This memorandum from OMB Director Shaun Donovan to agency and department heads outlines the Obama administration’s plans for the development the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 budget focusing on a submission that will provide a complete current services budget baseline for an incoming administration.

Donovan directs agencies to wait until the new administration, or its transition team, is in place to complete the normal director’s review or “passback processes” with OMB this September, as is typical in non-presidential election years. A current services baseline provides an estimate of costs to carry on existing programs and assumes no policy changes. That will allow the winner of this November’s election to assess current spending levels and make his or her own policy decisions.