Plain Writing Act Compliance Report - July 13, 2011

Agency for International Development (USAID) officially designated the Chief Operating Officer as the Senior Agency Official for Plain Writing in an Action Memorandum signed on July 12, 2011, by USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah. USAID Plain Language Coordinators from the Bureau for Management and the Office of the Executive Secretariat were assigned to implement the requirements outlined in the Plain Writing Act of 2010. The points of contact for implementing the Act are Sean Carroll, Chief Operating Officer, and four Plain Language Coordinators: Lisa Glufling, Albert Moesle, Christine Brown, and other staff members. USAID has made various communications documents and postings available in a format consistent with the Plain Writing guidelines. These include USAID Policy Directives and Required Procedures, which are available on the Agency's website and promote clarity and consistency in USAID policy, procedures, and guidance. The Administrator's 2011 Annual Letter is also available, which builds on the Agency's strong commitment to transparency by describing USAID's work to the American public and how our work benefits the American people. Additionally, USAID FrontLines, a news publication produced monthly and distributed electronically and in print to over 32,000 subscribers, features articles about USAID, international development, and humanitarian assistance efforts around the world, promoting transparency by describing USAID's work to the American people. USAID has informed Agency staff of the Plain Writing Act's requirements. In November 2010, a USAID General Notice was sent to all employees via the Agency's Notices System, which included a link for staff to view the full text of the Act as published by the Government Printing Office on October 13, 2010. The General Notice also included a link to the Federal Plain Language Guidelines website (Plainlanguage.gov) for further information and guidance. The Agency's policy directives and required procedures also follow the Federal Plain Language Guidelines. Staff drafting documents to be published in the Agency's Automated Directives System (ADS) are instructed to follow an "ADS Style and Format Guide" in ADS Chapter 501, which provides guidance to promote clarity and consistency when drafting policy and procedures. USAID has updated materials to be used in both computer-based and in-person trainings to ensure that agency staff is knowledgeable about Plain Writing Act requirements. Automated Directives System (ADS) training materials have been updated to highlight the plain language guidance outlined in ADS Chapter 501. The training is available as a computer-based training (CBT) to all USAID staff online. Plain language training materials will also be used for in-person training of new USAID employees attending "New Employee Orientation" training, including all new policy professionals in the agency. Since November 2009, classroom-based writing courses have been offered to USAID Washington and overseas staff, with plain language guidelines as an integral part of the curriculum. USAID intends to maintain compliance with the Plain Writing Act through the USAID Plain Language Coordinators, who will implement the Act's requirements, and the Senior Agency Official for Plain Writing, who will oversee the Agency's plain language efforts. The Coordinators will be responsible for compliance, and the plain language guidance provided in ADS Chapter 501 will help ensure that changes in Agency writing style are sustained. Information about the Plain Writing Act is available on USAID's public website, including USAID points of contact responsible for implementing the Act and their email addresses, an overview of the most important documents and public information that should be written in plain language, and a link to the Federal Plain Language Guidelines (plainlanguage.gov).