Assignment: Rationale for Agency Selected

For this and the following assignments, which will become a major part of your portfolio, you will take on the role of a consultant for a government agency. The first role of the consultant is to familiarize yourself with the agency, its departments, and key actors. Select a local, county, state, or federal agency and a department within the agency. Usually, you can find contact information on their Websites.

After selecting an agency and department, you are expected to:

1. Provide a rationale for your selection, and research the agency and department.

2. Interview at least two representatives of the agency's department for the different sections of the paper. (If you can obtain more than two different interviews, do so. The more perspectives, the better. Interviews can be conducted in person, by phone, or by an electronic method such as email.)

3. Research the literature regarding issues that involve the selected agency and public administration in general.

Assume the role of a consultant who works for a consulting firm that has asked you to research this agency and file a report with the Vice President (VP) of Accounts and Client Support.

Write a two to three page paper, titled Part I: Background of and Rationale for the {Selected Agency} in which you separate the content into sections:

1. Provide background information about the agency and its department, mission, and its goals / objectives. (Title this section Introduction.)

2. Describe three to five functions of this agency. (Title this section Functions of the Agency.)

3. Analyze two to three current events involving the agency. (Use the e-Activities from Week 1 and Week 2.) (Title this section Current Events.)

4. Explain the rationale for selecting this agency with two to three justifiable reasons. (Title this section Rationale.)

5. List four to five academic sources and government Websites you expect to access in your research. (Include no more than one (1) non-government Website.)

Some Websites you may want to access are:

• U.S. Government Printing Office located at http://www.gpo.gov/
• The Federal Register located at http://www.federalregister.gov/
• U.S. Government Accountability Office located at http://www.gao.gov/
• American Society for Public Administrators located at http://www.aspanet.org/public/

When using these sites, please make sure they follow APA formatting within the text and on the Reference Page.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the professor's name, the course title, and the date. The sections must have appropriate titles. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. The assignment must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document.