Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has notified hundreds of organizations representing middle managers, minorities, veterans, people with disabilities and others that applications for the government's Senior Executive Service Federal Candidate Development Program are being accepted starting November 15.

The Senior Executive Service Federal Candidate Development Program (Fed CDP) is a comprehensive program that prepares individuals for top leadership posts through exposure to competitive programs that include rotational assignments within the Executive Branch, formal training, mentoring and performance assessments.

"I am excited about the impact this program will make in preparing our next generation of leaders, and I am deeply appreciative of the support of Congressman Danny Davis," said OPM Director Kay Coles James "Today, as never before, federal agencies must be ready with succession plans and have people in line who can step in and assume the awesome task of managing and directing major government operations. The Fed CDP will work to carry on the great tradition of the Senior Executive Service, while increasing access for a wider diversity of candidates."

Said U.S. Congressman Danny K. Davis (IL), ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Civil Service and Agency Organization: "I support the goals of the Candidate Development Program to identify and develop individuals with great potential for the senior leadership cadre which reflects the rich diversity of America."

Earlier this year, James met with representatives of employee organizations, Hispanic Association Colleges and Universities, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Veterans Service Organizations and others for a briefing on the Fed CDP. During these meetings, James stressed the value of the program to men and women who plan ambitious careers in federal public service.

"My work with these organizations has been personally rewardingand matched only by my professional satisfaction knowing that many of their members and constituents are logical successors to the rich talent pool that comprises today's Senior Executive Service," said James.

During her meetings with stakeholders and in testimony before Congress, James stressed that OPM's recruitment for the Fed CDP would be "consistent with the merit principles" and would further the ideals of government and the Senior Executive Service to include people "from all segments of our society."

The Senior Executive Service (SES) is the federal government's top cadre of managers. Its members manage many of the federal government's most important programs in national security and defense; science and technology; agriculture; the environment; and, information technology.

Further information about the Senior Executive Service Federal Candidate Development Program can be obtained at www.opm.gov/ses/fedcdp.

OPM has contacted the following organizations about the acceptance of applications for the Fed CDP:

• American Association of People with Disabilities
• National Organization on Disability
• National Council on Disability
• Interagency Subcommittee on Disability Statistics
• National Council on Independent Living
• National Federation of the Blind
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Government
• National Association of the Deaf
• Self Help for Hard of Hearing People
• Veterans of Foreign Wars
• Blinded Veterans Association
• Disabled American Veterans
• AMVETS
• Vietnam Veterans of America
• Non Commissioned Officers Association
• Paralyzed Veterans of America
• Blinded American Veterans Foundation
• Military Order of the Purple Heart
• Jewish War Veterans
• American Legion
• National Veterans Legal Service
• Catholic War Veterans
• Reserve Officer Association
• American GI Forum
• Retired Enlisted Association
• Fleet Reserve Association
• Military Officers Association
• Association for Service Disabled Veterans
• Reason Foundation
• Brookings Institution
• RAND Institute
• Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
• National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
• National Association of Asian American Professionals
• Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
• American Indian Higher Education Association
• National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education
• National Association of Colleges and Employers
• National Association of Schools of Public Affairs & Administration
• Federally Employed Women
• Executive Women in Government
• National Association of Women Judges
• Small Agency Council
• Chief Human Capital Officers
• Chief Information Officers
• Chief Financial Officers
• National Bar Association
• American Society for Training and Development
• American Society for Public Administrators
• League of United Latin American Citizens
• National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives
• Aspira Association, Inc.
• Hispanic National Bar Association
• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
• Association of Latinos in Finance and Accounting
• Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science
• National Society of Hispanic MBAs
• Coalition for Fairness for Hispanics in Government
• Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
• National Hispanic Medical Association
• Mana-A National Latina Organization
• SER-Jobs for Progress National, Inc.
• Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility
• U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• National Hispanic Corporate Council
• National Hispanic Leadership Agenda
• National Council of La Raza
• National Image, Inc.
• Latino Coalition
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund Institute
• Mexican-American Women's National Association
• Hispanic College Fund
• American Enterprise Institute
• Council for Excellence in Government
• Partnership for Public Service
• International Personnel Management Association
• National Academy of Public Administration
• Senior Executives Association
• Black in Government
• African American Federal Executives Association
• Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
• National Forum of Black Public Administrators
• National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education
• African American Association for Affirmative Action
• American Association for the Advancement of Science
• American Association of Black in Energy
• Association of Black American Ambassadors
• Association of Black Psychologists
• Black Leadership Forum, Inc.
• Black Patriots Foundation
• Black Women's Agenda
• Conference of Minority Transportation Professionals
• Executive Leadership Council and Foundation
• Metropolitan Consortium for Minorities in Engineering
• National Association of Black Accountants, Inc.
• National Black Leadership Roundtable
• National Pan-Hellenic Council
• National Forum for Black Public Administrators
• National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and
• Chemical Engineers
• Federal Asian Pacific American Advisory Council
• Asian American Government Executives
• Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance
• India Abroad Center for Political Awareness
• Japanese American Citizens League
• Korean American Coalition
• National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium
• National Congress of Vietnamese Americans
• National Korean American Service and Education Consortium, Inc.
• Organization of Chinese Americans
• Asian Pacific American Institute Congressional Studies
• Asian Pacific American Women's Leadership Institute
• Asian American Government Executives Network
• Coalition of Asian Pacific American Federal Employee Organizations
• Society of American Indian Government Employees