”

As the largest independent federal union, NTEU represents 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.