Washington Headquarters Services
Agency overview | |
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Formed | October 1, 1977 |
Headquarters | The Pentagon Arlington, Virginia |
Employees | 4,000 (2017) |
Agency executive |
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Parent department | Department of Defense |
Website | www.whs.mil |
Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) is a Department of Defense (DoD) Field Activity, created on October 1, 1977, to provide administrative and management support to multiple DoD components and military departments in the National Capital Region and beyond.
WHS currently has approximately 1,200 civilian and military employees and 2,000 contract employees, performing a wide range of essential administrative and management services in support of DoD operations, allowing WHS customer agencies and offices to focus exclusively on their core military missions.
History
Before the establishment of WHS, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) provided administrative support for several DoD Components, including several outside of OSD purview. The Department's creation of WHS removed these support functions from OSD, allowing the OSD staff to focus on matters involving policy analysis and oversight.
In the following decades, WHS became firmly established as the agency for DoD-wide support functions, including those in metropolitan Washington DC
The WHS mission has had substantial surges over recent years - including the massive program for the Renovation of
In 2010, WHS implemented several remote work initiatives modeled after the General Services Administration's (GSA) program with supporting roles such as the Telework Managing Officer.[1]
Beginning in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a vast majority of WHS' workforce was allowed to work remotely. This led to cost-saving measures and access to a diverse pool of talent.
Organization
Organizationally, WHS is aligned under the
Acquisition Directorate
The Acquisition Directorate is the Single Enterprise Contracting Office (SECO), providing acquisition services to all OSD components, significantly reducing annual OSD contracting costs. AD plans, coordinates, and manages the procurement programs essential to the mission of WHS, the Office of the Director of Administration and Management, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Programs support Pentagon Renovation, construction, professional and other services, commodities and supplies, effective communication and information technology systems, and special programs totaling over $1.5 billion a year.
Facilities Services Directorate
The WHS Facilities Services Directorate (FSD) supports a customer base of about 64,000 civilian and military personnel, including the Office of the
Enterprise Management
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The WHS Enterprise Management Office (EM) serves as the corporate integrator of WHS and establishes the framework for bridging functional gaps among WHS directorates to secure mission accomplishment and achieve strategic goals across the Office of the Director of Administration and Management.
Executive Services Directorate
The WHS Executive Services Directorate provides administrative management and graphics services to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and executes federally mandated and regulatory programs, including Freedom of Information Act, Security Review, Privacy Act, Records Management, Directives, Forms, Declassification Review, and Information Collection.
Enterprise Information Technology Services Directorate
The WHS Enterprise Information Technology Services Directorate (EITSD) provides information technology equipment, services, and customer support to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Office of the Director of Administration and Management, and WHS.
Financial Management Directorate
The WHS Financial Management Directorate (FMD) provides planning, programming, budgeting & execution, and accounting services to WHS and its customers. These services include budget formulation, defense, and execution; financial management, internal audit, and compliance; budgetary accounting; financial reporting; official Representation Funds management; purchase card and travel card program management; and resource management.
Human Resources Directorate
The WHS Human Resources Directorate (HRD) provides human resources services for executive, political, military, and civilian personnel; performs security investigations and clearances; conducts adjudications and appeals; and manages the various voluntary campaign programs, e.g., the annual DoD Combined Federal Campaign.
General Counsel
The Office of General Counsel (OGC) provides legal services for the WHS, as well as for the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, and the Office of the Director of Administration & Management handles the operational matters.